Emonica S. Dames has been a freelance copywriter for more than eight years. Her work can be found in different types of collateral representing small businesses, nonprofit organizations and start-up entities. Dames graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in Public Relations/Advertising with a goal of working for herself. She began her freelance career while still in college, helping like-minded entrepreneurial spirits to properly market themselves.
In 2008 Dames decided to take her strengths to the next level as a publicist—becoming a powerhouse for her clients—as the liaison between their product/services and the media. She serves as the writer/editor for the popular Publicity 101 forum, a monthly blog, providing publicity, PR and business insight to Central Florida. Within this position she discovers and interviews professionals who exhibit best business practices with proven results.
With a knack for numbers and an analytical quality Emonica has also helped many accounting departments throughout Central Florida analyze important data, streamline processes, improve customer service and develop training manuals.
Nick Lucido, PRSSA 2008-2009 vice president of professional development, is a senior a Michigan State University studying advertising, public relations and public administration. Currently he works in the digital practice of Edelman in Chicago. Nick also has interned with John Bailey & Associates, the North American International Auto Show and Lantz Communications.
Michael Sznajderman is the senior communications strategist for Alabama Power Company. His responsibilities run the gamut from media relations and crisis communications to public and community outreach on a range of issues involving or affecting the power company.
Before joining the power company, Sznajderman spent 18 years as a newspaper reporter and editor. He is a former editorial writer, political columnist and state capital bureau chief for the Birmingham News and a former national political correspondent for the Tampa Tribune in Washington, D.C. He also worked for newspapers in New Jersey, New York and in Tokyo, Japan.
Sznajderman is the recipient of several journalism and writing awards, including the Robin F. Goldstein Prize for Regional Reporting from the National Press Club. His freelance articles have appeared in American Journalism Review, the Christian Science Monitor, Alabama Heritage magazine and the London Jewish Chronicle, among other publications. He is also a contributor to the online Encyclopedia of Alabama.
Sznajderman received his bachelor’s degree in communications from Fordham University in New York City. He is completing work on a master’s degree in communication management from The University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is married with two children.
Rebecca Timms is the 2009-2010 national president of PRSSA and a senior at Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J. She is pursuing a public relations major with minors in political science and journalism. As you’ll read in her Platform article, Timms first learned about PRSSA as a high-school senior before rising through the Society’s ranks and assuming the presidency in June 2009. She has received numerous awards on the local and national levels of PRSSA. Timms has held seven professional positions in communications and related fields, most recently as the public affairs intern at Campbell Soup Company’s world headquarters.
Philip Turkowitsch holds a master’s degree in communications from the University of Vienna, Austria. During his final years in college he specialized in public relations and crisis communications. In 2005, Turkowitsch completed a 50,000-word dissertation on emergency response planning. While still in college, he participated in student exchange programs and worked in four different countries.
Turkowitsch is currently employed as an emergency response manager with an award-winning airline in the Middle East and is a member of the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Emergency Response Planning working group. Turkowitsch also maintains his own Web site and blog at www.moderncrisismanagement.com. On his Web site Turkowitsch comments and posts about the latest trends and observations in the field of crisis management. In his blog entries he analyzes recent real-life examples and offers ideas and recommendations for improvement.
Platform Online Magazine
© 2010 The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations
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