2020-21 Committees, Project Teams & Task Forces

Executive Board Search Committee
(Standing Committee)

Chair: TBA

Board Liaison: Lesley Bruinton, APR, NSPRA President 2020-21

Staff Liaison: Mellissa Braham, APR, mbraham@nspra.org 301-519-1227 

Charge:

• To recruit and recommend a slate of one or more candidates for each NSPRA Executive Board office that will become vacant the following year. (2021 – President-elect, Northwest Region Vice President, Southeast Region Vice President).

• Present slate to the membership at the NSPRA 2021 National Seminar in New Orleans, La.

Deadline: Slate of candidates submitted to NSPRA office no later than May 1, 2021.

Committee Members:

• Shayla Cannady, shayla.cannady@ocps.net  407-317-3200 (NSPRA Southeast Region)
• Mary Beth Hill, mbhill@lexington1.net 803-821-1152 (NSPRA Southeast Region)
• Monica Lester, APR, monica.lester@nyspra.org 518-813-1484 (NSPRA Northeast Region)
• Delaina McCormack, delaina.mccormack@acps.k12.va.us 703-619-8003 (NSPRA Mideast Region)
• Doreen McKercher, doreen.mckercher@camas.wednet.edu 360-833-5563 (NSPRA Northwest Region)
• Brian Nicol, brianico@hssdschools.org 920-662-7825 (NSPRA North Central Region)
• Joseph Ortiz, joseph.ortiz@tuhsd.org 623-478-4002 (NSPRA Southwest Region)
• Thomas Scheidel, tscheidel@alleganaesa.org (269) 512-7700 (NSPRA Mideast Region)
• Tierney Tinnin, tierney.tinnin@chisd.net 972-291-1581 (NSPRA South Central Region)

Audit Committee
(Standing Committee)

Board Liaison: Joe Ferdani, APR, Southwest Region Vice President

Staff Liaison: Tommy Jones, tjones@nspra.org  310-519-1222 

Charge:

• To review outside auditor's report and make a report to the Executive Board.

Deadline: 

• Report made at November 2020 NSPRA Executive Board Meeting and to the membership at the NSPRA 2021 Seminar in New Orleans, La.

Committee Members:

• Mychael Dickerson mdickerson2@bcps.org 443-809-8706 (NSPRA Mideast Region) 
• Andy Grunig, APR andy.grunig@fcps.edu 571-423-1212 (NSPRA Mideast Region) 

• Terry Locke locke.terry@cusd80.com 480-812-7647 (NSPRA Southwest Region)

Teller Committee
(Standing Committee)

Board Liaison: Lesley Bruinton, APR, NSPRA President 2020-21

Staff Liaison: Tommy Jones, tjones@nspra.org  301-519-1222 

Charge:

• To certify the results of the 2021 election for NSPRA Executive Board offices.

Members: 

• TBD - Committee constituted as needed.

Accreditation Committee
(Standing Committee)

Chair: Naomi Hunter, APR, naomi@naomihuntercommunications.com 650-503-3205 (NSPRA Southwest Region)

UAB Rep: Adrienne Leon, APR, adrienne.leon@neric.org 518-464-3960 (NSPRA Northeast Region)​

Board Liaison: Tracy Jentz, APR, officer-elect to the NSPRA Executive Board

Staff Liaisons: Mellissa Braham, APR, mbraham@nspra.org 301-519-1227, and Rebecca Shaw, rshaw@nspra.org 301-519-1221         

Charge:   

• Write two articles for The NSPRA Network e-newsletter on the value and process of accreditation.
• Assist with coordinating Panel Presentations for candidates as needed in states/regions.
• Identify and encourage potential APR candidates.
• Support and use the UAB’s “It Takes a PRo” marketing campaign plan to promote accreditation to NSPRA and chapter members.
• Serve as a resource to NSPRA chapters, and provide advice and assistance in offering accreditation preparation opportunities for NSPRA and chapter members.
• Assist in coordinating and presenting the APR Prep Pre-Seminar Workshop as needed.
• Develop an accreditation liaison/chair for as many chapters as possible and appropriate.

Pertaining to Panel Presentations: 

• Monitor candidates’ progress through the process and report to NSPRA on each step.

• Serve as the local/regional coordination arm for NSPRA in scheduling Panel Presentations for member candidates for accreditation.

• Assist chapters in building capacity to host local/state Panel Presentations for candidates.

• Develop relationships/assist chapters to develop relationships with PRSA chapters in states/locales that lack capacity for convening a full panel of NSPRA APRs in order to facilitate the involvement of at least one NSPRA APR on a member candidate’s panel.

• Maintain contact throughout the year with chapters running APR study groups to identify members who plan to become APR candidates and request Panel Presentations at the Seminar.

• Work with NSPRA to identify and recruit members with APRs to serve on Panel Presentations in their state/region and at the Seminar.

• Serve on Panel Presentations at the Seminar and at the local/regional level when possible.

• Be able to explain the steps involved in becoming accredited to interested candidates.

• Thoroughly understand the Accreditation and Panel Presentation process.

Reporting: Committee chair will provide progress reports to NSPRA staff liaison for each scheduled NSPRA Executive Board meeting.

Regional Committee Reps:

• Adrienne Leon, APR, adrienne.leon@neric.org 518-464-3960 (NSPRA Northeast Region)
• Leslie McCoy, APR, leslie.mccoy@bgreen.kyschools.us 270-792-1807 (NSPRA Mideast Region)
• Christy McGee, APR, cmcgee@ffc8.org 719-382-1576 (NSPRA Southwest Region) 
• Lorraine Michelle, APR, michellel@issaquah.wed.net.edu 509-539-2009 (NSPRA Northwest Region) 
• Terry Ryan, APR, tryan@northbrook28.net 847-504-3404 (NSPRA North Central Region)
• Rebecca Villarreal, APR, rmvillarreal@nbisd.org 830-643-5762 (NSPRA South Central Region)
• Cindy Warner, APR, cwarner@shelbyed.org 205-682-7084 (NSPRA Southeast Region)  

Communication Equity and Diversity Task Force

Board Team Leader: Yolanda Stephen, APR, officer-elect to Vice President for Diversity Engagement

Member Team Leader: TBA ​

Staff Liaison: Mellissa Braham, mbraham@nspra.org 301-519-1227

Task Force Goal: To continue to build resources on diversity communication to expand, add to and support the work that has been done to date by the Diversity Engagement Project Team.

Proposed Tasks:

• Write (or recruit member writers for) minimum of three:
  • “Connecting Communities” columns in 2020-21 for The NSPRA Network e-newsletter on diversity and communication equity topics, with the target audience of professional school communicators.
  • Articles for PRincipal Communicator in 2020-21 on diversity and communication equity topics, with the target audience of elementary, middle and/or high school-level principals.
• Compile best practice examples, relevant publications/articles and other materials to update, enhance and add to the Diversity Communications Toolkit.
• For the NSPRA 2021 National Seminar:
  • Assist in identifying relevant topics and activities.
  • Assist in recruiting session proposals for a Diversity and Equity Communications track.
  • Assist in hosting the Celebrating Equity Through Inclusion Mixer.
  • Recruit additional task force members representing diverse member stakeholder groups.
  • Provide representatives for outreach opportunities through NSPRA.

Task Force Members:

• Kenita Bowers, APR, kenita.bowers@doe.virginia.gov 804-225-2543 (NSPRA Mideast Region)

• Shayla Cannady, shayla.cannady@ocps.net 407-317-3200 (NSPRA Southeast Region)

• Catherine Carbone Rogers, catherine.carbone@highlineschools.org 206-631-3002 (NSPRA Northwest Region)

• Royal Gurley, Ed.D., rgurley@dcpsnet.org 804-469-4190 (NSPRA Mideast Region)

• Christine Liberaski, liberacd@npenn.org 215.853.1020 (NSPRA Northeast Region)
• Rashaad O’Neal, Rashaad.ONeal@douglasesd.k12.or.us 541-530-3880 (NSPRA Northwest Region)
• Stephen Nichols, APR, stephen@communicationresources.com 916-709-7210 (NSPRA Southwest Region)

• Joseph Ortiz, joseph.ortiz@tuhsd.org 623-478-4002 (NSPRA Southwest Region) 

• Heidi Otero, hvega@azsba.org 602-254-1100 (NSPRA Southwest Region)

• Alma Sotelo, alma.sotelo@csd83.org 623-691-4032 (NSPRA Southwest Region) 

School Communication Benchmarking Project Team

Board Team Leader: Yolanda Stephen, APR, officer-elect to Vice President for Diversity Engagement

Staff Liaison: Mellissa Braham, APR, mbraham@nspra.org 301-519-1227

Project Manager: Kimberlee Armstrong, Ed.D., karmstrong@tamdistrict.org 415-924-6200 (NSPRA Southwest Region)​

Project Goal: To identify best-in-class practices and performance measures for the critical function area of equity and diversity communications to add to the Rubrics of Practice and Suggested Measures.

Scope of Project: Gather relevant data and produce rubrics that will provide school communication professionals, superintendents and school board members with the guidelines and resources they need to develop effective communication plans to promote equity and respect for diversity within a school community.

Project Tasks:

• Determine best-in-class performance for the critical function area.
• Identify essential program components for the critical function area.
• Identify benchmark practices in each program component for an emerging, established or exemplary program, based on best-in-class performance.
• Identify evaluative measures for the critical function area.

Deadline: Complete content for sixth critical function area – equity and diversity communications – by spring 2022.

Reporting: Board team leader will provide progress reports to NSPRA staff liaison for each scheduled NSPRA Executive Board meeting.

Project Team Members:

• TBD