About Jennifer

Residence: North Tonawanda

Phone #: 716-990-0282

PRSA: Almost 2 years in the National Chapter, 2 months in the local chapter. I really did think I was a member before. I was also a member of PRSSA at Buffalo State.

How long I've been in this: I've been in the Communications field for just under 5 years. I've done everything from media relations, copy writing, communications planning and strategy to traditional advertising, internet marketing, and social media. My areas of expertise are in online and integrated marketing communications. Specifically PR, search engine optimization, social media, e-mail communications. I currently manage all PR, internet marketing and serve as the webmaster for the Niagara Tourism and Convention Corporation. (or as the Buffalo News referred to it yesterday as the Niagara Convention and Tourism Corp. YEESH)

Career aspirations: To be a communications rockstar or the Director of Marketing Communications and a major company. I plan on moving when I finish my master's degree to Chicago (or somewhere like that). But really, how cool would it be to have Jennifer Starkey, APR Communications Rockstar on my business card....

Looking forward to most: I'm looking forward to being a part of a team that will enhance the online presence of PRSA and also increase membership and value to our organization and profession. I really love what PRSA stands for and I know that this organization has the ability to influence the C-suite into creating value in PR. That being said, I'd love to help in whatever way I can to make that a reality. I'm looking forward to gaining more experience in dealing with different areas of business and developing relationships with the people involved in this committee.

I live in Tonawanda. My cell is 348-6680 and e-mail is tara.erwin@gmail.com.

I've been in PRSA since graduating from Buff State in 2000; I was a PRSSA member while in school.

Criminey, I've been in PR for almost 13 years! Started as an actual paycheck-collecting intern (that counts, right?) at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Public Affairs Office in 1998 and it's all been downhill from there, heh. No really, I've been very lucky to have experience across the board, from government to agency to corporate to education and non-profit. My specialties are writing, research and media relations. I'll never be a computer (nerd) whiz, but hopefully attending PRSA seminars and belonging to this fine committee will keep me current enough with social media tactics to know what I'm talking about.

As far as what the future holds, you know, I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up. Don't burn me at the stake, but I do know that I have no desire to be some hotshot fast-paced PR guru. Being on call 24/7, stashing an extra suit at the office in case I pull an all-nighter and a crackberry permantly affixed to my hand do nothing for me. I've got two little ones and a husband who leads the lifestyle mentioned above, so I guess the name of the game right now is balance. To be brutally honest, PR is what I do, not who I am. The world needs rulers but they also need workers, and I'm more than happy to be a worker, carrying out the plan those bigwigs spent all weekend at the office hashing out while I was at home with my family. :-) Now that being said, I'm not a total slug. I can rise to the occasion and have no problem pitching in and contributing when needed. It's just not something that would make my skirt fly up if I was expected have that level of commitment on a constant basis, though.

Being on the E-Comm Committee for just over a year has already taught me so much about social media and incorporating it into an overall communications strategy. Like it or not, I truly believe traditional media outlets will become obsolete in the next 10-15 years, and interactive marketing and communication is the way of the future. I think it's really cool to be involved in this branch of communication in its infancy and look forwrard to learning and sharing ideas.