Committees

Agency Management Committee

Mission: To provide member firms with data and programs to achieve increased profitability, revenue growth and operational efficiency

  • Nelson Fernandez (Chair), APCO Worldwide
  • Tim Bird, Cooney/Waters Group
  • Rob Bratskeir, 360 Public Relations
  • Kate Cronin, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide
  • Rob Flaherty, Ketchum
  • Jim Joseph, Cohn & Wolfe
  • Ralph Katz, CooperKatz & Company
  • Luke Lambert, Gibbs & Soell Public Relations
  • Ed Moed, Peppercomm
  • Stephanie Smirnov, DeVries Public Relations
  • Lisa Travatello, Burson-Marsteller
  • Renee Wilson, MSLGroup

Audit Committee

  • Jens Bang, Cone Communications
  • Tom Coyne, Coyne Public Relations
  • Doug Spong, Carmichael Lynch Spong

CFO Roundtable

Mission: To assess the dynamics of growing and managing a public relations firm; design of the annual business benchmark study

Chaired by Marty Franken, Constituency Management Group

COO Community

An interactive peer group of firm chief operating officers focused on sharing and developing best practices that impact the core business operations of the Council’s member agencies.

Chaired by Bryan Harris, Taylor

Eligibility Committee

Mission: To evaluate prospective members based on defined standards of client service, fiscal accountability, professional development and ethical conduct

  • Mark Eber, IMRE (chair)
  • David Fuscus, Xenophon Strategies
  • Jeff Mascott, Adfero

HR Roundtable

Mission: To discuss HR policies and best practices; oversee compensation and benefits studies for member firms; identify and assess talent trends

Co-Chaired by Stephanie Howley, Cohn & Wolfe and Maya Kalkay, Burson-Marsteller

Issues Monitoring Committee

Mission: To monitor and report on issues that have potential implications for the public relations industry

  • Margaret Dunning, Widmeyer Communications
  • David Fuscus, Xenophon Strategies
  • Jan Hausrath, APCO Worldwide
  • Tammy Lindenberg, Xenophon Strategies
  • Rob Mathias, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide
  • Jeff Weintraub, Fleishman-Hillard

Leadership & Governance Committee

Mission: To oversee the health and perpetuation of the Board; recruits new Board members and educates them on their roles and responsibilities.

  • Laura Tomasetti, 360 Public Relations (chair)
  • Kathy Tunheim, Tunheim Partners
  • Margery Kraus, APCO Worldwide
  • Jens Bang, Cone Communications
  • Jen Prosek, Prosek Partners
  • Sharon Linhart, Linhart Public Relations