A Q&A with a Top PR Pro: Pandemics, Ethics & Thinking Strategically — Linda Thomas Brooks is PRSA’s New CEO

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Linda Thomas Brooks is arguably America’s top communicator.

In January 2021, she began as CEO of the Public Relations Society of America, a 73-year-old trade group with 30,000 public relations professionals in 110 chapters nationwide and 300+ university chapters.

Linda previously worked in journalism, in advertising at GM Mediaworks, as president of the Martin Agency’s Ingenuity Media Group, and in magazine publishing as the CEO of the Association of Magazine Media.

Jonathan Rhudy, APR, a PRSA member since 1997, recently caught up with Linda to hear firsthand about the changing profession and why strategic communicators are so important during these uncertain times.

What drew you to PRSA?

Two things that were important to me.

One is the growth of the whole ecosystem around strategic communications. And, you know, having spent so much of my life in advertising, the advertising people aren't focused on strategic [communications] leadership, they're focused on ad tech.

Second, I liked that PR people are well-positioned because they tend to have broader, strategic backgrounds.

I didn't necessarily set out to run another trade group, but it seemed like a really good fit. And, it's been really fun so far, even during a pandemic. I want to ensure that we remain vibrant and vital for the next 75 years.

What are your priorities?

Growth in the strategic communications ecosystem is a big one.

I’m really focused on how PRSA is delivering the resources that communicators need, but also how we use the opportunity to have the really important conversations, not just about our industry, but about the world where we live.

How is PRSA helping members affected by the pandemic?

We recently launched an In-Between Jobs program for professionals who may be on the wrong side of a corporate downsizing to be sponsored or need a little break on membership. More details are online.

We also have a wealth of COVID-19 resources online for communicating during a pandemic. This includes on-demand webinars, links and resources.

How important is PRSA to ensure integrity and transparency during this continued time of misinformation?

The fact that PRSA does have a code of ethics – and that we have expectations for our members along with protocols when people are not abiding by those – really are important points of differentiation.

We recently launched a Voices4Everyone, or V4E, to support a national conversation about building mutual understanding, trust and civic engagement through more inclusive civil discourse. PRSA members create and curate the content. The sections are designed to provide expertise and perspectives to share with your team, your clients and your communities. Every time you visit there's going to be something different or new.

We’re committed to helping members with the resources they need as communicators to understand and sort through constantly shifting misinformation and disinformation.

Have you had any surprises in your new role?

In my first 100 days, I’ve been on a virtual listening tour, talking with and getting to know board and chapter members, including townhalls with every district.

I’m learning that PRSA is incredibly complex with its governance, policies and procedures. We can make some changes there. We’re putting in a whole new analytics engine to evaluate member value and take a deeper look at what we're doing and what we offer.

Why is it critical for PR folks to keep investing in their careers?

I don't want members to think of annual dues as just a check. I want them to think of it as a dues investment that you're making in your career through networking, webinars, and professional development.

What’s important for communicators to know today?

Communicators can’t be in a silo, because all it's going to take is one activist shareholder to undo everything. So having somebody who can pull all the pieces together and anticipate what might happen is so important.

I started my career as a journalist, and being a PR person is a lot like being a journalist in picking up shreds of stories from all these different places and putting them together to create a cohesive narrative. I think PR people are doing that, and in a much broader way now than they did even 10 years ago.

FUN FACT: Linda Thomas Brooks, an avid runner, and mother of two sons, briefly carried the Olympic torch leading up to the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.