Member Spotlight: Q&A with Angela Burrell, APR
Posted on Aug. 17, 2022 / Member Spotlight / Subscribe 0
This week we share some exciting news from Angela Burrell, APR, who many of us have had the great pleasure of working with through her role as OCPRSA APR Chair. Angela’s mentorship and guidance have been truly impactful on scores of PR professionals as they navigate the accreditation process. Meet Angela!
Q: Angela, please fill us in on your latest professional news!
A: I’ve recently accepted a full-time position as assistant journalism professor at Riverside City College. I will be teaching journalism and mass communication courses as well as advising the award-winning student newspaper Viewpoints. The other exciting thing is that I have introduced an intro to PR course to the curriculum to expose students at the community college level to public relations. This will give both journalism and communication students a preview of the field as an additional career option.
Q: You’ve played a very important role in helping to prepare APR candidates for accreditation across the country. What has been the most meaningful part of that experience for you?
A: Our partner California Association of Public Information Officers just announced that two of its members earned the APR. Why this is important is that these members went through our annual APR Study Session Course in 2021 and 2022. The most meaningful part is hearing that our course made a difference in a professional’s quest for becoming nationally accredited in public relations. When we transitioned that course to online in 2020 because of the pandemic, we had two participants. Then 2021 became a boom year as the virtual format enabled us to accommodate 11 participants, some of whom were from Southern California, Northern Cal, and as far away as Wisconsin and Atlanta. Being able to work with incredible APR colleagues who served as course presenters also made it a breeze.
Q: What’s your favorite piece of advice for PR professionals?
A: Keep up with your contacts and network. It’s a great way to learn about jobs and opportunities. Plus, you can get inspired by what your colleagues are up to. Unless you work for an agency, PR people can often work in a one-person shop, so it’s crucial to have a network of folks to be able to call upon for support when needed.
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