Past Presidents

 

2025

Jacquelyn Gozdowiak serves as Immediate Past-President for the PRSA Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter. Jacquelyn is a Media & Public Relations Strategist at Northwestern Mutual where she helps financial advisors elevate their reputation grow their clientele through positive stories in local and national media. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Marquette University.

2024

Angela Hersil, APR, served as President for the PRSA Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter. She is Vice President - Communications, Sustainability and Public Affairs for Zurn Elkay Water Solutions where she is responsible for communications strategy, corporate reputation, issues management, media relations, sustainability strategy and communications, internal communications, corporate philanthropy and employee volunteerism. Angela joined Zurn Elkay Water Solutions in 2015 from SC Johnson where she served as Director, Global Public Affairs. Prior to joining SC Johnson, Angela served as Director, Investor Relations and Financial Communications for Whirlpool Corporation. Angela has also held communications positions with Omnivore, Inc. (now part of CVS) and Snap-On Incorporated. Angela holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations and a master’s degree in business administration from Marquette University. She is a member of the Zurn Foundation board of directors, the Hunger Task Force Executive Council and Marquette University Sustainability Lab. 

2023

Dave Racine is the co-founder and managing partner at Punch PR, a full-service public relations firm in Milwaukee’s historic Third Ward. He previously worked at Cramer-Krasselt and Hanson Dodge Creative, advising clients across the traditional and digital media engagement spectrums, providing outreach strategies to consumer product brands, tech companies as well as B2B and non-profit organizations.

2021 & 2022

Christine Dunbeck is the CEO & Founder of Commvey, LLC, where she focuses on building and executing scalable communications strategies for her various clients, including public and media relations, social media, event planning, digital marketing, and more. Christine has found success in the nonprofit, technology, and SaaS industries. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational and Professional Communication, as well as a music minor in percussion, from UW-La Crosse.

2020

Katharine Foley is an Account Supervisor at Kane Communications Group where she works with her team to develop integrated strategic communications plans that align with her clients’ business goals. Katharine is a proud alum of Marquette University, where she also served as an adjunct professor teaching Intro to PR. Katharine has extensive experience in media relations, crisis communications, government affairs, and stakeholder communications.

2019

Ryan Amundson has worked in public relations at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino since 2006, managing the department since September of 2016. In his role, Ryan oversees the property’s media relations, public affairs and social responsibility efforts. Prior to that, he was a reporter and editor with The Freeman newspaper in Waukesha. Ryan holds a BA in print journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

2018

Patrick McSweeney, APR, Fellow PRSA, has been involved in PRSA for more than two decades and is a past president of the Southeastern Wisconsin chapter. He also twice served as president of PRSA’s North Florida chapter prior to relocating to Milwaukee in 2014. After earning a Journalism degree from The Ohio State University, he worked as a reporter, editor, producer, and anchor at newspapers, radio, and TV stations in Ohio and Florida before transitioning to PR. During the past 20+ years, he has served as the spokesperson for a government agency in Florida and worked with well-known automotive, high-tech, and retail brands, vacation destinations, and others.

  • 2017 – Sara Hood

  • 2016 – Heidi Fendos

  • 2015 – Bill Bussler

  • 2014 – Samantha Andrews, MBA, APR

  • 2013 – Don Klein

  • 2012 – Michael Pflughoeft, Fellow, APR

  • 2011 – Laura Monagle, APR

  • 2010 – Mary Scheibel

  • 2009 – Crystal McNeal

  • 2008 – Dave Fantle

  • 2007 – Jeff Bentoff

  • 2006 – Lisa Ehlke

  • 2005 – Carol Weber, APR

  • 2004 – Priya Barnes

  • 2003 – Michael Pflughoeft, Fellow, APR

  • 2002 – Paul Daniel

  • 2001 – Kelly Skindzelewski

  • 2000 – Evan Zeppos

  • 1999 – Harry Cherkinian

  • 1998 – Linda Edmondson

  • 1997 – John Caspari

  • 1996 – Evan Bane

  • 1995 – Terry Dorr

  • 1994 – Barbara Wesener

  • 1993 – Diane DeLaSantos

  • 1992 – Mary Ingles

  • 1991 – Joseph Lindner

  • 1990 – Caroyln Bellin

  • 1989 – Marilyn Vollrath

  • 1988 – Nancy Schwind

  • 1987 – John Luecke

  • 1986 – Thomas Towers

  • 1985 – Mary Moudry

  • 1984 – Jacqueline Meili

  • 1983 – S Joseph Moran

  • 1982 – Thomas Nedwek

  • 1981 – Thomas Traband

  • 1980 – Thomas Altenburg

  • 1979 – William Spevacek

  • 1978 – John L. Black

  • 1977 – Dorothy Thomas Black

  • 1976 – John A Bartels

  • 1975 – William G McMackin

  • 1974 – Maurice Bishea

  • 1973 – Robert Rasmussen

  • 1972 – Santo Saliture

  • 1971 – Edwin W Hanson

  • 1970 – Robert J Doyle

  • 1969 – Bert C Mulroy

  • 1968 – Charles Prout

  • 1967 – Harry Backer

  • 1966 – Bernard Solochek

  • 1965 – Lee Baker

  • 1964 – Raymond Niemitz

  • 1963 – Loretto J Fox

  • 1962 – Les Pollard

  • 1961 – John Dierbeck Jr.

  • 1960 – William Cary

  • 1959 – Edwin Moore

  • 1958 – John Paige

  • 1957 – Greta Murphy

  • 1956 – Kenneth Willett

  • 1955 – Lawrence Smotherman

  • 1954 – Allen Gibbs

  • 1953 – Allen Gibbs

  • 1952 – MH Frank

  • 1951 – Kenneth Haagensen

                             

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