On Tuesday, Nov. 11, PRSA CEO Matthew Marcial visited Knoxville, Tennessee, to speak to the members of the Volunteer Chapter and share his vision for the future of PRSA nationwide.
Marcial began his role as CEO in March 2025, and brings a wealth of experience from healthcare, hospitality, event planning, marketing, and business development.
He stepped into the leadership position after seeing the new strategic plan unveiled for PRSA, with many exciting projects underway and in development.
“The passion in our community, that’s what really sets us apart,” Marcial said. “The chapters are at the heart of our organization... our chapters are key to driving community engagement and member experience.”
Marcial shared two key priorities for the national board are relevance and growth. He noted that the staff is devising tactics to welcome and broaden membership to a wider range of communication professionals.
Marcial said he does believe there is an opportunity for PRSA to undergo a brand refresh as a strategy to attract more professionals to the organization.
Another priority on Marcial’s agenda is earning his
Accreditation in Public Relations (APR).
“I want to know what our members do. Going through the process has been extremely eye-opening for me,” he said.
Marcial emphasized the value of the accreditation process and encouraged members to consider pursuing it.
When asked about the personal value of PRSA membership, Marcial said, “To me it’s the connections. It’s the colleagues and lifelong friendships you build within the organization.”
“We do pride ourselves on our
educational resources, but the ability to make connections, pick up the phone and get help from someone in our community, you just can’t beat that.”
Marcial reaffirmed his commitment to PRSA’s development and said he hopes that in five years the organization will be doing things it never considered before.
His final message to attendees was encouraging them to engage within the broader PRSA community, “Don’t be afraid of mentorship. Don’t be afraid to make connections, to pick up the phone and call a colleague,” he said, emphasizing the strength of PRSA’s global community.