Nearly 25 years ago, I attended my first PRSSA meeting at Lipscomb University. I was eager and curious, but understood very little about the PR profession I hoped to enter or how much that single decision would shape my future.
The PRSA Nashville professionals who spoke to our chapter left a lasting impression. They were thoughtful and prepared. They took time to answer questions and followed up afterward. More than once, they connected me to internships and opportunities that led to my first full-time role after graduation.
What I could not see then was that PRSA Nashville would become a steady thread woven throughout my career, no matter the season.
Since those early days, my path has included agency work in Nashville, in-house leadership roles at HCA Healthcare and Marriott’s Gaylord Opryland Resort, a return to agency life and now independent practice at Gray Owl Strategy. Through each transition, PRSA has remained a place to learn, stretch and stay connected to the broader profession.
Over time, I have come to see membership not as a transaction, but as an investment. And like any meaningful investment, its value compounds.
Smarter
The most visible return has been professional development.
Our chapter programs consistently offer practical, relevant insight. Whether the focus is crisis communications, reputation management, measurement or emerging technology, I leave with ideas I can apply immediately. That has been true as a young professional building confidence and as a senior leader advising executives.
Beyond the chapter, PRSA’s national webinars, online courses and conferences have broadened my perspective. Learning alongside peers from other markets and industries challenges assumptions and sharpens judgment. It reminds you that while our contexts may differ, our professional standards should remain high.
For those new to PRSA, including professionals transitioning from journalism or other fields, this ecosystem of learning provides both technical grounding and strategic context. It reinforces that our profession requires continual growth.
PRSA has been my vehicle for staying intellectually engaged and professionally relevant.
Better Prepared
Knowledge is essential. Readiness comes through experience.
When you volunteer, you move from observing leadership to practicing it. Over the years, serving as Parthenon Awards chair, Young Professionals chair, Accreditation chair, Treasurer and in many other chapter roles stretched me in ways my day job alone could not. I worked alongside professionals with different perspectives. I managed budgets that required careful stewardship. I navigated competing priorities and learned when to advocate, when to listen and when to adjust.
Those stretch opportunities strengthened skills that translated directly into my professional responsibilities. Strategic planning became more disciplined. Ethical discernment became steadier. My confidence in high-pressure moments grew as I practiced leading in environments that demanded both accountability and collaboration.
Pursuing Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) was a natural extension of that growth. Preparing for the APR required a deeper study of research, strategy, ethics and measurement. It refined how I approached complex challenges and how I demonstrated results.
In interviews for senior roles, the APR designation consistently differentiated me from other candidates. Hiring leaders recognized the rigor behind it and understood that I had invested in mastering the fundamentals of our profession. More than once, that credential made a meaningful difference in competitive conversations. It still does.
Years later, being inducted into the PRSA College of Fellows reflected sustained service and measurable impact over time. It reinforced a belief that has guided my career: preparation is intentional. It is built through learning, service and a willingness to stretch.
For those considering accreditation, I would simply say this. It is work worth doing.
More Connected
The most enduring return on my membership has been the relationships.
PRSA Nashville colleagues have become mentors, friends and trusted advisors. They are the people I call when navigating a difficult decision, considering a career move or facing a communications challenge that requires careful judgment. They have offered perspective during job transitions and encouragement during demanding seasons of life.
Participation in PRSA professional interest sections such as the Counselors Academy, Travel and Tourism and the Independent Practitioners Alliance widened that circle even further. Each group reinforces a shared commitment to ethical practice and meaningful work.
For new members at any stage of their careers, connection does not happen automatically. It grows through small, consistent steps. A conversation after a program. A follow-up email or coffee meeting. A willingness to serve. Over time, those interactions build trust, and trust builds opportunity.
In Every Season
Involvement does not have to look the same each year.
My engagement with PRSA has flexed across seasons of career and family life. There were years of significant leadership responsibility and years when I simply attended programs and reconnected with colleagues. Through early career growth, marriage, parenthood and now caring for aging parents, PRSA has remained a professional anchor.
The investment has always been worthwhile because growth has always been intentional.
If you are new to PRSA Nashville, whether early in your career or transitioning from another field, approach membership with intention. Attend a program and introduce yourself. Volunteer for a committee aligned with your interests. Explore national learning opportunities. Consider accreditation when you are ready.
You do not need to have everything mapped out. You simply need to take the next step.
For more than two decades, PRSA Nashville has helped me become smarter, better prepared and more connected. I am grateful for the professionals who invested in me when I was just beginning. If I can help you find your place within our chapter, I would be glad to do the same. Please don’t hestitate to reach out.
Jenny Barker is the President-Elect and Membership Chair for PRSA Nashville. Feel free to connect with her via LinkedIn.