The PR Club of New England, the region's leading communications trade organization, has announced its new and expanded board of directors and strategic vision for the 2025-2026 term. This expansion represents a significant organizational revitalization following pandemic-related membership declines, positioning the 77-year-old institution for renewed growth and regional impact.
Led by returning president Kaitlynn Cooney, the PR Club is committed to honoring its historic legacy while implementing aggressive rebuilding strategies through educational programming, professional networking events, and membership growth initiatives. The organization's resurgence comes at a critical time for communications professionals facing industry transformation and technological disruption.
"For more than 75 years, the PR Club has been a cornerstone of New England's communications community, evolving alongside an industry in constant flux," said Kaitlynn Cooney, President of the PR Club and PR Director at Walker Sands. "As newsrooms contract and new technologies reshape how we tell and listen to stories, the Club's revitalization mirrors the need for communications professionals to come together, share expertise, and navigate change with confidence."
The newly expanded board features additional support for key functions including content, programming, social media, and membership. The programming team includes Allison Logano of Tier One Partners and Angelica English of TEAM LEWIS, while content leadership features Abbey Clark of Health+Commerce and Kristina Markos of Lasell University. Social media management will be handled by Abby O'Malley of Revenue Analytics and Lilli Dalrymple of Northeastern University.
The Bell Ringer Awards committee, responsible for the organization's prestigious annual recognition program, includes Lana Tkachenko of Bob's Red Mill and Jessica Ann Morris of jam:pr. Membership efforts will be led by Caitlin Kahle of Duffy & Shanley, with website management handled by John Guilfoil of John Guilfoil Public Relations. The complete board roster represents diverse expertise from agencies, in-house teams, and consulting practices across the region.
Membership benefits continue to provide substantial value, including free monthly passes to educational programming designed for professionals at all levels, discounted member-only pricing for events, and unrestricted access to exclusive Club content and resources. Corporate memberships include free Bell Ringer Awards entries, complimentary tickets to monthly programs, and sponsored blog posts spotlighting member companies.
The PR Club has begun preparations for the 58th annual Bell Ringer Awards, scheduled for June 2026. The awards celebrate excellence in PR and communications across events, content, and campaigns, as well as professional achievement awards. Members and interested professionals can stay updated on events and awards information by visiting https://www.PRClub.org.
"The New England PR industry is a small world, and we want to make it even smaller," says Cooney. "We want to bring practitioners together to learn from one another, share ideas, and build a social and professional circle where fresh ideas thrive for collective growth at a challenging time in our industry." This expanded organizational structure and strategic vision positions the PR Club to support communications professionals through industry transitions while maintaining its seven-decade legacy of service to the New England communications community.
