Fort Myers, Fl (July 17, 2008) – Jessica Clark, a communications specialist with Shell Point Retirement Community, recently became an Accredited member of the public relations profession by successfully completing a comprehensive oral and written exam process governed by the Universal Accreditation Board.
Clark joins a prestigious group of more than 4,000 active Accredited public relations professionals, who indicate the designation by the use of APR (Accredited in Public Relations), following their names.
The Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations measures a candidate’s knowledge, skills and abilities in the practice of public relations, including communication theory, management science, and ethics. The rigorous examination process requires eligible candidates to have several years of comprehensive public relations experience prior to pursuing Accreditation.
Clark joined the award winning communications team at Shell Point Retirement Community in 2007 where she assists with event planning, coordinates media relations, contributes to the monthly magazine, “Shell Point Life,” and serves as a reporter/anchor for the daily closed circuit television show, “Shell Point Today”. Prior to joining Shell Point, Clark worked for a Naples engineering firm where she managed media relations, internal communications and proposals. She also worked for the United Way of Lee County where she was responsible for media relations, event planning and overall internal and external communications.
A 2001 graduate of Valdosta State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Speech Communication and a major in Public Relations, Clark worked for an NBC affiliate in Albany, Georgia, prior to moving to Southwest Florida to pursue a career in public relations.
Clark serves on the Executive Council for the Boys and Girls Clubs and was recently elected as secretary for the 2008/2009 Southwest Florida FPRA (Florida Public Relations Association) Board of Directors.
About the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB)
The Universal Accreditation Board was formed in 1998 to oversee the public relations Accreditation process. Administered by the Public Relations Society of America, the UAB is comprised of nine professional public relations organizations, including the Florida Public Relations Association. Today, there are more than 4,300 active Accredited public relations practitioners. For additional information, please visit www.praccreditation.org.
About the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA)
Lt. Col. John Dillin, APR, CPRC, established FPRA in 1938 for the purpose of helping public relations practitioners do their jobs better. As the oldest public relations organization in the country, FPRA is dedicated to developing public relations practitioners, who, through ethical and standardized practices, enhance the public relations profession in Florida. FPRA is comprised of 15 professional and 13 student chapters throughout the state, providing professional development, networking and professional recognition opportunities.
For additional information on FPRA, please visit the state organization’s Web site at www.fpra.org or, for information on the Southwest Florida Chapter, please visit www.fpraswfl.org.
