2022 Chapter Award Winners
Each year, the Chapter Awards recognize the best of the best PRSA Georgia members who have demonstrated leadership within the Chapter and the public relations profession. Nominations for the Rising Star (fewer than eight years of experience), Shining Star (eight to 15 years of experience), and Luminary Star (more than 15 years of experience) awards, are submitted by PRSA Georgia members, with winners selected by a panel of judges.
In addition, the Chapter presents two distinct honors: the Distinguished Public Relations Award and the George Goodwin Award. The Distinguished Public Relations Award recognizes a prominent Georgian outside the public relations practice who has made an outstanding contribution to Georgia’s regional, national or international reputation through public relations practices and principles. The George Goodwin Award recognizes a PRSA Georgia member for their significant contributions to the community through volunteer service. Please join us in celebrating this year’s Chapter Award winners.
2022 Distinguished PR Award – Jill Savitt, president and CEO, National Center for Civil and Human Rights
Jill Savitt is a human rights advocate with expertise in genocide and atrocity prevention. She assumed the role in March 2019, but has been involved with The Center since 2010 when she curated the Center’s exhibit on global human rights. Previously, Savitt was the Acting Director of the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. In 2007, Savitt founded and directed Dream for Darfur, a high-profile advocacy campaign that pressed the Chinese government to take specific actions regarding the genocide in Darfur in the lead up to the 2008 Beijing Games. Savitt was the Director of Campaigns at Human Rights First from 2001 to 2007, where her team ran the campaign to assist a group of retired military leaders to speak out against torture. The campaign also worked with Hollywood to present a more accurate portrayal of interrogation in movies and TV shows.
Shining Star Award – Sarah Weston, APR, senior vice president, The Wilbert Group
Sarah Weston, APR serves professional services firms with strategic public relations counsel, primarily focusing on commercial real estate. She has managed PR for numerous complex projects, commercial real estate and professional services clients. Sarah earned her Accreditation in Public Relations in 2015, further elevating her ability to add value to clients through public relations planning and client success analysis. She has placed clients in publications ranging from the New York Times, AP, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal to targeted local outlets throughout the country. In 2016, she was presented with PRSA Georgia’s Rising Star award and was also a member of PRSA Georgia’s inaugural 40 Under 40 class in 2019. Sarah was previously director of public relations for SPR Atlanta, where she was also a partner in the firm.
Rising Star Award – Elizabeth Edel, senior account executive, Arketi Group
Elizabeth uses her diverse background of experience in media relations, social media strategy, community engagement, event management and marketing to help solve client challenges. She has secured hundreds of placements for clients in local, industry and national media outlets with big hits including Business Insider, Fox Business, NerdWallet and U.S. News & World Report. Prior to Arketi, she worked in hospitality PR and special events. Elizabeth joined PRSA Georgia in 2019 and has worked to connect fellow up-and-coming PR professionals with the Chapter. In 2020, Elizabeth was named Chapter Champion in recognition of her dedicated service and support of PRSA Georgia.
George Goodwin Award – Chaundra Luckett, chief marketing officer, CHRIS 180
Chaundra Luckett is the Chief Marketing Officer at Atlanta based nonprofit CHRIS 180. Prior to arriving at CHRIS 180 in 2018, she worked as the Public Relations Manager at the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Before her career change to communications, Chaundra was a well-respected journalist, spending 10 years in the television news industry across the Southeast. In 2019, she was inducted as a member of the inaugural Forty Under 40 Class presented by PRSA Georgia. Chaundra is a 17-year member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc. and in 2021, she became a Charter Member of the Alpha Alpha Pi Omega Chapter in Gwinnett County. Chaundra serves as a Board Member for both the Atlanta Speech School and Ferst Readers, Parliamentarian for the Atlanta Chapter of the Bennett College National Alumnae Association and is the Public Relations Chair for the Atlanta HBCU Alumni Alliance. She is a sustainer and immediate past two-term board member of The Junior League of Atlanta, Inc. where she led both marketing, communications and member training opportunities for the organization over her 10 active years.