Ronele M. Dotson, APR
President
RAD Strategies Inc.
Reno, Nevada
Applying for: Secretary
Alternate Position(s): Treasurer
Biography
Professional Positions
2002 - present: RAD Strategies Inc., President and Owner
Full-service marketing communications and digital engagement agency
2000 - 2002: Rose/Glenn Group, Associate Director of Public Relations
Full-service advertising, marketing and public relations agency
1999-2000: Wells Fargo Bank, Nevada, Statewide Public Relations Manager
Responsible for all public relations and merger communications
1994-1999: KPS3, Public Relations Manager
Full-service advertising, marketing and public relations agency
1992-1994: Hamilton Company, Technical Writer
Advancing the Profession
National Board: As a current Director (North Pacific District) on the National Board, serving the second year of my two-year term, my desire to serve the association continues. Two areas stick out to me during my time as advancing the profession. During my two-year term as the Chair of the Brand Marketing Task Force, we were charged with ensuring the society’s brand was positioned for the future in relation to the professional. The year-long research study provided confirmation of the association’s direction and also helped to support the Strategic Plan. The other is in serving on the Strategic Planning committee. The process provided a complete and comprehensive view of the society, it’s direction and future opportunities. By serving on the National Board, it has elevated my professional career and has given me an opportunity to give back by reaching out to my local chapter, through the district and more importantly, nationally through the connections I’ve made by being an advocate for the profession.
District and District Council: I served the North Pacific District for five years in addition to serving on
the District Council. As a member of the District Council, I spearheaded the draft of the Business Case
for Districts that was approved in 2014 by the PRSA National Board. I also served as a conduit for my
local chapter through opening lines of communication with District encouraging leadership to be
involved.
PRSA Local: I continue to support and remain involved with my local chapter. In addition to developing
relationships with current and incoming presidents, I have moderated two meetings and one workshop
session as well as provided resources for chapter speakers.
PRSA General: After completing 10 years of service to my local chapter, I was encouraged by
fantastic mentors on a National and District level to remain involved with PRSA. I served as a Silver
Anvil judge in 2007, 2009 and 2012 while continuing to cultivate my leadership journey that continued on the District level.
PRSSA Students: My local chapter has a great relationship with our PRSSA University of Nevada,
Reno Chapter. Over the years, I’ve served as a mentor and make it a point to meet with students helping with connections locally, regionally and even nationally for their career advancement.
Through RAD Strategies: Over the years, my agency has hired interns from the University’s PRSSA
program. In addition, we encourage our team to become involved with PRSA and develop their
leadership skills through leadership development programs. All of which further their skills and
equip team members to become strong professionals.
Biography
Ronele M. Dotson, APR is founder and president of RAD Strategies Inc., celebrating 15 years of business in 2017. Focused on the integration of marketing, communication, social networking and new media strategies, Ronele brings 24 years of communications, networking and innovation to the agency’s clients.
She holds a certification as an Accredited Public Relations (APR) professional and is a proud graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno.
Ronele founded her own highly successful firm in 2002 focusing on her strengths in innovative strategic
planning and above-and-beyond customer relationship management. Among Ronele’s portfolio of
achievements is her work in the tourism industry, specifically the promotion of the Reno-Tahoe region
on a regional and national level.
Ronele is on the National Board of Directors for the Public Relations Society of America serving on the Leadership Academy Task Force, the Strategic Planning Committee and the Finance Committee (2016 and 2017). Previously she chaired the 2015 and 2016 PRSA Brand Marketing Task Force, charged with the society’s branding research study and implementation strategy. Ronele also serves on the Nevada Women’s Fund Board and is the 2017 Marketing Chair.
Work completed on behalf of RAD’s clients has garnered several awards including receiving a 2017 Bronze Anvil along with numerous Silver Spike Awards of Excellence from her local PRSA chapter.
Faith, family and friends are her priorities and help to keep her balanced.
PRSA Accomplishments
National Board
2016-2017 Director, PRSA National Board, North Pacific District
2014-2015 Director, PRSA National Board, North Pacific District
National Committees and Task Forces
National 2017 - Leadership Academy Task Force
National 2017 - Finance Committee
National 2017 - Strategic Plan Committee
National 2016 - Brand Marketing Task Force - Chair
National 2016 - Finance Committee
National 2016 - Strategic Plan Task Force
National 2015 - Brand Marketing Task Force - Chair
National 2015 - Strategic Programming Analysis Task Force - Member
National 2014 - Districts Council - Liaison
National 2014 - International and Assembly Delegate At Large Positions Nominating Committee -
Member
District
2014 - North Pacific District Past Chair
2013 - North Pacific District Chair
2013 - North Pacific District - Assembly Delegate
2013 - District Council, Member, District Chair
2012 - North Pacific District Chair-Elect
2012 - North Pacific District - Assembly Delegate
2012 - District Council, Member, District Chair-elect
2010-2011 - North Pacific District Secretary
Chapter
2003-2006 - Sierra Nevada Chapter - Assembly Delegate
2002 - Sierra Nevada Chapter - Past President
2001 - Sierra Nevada Chapter - President
2000 - Sierra Nevada Chapter - Programming Co-chair
1998-99 - Sierra Nevada Chapter - Awards Chair
1997 - Sierra Nevada Chapter - Treasurer
1996 - Sierra Nevada Chapter - Professional Partnership Program Liaison
Personal Awards
2002 - Mark Curtis Sr. Chapter Member Award - Public Relations Society of America, Sierra Nevada Chapter
Career Awards
PRSA
2017 - Bronze Anvil, Video Programs - External for Virginia City Tourism Commission "Below The Surface"
Sierra Nevada Chapter, Public Relations Society of America:
2016 - Silver Spike for Community Relations for #IgniteSparks Community Outreach Program
2016 - Bronze Spike for Audio, Video, Webcasts for Virginia City "Below The Surface" Video Series
2014 - Certificate of Excellence for Virginia City International Camel Races
2014 - Certificate of Excellence for Virginia City #Flashback Fridays Free Museum Days
2014 - Certificate of Excellence for Reno-Tahoe and JetBlue Marketing Video
2005 - Silver Spike Media Events for RMC New York and Atlanta Media Nights and Winter FAM
2004 - Judges Choice Award for the 2004 Reno River Festival
2004 - Silver Spike Award for Special Events & Observances for the 2004 Reno River Festival
Governance Skills
I’ve been fortunately to have first-hand experience with the society and its governance primarily through my work on the National Board. As chair of the Brand Marketing Task Force in 2015 and 2016, ensuring that effective measures were accounted for from inception of the brand study and selection of the brand agency, through the final presentation and everything in between, required weekly oversight and direction and a keen understanding of the needs of the society. Meeting the deadline for completion was necessary to support the society as well as other key initiatives.
In 2016, I served on the PRSA Strategic Planning Committee providing insight and support to the committee as well as using my strengths on various subcommittees. Primarily being the conduit for information as it related to the brand study as well as taking on content and student video development.
From a fiscal standpoint, I’ve served on the 2016 Finance Committee and currently serve as a member of the 2017 committee. My contributions to the committee are backed by my personal experience of running a successful communications agency for 15 years.
In my professional world, one of the best examples of ensuring governance and guiding principles was during my 13-year representation as lead project manager for the Reno-Tahoe Regional Marketing Committee. Comprised of 13 members, the organization of top-leaders from the region's tourism authorities, including the state agency, hotel-casino partners, ski resorts, economic development agencies and the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, are charged with maintaining and growing our region's air service development efforts. I personally managed the account and the total $8.5 million budget as well as the consensus and voting practices of the committee members as well as established success metrics.
Leadership Skills
Leadership is a purposeful journey and I’ve made it a part of mine for the last 30 years.
My leadership experience truly took off while at college. During my senior year, I was president of two large on-campus organizations while managing a full school and work load. I continued with my leadership growth by seeking out opportunities to continue to enhance that skillset including attending several leadership training courses, classes and reading books.
When given the opportunity to take on a leadership role during my work and volunteer career, I took it. I did so to continue to development my skills but also to give back. As my journey continues, giving back tops my list of why I do what I do.
As the president of a small communications agency, being a purposeful leader is vital. I’ve purposefully chosen not to be a large agency. The reason? My energy comes from the strategy and the big picture that includes meeting with clients, strategizing, planning or coming up with the next “ah-ha” moment. I would not be able to have the level of involvement with clients and team members if I didn’t maintain that as a core philosophy.
Leadership is a critical competency for serving on the national board because the board is seen by the members as the face to what is taking place in the society. There's no way to know all 22,000 members, but they know you. And they feel like they know you. Leadership skills help to navigate the visible face that you represent to the membership, but it also helps to sift out the urgent from the necessary, the emotion from the fact. The nuances that make a difference to getting work done or getting bogged down in the details.
Strengths
While my Emergenetics profile will show that I’m in the 2% of the population that has one dominate area, it’s that creative ability that allows me to be open to possibilities. Well, that and being flexible.
The same strengths that have lead to my company celebrating 15 years in business are the same strengths I bring to PRSA.
The ability to think big and beyond the confines of the walls, and then bring it back down to reality, sometimes within the span of minutes, is something that guarantees that it doesn’t have to be done my way. I believe in the spirit of collaboration and the ability to take from all ideas to come up with a solution that garners results.
I love direct and honest conversations. This “tell it like it is” mentality to me translates to results. I’m not very easily offended and this has proven to be a solid place to be, especially for results-driven people, which I am. I would rather hear the truth the first time than having to wonder or leave it up to interpretation. My ownership is in the process, not in who is right or who did it.
I have a keen ability to take complex issues, understand the opportunities and challenges and then develop action steps for implementation. I do this regularly with our telecommunications and economic development clients and apply the same knowledge to my volunteer and personal life.
Finding the root of the strategy or the “why” fascinates me.
I’m a self-professed geek with a solid understanding of technology and current practices that impact our business world, but also our professionals.
I’m a Certified John Maxwell Speaker and Coach with several hours of leadership and speaker training under my belt.
Volunteer Commitment
My commitment to continuing to serve as a volunteer is evident by my accomplishments since joining the National Board in 2014, but also by the results delivered. Following that first year of serving on committees, I knew I wanted to be more involved and to have increased level of responsibilities so I asked for it. Leaders know how to effectively manage through prioritization and communication and that’s how I have learned and grown in my career.
Since I first took on a volunteer role with my local chapter in 1996, my time toward PRSA has steadily increased. It didn’t happen overnight but as my growth path moved me from the chapter, to district and to national, I’ve been able to manage my time and my responsibilities accordingly.
In fact, I served as president of my local chapter the second year into starting my own company and choose to continue to remain involved, even increasing my responsibilities. I guess you could say that my day-to-day business grew along with my volunteer time to PRSA.
I've given my time to many organizations throughout the years. PRSA is the only one that I’ve felt a strong desire and pull to give more, do more and continue to seek opportunities at higher levels. It’s a profession that has given me so much and for that I am grateful. My success is due to my peers, mentors and the leaders in PRSA that have helped me along the way, often without even knowing it, to be where I am today and realizing that yes, it is possible.
It’s never been a choice for me. It’s been my work and my volunteer time with PRSA.
Position Statement #1
Prompt: The lines continue to blur among the disciplines of public relations, marketing, IT and customer service, and the need increases to create more collaborative teams and hybrid professionals. PRSA has continued to evolve and respond to these issues in support of our members, partners and colleagues. What do you believe are the strongest components of PRSA’s strategic plan that will help our members address these challenges, and how will PRSA remain relevant and sustainable for the future?
Can I say the entire plan is strong? In all seriousness, each component of the plan was developed to help our members and become the driving force to do so. As a member of the Strategic Planning Committee, I remember quite well those initial conversations about the role of the society with our members. We poured over the initial drafts of the vision and mission statements and with good reason. We discussed our true purpose as a membership-driven organization. We needed to ensure that the areas we addressed were measurable. That someone was accountable to making each of the components happen. This needed to happen and it needed to set the stage for all the other areas that have been moving toward this one goal.
What I believe is the strongest component of the plan is the true integration of it across all platforms of the society. The strategic plan is the driving force for the society over the next three years. The operational activities, including all the departments, are aligned to those goals and the ability to contribute and achieve the performance measurements. That means that the society will be moving forward as one mighty machine focused on the same outcome. The key result areas were designed to address emerging trends, be flexible for upcoming opportunities and continue to support PRSA, a 70-year association. More importantly, it is designed to support our members. If it were just a plan that sat with the board, I would dare say that we wouldn’t be operating in tandem with the people that run the operations day in and day out or of your members. Since the plan has been fully integrated throughout PRSA, I believe the results will have a substantial and long-term impact.
Another strong component of the plan is the measurements. Working on the committee, our sub-groups were assigned areas where we were to develop the measurable goals. To say the conversations were good is an understatement. They were challenging and necessary. It’s where all that we outlined to accomplish needed to fit. Is it measurable? Is it achievable? And more importantly, where are we going to challenge ourselves to excel.
So how does PRSA remain relevant and sustainable for the future? Being accountable to our members in doing what we said we were going to do with the strategic plan is one. It’s not going to be easy, and it was never promised to be easy. The built-in flexibilities and the forward-thinking nature of the plan itself leave room to be nimble and adapt where needed. It provides PRSA with all the reasons to be the association our members desire and none of the reasons why we can’t.
Position Statement # 2
Prompt: PRSA has become more complex and diverse in recent years. While the Society must become nimbler, we also are cognizant that we must help prepare our members to meet tomorrow’s challenges as leaders at every level. The role of the communications professional will continue to evolve, and PRSA will anticipate future trends, and support our members at every stage of their career. As a member of PRSA’s national board, what do you see as your role in contributing to helping our membership meet tomorrow’s challenges as leaders?
My role on the National Board in contributing to help our members meet tomorrow’s challenge as leaders are three-fold.
1. Guide the association to serve our members as the primary resource for professional growth, enhanced skill training and leadership development.
The research has shown time and time again, that our members look to the society to help them become better, strong and faster in their fields. I believe their ability to respond and to move is in direct relation to how well they feel PRSA “has their back.” From companies small and large, what we as communications professionals do is still a little smoke and mirrors. And while my mom may still never truly understand what I do, it is up to us as an association to provide the resources to ensure that their outcomes speak volumes. PRSA is viewed as the leader. It’s time to be the association that today’s professional wants and not what we think they want. Our members are innovating and charging ahead in new areas that we haven’t even touched. But that doesn’t mean that the mentorship and value propositions of PRSA are not valuable. We just need to change our thinking and become a machine as the first resource our members go to for their professional growth, new skills and leadership development.
2. To seek opportunities to guide our professionals on a leadership path that ensures professional and personal success.
With an association of 22,000 members, I’m guessing that we have professionals that are on a career path destined for success, at a variety of levels. For sure, one area that you can never have too much training in is leadership. I’m excited to be part of the newly formed Leadership Academy for that reason. Someone may excel in their field and then be promoted. That’s great, but what training do they have to be a leader? Unless their company or they have personally invested in leadership training, these professionals may find it difficult to manage and train their team members. As an entrepreneur that stepped out on faith, my personal leadership development is what helped me brave those waters. On a personal note, I see leadership development as a path to entrepreneurship and that’s something that has far-reaching results.
3. To ensure implementation of the Strategic Plan.
Yes, I’m excited about the Strategic Plan. Why? Because PRSA has made a commitment to not stand idly by anymore. Too much time has been spent trying to play catch up. With this leap forward, we are now poised as an association to be the solution for our members. To live up to the promises made and deliver the value they desire. Over the next three years, the strategic plan will hold the Board and PRSA accountable. As I’ve stated below, that “line in the sand” is what drives me personally in my work with PRSA and I look to the opportunity to reach our stated goals.
Ronele M. Dotson, APR
Category
Secretary