Megan Brown, APR
Director, Marketing - North Central Region
American Cancer Society
Knoxville, Tennessee
Applying for: Southeast District Director
Alternate Position(s):
Biography
Megan Brown, APR is a 1989 graduate of the University of Texas, College of Communications with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism. She began her non-profit career with the American Red Cross and joined the American Cancer Society in 1996, managing fund raising and public relations efforts. She has held numerous positions with the American Cancer Society with increasing levels of responsibility and scope, including her current role as regional director of marketing. Brown’s experience includes leading the development and managing implementation of strategic communications plans supporting fund raising and mission program implementation across a six-state geography.
American Cancer Society:
Senior Director, Field Communications, Mid-South Division, 2014 - 2017
Director, Communications Strategy Integration, 2013 - 2014
Sr. Director, Communications and Marketing, 2006 – 2013
Division Director, Communications and Marketing 2002-2006
Regional Director, Communications and Marketing, 1998-2002
Development Representative, Mid-South Division, Region 2, 1997-1998
American Red Cross:
National Specialist, Health and Safety, October 1992 – February 1996
In 2009, Brown was selected by the American Cancer Society as a leadership coach and certified to coach organizational leaders as a member of the Nationwide Coaching Cadre. In addition, she received leadership coaching for one year. In 2011, she was selected for the two-year Nationwide Leadership Development Program through a competitive, nationwide nomination process.
Brown has been a member of PRSA since 2001, serving as an assembly delegate and director-at-large for the chapter’s board of directors. She earned accreditation in public relations in 2006. Brown is a recipient of the 2012 J. Carrol Bateman Award of Excellence and the 2014 Harvey I. Cobert Award for significant contributions to the profession of public relations and the Volunteer Chapter. Brown also served as accreditation chair for the Volunteer Chapter, 2012 - 2016.
PRSA Accomplishments
PRSSA Student Mentor, 2007
Award Judge, Volunteer Chapter, 2007 - 2017
Board Member, Volunteer Chapter, 2009 - 2011
Assembly Delegate, Volunteer Chapter, 2009, 2010, 2011
Accreditation Chair, Volunteer Chapter, 2012 - 2016
J. Carroll Bateman Award of Excellence, Volunteer Chapter, 2012
Harvey I. Cobert Award for significant contribution to the growth of the public relations profession in East Tennessee and the success of the Volunteer Chapter, 2014
Southeast District Conference Subcommittee, 2016
Governance Skills
Working for a non-profit organization for my entire career has often landed me in the position of informing and guiding volunteer boards. I have a strong understanding of the role of the staff and volunteer partnership and how each role is critical to the effectiveness of the organization. As the American Cancer Society's strategic communications lead for a six-state region, I was responsible for providing strategic direction for internal and external communications and monitoring progress toward objectives. As a member of the senior leadership team in the Mid-South Division, I contributed to setting the strategic direction of mission and income activities and monitoring those activities against objectives.
The American Cancer Society's division communications teams have had very small budgets during the past few years, mostly allotted to travel expenses. However, there have been times during my 20-year career here when I've had the opportunity to provide fiscal oversight to budgets that included agency and advertising expenses.
Among my accomplishments during my time as senior director of communications, I am most proud of moving the organization from measuring outputs to measuring outcomes as a result of communications efforts. This is a continuing challenge in an environment with budget that limits our ability to adequately measure public awareness, and donor and volunteer intent.
Leadership Skills
I've had the opportunity during my career with the American Cancer Society to work with a variety of leadership teams and most recently as a member of the senior leadership team for the Mid-South Division. In this role, I worked directly with the executive vice president - the senior most staff position in our six-state region - to develop and implement public relations plans supporting Society goals across the region. What I've learned is that leadership has more to do with an individual's competencies than it does a position title.
Leadership at all levels is key to the success of any organization, but most especially for a volunteer led organization serving a diverse constituency. Strength of leadership is exhibited by asking the right questions, challenging the status quo and seeking input from others. PRSA members deserve a board of directors that will continuously seek to advance the profession and provide opportunities for the membership to learn and adapt to a rapidly changing landscape in the profession.
Strengths
In 2011, I was selected as a member of the American Cancer Society's Nationwide Leadership Development Program. As part of the program, I participated in a number of evaluations including a 360 leadership evaluation (PDI), an 360 Emotional and Social Competency Inventory (HayGroup), and various other behavioral and personality evaluations. It was definitely a time of introspection and learning for me!
The highest ratings in leadership given to me by others - peers, direct reports, and supervisor - were in the categories of drive for results, engage and inspire, and lead courageously. Since that time, I have focused on leveraging those competencies to further the work of my team and the American Cancer Society. An ability and competency for challenging the status quo is among the specific skills evaluated under the heading of "lead courageously." As I've mentioned, I believe this to be a key competency in an effective leader. To be clear, challenging for the sake of being difficult isn't productive, but asking questions and striving for excellence at all levels is a key factor of success.
Several years ago, I read "Now, Discover Your Strengths" and completed the Strengthsfinder profile. The concept of leveraging your own strengths and those of your team versus trying to fix areas of deficiency was a game changer for me. I discovered my own strengths - relator, belief, responsibility, intellection and connectedness - and was able to recognize that my career in non-profit and my commitment to volunteerism and service are congruent with my core beliefs.
Volunteer Commitment
Volunteerism is at the core of my fundamental beliefs. Even as my career in non-profit work has progressed, I have continued to serve in volunteer leadership roles with PRSA and with my church, where I currently serve on the vestry (board of directors.) In considering the application for the national board of directors, I've evaluated my current work load and volunteer commitments. I am no longer serving as accreditation chair of the Volunteer Chapter and currently don't hold a local PRSA position. Professionally, my workload has eased in recent months with the implementation of a new regional organizational model and my transition to regional marketing director. I have the support of my supervisor in submitted an application for this leadership role.
I realize that service at this level requires a time commitment to the organization. I am excited for the prospect of service at this level, as well as the opportunities it will bring for my own learning and development.
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?
The strength and relevance of PRSA is in its membership, and membership begins at the chapter level. Creating an exceptional membership experience - one that attracts and retains members from diverse disciplines - begins at the chapter level by delivering value in programming.
I've experienced the evolution of the public relations profession in my 20-year career with the American Cancer Society, but never more sharply than during the past few years when my position shifted from public relations to corporate communications to marketing. This rapid shift in focus is not unique to me! Many of my colleagues are experiencing a similar shift.
As the discipline continues to evolve, it becomes even more important for the public relations professional to pursue opportunities to learn and network with practitioners from other disciplines. I believe that two strategies in PRSA's strategic plan will address this need: enhancing professional growth and thought leadership.
While professional development has long been a strength of the organization, partnering with chapters, districts and sections to expand programming will help to elevate the quality of programming across the spectrum of the industry.
As a former member of the Volunteer Chapter PRSA board, I know that chapters often find it difficult to locate and secure relevant, quality speakers for meetings. I view enhancing professional growth as the key strategy for growing a vibrant, diverse membership.
A vibrant and diverse membership is the key to long-term sustainability for PRSA. In a fast-moving, competitive landscape, PRSA must bring value to its membership and speak with authority on issues related to the public relations industry. Thought leadership is one way to establish PRSA as the leading authority on the public relations industry while also attracting and elevating leaders from a variety of disciplines.
By increasing the value of membership through enhancing professional growth and elevating the organization through thought leadership, PRSA will create a foundation to retain members and attract new members from a variety of disciplines, leading to long-term sustainability.
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?
As I've mentioned, I believe that our sustainability as an organization is dependent upon the continued engagement of our current membership and our ability to attract members from a variety of public relations roles - all part of the strategic plan. In addition to carrying out the responsibilities of guidance and governance, the role of board members is to provide a two-way link to the district and chapters. Engaging and connecting with members will take ongoing effort between the national organization and the districts and chapters to listen, learn and adjust tactics based on the desires and needs of the membership.
From a broader perspective, the board as a whole must continue to drive implementation of the strategic plan and communicate progress to the membership through a formal process. Creating an exceptional member experience begins with setting the agenda and expectations; in this case, for professional growth, and then delivering on that expectation. The board members are positioned to carry that message to the districts and chapters and to serve as a feedback loop.
Personally, I believe my perspective as a non-profit public relations professional would bring value to the plan for expanding membership. With minimal organizational budgets, these professionals often pay their own membership and meeting fees which only emphasizes the need to provide relevant and valuable member benefits, including professional development.
Accreditation is also an area of interest to me. As an assembly delegate for the Volunteer Chapter and as accreditation chair, I was part of the ongoing conversation around accreditation. Accreditation has a role to play in enhancing the professional growth of members individually, but only if the process and KSA's required remain relevant to the changing landscape. The larger role of accreditation in the industry is a topic that merits study.
I would be honored to serve on the national board and hope that my skills and experience match the qualifications you are looking to fill.
Megan Brown, APR
Category
Southeast District Director