Jacqueline Cavnar
Chief Operating Officer
Mental Health America of Middle Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Applying for: At-Large Director
Alternate Position(s):
Biography
I began my career in public relations working for an agency in Nashville, Tennessee, following many public relations internships in college (General Electric, Boeing Defense & Space, and East Tennessee Children's Hospital). Following a successful experience with PRSSA, I became involved with the PRSA Nashville Chapter in January 1995. I have held numerous committee positions, completed the officer track and served as President of the Nashville Chapter in 2013. In my PRSA experience, I developed and executed the first PRSSA tour of Nashville, engaging the four chapters we supported at that time with the members and their employers to provide the students a real world experience. As president-elect in 2012, I helped the president establish a permanent PRSA Nashville scholarship fund with our community foundation which ensures that a scholarship will always be available to a student from one of the now five PRSSA chapters that we sponsor. I have taught PR classes at Western Kentucky University and served as the faculty/professional adviser since 2013. I have written letters of support for PRSSA chapters to compete for the Tehan Award, which the Belmont University PRSSA chapter won. I have spoken at PRSSA meetings and classes for Belmont University, Lipscomb University, The University of Tennessee and Western Kentucky University. I also serve on the board of visitors for The University of Tennessee College of Communication and Information. I adhere to and uphold the strongest ethics and have even resigned from a job because of an ethical issue. My belief has always been that my personal brand and trustworthiness is more important than compromising my ethics or values.
In August 2006, I completed the Lipscomb University MBA program with concentrations in healthcare management and nonprofit management. I have used the opportunities provided to me since to incorporate solid PR principles into the executive inner circle as most of my positions have reported to the CEO and earned a spot on the executive management team. The best marriages of my undergraduate PR degree with my MBA have been in smaller nonprofit settings where the communications function is one of my primary responsibilities. I am perhaps most proud of launching a nonprofit organization which serves as the key facilitator to place Tennessee residency trained primary care physicians in rural and underserved communities in Tennessee. In my current job, I am able to use those same skills and lessons learned for Tennessee psychiatry residents, whom I hope will work in Tennessee once their medical training is complete.
Although my positions and responsibilities have morphed and expanded during my career, communications underpins everything I do...how I approach a financial decision, a human resources decision, community or partner development, well, everything. As a chief operating officer, I have the luxury of connecting all of the parts and ensuring that the communications is fluid and consistent through all process and all departments. Perhaps most importantly of all, thank goodness we know how to write!
PRSA Accomplishments
PRSA Nashville Immediate Past President, 2014
PRSA Nashville President, 2013
PRSA Nashville President-elect, 2012
PRSA Nashville Treasurer, 2010-2011
PRSA Nashville Program committee, multiple times from 2000-2016
PRSA Nashville faculty advisor for Western Kentucky University, 2013-2017
Governance Skills
In board roles with PRSA Nashville and The University of Tennessee Board of Visitors, I am or have been responsible for the overall effectiveness and sustainability for the organization and/or programs. I have been a leader and strong voice for financial success and often hosted, at my own expense, events to promote fundraising, advocacy and awareness of these organizations. One of the great lessons learned from my MBA program is that a nonprofit must break even or make a profit 7 out of 10 years, or it will fail. I thoroughly believe that a nonprofit must be run like a for profit business. The only difference between the two is the tax filing status and whether the organization pays dividends to the board of directors. I am fully cognizant of that status whether I am a volunteer board member or a paid staff person of a nonprofit. That perspective and awareness of the fiduciary responsibility of board members guides my stewardship and decision making process if I am a employee or a volunteer of any particular organization. I have participated in many strategic planning sessions over the years, and it is very important to remember and to respect the role you serve that day. There is a fine line between governance and management. A wise person knows that line.
Leadership Skills
In my current role, one of my responsibilities is to serve as the statewide executive director of the Tennessee Psychiatric Association. In less than three months, I have created a bond and a trust in which the volunteer board chair is receiving complimentary calls for communications and organization. I have salvaged this relationship from an unhappy client to one that wishes to grant full financial oversight to me and my employer. I have engaged one of the key psychiatric residency programs to turn a proposed voluntary rural site visit into a required activity to meet the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education for residency education. Pulling yourself and any ego out of the mix and truly working toward the goals and objectives of the clients and organizations that we serve will do far more good than any self-serving machinations would ever accomplish. It is not about me; it is about what we as a group are trying to accomplish. I see my role as a connector or a problem solver. How can we best achieve X on this budget and within this time frame? That is what I do, and do very well.
Strengths
I am honest, trustworthy and true. I have already elaborated on my skills, education and competency more than what I am generally comfortable with in polite conversation. Half the battle is showing up and being present. Having an MBA and having the proverbial seat at the table that most of our members desire demonstrates that I know how to get things done.
Volunteer Commitment
My commitment to PRSA since 1995, and PRSSA before then, is highly personal. I have always paid for my own membership and activities because belonging to PRSA was that important to me. Even when employers offered to cover my expenses, I declined because my professional and personal development through PRSA is mine and mine alone. I have already discussed this opportunity with my current CEO. If I am given the opportunity to serve PRSA in this capacity, I asked that my time away from work not count toward PTO. I will cover all expenses for travel, etc., because this opportunity is that important to me. My current CEO will be president of his national trade association beginning in June 2018. Our board of directors is very aware of the opportunities and the challenges of having two staff members serving in high profile roles, and quite frankly the board members are ecstatic that they have that caliber of staff leading our local organization. Fortunately for me, my CEO and board members see my professional development and the benefits to our organization far outweigh any time commitments for me. We have a strong staff, and PRSA can only expand our thinking.
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?
Since I already have an MBA, I believe I can speak with some authority and experience on the importance of incorporating PR into an MBA curriculum. From my own MBA student experience, PR was mentioned in one paragraph in one chapter of the marketing text book. As a PR instructor at both Western Kentucky University and at Lipscomb University, I can speak to the manner in which PR is taught. I can emphasize that PR promotes the company as a whole; marketing and advertising promote a product or a service. There is a distinct difference, yet sometimes misunderstood idea of the respective roles.
I also served on PRSA's Advocacy Advisory Board in 2007 until 2009 or 2010. Having consultation calls with BEPS and fielding issues calls with chapters gave me an appreciation for how promoted and understood our ethics are. Being a programs chair and serving through the PRSA Nashville presidential track also provided interesting insights on ethics. Traditionally, we focus on an ethics program in September, and strangely it is one of the least attended programs. However, when we incorporate ethics subtly into each month of programming, we accomplish more.
Given the recent state of "alternative facts," I believe we need to continue the good fight for truth and the other values that we promote in our ethics policy. PRSA will remain relevant as long as we promote professionals with a shared value system, demonstrable results, and the respect and the support of our peer organizations.
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?
I believe that reinforcing out ethics at every opportunity will lead to the success of our members professionally and personally. As stated previously, I left a position because the executive director put me in a compromising position. I believe in truth first and being your own brand. In my experience I have found that people work with people, not necessarily companies. I have a strong belief in servant leadership. I hope to be an example and to never ask someone to do what I would never do. Through trust I build that bond, and once that bond is established, I develop loyalty.
Jacqueline Cavnar
Category
At-Large Director