Welcome to The Loop! January 2023
In each issue, you’ll learn how to take advantage of the resources that are included with your organization’s Council membership. So, take a few minutes to stay in The Loop and learn about all the ways Council services can help you do your job better.
2023 Plans for The Council
2022 was a productive year at the Public Affairs Council! We gathered in person again at our annual conferences to great success; released research on trust around business and government, salaries, trends in European Public Affairs and DEI and ESG; and answered over 600 requests from members like you. And we’re slated to have another exciting year in 2023.
Here’s what we’re looking forward to this year:
You can see all the dates for our annual events here. Registration for The Advocacy Conference, The National PAC Conference and the Digital Media & Advocacy Summit are open! We look forward to gathering the community in-person in 2023.
Research and Benchmarking Reports
We’ll be releasing even more research to help you better understand trends and challenges facing the profession. Look for our PAC Benchmarking Reports, State of Corporate Public Affairs, Public Affairs Pulse survey and two Foundation publications in 2023! Watch your inbox and be sure to complete these surveys to help us advance the profession. In the meantime, Check out our current offerings.
80+ Webinars and Workshops
Our 2023 program calendar will help you do your job better. Learn the best practices for PACs, advocacy, social impact and more from experts in the profession. While webinars are free to all Council members, Membership Plus+ members also enjoy unlimited access to our workshops.
For more, in the latest IMPACT Council Chair Mary Moore Hamrick looks back on 2022 and outlines 2023 priorities.[/vc_toggle]
Meet Amy Meli, Senior Director at the Council
[vc_single_image image=”120363″]Get to know some of the faces of the Council! In this edition, we hear from Council Senior Director Amy Meli. Find out about the programs she leads and where you can find her outside the office.
I run the Foundation for Public Affairs, which is the Council’s 501c3 charitable arm. I also manage the Council’s benchmarking and consulting practice, where I help our members answer questions about how to organize their public affairs operations using qualitative interviews and survey research.
What drew you to a career in public affairs?
I originally thought I wanted to work on political campaigns, but after working on a few campaigns while I was in college, I knew I wanted to do something that was more stable and didn’t involve the binary outcome of winning or losing. I took a grassroots class from the while I was in graduate school, and I knew that engaging people on issues that they care about was the right career path for me. I’ve been doing that in some form ever since.
What advice do you have for public affairs professionals this year?
My advice is the same every year. Do good work and be nice to everybody.
What are you most looking forward to with the Council in 2023?
I’m really looking forward to the launch of the Hogans Fellowship, which is the Foundation’s signature program aimed towards advancement for early to mid-career professionals – especially people of color, those from the LGBTQ+ community, and others who have been traditionally underrepresented in our profession. The fellowship will provide networking, mentoring, and professional development in the form of a year-long cohort – all at no expense to Fellows. Our application launches in February. Tell your friends!
When I’m not in the office, you can find me…
Working on my dissertation at various coffee shops around Northern Virginia, teaching at GW or University of Maryland, swimming, running, and hanging out with my family.
How can members reach you?
The best way to reach me is via email at [email protected]. I’m also pretty active on LinkedIn, or you can call my office at 202-787-5970.[/vc_toggle]
The Latest Research from the Foundation for Public Affairs
[vc_single_image image=”120364″]The Foundation for Public Affairs’ newly released 2022 Social Impact Report: Trends in DEI, Corporate Engagement and ESG shows that the average percentage of public affairs function staff who are people of color is just 20%, a figure that has changed little since the question was first asked in April 2021, when the finding was 17%.
The survey, which also examines environment, social and governance (ESG) trends and corporate social engagement, found that 59% of public affairs professionals say pressure to get involved in social issues has increased in the past year. The most common social issue for corporate engagement is environment/ sustainability with 79% of companies advocating on this issue.
Your Path to Professional Development Starts Here
Do you have a plan in place for your 2023 goals? If you have professional development in your resolutions, don’t stress over the planning or how you’ll get there. The Council has three certificate programs with specific curriculum outlined to help you grow as a public affairs professional. Choose between Public Affairs Management, PAC and Grassroots Management or Government Affairs and Lobbying to join the ranks of over 120 professionals who have earned their certificates.
Welcome New Members!
[vc_single_image image=”120368″]The Public Affairs Council is delighted to welcome the following new members to our community of over 12,000 public affairs practitioners! If you’d like to see a full list of member organizations, you can view them here.
- Acumen Public Affairs SRL
- American Equity Investment Life Holding Company
- Clean Air Task Force
- Digital Therapeutics Alliance
- JCI Worldwide Inc.
- Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association
- OnMessage Public Strategies
- The Wendy’s Company
- Vulcan Consulting Ltd.