Congratulations to the 2021 Joseph Roos Community Service Award Honoree!
Dr. Lori Baker-Schena, MBA, EdD, CEO, Baker Schena Communications
Dr. Lori Baker-Schena, MBA, EdD, is the CEO of Baker Schena Communications, a public relations agency focused on healthcare communications. Since 1987, the company has produced professional articles, annual reports, clinical marketing content, public relations plans, media training and crisis communications strategies for the top healthcare companies in the nation. In 2014, the company expanded to include leadership consulting, building on the founder’s 20+ years as a university professor and her extensive training in organizational leadership. Dr. Baker-Schena holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and a MBA from California State University, Northridge, and a doctorate in Organizational Leadership from the University of La Verne.
Dr. Baker-Schena taught strategic public relations and journalism writing for 25 years at the university level, while concurrently delivering presentations at regional and national conferences on a variety of public relations and teaching-related topics. Her own company, Baker Schena Communications, is focused on providing professional speaking and executive coaching to diverse organizations — from healthcare companies to government entities. She delivers workshops, Zoom presentations and in-person speeches, customizing the content to meet the needs of the audience. Most of the topics involve leadership challenges, coping with organizational change, team building and crisis communications.
Congratulations to the 2019 Joseph Roos Community Service Award Honoree!
Bilal Kaiser & Agency Guacamole for their B.L.N.D. Initiative (Beauty, Lifestyle and Nurturing Diversity)
Bilal is committed to creating a welcoming space for all people through his B.L.N.D. initiative. B.L.N.D. is a panel/networking event that has taken place in Los Angeles and New York. The vision is to have Bilal moderate a panel featuring industry leaders from different areas of the business (e.g., marketing, editorial/media, influencers). In addition to talking about what diversity means, the panelists share actionable, grounded takeaways that the audience can use right away. The ultimate goal is to move this important conversation forward. The response to B.L.N.D. has been phenomenal, and you can see their Instagram Story Highlights:
Los Angeles: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18036625141112113/
New York: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17959091023190115/
This honor is awarded to a current PRSA-LA member for outstanding community service or activities, either for a single project or on-going program. The award is presented annually at PRSA Los Angeles’ prestigious PRism Awards event.
Any PRSA-LA member in good standing is eligible to receive the Joseph Roos Community Service award, and any PRSA-LA member may nominate another member to receive it. To nominate a deserving professional for this award, please see the guidelines and application process on the PRism Awards Call for Entries.
Past honorees include:
2021 Dr. Lori Baker-Schena, MBA, EdD, CEO, Baker Schena Communications
2019 Bilal Kaiser & Agency Guacamole for their B.L.N.D. Initiative (Beauty, Lifestyle and Nurturing Diversity)
2018 Los Angeles Dodgers
2017 Julie Battaglia
2016 Steve Vanderpool (Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015; Make-a-Wish Foundation)
2015 Holly Ferris (Ferris Communications)
2014 Denis Wolcott, APR (The Wolcott Company)
2013 Stefan Pollack (Pollack PR Marketing Group)
2012 Eric Borsum (Citizen Relations)
2011 Kim Hunter (LAGRANT COMMUNICATIONS)
2005 Dawn Wilcox & Tod Tamberg, Quality Time
2004 Dawn Wilcox
2003 Bill Imada
2002 Dan Durazo
2001 Laurie Kasper Gwyn
2000 Ron Rogers
1999 Stephen Faichy, Ultramar
1998 Martin M. Cooper, APR
1997 Greg Waskul, APR
1996 Susan Tellem, APR
1994 David Simon, APR, Fellow PRSA
1993 Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire
1992 Marcella Tyler
1991 Jack Heeger, APR
1990 Larry Steven Londre
1989 Jon B. Riffel
1987 Richard Kline
1986 Leroy Jefferies
1985 Patricia Smith