Meet your 2011-12 BPRS-DC Executive Board
President, Alana Hill (Twitter: @Lana_Jay)
Alana Hill is a Washington, DC-based public relations professional, writer and blogger. The Miami native has served as the 2010-2011 BPRS-DC VP of Programs and 2008-2009 board member of the Florida Public Relations Association. Hill has also volunteered for additional organizations, including the Black MBA Association of Washington, DC, where she organized a 2010 fundraiser for the
organization’s youth program.
Hill is currently an External Media Relations Professional for IBM. Prior to joining IBM, Hill served as public relations manager of American Public University System (APUS) and as the Assistant Director of Programs for the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). While at AAPD, Hill managed brand imaging, promotions, outreach strategies and day-to-day operations for AAPD’s national programs. Prior to joining AAPD, Hill served on the Public Relations team for the Florida Governor’s Alliance for the Employment of Citizens with Disabilities. There, Hill worked with Florida Legislators, community and business leaders throughout the state of Florida to expand diversity initiatives supporting people with disabilities.
Hill received her Bachelor’s of Science in Public Relations with honors from Florida A&M University where she served as President of the Public Relations Student Society and received the School of Journalism’s Student Leader of the Year Award upon graduation. In 2011, Hill was recognized as one of the top 30 African American professionals under the age of 30.
Past President, Dedra Owens (Twitter: @IDOPRINDC)
Dedra Owens is President and Founder of DOT Communications. With over 15 years of experience that includes delivering some of Washington DC’s most high profile special events, Ms. Owens has established a solid network with local and national media. Her reputation for producing highly effective campaigns within African American markets has made her a sought after advisor and speaker.
Prior to founding DOT Communications, Ms. Owens worked for UniWorld Group, Inc., the nation’s longest-standing full-service multicultural agency, and at Golin/Harris Communications, one of the nations leading public relations firms. A native of Louisville, KY, she is a graduate of Howard University and resides in Washington, DC.
DOT Communications’ client list represents numerous industries and includes from Fortune 500 corporations to private foundations. In addition, DOT’s clients cover some of the largest and most historic African American owned businesses and organizations in the United States. An abbreviated list of our clients includes: Black Entertainment Television (BET), Burger King, Jack and Jill of America, Inc., McDonalds Corporation and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE).
Parliamentarian, Michael Dutton (Twitter: @PRMichaelDutton)
Michael Dutton leads communications efforts for The Executive Leadership Council, an organization that strengthens the success, contributions and impact of African-American corporate business leaders. He is a Washington, DC-based public relations counselor with more than 30 years of
experience in corporate communications, marketing and broadcasting production. Most recently, he was vice president of the Corporate Communications Practice for the Walker Marchant Group, a minority woman-owned public relations agency.
Previously, Dutton directed Northeast Regional Communications for Fannie Mae. Prior to that, he was director of Tribal and Casino Public Relations for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation of Connecticut, owners of one of the world’s largest casinos, Foxwoods. At Otis Elevator Company, Dutton led a task force to develop the company’s international Intranet communications network for 69,000 employees operating in nearly 200 countries.
Dutton spent most of his career with IBM, where he produced corporate television and product advertising, organized recognition events and served as corporate spokesman on wide ranging issues including the company’s operations in South Africa, and trade and technology legislative issues. He began his professional career in radio and television production, working with WVEC-TV News in Hampton, Virginia. He worked in New York City with WCBS Newsradio 88, WRVR-FM, Central Brooklyn Model Cities Television Project at Brooklyn College, the Children’s Television Workshop, and the AT&T Corporate Closed-Circuit Television network.
Dutton earned his bachelors degree in Mass Media Arts from Hampton University in Virginia, and MS degree at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in the City of New York.
Treasurer, Chris Epps
Christopher Epps leads coordination, planning and logistics for all special projects, videos, tapings and interviews for America’s Promise Alliance (the Alliance). Founded in 1997 by General Colin Powell, USA (Ret.) and currently chaired by his wife Alma, America’s Promise is the nation’s largest partnership alliance comprising corporations, nonprofit organizations, foundations, policymakers, advocacy and faith-based groups committed to ensuring that young people receive the fundamental resources—the Five Promises—they need to lead successful, healthy and productive lives and build a stronger society. In November of last year, in partnership with the U.S. Dept. of Education, Epps devised communications strategy and oversaw public relations for the Dropout Progress report detailing the national high school dropout crisis. To date, the report has received more than 300 million media impressions. As a member of the communications and marketing team, Epps serves as the
creative director for all video projects and develops collateral materials, message frames and talking points for Alliance leadership. In addition, he assists his team in organizing and implementing special events, press conferences and outreach campaigns.
Prior to joining the Alliance, Epps was a consultant at Reingold, Inc., a strategic communications and marketing firm based in Washington, DC. Epps has held marketing and public relations positions with Physicians for Peace, a medical education and aid nonprofit headquartered in Norfolk, Va., and the National Housing Partnership Foundation in Washington, DC. He also works as a freelance writer for organizations in the DC area and a start-up video and film production company in Virginia Beach, Va.
Epps earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and communications from Hampton University
located in Hampton, Va. In 2011, Epps was recognized as one of the top 30 African American
professionals under the age of 30.
New Media Director, Victoria Holmes (Twitter: @DigiCommGal)
Victoria Holmes, a native of metro Detroit, is a digital communications specialist and public relations professional. With nearly 10 years experience in public relations and marketing, Holmes now specializes in digital strategy, social media and web visibility management for federal government and nonprofit sectors.
Currently, Holmes is a New Media Specialist for U.S. Department of Defense contractor Armed Forces Services Corporation (AFSC) based in Arlington, VA. Previously, she launched a social media initiative for the Office for Civil Rights within the U.S. Department of Education and led marketing and logistics for Georgetown University’s diversity initiative, A Different Dialogue.
Prior to that, she led all media, marketing, and communications efforts for Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, an internationally acclaimed youth development nonprofit. She has also held positions at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society – Michigan Chapter and pushtwentytwo, an advertising agency. Additionally, Holmes is a communications consultant at large in the metro Detroit and DC markets. She has been published in nine publications as a freelance writer, and since 2010, Holmes has volunteered as the New Media Director for the Black Public Relations Society of Washington, DC (BPRS-DC).
Holmes earned a bachelors of arts degree in Journalism from Michigan State University, and a masters in professional studies from Georgetown University in Public Relations/Digital Communications.
Membership Chair, Natalie Dean
As senior account executive on the Edelman Multicultural team, Natalie Dean specializes in engaging and mobilizing African-American, Hispanic and other diverse communities around an issue, cause or agenda. Prior to joining Edelman, Dean supported multicultural outreach, media relations, event management and strategic planning activities at the Walker Marchant Group in Washington, D.C.(WMG). In her position, she was responsible for conducting research, developing media strategies, designing communications plans and assisting with organizing new business presentations for a variety of clients including Walgreens, Best Buy, Inc., and the Washington Convention Center Authority.
Previous to her tenure at WMG, Dean was an account executive at Millennium 3 Management (M3M) in Philadelphia, PA. While there, she led the public relations and advertising initiatives for Pennsylvania’s largest medical assistance managed care health plan. She worked to disseminate key
messages through various local media channels to reach the defined target audiences, in order to help establish understanding and goodwill between the organization and its public.
Dean, a native of Philadelphia, PA, graduated from Clark Atlanta University (CAU) with a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Mass Media Arts/Public Relations and a Master of Continuing Studies in Public Relations and Corporate Communications from Georgetown University.
Official Graphic Designer, Jossan Robinson (Twitter: @TheSonofJob)
With more than 12 years of experience in graphic design, web design and brand marketing Jossan Robinson joins the BPRS-DC team overseeing graphic design and creations for the organization. His experience in graphic design and brand marketing spans several industries including: public affairs, non-profit, finance, information technology and entertainment.
Robinson currently owns and operates Design1320, LLC., which specializes in graphic, web, & fashion design with a focus on branding, marketing/advertising & package design. Robinson’s works have been featured in The Source Magazine, MTV Networks and on various billboards within the Washington DC, Chicago and Philadelphia markets. Robinson is a native Washingtonian and graduate of North Carolina Central University.
