PRSA Midwest District Bestows Platinum Award to Debra Peterson, APR, Fellow PRSA

Award Celebrates PR, Leadership and Community Achievements

The Midwest District of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) presented Debra Peterson, APR, Fellow PRSA, with its Platinum Award for significant contributions in advancing the professional development of its members and serving the community. Peterson was nominated by the leadership of the PRSA Greater Kansas City chapter and presented the award at the PRSA Midwest District Conference on Sept. 19 in Bloomington, Minn.
 
“In every way, Debra (Peterson) embodies service to the profession and her community,” said Bridget Koan, president of the Greater Kansas City chapter. “Debra leads by example. When she asks a volunteer to help, she knows what she is asking of them. And in most cases, Debra has served in the same volunteer role. Debra perpetuates the highest standards and ethics of the profession in the practice of public relations.”
 
Peterson has held a number of volunteer leadership positions at both the local and national levels, including serving as the PRSA Greater Kansas City chapter president in 2007, chair of the national Corporate Communications Section in 2008 and national chair of PRSA in 2019. Her commitment to service has also been recognized by the PRSA Greater Kansas City chapter, which awarded her the Roger Yarrington Public Relations Professional of the Year award in 2011. This year Peterson is being inducted into PRSA’s College of Fellows, considered the gold standard for public relations professionals who have made extraordinary achievements to PRSA, the profession and the community.
 
Over the years, Peterson has also been a champion of students pursuing careers in public relations and strategic communications. She gives back to her alma mater by serving as a professional advisor to the PRSSA chapter at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan.
 
In addition to the award, the district contributed $500 to a charitable organization of Peterson’s choice. The donation was made in her name to the Growing Futures Early Education Center based in Overland Park, Kan. Peterson serves on the Board of Directors for the not-for-profit organization serving more than 250 primarily low-income children and their families with Early Head Start and Head Start programs.
 
Established in 2013, the PRSA Midwest District’s Platinum Award celebrates achievements in furthering the practice of public relations, demonstrating outstanding leadership and contributions to the profession and to PRSA. Previous Platinum Award honorees include David Hakensen, APR, Fellow PRSA of the Minnesota chapter (2013), Debbie Harvey, APR of the Chicago chapter (2014) and David Schoeneck, APR of the Minnesota chapter (2015).