Executive Board

Katie Helander, President
Katie is a junior public relations major with minors in Spanish, international communication and theatre. After serving as secretary last year, she is excited to take on her new role as president and lead the ISU chapter through another exciting year of professional development. Katie also works on campus as a box office attendant at the Center for Performing Arts and remotely as a public affairs intern with Advocate Health Care. This will be Katie’s last year on campus as she plans to study abroad during the 2019-2020 school year, after which she hopes to work in international relations or with a major public relations agency.

Leo Portillo, Treasurer
Leo Portillo is a Senior, Public Relations major. He is interested in it because he likes how companies focus try to focus an image at certain communities. Coming from an economically challenged neighborhood, he is interested in how organizations can impact challenged neighborhoods and how the two can work together.

Megan Pellock,
Director of Digital Media
Megan Pellock is a Public Relations major. Megan joined PRSSA her freshman year of college to get to know her major and get involved in on campus. She has lots of experience with social media after interning for Illinois State's Welcome Week program. She is currently interning with Illinois State University Office of Admission as well as running social media for several student organizations she is involved in. She is very excited to help lead this organization to its fullest potential, as well as help students grow professionally. Her dream job is to be on the Communications team for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Maddie Rose,
Director of PRi
Maddis is a Senior, Public Relations major aspiring toward a writing minor. In years past, she was apart of the Development and Relations Committee. She served as Development Committee manager. During her Junior year, she attended as Illinois State's delegate at the PRSSA National Assembly in Miami, Florida. She has lots of passions including shopping, makeup, watching the show "Friends" on repeat and of course, public relations.

Anna Souhrada,
Vice President
Anna Souhrada is a senior Public Relations major. She transferred to Illinois State University her Junior year and joined PRSSA to get more involved on campus by being Social Chair for that year. She interned this past summer at a Business to Business PR Agency, David James Group working first hand in the PR industry for David James’ clients. Anna is very excited to travel to Austin, TX in October for PRSSA’s National Conference. In her current role as Vice President, Anna hopes to make PR more exciting for new and current members and to create lasting impacts for PR students both on campus as well as off. Her dream is to work in B2B PR in California or Chicago.

Denise Cartina,
Secretary
Denise Cartina is a senior public relations major. She transferred to ISU her junior year and joined PRSSA to get involved on campus and meet other PR students. She has PR experience with a small business and a government organization, where she wrote press releases and articles, managed social media accounts and planned events. Her dream is to work in corporate PR in the Chicagoland area.

Sydney Kendle,
Director of Community Involvement
Sydney Kendle is a senior public relations major and is the Director of Community Involvement. She transferred to Illinois State University her junior year and joined PRSSA to become more involved on campus and to make new connections. Sydney has held multiple internships with varies organizations. She has experience working with a professional baseball team and has recently returned home from an internship in Tampa Bay Florida working for a small business. After graduation Sydney hopes to move back down to Florida and continue her work.

Peter Smudde, Ph.D., APR, Faculty Adviser
Dr. Pete Smudde, APR, is professor and associate executive director of the School of Communication. He also is coordinator of the public relations program and has been a faculty adviser for PRSSA Chapters for 14 years. He has worked in industry, including an executive-level position and as a consultant; led university courses and conference sessions; and published many works on public relations.