Dr. Jean Sandlin, left, and Natalie Hernandez. Photo Courtesy of: PRSA – California Gold Coast Chapter.
CENTRAL COAST — Dr. Jean Sandlin, a distinguished communication scholar and public relations strategist and advocate for excellence in the field, has received the 2024 inaugural PR Pro of the Year Award by the Public Relations Society of America – California Gold Coast Chapter. The PR Pro of the Year Award is the chapter’s most esteemed honor recognizing outstanding career achievements of local professionals in furthering the practice of public relations.
“Jean Sandlin exemplifies the very best of public relations,” said Natalie Hernandez, President of the PRSA California Gold Coast Chapter, and County of Ventura Public Information Officer. “Her scholarly research and dedication to mentor and build meaningful relationships with communication students, sets a high standard of excellence for the entire PR profession.”
Sandlin currently serves as professor and chair in California Lutheran University’s (CLU) Communication Department. Prior to her faculty role, she held a variety of professional agency roles including creative director and senior strategist. A public relations scholar, her research on social media and ethics in advertising has been published in Public Relations Review, the Journal of Communication Management, Journal of Advertising Education and in textbooks including “Cases in Public Relations: Translating Ethics into Action,” and “Cases in Sports Communication.” She teaches public relations and advertising and serves as the advisor for the Public Relations Student Society of America chapter at CLU. Sandlin also helped establish the PRSA California Gold Coast Chapter in 2014, served as its founding president, and served on the board of directors for several years.
In accepting the award at a recent PRSA California Gold Coast chapter event held in Ventura, Sandlin expressed her gratitude, “It’s an honor to be recognized by PRSA, an organization that values ethics and professional standards in a time when the media landscape presents many challenges for the PR profession.”
About PRSA California Gold Coast Chapter
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) – California Gold Coast Chapter serves Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. The PRSA chapter serves a diverse community of professionals empowering them to excel in effective, ethical, and respectful communications on behalf of the organizations they represent and the constituencies they serve, and advance the careers of its members. For more information about the PRSA California Gold Coast chapter, visit: www.prsagoldcoast.org