Public Relations Student Society of America Honored Class of 2022 Winners at Fifth Annual Distinguished Alumni Event

The Montclair State University Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) hosted the 5th Annual Distinguished Alumni Awards at the School of Communication and Media on Thursday, December 15. Students, staff, and faculty gathered for the event, which celebrates the achievements of the honorees, educates students about their professional journeys and provides an opportunity for students to network with professionals in the field.

PRSSA President Kristina Burr commented, “This event is integral in inspiring students to see that people who started right where they were have found their niche and success in their respective careers. It also broadens the horizons of students to see the variety in career and industry paths they can take with the ever-evolving digital media and public relations world.”

The event consisted of an awards ceremony, networking session and a newly added panel discussion. The distinguished alumni honored this year were:

Amanda Lederman (‘14)
Content Marketing Manager, Taboola
Lederman is a 2014 graduate who has a decade of experience in brand storytelling as an expert in digital marketing. Her work in a wide variety of areas including social media, editorial, e-commerce, and events make her especially well-versed and knowledgeable in the field. Lederman is known for turning “international digital strategies into performance and profit powerhouses.” Her expertise has given her the opportunity to spearhead Taboola’s global marketing campaigns and content.

Lauren Marchetto (‘14)
Senior Communications Manager, TE Connectivity
A 2014 graduate with a BA in Communications Studies and a minor in Business, Marchetto has blossomed into an effective communications strategist. She has “develop[ed] target content to engage and motivate 20,000+ employees and partners.” Marchetto is an integral piece of TE Connectivity’s success as a global technological industry leader that provides transportation, medical, energy, and data communications solutions.

Robert “Bobby” Melok Jr. (‘09)
Senior Digital Content Producer, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)
Melok graduated in 2009 as a Broadcasting major and later received his MA of Journalism from the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. From his student days as the Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief of The Montclarion to his current role as an award-winning digital and social media professional, Melok certainly has earned this honor. He launched WWE’s official GIPHY channel, which has over 20 billion views to date, as well as WWE’s official TikTok channel, helping WWE to become the number one sports league on TikTok, with over 19.7 million followers.

Chelsey Nagy (‘14)
Conversion Optimization Team Lead, Thesis
Barrington Media Group
Nagy graduated in 2014 with her BA in Communications and Public Relations. She has excelled in digital marketing by evaluating how to garner web visitors on client landing pages and sites. Her path to digital marketing began with PR. She reports that she is grateful for her unexpected journey, truly enjoys her job and acknowledges the “wonderful position” she is in.

Kristin Shackil (‘10, ‘13)
Brand Communications Lead, Consumer Engagement Unilever
Shackil not only received her BA in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations in 2010 from Montclair State, but she also received her MBA in 2013. She was awarded a graduate assistantship scholarship for her dedication as a graduate assistant for the Feliciano School of Business. From there, she has become a rising communications industry leader. Kristin’s work at Unilever has enabled her to “to ensure a delightful consumer experience for Unilever’s 40+ brands in North America.”

Geoffrey Phelps (‘93)
Vice President, Coyne PR
Phelps graduated magna cum laude in 1993 with his BA in English and returned to accept this prestigious award. He is “a proven communicator who enjoys the challenge of translating the complex and technical into the compelling and easy to understand.” Geoffrey has found bountiful success in developing and implementing public relations during his decade-plus tenure with Coyne PR in addition to his 20 years of previous experience in the field.

PRSSA Faculty Advisor Professor Mary Scott commented, “The evening in a word was…Inspirational. The accomplishment of our six impressive honorees, all of whom have very different roles in the communications industry, was important to celebrate and showcase to our current students. It was a pleasure to welcome them back to MSU, many for the first time since they graduated, and show them the new SCM facility. We can’t thank them enough for sharing their words of advice, career journeys, experiences, and time with the PRSSA club members – all of which will undoubtedly have a big impact.”

PRSSA President Kristina Burr states the organization plans to continue the tradition of the Distinguished Alumni Awards for years to come.

If you are a student interested in learning more about PRSSA, contact montclairprssa@gmail.com.