The PRSA Southeast District is one of ten districts of the Public Relations Society of America. We work to provide member value to the Alabama, Charlotte, Georgia, Lookout, Memphis, Nashville, North Carolina, South Carolina, South Georgia, Tri-Cities, Volunteer, Western North Carolina chapters and at-large members in the State of Mississippi.
2026 District Leadership
Kiersten Williams (North Carolina Chapter) – Chair
Kiersten Wolf Williams serves as Chair of the PRSA Southeast District. In this role, she leads the board of directors with vision and clarity to support the chapters within the PRSA Southeast District. Her public relations and communication career has focused on industry sectors where transformation is constant and thoughtful communication can shape the future. She is energized by teams that are pushing boundaries, rethinking what is possible, and building solutions. Her executive-level PR agency and consulting roles have shaped strategic communication, marketing campaigns, and brand leadership programs for publicly traded companies and private organizations. She has driven award-winning results for financial services and technology (fintech), nonprofits, credit unions, wellness, and many other categories. Kiersten also founded PR for Good, the giveback initiative of NCPRSA. Full bio at kierstenwilliams.com. #DoMoreGood
Joe Stabb, Ph.D., APR (Volunteer Chapter) – Chair-Elect
Joe Stabb, Ph.D., APR is an assistant professor of practice in the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations and an administrative fellow in the College of Communication and Information at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where he teaches courses in public relations and data analytics. Stabb has worked with clients/companies in a variety of industries to utilize their traditional and digital resources to meet and exceed their revenue goals. He has experience in marketing communications, public relations, fundraising, business management, and leadership development. Joe also believes in giving back to the community. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Volunteer Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the Great Smoky Mountain Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), the American Advertising Federation (AAF) chapter in Knoxville, The GIRL Institute, and leads several committees for the Rotary Club of Knoxville. He is also an active member of Shriners International.
Kim Cherry, APR (Memphis Chapter) – Secretary
Shawna Berger, APR (Charlotte Chapter) – Treasurer
Jae-Hwa Shin, Ph.D.,MPH, MBA, APR – (Alabama Chapter and Mississippi) – Communications Chair
Jae-Hwa Shin, Ph.D., MPH, MBA, APR is a professor of public relations and strategic communication in the School of Media and Communication at The University of Southern Mississippi. Her teaching, research, and leadership focus on public relations, strategic conflict management, crisis communication, and the impact of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence on communication practice and education. She earned her doctorate from University of Missouri-Columbia. Dr. Shin co-authored Public Relations Theory: Capabilities and Competencies, recipient of the National Communication Association PRIDE Award for Outstanding Education in Public Relations, and Public Relations Strategies and Tactics, a resource for Accreditation in Public Relations. She is a Distinguished Professor of Teaching, an ACUE and ACE-certified educator, and a fellow of the Scripps Howard Leadership Academy. She serves in leadership roles with PRSA Educators Academy, the Council on Public Relations Education, and NCA Leadership Assembly, and advises the USM PRSSA Chapter and National Millennial GenZ. Dr. Shin served as communication director for the Korea Economic Research Institute and the Center for Free Enterprise of the Federation of Korean Industries.
Kim Marks Malone, APR, Fellow PRSA (Memphis Chapter) – Interim Past President
Kim Marks Malone is an award-winning, accredited public relations professional, a retired Navy Public Affairs officer, and a Professor of Practice in Public Relations at the University of Memphis. She is the Associate Chair for Undergraduate Curriculum in the Department of Journalism and Strategic Media and the PRSSA Memphis Chapter faculty adviser.
When she’s not teaching, Kim is an independent consultant helping small businesses and nonprofits engage with their customers and tell their stories. Her specialties include social media management, digital analytics, media relations, crisis communication, issues management, and organizational communication.
Kim is a member of the PRSA College of Fellows, a designation recognizing her contributions to the profession. She currently serves on AEJMC’s elected Standing Committee on Teaching and the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB). Additionally, she is a past president of the Memphis Chapter of PRSA, a past chair of PRSA’s Southeast District, and a past chair of AEJMC PR Division’s Teaching Committee.
Joe Trahan, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA (Lookout Chapter) – Director at Large
The New Orleans native has forty-five years of public relations/affairs experiencein governmental, association, and educational and non-profit public relations. Additionally, Dr. Trahan is also LTC(R) Joe Trahan, United States Army Reserve
(USAR), former Commander of The 314th Public Affairs Operations Center (PAOC) (USAR) located in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. (LTC-USAR) Trahan has successfully operated four Joint Information Bureaus (JIBs) and one Joint Information Center (JIC) from 1991-94. Some of Dr. (LTC) Trahan’s JIB/JIC Assignments were: Joint Logistics over the Shore (JLOTS)-1992; Presidential Task Force Andrew-1992; The National Boy Scout Jamboree -1993 and The 50th Anniversary of Operation Overlord-1994. Since 1998, Dr. Joe Trahan has superbly Media Relations trained over 3,500 people yearly in: 46 US states, England, Norway, France, Belgium, Paraguay, Mexico and The Netherlands.
LaShana Sorrell, MBA, APR (Alabama Chapter) – Director at Large
Laura Kirkpatrick, APR (South Carolina Chapter) – Director at Large
Michelle Ward, M.Ed., APR (Nashville Chapter) – Director at Large