2 0 2 5
EVENT SCHEDULE
5:30 p.m. Reception
6:30 p.m. Opening Remarks
Laura Kruszewski
PRSA Southern Arizona Chapter
2025 President
Family Life Radio/Intentional Life Media
Keynote
Carolyn Smith Casertano
Professor of Practice
Department of Communications
University of Arizona
Master of Ceremonies
Shannon Black
Radio Host & On-Air Personality
Cumulus Media
Presentation of Project and Individual Awards
Presentation of “Best in Show”
SPEAKERS
Shannon Black Radio Host & On-Air Personality Cumulus Media
Black is co-host of the Max, Shannon & Porkchop Morning Show on KIIM-FM
99.5. With her signature humor and love for country music, she’s been waking up Southern Arizona for over two decades. Off-air, she’s a proud dog mom, concert lover and always up for a dad joke.
Carolyn Smith Casertano
Professor of
Practice
Department of Communications University of Arizona
Casertano is an award-winning communication professional with over two decades of professional expertise. She has worked with clients in non-profit, corporate, and agency sectors, and owns CC Communications, LLC, specializing in marketing, communications, and public relations. Accredited in public relations (APR) by the Universal Accreditation Board, she was accepted in 2023 into the prestigious Public Relations Society of America’s College of Fellows. She’s faculty adviser for the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) UA chapter, chair of the Public Relations Division Teaching Committee of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) and more.
PR PRO OF THE YEAR
Laura Kruszewski, MBA, APR
Senior Marketing Manager
Family Life Radio & Intentional Life Media
Kruszewski is a marketing, public relations, and events professional with more than 20 years of experience across media, nonprofit, and retail sectors. With a career built on strategy, creativity, and execution, Laura leads high-impact campaigns that elevate brands and inspire action. At Intentional Life Media, she supports on-air programming, promotions, fundraising, and events with strategic communications, digital campaigns, and creative direction. Her team manages everything from social and web to print and video production. Public relations remains at the core of her work, guiding how she connects people, builds relationships, and protects brand integrity. During her two-year tenure as Southern Arizona PRSA Chapter President, Laura also earned her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR).
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Adamari Juarez Community Relations Manager
Gordley Group
Juarez is a graduate of the University of Arizona with a bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in public relations. At Gordley Group, she supports the community relations team on public involvement efforts and client projects, supporting client communications for their internal and external audiences in both English and Spanish. Before joining Gordley, she served as an intern to help organize the 2023 PRSA Western District conference in Tucson.
CAREER IMPACT
Jan Gordley Senior Advisor and Former President/Founder Gordley Group
Gordley has 45 years of experience in communications and marketing, ranging from large international efforts to projects that connected a few key stakeholders and individually resolved sensitive issues. Gordley started her career as a graphic designer at an engineering firm, and later founded Gordley Group. More than three decades later, the company has provided marketing, communications and public relations support to multiple clients in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Gordley continues to provide strategic counsel to Gordley Group’s clients and advises on several projects.
Investing in Arizona
We are honored to be recognized by PRSA. This award is a testament to Hudbay’s commitment to being a partner in Arizona’s economic growth - for its people, jobs, and shared future.
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