Cheryl Procter-Rogers, APR, Fellow PRSA: A Champion for Diversity and Education
This article is part of a mini-series celebrating the first-ever Black PR History Month, showcasing individuals of color and the influence they’ve had on the public relations industry. Read more here.
Cheryl Procter-Rogers, APR, Fellow PRSA, is a leader, advocate, educator and passionate public relations practitioner.
As the first black PRSA president of one of the Society’s largest Chapters, PRSA Chicago, and 2005 recipient of the D. Parke Gibson Pioneer Award — PRSA’s highest distinction in multicultural affairs — Procter-Rogers has been an advocate for diversity in public relations throughout her career. She also served as the PRSA 2006 National President, was the recipient of the 2011 Golden Anvil Award and became the youngest person ever inducted into the college of fellows, in addition to being one of only two black women inducted at the time.
Procter-Rogers has more than 30 years of experience in the industry and currently works as a public relations strategist and executive coach for A Step Ahead Consulting and Coaching, a global consulting practice.
Procter-Rogers is an advocate for education and has contributed to several books and dedicated time to speaking with students and professionals across the U.S. Her expertise is featured in “Managing Public Relations: Methods and Tools” and “No Mulligans Allowed: Strategically Plotting Your Public Relations Course.” She was one of 11 public relations practitioners interviewed for the CD companion to “Public Relations: The Profession and the Practice,” published by McGraw Hill Higher Education. She has also been featured in Black Enterprise Magazine (“14 Boom Careers,” February 1994) and Inside PR (“Rising Star,” 1993).
Through forward thinking, Procter-Rogers strives to surpass cultural and professional norms in everything she does — a lesson to be learned by all aspiring communications professionals today. As a champion for diversity and education, she is a leader our industry is lucky to have.
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Krista Watson is a junior at Loyola University Chicago and the PRSSA 2016–2017 Publications Editor in Chief. Follow her on Twitter @watson_krista or connect on LinkedIn.
