April is APR Month, and the APR Committee invites you to join them for a free virtual event centered on activating your APR. The session will focus on how public relations professionals, APR candidates and current APRs can use the credential in meaningful and practical ways.

What You'll Learn

Topics will include professional growth, leadership opportunities, and ways to contribute to the profession through service and mentorship. This interactive discussion will feature APR professionals and is designed for both current APRs and those interested in pursuing accreditation.

What you’ll learn:

Speaker Lineup

Facilitator and APR chair, PRSA Georgia:

Register now to take the next step in your APR journey. We look forward to seeing you there!

About Our Speakers

April Phillips, APR, senior director of marketing and communications planning for the American Red Cross National Biomedical Services

Phillips is a strategic nonprofit leader with over two decades of experience and expertise, she oversees the integrated marketing and communications planning for blood donor activation. She leads a high performing team responsible for multi channel marketing and communications campaigns, social media strategy and customer care, and data driven promotional optimization that has contributed to consistent growth and stability in blood and platelet collections. Throughout her 18 years with the Red Cross, April has guided marketing and communications through highly successful national partnerships with PEANUTS, Amazon, the NFL and more. She’s also helped lead national responses to large-scale events, including the COVID-19 pandemic where she helped drive one of the largest blood donation mobilization efforts in organization history. Most recently, she has been a driving force behind transformational blood donor diversity and community health initiatives that will support long-term blood donor health and well-being and grow the donor base to help meet the needs of patients for years to come.

A native of Northwest Florida, April earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts with an emphasis in Public Relations in 2003 from the University of West Florida in Pensacola and her Accreditation in Public Relations in 2018. She spent her early PR career with the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry and then Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida prior to joining the Red Cross. She has earned several industry honors, including PRSA Georgia Forty Under 40, PRNEWS Crisis Management Award and a Silver Telly. Outside work, April is an avid kayaker, paddleboarder, pop up book collector and cosplay enthusiast who enjoys overlanding adventures with her partner, Tony, and their dog, Choco (which appropriately rhymes with “loco”).

Courtney James, APR, senior director, public relations and executive communications, North Highland

In her role at North Highland, James leads the firm’s external communications, media relations, executive communications and reputation management efforts, shaping how North Highland shows up in the marketplace and elevating the firm’s brand awareness. She also leads the firm’s analyst relations program. Prior to joining North Highland, James held corporate communications and public relations leadership roles of increasing responsibility at WestRock and Food Lion (an Ahold Delhaize company), where she led newsroom strategy, media relations, and Silver Anvil award-winning corporate giving communications programs.

James graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications with an Epley Certificate in International Public Relations from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is a member of PRSA Georgia, where she earned her Accreditation in Public Relations in 2020. She also currently serves as APR committee co-chair for the chapter. Courtney grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia. In her free time, she enjoys horseback riding, hiking, reading, traveling and spending time with friends and family, which include her fiancé, Santiago, and their dog Bear.

Robby Johnson, APR, director, external communications at Smurfit Westrock

Johnson is an Atlanta‑based corporate communications leader whose areas of expertise include crisis and reputation management, financial and investor communications, and media relations across highly regulated manufacturing industries. He currently serves as director, external communications at Smurfit Westrock, where he has led public‑facing communications since 2022, supporting the company and its leaders through periods of heightened scrutiny, transformational change, and growth.

Johnson provides senior‑level counsel to assess risk and nurture reputation, serving as a primary media spokesperson to inform on complex issues related to environmental performance, manufacturing operations, responsible forestry, mergers and acquisitions, and investor communications, including earnings and regulatory disclosure. His career spans nearly 30 years and is punctuated by roles and assignments in the public and private sectors including healthcare, forest products and stewardship, higher education, nonprofit and sustainable packaging.

A native of Mobile, Alabama, and a practitioner Accredited in Public Relations since 2002, Johnson is known for steady leadership in high‑pressure environments. Outside of work, he is an avid gardener, traveler, equestrian and former competitor in eventing, an experience that reinforces the discipline, resilience, and focus he brings to his professional life.

Ronnika A. McFall, MBA, APR, senior director of communications, Mercy For Animals

McFall leads communications strategy across national and global markets for Mercy for Animals, a leading animal protection organization. Her work focuses on executive visibility, media relations, and storytelling that builds trust and supports mission-driven impact. With more than 15 years of experience in public relations and strategic communications, McFall has shaped narratives and guided organizations through high-visibility moments, including periods of growth, change and public scrutiny. Her background spans nonprofit, agency and crisis communications, and she is frequently called upon to advise senior leaders on messaging, media strategy and reputational considerations.

Previously, McFall served as a spokesperson for the American Red Cross during the COVID-19 pandemic and supported the strengthening of U.S. media strategy at Compassion in World Farming. At Mercy For Animals, her leadership has contributed to consistent, top-tier media coverage in outlets including The Guardian, The New York Times, Bloomberg News, Politico, Forbes, and NBC News. An Accredited Public Relations professional, McFall serves as APR chair and a board member for PRSA Georgia, and sits on the national PRSA APR marketing committee, where she is committed to mentoring and developing the next generation of communications leaders.

McFall holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Jackson State University and an MBA from American Intercontinental University. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and a lifetime member of the Jackson State University National Alumni Association. She resides in Georgia with her husband, Carlton McFall Jr. Grounded in her faith, she draws strength and perspective from scripture, often reflecting on Mark 11:24: “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (NIV).