Janet Swiecichowski, APR Appointed to Minnesota PRSA Board of Directors
Monday, July 9, 2018
In June, Janet Swiecichowski, APR, was elected by the Minnesota PRSA Board of Directors to fulfill the remainder of Kimberly Albert’s two-year term. Kimberly resigned from the board in March due to personal and work commitments. Per the chapter’s bylaws, successors will be nominated by the President and elected by the board. Janet’s term will end in December 2019.
“We were very diligent about finding the right candidate to fill the board vacancy,” said Minnesota PRSA President Eva Keiser, APR. “As we approach, the organization’s 70th year, it was extremely important that the successor has been active in the organization and was committed to helping shape Minnesota PRSA’s future.”
In her role on the board, Janet will be working closely with the chapter's executive team as it conducts extensive member and nonmember research as part of the strategic planning process.
Janet previously served on the Minnesota PRSA Board in 2001-2002 and has been actively involved in chapter or national accreditation committees since 1999. She has spent her entire career advancing the profession, having served on the boards and as president of both the Wisconsin and Minnesota School Public Relations Associations, as accreditation chair for Minnesota PRSA and National School Public Relations Association, and on the Universal Accreditation Board representing both NSPRA and PRSA (2006-2014).
With more than 20 years of experience leading public relations for public and private educational institutions, Janet is the director of public relations for the University of St. Thomas – Minnesota’s largest private, non-profit university. Prior to St. Thomas, she led an integrated marketing communications program for Minnetonka Public Schools, which helped reverse declining enrollment and yielded 38 percent enrollment growth over 15 years.
A strategic advisor to superintendents, principals and the school boards, she led Minnetonka’s strategic planning process for ten years, activated hundreds of volunteers and successfully led six school referendum campaigns across three districts and two states, earning national awards for internal communication, marketing and funding campaigns. Earlier in her career, she served in similar roles for Wayzata Public Schools and Franklin Public Schools (Wisc). She also served as an NSPRA volunteer in response to the Columbine tragedy in 1999.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication from Marquette University and a master’s in Strategic Communication from the University of Minnesota.