help_outline Skip to main content
Add Me To Your Mailing List
HomeBlogsRead Post

Perspectives Blog

Women's History Month Feature: Heather Cmiel
By Minnesota PRSA Admin
Posted: 2021-03-31T19:37:00Z

In honor of Women's History Month, we're catching up with a few of the many influential women who have served as Minnesota PRSA chapter president over the years to highlight their contributions to the industry and chapter and see what they're up to now. Today we're featuring Heather Cmiel, APR, who served as chapter president in 2017.


"Not being with people has shown me not only how much I need them but the massive force this amazing communications and PR community is in my life."

 


Do you have a favorite memory or memories from your year as a chapter leader?

If you know me, you know I am a people person/massive extrovert so without question, it was the opportunity to cross paths with so many people in this dynamic community. Additionally, during my time as president we really dove into programming bringing in voices that the community hadn’t heard from before and expanding to topics that were critical to the profession. I love seeing that dynamic programming continuing today. 

 

What are you up to now professionally?

I have recently gone through a job change at 3M and was promoted to the marketing communications leader for the entire Medical Solutions Division. In this role, I work with my brilliant team of communicators to strategize and develop end-to-end customer programs in partnership with our marketing organization. 

It’s basically the same division I have been at since I joined the organization though we have gone through lots of change as a team in the last three years, including the acquisition of an amazing wound care medical products company. I also have had the honor to be very involved in 3M’s COVID-19 response work, specifically a focus on healthcare worker protection. 

I have been with 3M for six years and can say without question it is the most challenging and gratifying job I have ever had in my career. 3M is tremendously supportive of growth and has been an amazing advocate for women in the organization -- from 3 of the 4 marketing business group leaders being women to driving the importance of STEM education, especially for girls. 

Not directly related to work, but I am also pursuing my Masters in Communication from Purdue University. It has been both a challenge and a delight to flex my brain in a different way – it has been a long time since I had to build an annotated bibliography.


Do you have any inspiring words or advice for fellow PR professionals?

I believe the role of PR and communications is more critical now than ever before. 2020 changed so many things from how we work to how we use technology. As communicators, we need to navigate the realities of what matters to the audiences we connect with and how they seek and take in information.

Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?
I think we have all done a lot of reflecting this past year. It has illustrated to me how critical the relationships are in our lives. Not being with people has shown me not only how much I need them but the massive force this amazing communications and PR community is in my life. I cannot wait to gather with people and raise a glass with everyone. Perhaps it is time we bring back the Alphabet Bash – we could certainly use it after the last year!

 

Thank you, Heather!

Leave a Comment
 *
 *
Comments
Load More Comments
No more comments available