Get to know our newest committee members
Gavrielle Kirk-Cohen, Jared Meade and Oluwayemisi Adekunle - based in South Africa, the United States and Nigeria respectively - join the CIPR International Committee this year.
As we get into the swing of things for 2025, we've asked Gavrielle, Jared and Yemisi some questions for you to get to know them a bit more:
Gavrielle is the communications lead for Species360, an international NGO specialising in technology and conservation. Prior to this she was the Director of Communications at the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). She has over a decade of communications experience working in the non-profit sector in various countries.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I am a passionate conservation communicator, working for a non-profit organisation, called Species360. I recently moved back to sunny South Africa in 2024, after having spent more than a decade living and working in different countries including Edinburgh, Scotland and Barcelona, Spain.
What attracted you to join the International committee?
I am excited to join the International committee as I think it is a wonderful opportunity to connect with and learn from a diverse group of fellow PR professionals. I love that there is such a breadth of representation from different regions and sectors on the committee, with everyone bringing their unique perspectives.
What would you say are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing PR professionals internationally right now?
I think AI is certainly both an opportunity and challenge. I know many PR and comms teams are often over-stretched and under-resourced, especially in the non-profit sector, and so AI may be a helpful tool to assist PR pros in their day-to-day work, but I worry that as helpful a tool AI might be, it can also become a crutch that can be too easily relied upon. We need to make sure, that as communicators, we don’t lose our sparks of creativity. I also think it’s important to acknowledge and be aware of the biases that AI models often perpetuate.
What are you most proud of?
At the moment, I’m most proud of further pursuing my studies, doing an MSc in Sustainable Development.
Jared Meade, MPS, APR, MPRCA, has over 20 years of experience in public relations as founder of Rayne Strategy Group. He has taught as an adjunct professor at Bowling Green State University and Eastern Michigan University. Jared has held leadership roles in several professional organisations, including PRSA and PRCA. He is also a co-founder of the LinkedIn #PRethics Community.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I am based in the United States. I am the founder and principal of Rayne Strategy Group, a PR consultancy specialising in reputation management and crisis communication.
What attracted you to join the International committee?
I firmly believe that PR has the power to do great good in the world, but if practiced unethically, it can also cause great harm. It is the responsibility of every practitioner to do what they can to promote the understanding of PR and ensure that it is practiced ethically. To that end, I try to get involved as much as possible. The International Committee seemed like a great place to help strengthen the profession and learn from my colleagues around the globe.
What would you say are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing PR professionals internationally right now?
One of the biggest challenges facing our profession is the growing societal divide. At its core, PR is about building relationships and bringing understanding between diverse groups of people. That purpose is increasingly more difficult when people refuse to hear, communicate with, or try to understand those who believe differently. Ethics is another challenge facing the profession. The various PR associations have codes of ethics, but most of them are not as comprehensive as they should be or are not updated to keep up with changing technology, etc. Some codes even contradict one another. This leaves each professional to determine their own ethical code of practice; unfortunately, some even choose profit over ethics.
Are these the same as in your country?
These challenges are universal.
What are you most proud of?
I'm most proud of the consultancy that I am building and the amazing clients that I have the opportunity to work with.
Oluwayemisi is an English graduate from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria, with over 24 years’ experience spanning journalism, PR and advertising across multiple commercial sectors in manufacturing, pharma, financial services, management consultancy and retail. Currently, she is the Government Relations and Public Affairs Lead for West Africa at Burn Manufacturing.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I am based in Lagos, Nigeria. I enjoy volunteering by creating and implementing the communication strategy that creates visibility for not-for-profits that are committed to impacting people’s lives and contributing to SDGs 1, 2, 5, 7, 10 & 13.
What attracted you to join the international committee?
I believe giving my time to serve in an organisation that is enriching the lives of professionals is a great way to demonstrate my commitment to the CIPR.
What would you say are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing PR professionals internationally right now?
Measuring ROI of campaigns, navigating misinformation online, connecting with relevant media and influencers, managing crises, adapting to the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, ensuring ethical practices, and effectively measuring the impact of PR efforts across various digital platforms; while key opportunities lie in leveraging AI for data analysis, utilising influencer marketing strategically, building authentic brand narratives through diverse channels, and proactively managing online reputation through crisis communication plans.
Are these the same as in your country?
Yes, they are.
What are you most proud of?
One of my proudest achievements includes leading successful media campaigns across Africa that raised public awareness about various health topics, resulting in significant increase in product sales growth within my first year at Pfizer. Additionally, in my role as a Communications and Public Affairs Manager, I facilitated agreements with African governments for the Accord for a Healthier World, ultimately providing essential medicines and vaccines to 1.2 billion people in 45 lower-income countries. This pivotal achievement was a testament to the strategic media relationships I cultivated and the targeted narrative approach I implemented. My contribution led to a substantial uptick in brand engagement, demonstrating a direct correlation between well-orchestrated public relations initiatives and tangible business outcomes.
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