Frances Ward-Johnson, an associate professor in the School of Communications, has been named to the Universal Accreditation Board, the leading certification body for the public relations profession. Ward-Johnson was appointed to the board by Public Relations Society of America president Michael Cherenson and Felicia Blow, chair of the UAB.
She joins a distinguished group of senior-level accredited PRSA members from across the country from corporate, educational, governmental and nonprofit organizations.
A longtime member of PRSA and a former board member of the local Tar Heel chapter, Ward-Johnson will help oversee the Public Relations Society of America’s efforts to strengthen the Accreditation process and raise the number of Accredited public relations professionals nationwide.
The UAB administers the Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations and coordinates all activities related to the Accredited in Public Relations (APR) designation, including developing and implementing policy for the accreditation program; reviewing appeal cases; and granting accreditation.
Former manager of public relations for the Center for Creative Leadership headquartered in Greensboro, N.C., Ward-Johnson teaches courses in strategic communications at Elon. She is the former coordinator of the Public Relations sequence in the Journalism and Mass Communications Department at N.C. A&T State University. For several years, she has served as a readiness review panelist for those seeking public relations accreditation in the Triad area.
The accreditation program was established in 1964 by PRSA. Accredited in Public Relations (APR) is considered the mark of distinction for those who demonstrate commitment to the profession and to its ethical practice.
The UAB is made up of a coalition of public relations professional organizations, including the Agricultural Relations Council, Florida Public Relations Association, Maine Public Relations Council, National School Public Relations Association, Public Relations Society of America, Religion Communicators Council, Southern Public Relations Federation, Texas Public Relations Association and Asociación de Relacionistas Profesionales de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Public Relations Association).
The UAB meets several times a year and the day-to-day operations are administered at PRSA Headquarters in New York.