The Timing Has Never Been Better to Join PRSA Idaho
by Malcolm Hong
PRSA Idaho Chapter Administrator
This article was originally published on LinkedIn on September 24, 2026
Communication professionals play a key role in bridging the gap between local industries, rural and urban communities and public institutions. This work is vital for a fast-growing state like Idaho, but it can feel insular and it can be difficult to find a community of like-minded professionals.
For the first six years of my career, I was the only person with a communications background in my organization. Joining PRSA Idaho helped me make valuable connections and sharpen essential skills I use daily — and now, with our renewed statewide structure and regional support teams, there are more local touchpoints than ever to help you find your people.
A New Chapter Leader From Eastern Idaho
PRSA Idaho covers the entire state, but for most of its history, PRSA Idaho has largely been centered in the Treasure Valley. Past chapter presidents laid the groundwork to change this, leading to our recent appointment of Tony (Antonio) Lima, vice president of public relations for Melaleuca, as our chapter president.
Tony is the first chapter president to be based outside the Treasure Valley and brings exceptional preparation to the role. A past president of both the Greater Salt Lake and North Florida PRSA chapters, Tony is dedicated to his local community with service to boards that include the Rexburg Chamber of Commerce, the Development Workshop Foundation and the Boy Scouts of America's Grand Teton Council. He earned his Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) credential, which validates a practitioner’s strategic skills, ethical grounding and mastery of modern communication practices.
He was also an inaugural honoree of IBR’s Idaho 500, which recognizes the most influential and accomplished professionals throughout the Gem State. He brings incredible passion to our industry and he’s someone I’m honored to call a friend.
Statewide Network With Local Leadership
Idaho is a diverse state and it’s well known that communications practitioners in Boise, North Idaho, and Eastern Idaho have long operated on separate tracks. To help break down silos, we’re building a statewide network by appointing regional leadership teams in North Idaho, Southwest Idaho and Eastern Idaho.
Each area will have a dedicated regional chair, programs chair and membership officer to provide localized support to their region. By distributing leadership responsibilities, every corner of the Gem State will have accessible programming, a local sounding board and a direct line to mentorship and leadership opportunities.
Bringing Together Idaho’s Top Communication Leaders
Tony’s assembled an exceptionally strong board that brings top communication leaders from every corner of Idaho. For example, we have a board member from each of Idaho’s largest four universities, including the top communication leaders from the University of Idaho and Idaho State University.
Although many of our board members work in public relations, PRSA is inclusive of anyone who touches communications in their daily work, regardless of their title. I’m pleased that our new board includes diverse voices such as a political journalist and an SEO strategist, providing our chapter with a wide range of expertise to guide us forward.
New and Continued Initiatives for PRSA Idaho
Professional development will continue to be an important focus for the chapter and our latest event, “AI Visibility: How To Get Your Brand Named In AI Answers” broke a new record with 265 people registered. As we develop our board, our goal is for each Idaho region to have more events on a regular cadence.
Beyond education, PRSA Idaho will also focus on the following initiatives:
Building friendships, not just contacts. Networking can often feel transactional, which is why we’re looking at activities that will build genuine peer support and shared community. Whether it’s catching up over coffee or planning a PRSA Idaho night out at a Boise State game, we want to foster close-knit bonds in our profession.
Helping new and growing professionals find career opportunities. If you’ve applied for a job in the last few years, you know it can be maddening to cut through the digital noise, navigate application portals and get your resume in front of an actual person.
To support rising practitioners and seasoned pros alike, we are creating a dedicated local job board to curate positions and help people make connections. Beyond digital listings, the true benefit to jobseekers is tapping into PRSA Idaho’s network. In this job market, it’s valuable to have local professionals who can share advice and perhaps even connect you to a hiring manager.
Launching our awards program. Many of PRSA’s chapters have local awards program and for the first time, PRSA Idaho intends to host our own. We believe this program will help elevate industry standards, recognize exceptional talent and give our members the opportunity to showcase their success.
Creating opportunities to jump in, lead and grow your footprint. Our new regional structure has created several open positions for professionals looking to step up and shape the chapter's direction. Although we have several board positions open, you can also get involved as a committee member to support local programs, membership and events.
Here are the open roles we are looking to fill:
President-Elect: This candidate will work closely with Tony to step into leadership and shadow chapter operations. It’s a great opportunity to gain leadership experience under the wing of an experienced practitioner.
Boise Regional Chair: A vital leadership role to coordinate PRSA Idaho’s footprint in
the Treasure Valley.Boise Programs Chair: Take the lead with planning PRSA activities in the Treasure Valley.
North Idaho Membership Officer: Help recruit and retain local practitioners in North Idaho for our chapter.
Sponsorships: A dedicated lead to secure chapter partnerships and financial backing.
No prior PRSA experience is needed to serve on the board. In fact, we appreciate the fresh perspective that board members bring when they’re new to PRSA.
If you’re interested in any of these positions or in general volunteer opportunities, send an email to Tony Lima at tlima@Melaleuca.com and copy idahoprsa@gmail.com
Build a Stronger Community With PRSA Idaho
PRSA provides many valuable benefits, but in my experience, the most valuable offering is getting plugged into a community of peers dedicated to elevating our craft and supporting one another.
You understand the power of relationships if you work in communications. But to build new relationships and strengthen existing ones, you need to show up.
Regardless of what stage you are in your career, how long you’ve lived in Idaho or what your professional goals are, there is a place for you in PRSA Idaho.
Join PRSA Idaho today to start forging relationships with professional communicators in the Gem State.