Lunch and Learn Panel Features Local Leadership for Women's History Month

Radius Cowork

Three women in leadership positions throughout the Erie community will present a panel discussion facilitated by the PA Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America at Radius Cowork on Mar. 27.

Although there have been several women trailblazers in Erie County — Helen Schluraff, Judy Lynch, and Joyce Savocchio, to name a few — the story is just beginning for many more. And those finally stepping into the spotlight want to share it with others.

For Women's History Month, the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) will hold a leadership panel discussion on Mar. 27. The "Lunch and Learn" session features three regional professionals who are leaders in public relations, marketing communications, and related fields.

Those panelists are Raychel Adiutori, senior marketing communications specialist at Erie Insurance; Amanda Duncan (Erie's 40 Under 40 class of 2020), owner of Chiara Consulting; and Erin Fessler, vice president of marketing and community/government relations at the Erie Community Foundation. Traci Teudhope, Erie News Now morning news anchor, will moderate the discussion.

The discussion is at noon in the classroom at Radius CoWork, 1001 State St. #907, where Duncan was the Community Leader for three years prior to launching her own business in 2023. 

NWPA PRSA President Tony Peyronel noted that the communications industry is one where women are at the forefront.

Duncan shared that has not been her experience, but instead of being discouraged, she noted a lot of progress for women in Erie within recent years. Duncan moved to Pittsburgh to work with young professionals and do community development work before returning to Erie in 2017. "I remember very clearly when I came back up here, getting involved with different organizations and just noticing that it was predominantly men. There were not a lot of women in that space," Duncan recalls. "Since then, you've seen folks starting to come to the forefront of a lot of these prominent organizations in the community."

She believes young professionals hold new perspectives and ideas that strike a balance within the economic and social landscape, so this Lunch and Learn will benefit all who attend as anyone can learn and experience empowerment in that space.

Duncan said seeing the growing number of women entering leadership positions in Erie reassures her that the community is moving in the right direction. As the owner of a coaching/advising company, Duncan works closely with entrepreneurs and business owners to streamline their operations, increase productivity, and sustainably achieve their goals.

She is an example of a woman in the Erie community who utilized various resources to make her dream a reality. Now, she helps others reach their goals, including women entrepreneurs looking to make their dream careers a reality, regardless of any barriers.

"Erie is extraordinarily rich in resources for entrepreneurs. And the folks in economic development here work really closely together. We all want the same thing, which is for those businesses to succeed," she said.

Duncan said harmful stereotypes about the communications field lead to a misunderstanding of the work so many women do. Public relations is a way to relate a business's values to its community, not just controlling their image, she explained. 

PRSA itself is the world's largest organization of public relations and marketing communication professionals. It serves communication professionals in Erie, Crawford, and Warren counties, providing various professional development and networking opportunities.

Each panelist has been a key player in the economic and social development of the community thus far.

Adiutori joined Erie Insurance in 2018 and currently serves as marketing owner and agile lead for the company's media division. She previously worked for 15 years in local news, serving in multiple roles from producer to reporter and anchor.

Fessler has been with the Erie Community Foundation since 2004 and entered her current position in 2016. Among her responsibilities, she leads Erie Gives, an award-winning philanthropic event that has raised more than $56 million for local nonprofits since 2011. Before that, she worked as a promotions assistant at WSEE-TV, public relations director for the Community Blood Bank, and assistant vice president for corporate communications at PNC Bank.

The event, which includes lunch, is $15 for PRSA members and $25 for nonmembers. Register at bit.ly/PRSAMarchPanel.

Chloe Forbes is a local journalist. Reach her at chloeforbes14@gmail.com.