PRSA Foundation

The 2025 Paladin Award will be presented to Bill Imada, Co-Founder, Chairman and Chief Connectivity Officer at IW Group. The annual award, which will be presented at PRSA ICON on the evening of October 29 at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., honors communications leaders who have made a significant and measurable impact on the advancement of diversity and inclusion in the public relations sector.

For more than three decades, Bill and his team have played a critical role in engaging the growing Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. IW Group has offices in Los Angeles, Dallas, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. Bill and his agency represent some of the most recognized brands globally, including BeamSuntory, Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, Lexus, MARVEL, McDonald’s, MGM Resorts, NBCUniversal, Nielsen, Northwestern Mutual, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Walmart Stores, Walt Disney, Warner Bros. Pictures, Wells Fargo, and many others.

“I am delighted the PRSA Foundation will recognize Bill Imada with the Paladin Award during the PRSA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Celebration at PRSA ICON in Washington, D.C.,” said Thomas Bennett, president, PRSA Foundation. “It goes without saying that Bill is very well-respected and known within the PR and communications profession. He has made a significant impact throughout his career and particularly when it comes to making the profession more diverse, inclusive, and a profession where everyone feels they belong. He is very deserving of this recognition and award.”

Join the Conversation That Can Shape the Future of Our Industry

Hispanics make up nearly 20% of the U.S. population and drive one of the most powerful consumer markets in the world, yet they remain significantly underrepresented in public relations and communications. If U.S. Latinos were a country, they’d rank among the top 5 economies in the world ($4.1 Trillion). Hispanic outreach is no longer a nice add-on; it’s a business imperative. These numbers make one thing clear: Representation matters.

This inspiring virtual summit brings together industry titans to discuss:

Proven strategies to attract and retain more Hispanic professionals.
The power of mentorship and allyship in advancing careers.
How Hispanic voices strengthen the future of communications.
Panelists:

Isabel Abislaiman, senior vice president and senior partner, FleishmanHillard
Michael Estevez, vice president, communications, Bristol Myers Squibb
Rosemary Mercedes, senior vice president, global communications, BBC Studios
Moderator: Stephen Chavez, president and CEO, ChavezPR

Presented by the PRSA Foundation. All proceeds from registration fees will benefit the PRSA Foundation.

Register at https://www.prsa.org/event/2025/10/08/default-calendar/prsa-foundation-presents-advancing-hispanic-representation-in-pr-and-communications-wbfnd2502

The energy at our Morgan State University Student Summit yesterday was incredible!

We started the day with at the Morgan State University School of Global Journalism and Communication, where we learned about their strategic communication initiatives and student media production. We also toured the Bear TV and podcast studios, WEAA radio station, Interactive Communication Center, and digital newsroom.

In the evening, we had an insightful panel discussion covering experiences as HBCU students, entering the public relations profession, personal branding, unspoken rules, and more. Thank you to our incredible speakers, Trisch Smith (Edelman), Quiana Pinckney (Comcast), and our board president Thomas Bennett (FleishmanHillard) for sharing their experiences and valuable perspectives with the next generation of public relations professionals.

Thank you to all the talented and motivated students who attended, especially PRSSA Bears—your energy made the day a success!

We also extend our sincere gratitude to Morgan State University School of Global Journalism and Communication, Jana Duckett, and all the dedicated faculty and staff who graciously hosted us and helped coordinate the event.

This was our first student summit, and we’re already looking forward to next year’s.