By Terry Haycock, Secretary/Treasurer

What exactly is PR, anyway?

If you ask new member and communications strategist Kelly Vance, she says it’s a whole lot more than “just getting ink.”

“PR is widely misunderstood, but it really is in the name. We help clients build relationships. Relationships are built on trust and trust all comes down to open and clear communication. That means listening first and being thoughtful about what you want to say and how you say it.”

PR: A focus on relationships 

Kelly has been helping clients build relationships this way for more than 20 years. Her Richmond-based PR firm, VANCE, has consulted for a wide array of brands, from global corporations to small businesses and nonprofits. Most recently, Kelly’s agency has helped produce campaigns for several statewide public health initiatives, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Working in this field has provided me with the opportunity to participate in some of the most meaningful work of our time,” Kelly said. “I am deeply grateful to my dedicated colleagues in public health for their contributions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and am glad I was able to lend communications support.”

Helping with the COVID-19 response also meant a lot of long nights and weekends. After the emergency communications began to wind down in late 2021, Kelly finally came up for air and started to reconnect with passions outside of work. After a 30-year hiatus, Kelly decided to study classical piano again.

“I’m not a great pianist, but I love to play,” Kelly said. “Practicing ‘Clair de lune’ forces me to put all of my energy into something other than work and household responsibilities.”

Building relationships in Moscow

Kelly’s desire to understand and connect with people led her to pursue a career in public relations, but before that it took her to Russia. Upon graduation from UNC Charlotte, Kelly served in the Peace Corps teaching Russian students about American media and marketing at two universities in Moscow.

“The Peace Corps aims to build bridges between countries based on mutual appreciation and understanding,” said Kelly. “Having grown up in the 1980s when every movie villain was Russian, living and making friends in Russia was life changing.”

When she moved back to the States in 2002, she took an administrative job at the Virginia Department of Health and instantly connected with the public affairs team. There, she cut her teeth in crisis communications, helping the team respond to public health emergencies, from food-borne illness outbreaks to bioterrorism scares and natural disasters. Eventually, she came to lead the team and continued to consult for the department after she left in 2007 to work in the private sector.

Success as a solo PR pro

In 2011, on the heels of a layoff, she decided to strike out on her own. This October will mark VANCE’s 12th anniversary. The agency continues to focus on projects that serve the community and has earned a number of accolades over the years for excellence in communications. Most recently, VANCE received the national PRSA Bronze Award for its community engagement work with the Virginia Department of Health. You can learn more about VANCE at vanceagency.com.

One of Vance’s favorite places to visit in West Virginia.

Kelly lives in Richmond with her husband and daughter. She loves live music and world travel but claims she would give it all up for her unplugged summer retreats to the Blue Ridge mountains and the sandy shores at Sunset Beach, NC. When she isn’t binge watching “Ted Lasso” or walking her three King Charles Cavaliers around Richmond’s Fan District, she is studying for the APR (accreditation in public relations).

Kelly cites VPC President Sande Snead, with whom she had worked previously, as her introduction to VPC. Kelly has found the organization to be a “wonderful group with mentors who have taught me a great deal.”  She sees VPC as a group of “incredible people” and credits the organization for broadening her perspectives.

She adds, “I’m looking forward to meeting other members and learning more about the organization and its service.”

Check out Kelly’s website and look for a chance to greet her at our upcoming events.  She is positive, enthusiastic and a joy to meet.