We had a chance to talk to our new Chapter President, Zorianna Smith. Here’s how our conversation went:
Q: Hey Zorianna, I think our readers would like to know a few things about you, and what we can expect from your leadership this year. To start, why and when did you join PCMA?
A: I joined in 2011 and joined the Board in 2012 as the Secretary. For me, the reason to be a part of an industry organization is for the network it builds. We work in a chaotic industry and having a strong group of people to call on for advice, services or just to commiserate, makes me feel like I am a part of a community. PCMA Northern California is a very welcoming and fun group to be a part of, so it was an easy choice to get involved with the chapter.
Q: That’s cool. So from there, what motivated you to become President of our chapter?
A: After being a part of the Board for five years, I have a really strong understanding of how the chapter runs and I am ready to bring innovation and continue to develop upon the progress our chapter has made over the last few years.
Q: I’m looking forward to this year with you. Do you have an overall theme for our chapter this year? If so, what is it and what was your inspiration behind choosing it?
A: The theme for this year is Elevate. My focus areas are membership, volunteer engagement and education and I hope to elevate each of those elements. Association membership has been dropping across all associations in the last few years, and I am hoping that we can turn that around this year and really show the value of our membership. We have passionate members, and we offer a lot for that membership, so we need to do a better job of telling that story and being a vital part of people’s lives, something that they don’t want to do without. For volunteer engagement, we have increased our volunteer base already this year and we have a new Volunteer Development Committee Chair position this year, who will ensure that everyone finds a role within our chapter that matches their needs, time restraints and provides satisfaction for the volunteer. Lastly, education is the core of what we do at PCMA, and this year are going to elevate the level of education and offer unique education styles.
Q: That’s all fantastic. Not that you need anything else to add to that, but is there maybe something else you’d like to see happen this year?
A: I am not sure what else to say? One of my goals for this year is to have the annual calendar published by the end of January, and I think we are going to include it in this newsletter, so you could include that goal?
Duly noted. Thanks so much, Zorianna!! You’re going to rock it, and we’re looking forward to a great year under your stewardship!
Neil Adams
Director of Business Development
Blueprint Studios
