Board of Directors

President

David Ryan Collett

Dave Collett is executive vice president and general manager at Weber Shandwick’s St. Louis office. A 20-year veteran of the firm, Dave also is a leader in Weber Shandwick’s corporate practice, overseeing the agency’s corporate affairs offerings and their respective communities of practitioners including executive visibility, earned media relations, editorial content, stakeholder management, internal communications and more. He also actively leads client engagements, counseling Fortune 100 and other leading clients on a wide range of strategic integrated communications.

Before coming to Weber Shandwick in 2004, he was a vice president at FleishmanHillard in its corporate and technology practices. Before that, Dave worked for the corporate communications group at McDonnell Douglas when it was going through its merger with Boeing. He began his career as a journalist, writing for the Associated Press, WIRED and other publications.

Based in St. Louis, Dave also is an adjunct instructor at Washington University, teaching integrated strategic communications and digital communications analytics. He has served on the board of several non-profit organizations and volunteers his time in other capacities as well.

Dave is a graduate of what is now known as Truman State University – and lives in St. Louis County with wife, four children and three dogs. In his spare time, Dave plays guitar in local rock bands and enjoys attending his kids’ sports events.

Immediate Past President

Greg Neunuebel

Greg Neunuebel is a strategic communications leader with extensive experience in public relations, brand journalism, and content marketing. Currently serving as Senior Account Executive at Black Twig Marketing + Communications, Greg partners with B2B and B2C clients to develop impactful messaging strategies, execute media relations campaigns, and create compelling content that strengthens brand presence and drives business growth.

Greg’s background includes over a decade in healthcare communications, where he led strategic marketing initiatives for SSM Health. During his tenure, he played a key role in crisis communications, media relations, and content strategy, significantly enhancing brand visibility and audience engagement. Prior to that, he spent five years as a sports journalist and editor, honing his storytelling skills and ability to craft narratives that resonate with diverse audiences.

In addition to his role with PRSA Mid-America, Greg holds multiple Board of Director positions, including Chairperson of Vision Leadership of St. Charles County and Interim Chairperson of Volunteers in Medicine – St. Charles.

Greg earned a Master of Business Administration from Lindenwood University and a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Central Missouri.

Greg’s leadership of PRSA Mid-America is grounded in a clear purpose: to unite communications professionals across the region, create space for new voices, and strengthen the value the chapter delivers to its members. As 2025 Chapter President, he’s focused on building momentum – enhancing engagement, opening new doors for professional growth, and shaping a future where the chapter thrives as a trusted resource for communicators at every level.

Treasurer

Sean Hadley

Sean Hadley is a consultant who specializes in public engagement, community advocacy, and strategic communications.  He was the former Manager of Public Affairs for the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD).  He was responsible for the development, implementation, and management of MSD’s strategic and tactical public affairs functions, including media relations, stakeholder engagement, local government affairs, issues management, and crisis communications.

Sean joined MSD in November of 2014 and has over 20 years of experience working within local government, non-profit, and the television news environment.  He is an award-winning journalist who has worked with and within the media on all levels.  Sean has been involved in developing and successfully implementing a variety of digital media and public engagement campaigns for various non-profits and local government agencies within the St. Louis region.

Sean graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Missouri.

Secretary

Jennifer L. Janssen

With nearly 10 years of experience in writing, editing, and content development in social media, print, and digital, Jenny brings a wealth of diverse industry experience to the table. In her most recent role as a senior account executive at Common Ground Public Relations for nearly 4 years, she led strategic communications efforts, managed client relationships, and executed impactful public relations and social media campaigns across a wide range of industries, showcasing her adaptability and versatility.

Previously, she served as a corporate communications specialist at Graybar Electric. In this role, I oversaw the company's quarterly internal magazine and was a writer for various employee marketing and communications campaigns for the human resources department.

Before Graybar, she was a communications and marketing outreach specialist at the Missouri Department of Agriculture. She launched the program's first newsletter and collaborated with the department's communications team on various social media and email marketing efforts.

Jenny's academic background is equally strong, having graduated from the University of Missouri in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Journalism, with an emphasis on strategic communication. This degree, coupled with her diverse background in internal and external communications, media relations, and content strategy, makes me a dynamic asset in the industry. Jenny currently resides in the heart of Missouri's wine country, Hermann, Missouri, is getting married in Charleston, South Carolina in June, and is in the process of launching her own freelance career! She looks forward to getting involved in PRSA event planning and connecting with others across the chapter in 2025.

APR Director

Aurora Meyer

Aurora Meyer, APR is an Account Director at Slide Nine, where she helps organizations build trust, navigate complexity and achieve measurable outcomes through strategic communications. Her work focuses on crisis communication, community engagement, public relations and research-driven strategy.

Over her 23-year career, Aurora has built an impressive track record of developing communication strategies that strengthen engagement and drive results through data-informed decision-making. She began her career in journalism and has since worked across nonprofit, higher education and public education. Her work has been recognized nationally with multiple awards, including National School Public Relations Association Gold Medallion and Golden Achievement Awards and a MarCom Gold Award. She is also a frequent speaker and workshop presenter on crisis communication, social media strategy, community engagement and analytics.

An Accredited in Public Relations (APR) professional, Aurora is entitled to use the APR designation and currently serves as 2026 co-chair of the Public Relations Society of America's National APR Committee.

Ethics Chair

Debra M. Walker

Debra Walker is the Director of Public Affairs for the Missouri Department of Mental Health. After graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia, School of Journalism, she worked in the broadcasting field for a few years and then later transitioned to public relations. She was also the founding Executive Director for the Missouri Mental Health Foundation. 

Debra earned her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) in 2016 through Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). She is on the Executive Committees of the Public Affairs in Government (PAG) section of PRSA and the Mid-America PRSA Chapter. Debra has certifications in Crisis Communications, Modern Digital Communications, and has several Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Incident Command certificates.

In addition to her work, Debra lives in Jefferson City and is active in her church and community. She loves to sing, stay fit and enjoys sporting events.

PRSSA Liasion & Young Professionals Chair

Emily Renee Bax

Emily Bax is a highly motivated public relations professional with a strong academic foundation. She graduated from Lindenwood University with a degree in Advertising and Strategic Communications and a minor in social media content strategies. While at Lindenwood she also served as the PRSSA President and Vice President for her campus chapter.

Emily gained valuable experience at Fishman Public Relations and Kinship in Chicago, where she focused on media relations. She currently works at Fierce Creative. She is eager to continue her professional growth and is currently pursuing her APR accreditation.

Outside of work, Emily enjoys reading, outdoor activities, traveling, and staying current on media trends. She is passionate about public relations and is excited to contribute to the success of PRSA Mid-America Chapter.

Director-at-Large

Jill R. Alexander

Jill Alexander, APR, Fellow PRSA serves as teaching professor and PR certificate coordinator at University of Missouri -- St. Louis. A role she began in 2017. At the university she also serves as faculty advisor for the PRSSA chapter and student-run PR firm, The Barnett Agency; and serves on various committees across campus.  From 2005 until 2017 she served as senior director of corporate communications with Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc.  Her role included media relations, crisis communications, internal communications and community relations for 15 casinos across the country.  Born and raised in New York, she moved to the Alabama Gulf Coast in 1990 where she was exposed to all the wonders of crisis communication at Ciba Specialty Chemicals where she was responsible for internal communication, crisis communications, and community relations. 

After 14 years with the Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Jill explored public relations opportunities among other industries. She spent the next five years working in advertising/public relations firms in the South before landing at Isle of Capri Casinos. She earned Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) in 2007, and was inducted into the PRSA College of Fellows in 2012. She holds a B.A. in journalism/graphic design from Buffalo State University, as well as a master's degree in communication from the University of South Alabama.  She has served in volunteer roles with Mid America Veterans Museum, Missouri Veterans History Project, HavenHouse St. Louis, Crisis Nursery, Operation Brightside, Jewish Family & Children’s Service, and Focus St. Louis. She is a graduate of Class 51 for Coro Women in Leadership, as well as a Leadership Missouri alumna, Jill previously served on a voluntary basis as the public information officer for the Spanish Fort (Ala.) Fire Department for six years.

Director-at-Large

Vince Costa

Vince Costa is the Corporate Marketing & Communication Specialist at Flat Branch Home Loans. His current role specializes in social media, executive communications, internal communications and corporate event planning. He graduated from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with a degree in Communication & Media and a certificate in Public Relations in 2024. While at UMSL, he served as the PRSSA President for his campus chapter. 

In addition to his role at Flat Branch Home Loans, Vince serves on the Board of Directors for The Giving Branch, a registered 501(c)(3) Organization funded by the employees of Flat Branch. As a board member, Vince oversees the internal and external communications for the organization.