February – Professional Development Meeting

TOPIC: Revitalizing Employee Engagement with an Internal Social Presence

Presented By: Devon R. Chestnut, APR, CPRC

Discover how Cox Communications revitalized a dormant internal social community and boosted employee engagement using Microsoft’s Viva Engage. Devon Chestnut will delve into the robust strategy and communications plan she implemented to breathe new life into their employee engagement efforts, creating a vibrant and interactive environment where employees feel connected, valued, and motivated. This approach can be applied to any internal social tool.

Join us to learn how Viva Engage has become one of Cox’s primary employee communication tools, driving collaboration, innovation, and a renewed sense of community within the organization.

Devon R. Chestnut, APR, CPRC
Devon Chestnut is the Senior Manager of Corporate Communications at Cox Communications, Inc., the largest private broadband provider in the United States. Cox operates fiber-powered broadband networks across more than 30 states, delivering connections and advanced cloud and managed IT services to nearly seven million homes and businesses nationwide. In her role, Devon oversees the company’s digital communication tools, including the intranet, digital newsletter, internal social community, and content strategy platform, effectively engaging with Cox’s 15,000+ employees nationwide.

In 2022, Devon completed her term as President of FPRA, is a past president of the FPRA Gainesville Chapter, and is a current member of the FPRA Ocala Chapter. She is the Florida Public Relations Education Foundation Chair and Chairman of PACE Center for Girls – Marion. Devon is a proud Leadership Ocala/Marion Class 22 and Leadership Gainesville Class 37 graduate.

Devon’s work in public relations has earned her numerous accolades, including the John S. Detweiler, Ed.D, APR, CPRC, Professional of the Year from the FPRA Gainesville Chapter, an Association of Cable Communicators Beacon Award, the ESPN Good Sports Award, and multiple Local Image and Golden Image awards. In 2011, she was honored as a Gainesville 40 Under Forty and is a two-time recipient of the Cox Public Affairs Employee of the Year award.

A native of Ocala, Florida, Devon holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications. She earned her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) in 2012 and her Certified Public Relations Counselor (CPRC) credential in 2016.

Schedule: Friday, February 21, 2025

11:30 a.m. Lunch and networking

11:45 a.m. Chapter updates

Noon Professional development meeting. The meeting will be held at the College of Central Florida’s Ewers Century Center (3001 S.W. College Road, Ocala, FL, 34474). Once inside, please follow the signs to the meeting room.

The cost to attend is $25 for members, $30 for nonmembers, and $15 for student members. Please select an option from the dropdown below to pay via PayPal. 

Lunch buffet will be served by Paisanos. 

If you have any dietary restrictions, please let us know as soon as possible.

If you have pre-paid, please RSVP by emailing the Ocala Chapter at [email protected].