Ocala’s Allison B. Campbell and Gregory Davis have been selected for LeadershipFPRA, an intensive Florida Public Relations Association leadership program featuring seminar-style training classes from a faculty of some of the most accomplished professionals in the state. The program is designed to further strengthen public relations roles and the communities and industries where public relations practitioners live.
Launched in 2016, the yearlong program includes an orientation session, five seminars and graduation ceremony. Class VI seminars cover topics including leading and managing; economic development and higher education; cross functional business strategies; government, law and ethics; and leadership development. Selection to the class is competitive, and only 12 public relations professionals are accepted into each cohort. Campbell and Davis each received a scholarship from the FPRA Ocala Chapter to attend the program.
Campbell was elected to the Marion County School Board in November 2020. An Ocala resident for nearly 20 years, she earned and maintains her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) and Certified Public Relations Counselor (CPRC) credentials. She is a former FPRA Ocala Chapter president and also served on the state FPRA board of directors, the Public Education Foundation of Marion County and the NonProfit Business Council.
Campbell has professional experience in public relations for both corporate and nonprofit entities. Currently, she is the director of strategic communications at the Community Foundation for Ocala/Marion County. She and her husband also own A&A Campbell Group.
Campbell is a doctoral student at Regent University studying strategic communications. Her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in telecommunications and political communications come from Lee University and Regent University, respectively. She’s also an adjunct professor at the College of Central Florida and Southeastern University (Ocala campus).
“Though I am a seasoned public relations professional, I also consider myself a lifelong learner,” she said. “After just one LeadershipFPRA session, I’ve already learned more about myself, leading in a team and my role in the class. This program isn’t just for those who are new in their careers, and I’m excited to learn from all of my classmates from around the state.”
Campbell has three sons, all students in Marion County Public Schools.
Gregory Davis is a public relations practitioner with more than seven years of experience. Working as the public relations officer for Marion County Public Schools, Davis is responsible for the district’s communications plans and the 52 schools that encompass it. He also works as a freelance multimedia specialist and serves in the Florida Army National Guard.
In addition to FPRA, Davis is a member of several public relations organizations, including the Sunshine State School Public Relations Association (SUNSPRA) and National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA). He is currently serving as the social media chair for the FPRA Ocala Chapter.
Davis said his passion for public relations centers on his devotion to using creative and critical thinking strategies.
“It will be interesting to see how the different areas and organizations lead their communications processes,” he said. “I think this program will take me outside of my comfort zone within the school district and test my critical thinking with public relations as a whole.”
Lt. Col. John W. Dillin, APR, CPRC, established FPRA in 1938. It is the oldest organization of public relations professionals in the world with more than 1,200 members from 15 professional chapters and 13 student chapters across the state.
FPRA members come from many backgrounds, including private and public corporations, government entities, nonprofit organizations and consulting firms. Members share a common goal of enhancing the public relations profession in Florida through ethical and standardized practices.
The FPRA Ocala Chapter was established in 1980 and provides professional development, networking and professional recognition opportunities for its members.
For more information, visit www.fpraocala.org.