Member Spotlight: Laura Sprague
Tell me a little about yourself.
My name is Laura and I’ve been working in communications and public relations for about 18 years. I grew up on a farm in Minnesota and moved to Iowa in 2002 to attend Simpson College. The plan was to leave Iowa after I graduated, but Des Moines is such a great spot, I decided to stay! Working in public relations and being part of the PR community has been one of the best parts of my adult life. Every day, I am thankful to work in a field that I love, that keeps me learning and growing and that is so incredibly interesting!
What drew you to public relations in the first place?
I started out interested in journalism, but found out that was not for me. My post-college jobs were more in the communications arena and from there, I worked into the public relations side of things. I quickly realized I loved interfacing between an organization and the publics it served.
What has your career path looked like? What is your current role?
I was attending graduate school at Iowa State (Go Cyclones!) and started working in one of their colleges as a writer. That turned into a full-time job where I gained experience with a brand launch, donor campaign, recruitment campaign and much more, including writing about their programs and people. I stayed there for about four years, then started working for the Johnston Community School District as their communications director. This was a completely immersive job as a one-person shop, where I had the opportunity to build their public relations presence from the ground up – truly an experience that shaped my reliance on the core principals of public relations. The job allowed me to learn and experience every facet of public relations! It was through my job at Johnston that I became involved with PRSA Iowa and the Iowa School PR Association. In October 2021, I left the school district to work at Trilix, where I’m a senior communications specialist. It’s been a wonderful place to grow my skills and work with a variety of clients.
How did you get involved with PRSA Iowa?
I joined shortly after I started working for Johnston Schools as a way to learn more about public relations and how to build successful campaigns. It quickly turned into greater chapter involvement through board roles and meeting many talented colleagues.
Why did you choose to go through the APR process?
As a lifelong learner, I sought to keep growing as a professional throughout my career. I was at a place in life where I could dedicate the time and energy to the process. I took the prep course and loved the focused learning; I felt like it brought together a lot of what I had learned in graduate school with what I was doing on the job. It took me three times to pass my computer exam, but I did it, eventually!
How did the APR process help you grow as a professional?
The learning is 100% applicable to what we are doing in our day-to-day work, so I think that helps make it “stick.” And then, as you advance in your career, you have additional skills and resources to learn or pull from, so nothing truly feels unknown. When I was looking to switch jobs a couple of years ago, the APR designation was helpful in aligning me with roles suited to my skills and years of experience. It’s also a great way to meet mentors and like-minded colleagues.
As our chapter’s APR chair, one of the things I’ve discussed with APR course participants is that even if they decide to not go through the entire APR process, the course alone is one of the best learning experiences they can gain as a career professional. Additionally, they will meet people from all walks of PR life to learn from/with. I am so proud of the APR prep course we offer in our chapter – it wouldn’t be possible without the many APRs in our state who volunteer their time to teach knowledge, skills and abilities to participants from across the nation.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve received?
The best piece of advice I’ve received is to just listen. Whether we are in our professional roles or otherwise, listening to understand helps in so many ways. When someone is upset and they come to you as a client, a friend, a coworker, listening to their concerns and why they are upset often gives them the space to talk through the issue, without necessarily needing a response.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I have two little boys, TJ (6 yrs) and Henry (4 yrs) and they are so fun! Now that the weather is nicer, we take every opportunity to get outside and explore at state parks, the zoo, little road trips, that kind of thing. They are my best little buddies! I also enjoy a sunny patio, walks with my dogs and any excuse to travel.
