Leadership Spotlight - Emma Inman, APR

Full name: Emma April Inman

Hometown: I grew up in a small town south of Buffalo, NY but adopted Virginia Beach as home nine years ago and I just love it. (Who needs snow, anyway!)

Family/Pets: My husband, George and I, live with our Chow/Shepherd, Cheyenne, who we adopted from Virginia Beach Animal Control. Don't look under any of the furniture in my house, or you'll liable to spot dog hair. She's a furball, but we love her. On a more serious note, we lost our only child, George, in 2004 when he was 18. His loss has been tremendously difficult, but through it, I have learned to view the world very differently and am actively engaged in efforts to raise funds for education, research and prevention of suicide.

What brought you to Hampton Roads? My family and I had vacationed here for many years and fell in love with the area. When some corporate changes took place at our jobs in Pennsylvania, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to relocate. I created a plan and set out to find a job here (making contacts through the PRSA chapter!) and landed a job with the City of Virginia Beach.

How long have you been in the PR field? My gray hair should be an indication - 18 years.

Current position: I am manager of Corporate Communications at Sentara Healthcare. I've been with Sentara for two years and am responsible for issues management, crisis communications, media relations, community engagement and internal communications for the region's largest health system. Sentara's a great place to work if you like a challenge - no two days are ever the same.

What do you like to do on a day off? Get dirty. I'm an avid potter, so my ideal day off involves wedging clay, slapping it onto my wheel and throwing bowls or hand building functional and sculptural pieces. If my apron's not covered in clay when I'm finished, it hasn't been any fun! When I'm not doing that, in the summer I love to spend time with my husband on our boat, cruising along the Elizabeth River, Chesapeake Bay or the many other wonderful waterways in Hampton Roads.

What has been your most memorable PR challenge? So many challenges, so little space. One of the most memorable occurred at a hospital I worked for in Pennsylvania. The death of a child made front page news in the New York Times and we were contacted by 60 Minutes. (Your worst nightmare.) We handled it well and I was proud to be part of the team that managed the crisis. Here in Hampton Roads, planning for the John Muhammad trial (the D.C. sniper) in Virginia Beach was certainly exciting. We hosted more than 600 international media representatives, many of whom said they had never experienced a media center run as well as ours. That was tremendous recognition for the execution of a plan put together with very little time and very little resources.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? I have the opportunity every day in everything I do to contribute to Sentara's mission - improving health. Recognizing employees who save lives through our internal publications or working with the media to tell the stories of new medical innovations that Sentara brings to the area is very rewarding.

Who do you most admire? My grandmother. Although she only had an eighth grade education, she was one of the smartest people I know and she never hesitated to share her thoughts and knowledge with those around her. She passed away in May at age 95. She lived with my husband and I for the past ten years, and I miss her terribly, but the things she taught me will stay with me a lifetime.

What is the most valuable feature of being a PRSA HR member? Absolutely the networking. I know that if I am facing a PR challenge that I can't get my mind around, I can pick up the phone and call ten colleagues who will offer advice to help me. It's wonderful knowing that the PR brain trust of Hampton Roads is just a call or email away and they're always willing to share their expertise.