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Member Spotlight: Wendy Boyce

This member spotlight features Wendy Boyce, the newly appointed President of PRSA Rochester. Explore her full interview on our website to learn more: 

What is your job title and describe your role and responsibilities at McDougall Communications?

As an associate director at McDougall, I work with clients in banking, healthcare, education, and marketing to strategize and accomplish their public relations goals.

What is your favorite part of working as an associate director at a PR agency?

If you had told me a year ago that this is where I would be working, I would never have believed you. I never thought I wanted to work in an agency setting. I suspect it was some PTSD from my dad (Jeff Halik) living the agency life for decades and dealing with the ups and downs of having Kodak as a main client.

But I truly could not be happier to be where I am. I feel so fortunate to work with the most incredible team at McDougall Communications. In just the past six months, I’ve learned so much that I know will help my career for decades to come. 

All of this is to say that my favorite part of my job is the people that I get to work with, both the McDougall team and our clients. The team includes seven of the most creative and brilliant people I’ve ever worked with, and I am honored to be among their ranks.

As newly appointed President, what are you most looking forward to this coming year for PRSA Rochester?

I’m most excited about the chance to meet and get to know more PRSA members this year. I truly believe that each member (and potential member) of PRSA brings their own unique talents to the table, and I love learning about other professionals’ experiences in PR.

Are there any particular PRSA events or initiatives you’re excited about in the coming year?

As a member of the programming committee, there are several things we have in the hopper that I’m super excited about. But I don’t want to share until they’re solidified, so you’ll just have to stay tuned!

How has your involvement with PRSA Rochester impacted your professional growth or network?

I certainly wouldn’t be working at McDougall Communications today if it wasn’t for PRSA Rochester. I first met Mike McDougall at a PRSA happy hour many eons ago, before I started working at Highland. I knew even then that if I ever made the move to an agency, McDougall would be the one to work for.

More than my own professional development, PRSA has had a profound impact on my entire family. When my mom was serving our country in the Air Force, my dad was a military spouse and had to find a new job whenever our family moved bases. They had been stationed in Japan, then the U.K., and when it was finally time to move back to the U.S., my dad was able to connect with local PRSA members to find a job at an agency where we were stationed in Virginia. He’s been an actively involved member ever since. I love sharing this story because it shows the power of the networking PRSA provides and that we are stronger as an organization because of each individual member who has joined and taken time to volunteer.

What trends or developments in PR are you most excited about right now?

I don’t know if “excited” is the right term, but I’m fascinated to see what happens with the landscape of social media over the next few weeks/months. Between TikTok, Meta, and AI in general, there’s so much that’s constantly changing and it’s essential that we keep up to date with it as PR practitioners.

What’s your favorite way to unwind after a busy day?

My favorite people to hang out with are my husband and my kids Stella, 5, and Calvin, 1. I’m not sure if I would call hanging out with small children a way to “unwind”, but we did go sledding last night after work and that was tons of fun. When I’m actually looking to relax though, a good book and a good glass of wine can’t be beat.

What’s a favorite book, movie, or TV show that has inspired or entertained you recently?

My husband and I finally finished watching The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Prime. I’m not even a big LOTR fan but I loved it. Probably because it wasn’t Ms. Rachel or Bluey. I love them both, but it’s nice to get in some programming that’s not a barrage of primary colors and high-pitched songs once in a while.