Jackson State University Director of Public Relations Rachel James-Terry has been named a 2024 Woman to Watch by PRWeek during their annual PRWeek Women of Distinction Program held in New York City on Thursday, May 30.
The national award acknowledges the achievements of women public relations professionals and celebrates their industry creativity, leadership and insight. Among the 15 awardees, James-Terry is the sole higher-education and HBCU representative.
“It is a true honor to be named one of PRWeek’s 2024 Women to Watch. This accolade is a testament to the exceptional work and dedication of the entire University Communications team at Jackson State. I applaud our efforts to magnify the JSU brand,” said James-Terry. “Being acknowledged among such inspiring women is incredibly empowering. It reinforces the importance of supporting one another and celebrating our unique contributions to the field of public relations.”
James-Terry was also one of three honorees to share her foresight during a discussion entitled, “Navigating the hybrid workforce: Insights from our Women to Watch panel,” Additional panelists included Lynsey Elve, director of global corporate communications, The Kraft Heinz Company, and Jenny VanOss, director of operation communications at United Airlines. The panel moderator was Barby K. Siegel, CEO at Zeno Group, an award-winning, global integrated communications agency.
(Photo by Erica Berger)
“Rachel’s recognition as a 2024 Woman to Watch by PRWeek is a well-deserved accolade that highlights her exceptional leadership and innovative contributions to the field of public relations. Her dedication and creativity significantly help elevate the JSU brand and amplify our university’s presence locally, nationally, and globally. We are incredibly proud of Rachel’s achievements and look forward to her continued success,” said Tangelia Kelly, Ph.D., interim chief communications officer and executive director of University Communications at Jackson State University.
During the day-long event, 25 other distinguished communications and public relations leaders also received Women of Distinction awards.
About James-Terry: A creative innovator, James-Terry has spent a combined 20 years in the journalism, media, public relations, and corporate litigation industry. She heads a four-person team responsible for developing public relations strategies and sharing effective best practices and ideas. These strategies include publications, collaborations, media outreach, social media, and marketing.
Additional Accomplishments: James-Terry was named 2023 Professional of the Year by the Public Relations Association of Mississippi and a 2023 Maynard Fellow from The Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding diversity in the news media and dismantling structural racism in newsrooms.
As editor-in-chief of JSU’s alumni publication “The Jacksonian,” James-Terry was pivotal in elevating the Spring 2023 issue to a finalist for the 2023 PRNews Platinum Award for online publication. JSU was the only university and HBCU among national and international brands in this category, subsequently securing honorable mention.
She served as university lead contact for Good Morning America’s live homecoming broadcast at Jackson State, and has also helped produce segments and manage appearances on local and national media shows, including MSNBC, Sirius XM’s Sway in the Morning, NPR, and the Biden Inauguration. Recently, she led the media strategy for the Sonic Boom’s appearance in the 2024 Super Bowl LVIII halftime show featuring Usher.
Community: James-Terry serves as the media director for Jackson Indie Music Week, Mississippi’s vibrant week-long music festival celebrating the local and national independent music scene.
Affiliations: James-Terry is an alumna of Jackson State University, where she received her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in English. She is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership Brand Ambassadors, the Public Relations Association of Mississippi, the Public Relations Society of America, and ForbesBLK.