Stephanie Dlugopolski, APR

Where do you work? What is your role at the company?

At Johnsonville Sausage, as manager - PR & Social Media. Responsible for public and media relation strategy and execution, social media and content strategy.

Please share some of your education/employment background.

Came to Johnsonville after 10 years with Kohler Company, where I spent seven years working in PR and advertising for the company’s global power group, and the last three years managing corporate and crisis communications.

Previous experience: In health care community and media relations, and crisis communications; agency experience in consumer and trade PR; and I started my career as a newspaper reporter and business editor.

Graduate of Western Michigan University; APR accreditation in 2000.

Describe your typical day.

Well, in my new role and first time working in the food industry, I spend a great deal reading about the meat & poultry industry, grocery and shopping trends, and consumer buying patterns and behaviors. This helps me understand who the primary audiences are that we communicate and listen to, while also making me aware of issues that can impact our brand or communications. Outside of that, I develop content strategies for our external communications channels, counsel management and brand teams on PR & social strategy and messaging, write and edit PR and social materials, manage event and social agency partners, conduct media training, providing PR measurement and analytics.

What do you hope to get out of PRSA?

Build a greater network of PR colleagues, share best practices and lessons learned, and make new friends.

Any hobbies?

Cooking (and now I have introduced sausage into more of my recipes!), tennis, beach volleyball, triathlons, travel, and mentoring young professionals.