For Immediate Release
January 6, 2016

Contact: Ruth Slottag
217-899-8117

Kauffman Earns Accreditation in Public Relations

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Josh Kauffman, system director of communication and public
affairs for Hospital Sisters Health System in Springfield, Ill., has successfully completed the Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations, entitling him to use the “APR” professional designation. The announcement was made by the Universal Accreditation Board (UBA), a consortium of nine professional communication organizations, including Public Relations Society of America, which directs this competency certification program.

The accreditation program aims to improve the practice of public relations by assessing competence in 60 areas of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the profession.

Kauffman is the president of the Central Illinois Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-CI), a branch of the national organization with members throughout central Illinois. Kauffman has more than 10 years of communications and public affairs experience, including the past six years in leadership positions. During his career, Kauffman has helped direct external and internal communications, marketing, advertising, media buying, website
development, and social media efforts for Fortune 50 companies, government agencies and nonprofit organizations.

Beyond the PRSA-CI Chapter, Kauffman has held board or committee positions in
multiple organizations and consulted in several successful political campaigns. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in public relations, with a double minor in journalism and business administration, from Southern Illinois University (SIU) in Carbondale. He also earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Illinois at Springfield. Kauffman also earned certificates in communications, organizational change management, and project management.

For more information about the UAB and the APR designation, visit
http://www.pracceditation.org. For more information about the PRSA Central Illinois Chapter, visit http://www.centralillinoisprsa.org/ or e-mail rslottag@aol.com.

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