2024 PALADIN AWARDS

The Paladin Awards is the PRSA Foundation’s signature event, honoring members of the public relations profession who have made an indelible impact on our community, particularly in the fight for diversity and inclusion critical to making us reflective of the stakeholders we serve.

The event serves as the primary fundraiser for the PRSA Foundation, with proceeds from the evening going to support grants and scholarships designed to help jump-start the careers of promising public relations and communications students from diverse backgrounds. The Paladin Awards return in 2024 to Chicago, Illinois to honor Trisch L. Smith, Global Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at Edelman.

Diversity and equity champion, communications counselor, and public relations veteran are just a few words used to describe Trisch L. Smith. During her tenure with Edelman, the world’s leading global communications marketing agency, Smith has managed stakeholder outreach, strategic positioning, crisis and reputation management campaigns for a host of companies seeking to engage a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including Starbucks, Unilever, HP, Toyota, United Way of America, Prudential and Walmart, among several others.

For a decade, Smith led the firm’s award-winning Multicultural client practice helping a wide range of clients to protect, promote and evolve their brands and effectively engage diverse thought leaders, consumers and other stakeholders. She continues to provide senior strategic counsel around DEI and multicultural communications.

In 2015, Smith was appointed to serve as the U.S. Managing Director of Diversity and Inclusion, and in fall 2018 she was named Edelman’s first Global Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer. In this role, Smith leads diversity, equity and inclusion strategic planning and programming which includes education, partnerships, cultural transformation, and recruitment efforts to ensure Edelman’s global workforce reflects the increasingly diverse marketplace. Through her ongoing work and committed career, she actively strives to ensure an equitable and inclusive workplace for colleagues around the world.

“I am delighted the PRSA Foundation will recognize Trisch L. Smith at our upcoming Paladin Awards ceremony in Chicago,” said Antonio Crane, president, PRSA Foundation. “Trisch continues to be a major influencer in the DEI space, and her leadership and voice supports our foundation’s focus to increase inclusion and diversity in our nation’s PR industry.”

Date: Thursday, September 5, 2024, 5 p.m. Central Time

Location: The Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago, 909 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60611