Public Relations Society of America

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) is a nonprofit trade association for public relations professionals headquartered in New York City. It was founded in 1947 by combining the American Council on Public Relations and the National Association of Public Relations Councils. That year it had its first annual conference and award ceremony. In the 1950s and 1960s, the society created its code of conduct, accreditation program and a student society called the Public Relations Student Society of America. In the 1970s and 1980s, its membership attained a stronger female demographic and the society had its first female Presidents. PRSA created a definition of public relations in 1982, which was updated with a crowd-sourced version in 2011.

PRSA is governed by a Leadership Assembly that consists of delegates representing its membership, a board of directors and various committees and task forces. Positions are elected and served on a volunteer basis. PRSA hosts an accreditation program, industry awards, networking events and a code of conduct. PRSA also advocates on behalf of the public relations industry for changes in education and for the credibility of the profession.