Elected Positions

The PRSA Austin board connects communications professionals across Central Texas. Our 2026 leadership team brings expertise from education, corporate, agency, nonprofit, and government sectors, providing members with networking opportunities, professional development programs, and resources to advance their careers—including preparation for APR (Accredited in Public Relations) certification.

President: Debra Price 

Debra Price is an accomplished educator, author, and strategic communications professional with a background in public relations and journalism. She is an Assistant Professor of Practice at Texas State University, where she leads the public relations program and teaches courses in writing, media relations, case studies, and campaigns. She leads an annual career exploration program in Seattle and serves as the faculty adviser for the national PRSSA Bateman Case Study Competition.

Debra’s multifaceted career spans the nonprofit, corporate, agency, and higher education sectors, with deep expertise in media relations, strategic messaging, and content development. A former columnist and managing editor for national publications, she is the author of two books and has written for leading outlets including Country Living, Veranda, Southern Accents, Art & Antiques, The Boston Globe, and Forbes FYI.

She holds a journalism degree from The University of Texas and a master’s degree in mass communication with a concentration in strategic communication from Texas State University.

President Elect: Paul Villagran, APR

Paul Villagran is an Assistant Professor of Practice in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Texas State University. Prior to coming to Texas State University, he has more than 20 years of experience as an Air Force Public Affairs officer. In addition to teaching in the Public Relations sequence, he researches and studies the impact of digital and social media on the PR practice as well as Crisis Communication in PR.

In 2019 he was recognized with the Texas State University Presidential Distinction Award for Service as well as a College Achievement Award for Service and in 2017 he was recognized by the Alpha Chi National Honor Society as a “favorite professor.”

He is a two-time PRSA Silver Anvil winner including the “Best-of-the-Best” in 2010.

In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Villagran is the faculty advisor for Texas State University chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America. As the faculty advisor, he guided students in their bid and selection to host the 2018 PRSSA National Conference and a 2017 PRSSA regional conference. The National hosted more than 1,200 students from across the U.S. The Texas State PRSSA chapter has been recognized as a Star Chapter the past four years and three Texas State PR students were selected as Gold Key Award recipients as the top PR students in the nation under his leadership.

Prior to coming to Texas State University, Villagran was the Deputy Director for the United States Air Force Public Affairs Agency. In addition to having oversight of the Air Force’s premiere combat camera photographers and videographers and two Department of Defense award-winning multi-media production centers, he also had management responsibilities of the Air Force’s social media programs, which currently have more than three million followers.

In previous assignments, Villagran was the Director of Air Force Special Operations Public Affairs, worked for the Secretary of the Air Force and the Air Force Chief of Staff in Washington DC, worked on the Air Force’s Press desk in the Pentagon and managed the Department of Defense’s televisions and radio broadcast network in the Republic of Korea. As a Public Affairs officer he has worked with national and international media including The New York Times, the Washington Post, NBC, ABC, CNN, Fox, NPR, BBC and Al Jazeera. He retired in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 2014.

His previous teaching experience includes courses in Communication Theory and Leadership at the University of Oklahoma. He has also been published in the top peer-reviewed communication academic journal of the National Communication Association.

Villagran has a M.A. in Communication from the University of Oklahoma and a B.S. in Broadcast Journalism and Public Relations from the University of Oregon. He also has a M.S. in Military Operational Art and Sciences from the Air Force’s Air Command and Staff College.

Past President: Kellin Puello 

Kellin has worked as a journalist, professor, and communications professional in the education and energy fields in her native Colombia. Her path has led her to coordinate and develop communication strategies for internal audiences and support external strategies for different publics in the most significant oil and gas project in her country, an experience that motivated her to come to Texas to sharpen her communications and PR skills.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Communications from Universidad de Cartagena and a Master of Arts in public relations from the University of Houston. Prior to joining the Austin chapter of PRSA, she served as the Public Relations Director at the International Student Organization at the University of Houston.

Treasurer: Angela Navarro 

Angela Navarro was born and raised in New Jersey and earned her bachelor’s degree in Communications with a focus on Public Relations and a minor in Marketing from Florida Gulf Coast University. After beginning her career in nonprofit development in Florida, she relocated to Austin, Texas, where she has built a strong presence in marketing, communications, and event strategy.

Angela is deeply engaged in professional leadership, having served as President of the Young Hispanic Professionals Association of Austin and as DE&I Chair and Immediate Past President of PRSA Austin. She currently serves as Events & PR Manager at the Downtown Austin Alliance, leading signature events, media relations, and community activations.

Secretary: Grace Herget Capwell, APR 

Grace Capwell is an Accredited Public Relations (APR) leader with decades of strategic corporate communication experience in brand and reputation management. She currently serves as the Global Public Relations Manager at Emerson, a Fortune 200 global automation leader with $18B in annual revenue and 80,000 employees.

Previously, Capwell taught public relations as an Adjunct PR Lecturer at Texas State University, managed B2B PR for Texas Instruments, held PR stints in the tourism and pharmaceutical industries, and served clients at PR agency MSL Group headquarters in New York.

Capwell earned a Bachelor of Journalism degree from The University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from the University of Houston.

Assembly Delegate: Anne Lasseigne Tiedt, APR 

Anne Lasseigne Tiedt, APR joined Raise Your Hand in 2021 after working for more than 25 years in Central Texas as a public relations and marketing executive. She leads communications, advancing the mission and reputation of the organization’s strategic priorities across policy, advocacy, and legislative engagement.

Prior to Raise Your Hand, Tiedt honed her award-winning communications skills as co-owner of a boutique public relations and marketing firm, creating savvy, measurable marketing communication campaigns that helped organizations better themselves, their businesses, or their missions. She has also worked on staff at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and the Austin Symphony Orchestra; led a team at a Texas-based PR Firm; and owned a PR consultancy.

Tiedt enjoys serving her community and has previously volunteered with the American Heart Association, Girl Scouts, Girls Empowerment Network, Austin ISD schools, and other professional organizations. She also served as President of Women Communicators of Austin in 2008-09. She currently serves as the Executive Vice President of Business Affairs for the Women’s Symphony League and Marketing Chair for the organization’s signature fundraising event.

Tiedt holds a Bachelor of Journalism in Public Relations and Business Foundations Certification from The University of Texas at Austin. She has held her Accreditation in Public Relations since 2003, is a graduate of Leadership Texas 2010, and earned her PESO Model Communications Certification from Syracuse University in 2020.

Director-at-Large, Marketing & Communications: Jeff Beckham 

Jeff Beckham is Director of Content at Treble, a leading earned media B2B technology public relations agency specializing in helping companies at every growth stage—from early-stage startups to enterprise organizations. He develops and executes content and media strategies for technology companies.

With over 20 years of experience in journalism, content strategy, and communications, Jeff has worked with organizations ranging from Fortune 10 companies to high-growth startups. He established branded content programs at The Zebra and served as communications manager for AT&T's first Chief Digital Officer. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Wired, Sports Illustrated, Slate, and Texas Monthly.

Jeff is passionate about helping communications professionals navigate emerging technologies and establish thought leadership. He brings his journalism background to his work creating clear, engaging content for technical audiences.

Director-at-Large, Programs: Hunter Ramberg 

Hunter Ramberg is the programs director for PRSA Austin, where he helps plan and execute professional development programs, panels, and events for the chapter. He earned his B.A. in journalism with an emphasis in public relations and advertising from the Donald W. Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno, and is a member of Kappa Tau Alpha, the national honor society for journalism and mass communication students.

Hunter served as account executive for the university’s National Student Advertising Competition team, which placed second at the District 14 competition, and as project manager for the PRSSA Bateman Case Study Competition. He was honored with the 2024–2025 AAF Reno Award for Outstanding Strategic Communications Students and has completed internships in marketing and digital content. Hunter is passionate about healthcare communications, fostering community, and strengthening connections across Austin’s communications industry. He approaches every opportunity with gratitude, curiosity, and a commitment to learning.

Director-at-Large, Membership: Nandini Bhalla 

 Born and raised in Delhi, India, Dr. Nandini Bhalla is a distinguished scholar in mass communication. She earned her Ph.D. in Mass Communication from the University of South Carolina, where she developed a deep understanding of media dynamics and communication strategies. She is an Assistant Professor of Public Relations at Texas State University.

She conducts research in strategic communication, focusing on international communication and corporate social responsibility. Her research has been published in various esteemed journals, including Public Relations Review, International Journal of Strategic Communication, International Journal of Communication, Journal of Communication Inquiry, and Corporate Communications: An International Journal.

As a Page Legacy Scholar, she has presented over 40 peer-reviewed conference papers and has received numerous awards for her research. In 2018, Dr. Bhalla was honored with several prestigious awards, including the Inez Kaiser Graduate Students of Color Award from the Public Relations Division of AEJMC, the Moeller Student Competition Award from the Mass Comm & Society Division, two Top Paper awards from the Magazine Division, Kappa Tau Alpha, and the Visual Communications Division, as well as the Peter Debreceny Corporate Communication Award at IPRRC. She also secured two highly competitive grants to support her dissertation on environmental issues and CSR: one from the University of South Carolina and a Page Legacy Scholar Grant from the Arthur W. Page Center.

In 2020, Dr. Bhalla received the Doug Newsom Award for Global Ethics and Diversity from the Public Relations Division of AEJMC, the American University Top Diversity & Inclusion Award from PRSA Educators Academy, and the NCA Spiritual Communication Top Book Chapter Award.

Before coming to the U.S. to pursue her Ph.D., she completed a BSc. (H) in Chemistry from the University of Delhi. She then earned an MA in Mass Communication from the Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Mass Communication with a specialization in Public Relations from Indira Gandhi National Open University, also in Delhi. Additionally, she holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management with a focus on Marketing from Symbiosis Institute of Distance Learning, Pune, India. She has seven years of experience in media and communications in India. She has worked as both a journalist and a public relations consultant in various government and private organizations. Her diverse educational background and extensive professional experience make her a valuable asset in the field of mass communication.

Board Chair: Nick Nelson 

Board Chair: Kimberly Deese, APR 

Kimberly Deese, APR is an award-winning digital PR leader with a career-long expertise working at the intersection of digital media marketing, corporate communications and experiential events.

Kimberly is a compassionate agency team and people leader and has worked with enterprise challenger brands in e-commerce, travel, beauty, health & wellness, hospitality, crypto, fintech, and SaaS.

Board Chair: Larry Springer, APR 

Larry served in various public relations leadership roles within the energy and chemical industries, including Enbridge, Conoco, DuPont and the Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners Association. 

He has served as chairman of the Public Awareness Group for the American Petroleum Institute (API), communications lead for the Emergency Response Team of API and the Association of Oil Pipelines and as chair of the Environmental Justice Committee of the American Chemistry Council. Previously, he worked for almost 10 years as a member of the news media in Austin, Texas, and has advised student newsrooms at Texas Tech University and the University of Texas at Austin.

A longtime accredited member of the Public Relations Society of American (PRSA), Larry is a past president of the Austin Chapter of PRSA, a founding member of the Montana PRSA chapter and a former PRSA national assembly delegate for the Austin, Montana and Houston PRSA chapters. Larry also is a past president of the Texas Public Relations Association (TPRA) and a past chairman of the Public Relations Foundation of Texas.

Board Chair: Emma Vega 

Emma Vega is a recent graduate with professional experience in legislative campaign communications, stakeholder engagement at the public affairs firm Texas Star Alliance, and compliance operations for H-E-B.

She is the immediate past PRSSA chapter president of a nationally recognized Star Chapter and a recipient of the Gold Key Award. In 2025 she was recognized as the top public relations student of her graduating class with the Gold Standard award.

Vega graduated with honors from Texas State University with a B.S. in Public Relations and minors in Political Communication and Public Administration. She is currently enrolled in the Master of Public Affairs Program at Brown University, where she serves as a social media manager for the Watson School.

University Liaison: Nancy Salisbury, Ph.D. 

Nancy Salisbury is a corporate social responsibility consultant whose work in sustainability communication has impacted hundreds of organizations, helping teams strengthen strategy, credibility, and engagement. She focuses on the transition to clean energy and using digital media and technology to support responsible, transparent sustainability efforts. 

Salisbury is a 2024–25 Innovation Fellow and a 2025–26 Center for Teaching Excellence Fellow, and serves as an Associate Professor of Practice and campus advisor to PRSSA at St. Edward’s University, where she teaches CSR communication, public relations, and social media. She holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from The University of Arizona, with a focus on social media and technology. Her first book, Aware: CSR Communication Strategy, is currently in peer review.

University Liaison: Natalie T.J. Tindall, Ph.D., APR 

Natalie T. J. Tindall (Ph.D., University of Maryland-College Park) is a professor in the Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations and the program director for the Communication & Leadership program at the University of Texas at Austin. 

Her research focuses on stewardship, leadership, and followership; participatory culture and fandoms; activism and public interest communication; diversity in organizations; and the situational theory of publics and intersectionality. Her articles have been published in the Journal of Public Relations Research, Public Relations Review, Public Relations Journal, Howard Journal of Communications, PRism, and the International Journal of Strategic Communication. Currently, she serves as the managing editor for Case Studies in Strategic Communication and is a member of the editorial board for the Journal of Public Relations Research. She is the 2025 recipient of the Institute of Public Relations' Lifetime Achievement Award, one of the highest international honors for public relations researchers.