Chuck Wallington — Betsy Plank Award

Dr. Chuck Wallington is an executive vice president and chief marketing & communications officer for Cone Health – a regional health care system based in Greensboro, NC.

As an executive president, Chuck reports to the CEO and is one of 10 members of Cone Health’s senior-most leadership team that establishes and drives the business strategy for Cone in a competitive marketplace. As the chief marketing & communications officer, Chuck leads the team that develops and implements the marketing and communications strategy that supports and drives Cone Health’s business strategy.

Before joining Cone Health in 2011, Chuck was a leader with American Express, where he was a director and then a vice president of communications. As a vice president, Chuck had global responsibility for the team that provided internal and external communications support for the American Express customer service centers in the United States, Canada, Mexico and India.

Jon Harris — Legacy Award

Jon Harris is executive vice president and chief communications & networking officer for Conagra Brands. Jon oversees all aspects of Conagra’s stakeholder engagement to deliver a unified message internally and externally. This includes the strategic development and implementation of the company’s corporate and brand communications strategies including social and digital media, influencer marketing, media relations and internal communications. Jon is also the chairman of the Conagra Brands Foundation and oversees the company’s corporate giving efforts. He joined Conagra Brands in 2015.

Before joining Conagra Brands, Jon was chief communications officer and senior vice president for Hillshire Brands, where he oversaw all aspects of integrated communications. He has also served as senior vice president and chief global communications officer for Sara Lee Corporation, as well as roles in public relations at PepsiCo, Bally Corporation, Ketchum Public Relations and Medicus Public Relations.

Jon is involved with multiple nonprofit organizations, including the Grammy Museum, Rock & Soul Forever Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Alzheimer’s Association. Jon earned his bachelor’s degree in Communications from Rutgers University and has served as an adjunct professor for PR & Marketing at the University of Chicago’s Graham School.

Thomas (Tony) Waller — John “Jack” Koten Corporate Award

Tony Waller is vice president of constituent relations and racial equity for Walmart in Bentonville, AR. In his position, he sets the strategy for driving reputation, augmenting outreach opportunities, and maximizing social investments in diverse and multicultural communities. His portfolio includes the African American, Hispanic, Asian American & Pacific Islander and Native American communities, as well as Women, People with Disabilities and Emerging Generations. Tony is also tasked with being a critical “integrator” engaging across Corporate Affairs teams, with real depth in helping to shape public policy, comms strategy, federal and state government relations, and community relations through a racial equity lens. Additionally, Tony and his team will help lead efforts to expand the company’s racial equity efforts across all of the diverse and multicultural communities of focus. Tony joined Walmart in December 2006.

Teneshia Jackson Warner — Agency Award

Teneshia Jackson Warner is an award-winning multicultural marketing expert. She began her career as a mentee of the globally successful innovator, entrepreneur and hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, where she became the General Manager of Rush Communications.

Teneshia embarked upon her entrepreneurial path to found Egami Consulting Group in 2003.

Egami is now an award-winning multicultural marketing firm. Under her leadership, Egami formed a strategic partnership with the world’s third-largest communications firm, MSL Group, a Publicis Groupe global engagement firm. Together, they have delivered award-winning client work for brands such as P&G’s Bounty and My Black is Beautiful, Verizon Wireless, Hennessy, Heineken, Dasani, General Motors, Western Union and KFC.

Ron Culp — Bruce K. Berger Award

Before joining DePaul University and becoming an independent public relations consultant, Ron Culp held senior public relations positions at four Fortune 500 corporations and two major agencies. Ron’s career spans a variety of communications responsibilities in government and industry sectors, including business-to-business, consumer products, pharmaceutical and retailing. 

Ron’s two agency stints include being a partner and managing director of Ketchum’s Midwest offices and head of the agency’s North American Corporate Practice. Before Ketchum, he opened and served as managing director of the Chicago office of Sard Verbinnen and Company (now FGS Global), a leading financial communications firm. 

Previously, Ron was a corporate officer and senior vice president of public relations and government affairs at Sears. Earlier in his corporate career, he held senior communications positions at Sara Lee Corporation, Pitney Bowes, and Eli Lilly.

Leah Seay Anise — Emerging Leader Award

Leah Seay Anise is the consumer communications lead at OpenAI, where she oversees the company’s global consumer communications strategy for products like ChatGPT and other emerging technologies. In her role, she is responsible for building narratives that enhance the public’s understanding of the benefits of artificial intelligence.

Before joining OpenAI, Leah led global product communications for Uber’s delivery business, managing messaging for Uber Eats and Postmates that reached over 150 million users and one million merchants.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Leah serves as a national board member for The Public Relations Society of America Foundation to support the next generation of diverse communications professionals. Passionate about investing in students, she created and managed the Leah Seay Anise Scholarship, a fund for high school students pursuing collegiate education in public relations, communications, journalism and advertising.