Jeff Wilson, vice president of Workplace Culture, Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and chief of staff at Padilla, recently received the 2023 Excellence in Public Relations Award from the Richmond chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA Richmond).

In a June 8 ceremony at the Dominion Energy Center, Mr. Wilson also was recognized as the first Black recipient of the prestigious award.

The career achievement award is PRSA Richmond’s highest honor, which recognizes the extraordinary achievements of seasoned public relations practitioners working in the Greater Richmond Region.

As a member of the agency’s senior leadership team, Mr. Wilson is responsible for workplace culture programs, internal communications and DEI initiatives. He also provides DEI strategic counsel to clients across several industries as part of the agency’s Social Impact Consultancy, and speaks nationally on DEI and social impact issues. He previously led the agency marketing team for Padilla, and has expertise in community relations, grassroots marketing, issues management and higher education.

Along with professional achievements, the Excellence in Public Relations Award also recognizes senior leaders for their community involvement, mentorship of others, service to PRSA, continuing education in the field and overall contributions to the profession. Mr. Wilson’s volunteer leadership positions include serving on the board (executive committee) for the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. In addition, he previously served on the national board of directors for the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), as co-chair of the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame advisory committee, chair for MENTOR Virginia, president of PRSA Richmond, and president of the Richmond Public Relations Foundation, which recently named a scholarship on his behalf for Richmond Region college students of color.

“I’m humbled by this recognition. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many of the past award recipients – some who’ve served as mentors and colleagues,” Mr. Wilson said. “It is a privilege to have my name listed among theirs.”

Mr. Wilson began his career as a city government reporter for the Greenville News in South Carolina, and later worked as a public information coordinator at the University of South Carolina, where he earned a bachelor’s in print journalism.

Mr. Wilson grew up in Elliott, S.C. He moved to Richmond in 2000 to work for

Carter Ryley Thomas Public Relations and Marketing Counsel, which became Padilla in 2013.

Also, during the PRSA awards, Taylor Fuqua, manager of public relations and marketing at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, was recognized with this year’s Rising Star award. The award is given to someone with five years or less experience “who has done incredible work in the public relations field” according to PRSA. Ms. Fuqua is a graduate of Norfolk State University.