B. J. Whitman, APR, Fellow PRSA

BJW Public Relations specializes in Media Relations, Event Planning, Marketing, Promotions, Mentoring, Executive Positioning and Community Relations.

B.J. has earned accreditation in public relations (the APR credential), and her work has been recognized with numerous awards from PRSA's Hawaii Chapter. In 2007, BJ was elected into the College of Fellows. The Fellow designation is the highest award of excellence awarded by PRSA and serves as recognition of a long and distinguished career in the practice of Public Relations.

A past president of the Hawaii Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and Chair of the PRSA's Western District, Whitman has also served on the national level as Chair of PRSA's Chapter/District Council and Co-Chair of the Volunteer Leadership Continuum Task Force.

A member of PRSA-Hawaii's board for many years, BJ took a special interest in mentoring young public relations professionals and served as the chapter's liaison to the University of Hawaii's student chapter of PRSA (PRSSA). She also developed a hospitality internship mentoring program at Sheraton Hotels in Hawaii that has to its credit qualified more than 450 interns in the hospitality public relation arena in the last decade.

Prior to opening her own firm, Whitman spent 15 years in several public relations director positions at Sheraton Hotels in Waikiki, handling local, U.S. domestic and international public relations for Sheraton's Waikiki properties (including the world-renowned Royal Hawaiian Hotel). During this time she also worked closely with the Waikiki Improvement Association, the Oahu Visitors Bureau and the Hawaii Hotel Association.

Early in her career, Whitman served as public relations administrator for Dillingham Maritime Pacific and Young Brothers, Ltd (inter island barge service).

Whitman earned both her bachelor's degree (in business administration, management science) and an MBA from Chaminade University of Honolulu Hawaii.

She has spent several semesters as an Instructor of Public Relations at Hawaii Pacific University and is a sought- after public speaker in the area of public relations, crisis management and leadership mentoring.