Joshua Bugby is a vibrant and unparalleled professional with over 25 years of mentoring people and young professionals to find their greatest potential in life. Joshua demonstrates excellent communication, leadership development, and conflict resolution. Joshua desires to continually grow in the art of multitasking, mission development, and vision casting.

Joe Purka is Director of the Emerald Coast Public Relations Foundation. He retired from the Air Force after more than 28 years, primarily as a Public Affairs Officer. Subsequently, he served as Public Affairs Director for the national World War II Memorial in Washington D.C., Director of Campaign Communications for Rutgers University, and Vice President of Kirby-Smith Associates, a fundraising consulting firm. He has received a number of awards from national professional organizations, including PRSA, IABC and CASE. He was inducted into the Southern Public Relations Hall of Fame in 2014. He and his wife, Dee, have lived in Niceville since 2003. They have two children and five grandchildren.

Sherry is a nationally accredited “APR.”  She was a founding member of ECPRO in 1992 and has continued to serve on the board.  She is currently Secretary for the ECPR Foundation for scholarships.  Sherry has also served 10 years on the board for the regional organization Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), and was appointed as one of 20 individuals in the United States to serve three years on the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB) in New York.  She was the first women and youngest practitioner at the time to be Inducted into the SPRF Hall of Fame.  She was recognized for the highest SPRF honor as “Practitioner of the Year” in 2000.  She worked for Eglin Federal Credit Union for 45 years and retired in 2021 as their Marketing and Public Relations Manager.

Ken is a Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), Senior Practitioner in public relations and holds the national Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) given by the Public Relations Society of America in 2016. In 2012, he was inducted into the SPRF, Public Relations Hall of Fame, Mississippi State University. He is a three-time Emerald Coast Public Relations Organization (ECPRO) nominee for SPRF Practitioner of the Year. He served on ECPRO’s Board of Directors from 2001 to 2016 and again in 2023. His roles on the Board include Treasurer (2002), Vice President (2003-04), President (2007-08), SPRF Treasurer (2003), and ECPRO’s representative to the SPRF Board (2003-16). He was awarded a SPRF Lantern Award of Excellence and a Certificate of Merit in 2010. He is a lifetime member of the AF Public Affairs Association.

Danna Franks currently serves as Vice President of Children in Crisis, where she has been employed for 16 years. Danna’s career has encompassed accounting and business management for various entities including a law firm and real estate appraisal company. A graduate of Florida International University with extensive experience has proven valuable in the non-profit arena. Danna is passionate about the mission of Children in Crisis, “Providing Homes and Keeping Brothers and Sisters Together.” Danna believes “It is not about going to work every day; it is about making a difference every day!”

Christie Solomon has her MBA in International Business from Thunderbird School of Global Management with more than 10 years of broad corporate experience. In 2019, Christie founded Elevate Next, a boutique business consulting firm providing digital marketing and public relations services.

Amy Hall is a Senior Commercial Lender at Pen Air Credit Union. At Pen Air, we lend to any size business in our footprint that covers Mobile, AL to Tallahassee, FL. I specialize in business lending in these markets and am a financial services partner to you and your business.

It is my mission to enhance lives everyday through Respect, Service, and Communerocity. My relationships are built through trust and respect. I take care of business members and prospects by listening, understanding, and personalizing experiences. And I embrace Communerocity; this is where generosity is a positive force for good in the communities Pen Air Credit Union serves. 

I have worked in the financial industry for over 25 years.  During my career, I have received my CWS (Certified Wealth Strategist) certification and spent many hours getting involved in the communities I live and work in by donating time, food, monetary contributions, and gifts to various organizations. I have served on the board of Colorado Uplift and, most recently, I now serve on the Board of the Emerald Coast Public Relations Organization (ECPRO).

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family, relaxing on the beach, finding seashells, charter fishing and boating.  When I am not at the beach, my family and I enjoy spending as much time as we can at Disney World.

Peggy Hyde, PhD has a private practice, P. Hyde & Associates, based in Fort Walton Beach, FL. For more than 25 years, Dr. Peggy has practiced globally as a Certified Consulting Hypnotist, an Instructor for the National Guild of Hypnotists, and ordained minister. Her PhD is in theology.

Peggy developed Power Golf Hypnosis (PGH) and “The Roadmap to a Healthy Body” programs. In addition to her private practice for individual clients, Peggy works with corporations, colleges, university sports teams (including the Nebraska Huskers football team), and groups of students from all over the world. The largest class she had consisted of 225 students.

Kathy Morrow has been a member of ECPRO since January 1998. During those years, she has served as Vice President, Secretary, Publicity Chair and Program Chair. She retired from Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative as Director of Communications in February 2013 at which time she formed 2Morrow Communications, LLC.

She is a freelance writer and does contract work for electric cooperatives. She also writes blogs for a local web design company. She earned her Certified Cooperative Communicator (CCC) designation in 1999 and her Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) award in 2013.

She previously served as Secretary on the Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF) Board. In 2005, she received the SPRF Senior Practitioner award. In her spare time, she volunteers at Rocky Bayou State Park with the interpretive kayak tour program and is secretary of the Friends of Emerald Coast State Parks Board.