Mote PR Manager wins Rising Star Award from Florida Public Relations Association
Mote Marine Laboratory is proud to announce that its Public Relations Manager, Kaitlyn Fusco, was honored Wednesday with the Rising Star Award from the Central West Coast Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA).
Fusco received the award and was inducted as the chapter’s Director of Special Events during a celebration and board induction ceremony on Aug. 17 at The Francis in Sarasota.
The Rising Star Award recognizes passionate and enthusiastic professionals who make positive impacts through FPRA service and their careers.
“From day one, Kaitlyn has been an exemplary representative for Mote; through FPRA, we know she will extend her talent, diligence and heart to benefit the broader community of nonprofits, businesses and individuals that make Sarasota and Florida’s west coast a place of thriving culture and good works,” said Stacy Alexander, Assistant Vice President for Community Relations and Communications at Mote. “We firmly support her as FPRA’s Director of Special Events and we are sure she will progress in this role with the same alacrity she shows in translating marine science and conservation for the public.”
“I am honored to receive this award from my local FPRA chapter,” Fusco said. “I look forward to building my leadership skills as this year’s Director of Special Events and getting to know my community better through this amazing group of professionals. I cannot thank Mote and my team enough for supporting me in this role.”
“Kaitlyn has demonstrated excitement toward FPRA through her participation in events and professional development seminars,” said Mischa Kirby, APR, President of the Florida Public Relations Association's Central West Coast Chapter. “She shows a willingness to jump in at events and support the chapter however needed, most often behind the scenes. Her commitment to joining the board next year shows her professional progression and involvement in FPRA.”
Fusco is Mote’s primary contact for news media queries at the local to international level, and she helps the Lab fulfill a key goal in its guiding 2020 Vision & Strategic Plan: translating and transferring Mote’s scientific discoveries to help inform and benefit the public.
Fusco is an award-winning writer whose work has appeared in multiple newspapers, magazines, blogs and websites, and she has a strong interest in marine life and conservation. Prior to arriving at Mote, Fusco served as content director at True Real Estate, where she developed and managed search engine-optimized content for websites, blogs and social media while also writing press releases, letters, brochures and more.
Fusco graduated Magna Cum Laude with her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Central Florida (UCF). She is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success, and she is one of only 11 students of UCF's Class of 2012 to qualify for Kappa Tau Alpha, the college honor society that recognizes academic excellence and promotes scholarship in journalism.