EACE 2025 Board of Directors Elections
Director, PR & Communications Candidate
 Sonya Lawyer
Internship Director and Associate Professor, Art, Design, and Communication
Stevenson University
1. Describe your interest in serving on the EACE Board in this capacity.
I belong in EACE. That is what I felt at my first conference in Reston, Virginia. I entered that first conference in Virginia with a little bit of trepidation because I was unsure of what to expect and walked away with new friendships, new ideas, and a feeling of belonging. I have enjoyed serving in numerous roles across the organization from my first role serving as a member of the Professional Development Committee. I then moved on to being a Co-Chair for the Exhibitors and Sponsorships Committee for three years (during the pandemic). I was excited to serve as the Co-chair for the Programming Committee for the Annual Conference in 2023 hosted in Baltimore, Maryland. From 2023 – 2024 I co-chaired the PR and Marketing Committee. Each role in EACE has provided me with insights into the organization. While serving as the co-chair, I saw first-hand how many committees, volunteers, and staff members it takes to run the organization in an efficient manner while remaining relevant in the career preparedness space. Collaboration across all committees in the organization has been key and instrumental as this committee works on strategic communications to the organization’s membership. Currently, I am serving as an Annual Conference Co-Chair for EACE25. I serve as the liaison to the Programming Committee, Keynotes Committee, and PR and Marketing committee. All the committees are working incredibly hard to provide our membership with a fantastic conference experience! It has been inspiring to volunteer for this organization, and I look forward to helping EACE achieve the goals presented in our most recent strategic plan.
2. What skills and experiences do you possess that have prepared you to be successful in this role?
Collaboration is key. As an Internship Director and Associate Professor, I work with multiple constituents (students, faculty, administrators, and employers) to place students into rewarding internship experiences. These students are in five disciplines in the School of Design, Arts, and Communication at Stevenson University. Utilizing multiple skillsets including communication, marketing, budgeting, data management, relationship building, and creativity is an everyday occurrence.
I earned my MFA in Studio Art from the University of Florida and have taught, too many to count, courses in graphic design, photography, and communication. Although currently on hiatus, I founded, designed, published, and promoted SALYSÉ, which was an online fashion/beauty magazine. I was able to grow my following on Instagram from 0 to 19,000 over five years.
In the past, I served on the Mid-Atlantic Board for the Society for Photographic Education. As a conference chair, I was responsible for planning, coordinating, and marketing a 2-day conference and on-site exhibition with a virtual component. Additionally, I am active in my local community and served on the Executive Board in the roles of Recording Secretary and Technology Chair for the Columbia (MD) Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Additionally, at Stevenson University, leading a committee of ten, I chair the Student Services Committee of Faculty Council. While I was honored and proud to receive two Presidential Citations in EACE, one of my proudest moments at Stevenson University came in May 2024 when I was the inaugural recipient of the Career Champion award.
FUN FACT! I designed the conference logo assets for both EACE24 and EACE25. #YouBelongInAlbany.
3. What ideas and/or goals do you have for this position?
I have three main goals, if elected to this position. They are the following: supporting committee work with timely communication to the membership; increasing followers and engagement across social media platforms; and standardizing and implementing brand guidelines. First, I want to build upon the strong foundation that previous directors have created. Serving as the PR & Marketing Co-Chair, I became very familiar with the policies and procedures that are in place that have streamlined the organization’s strategic communication endeavors. There are so many wonderful signature programs that EACE committees undertake, along with the annual conference. Providing timely information and resources, like previous iterations of the PR & Marketing committee have done, will be the top priority to maintain and increase our brand strength. Secondly, I want to increase our following and engagement across our primary social media accounts. Concentrating our efforts on the organization’s most active platforms is crucial. Additionally, completing a thorough and comprehensive study of our social media analytics will be important. This could also include polls of our membership (on social media) to gain an understanding of their social media preferences. Finally, as someone with a background in graphic design, establishing and maintaining consistent brand guidelines across all communication channels is the foundation of a strong marketing strategy. Thank you for the opportunity to serve on the EACE Board of Directors.
4. EACE History
Years of Membership: 7 years
EACE Service History:
2024 - 2025 | Annual Conference Co-Chair for the EACE25 Annual Conference (Albany);
2023 - 2024 | Co-Chair, PR and Marketing Committee;
2022 - 2023 | Co-Chair, Programming Committee for the EACE23 Annual Conference;
2021 - 2022 | Co-Chair, Exhibitors and Sponsorship Committee for the EACE22 Annual Conference;
2020 - 2021 | Co-Chair, Exhibitors and Sponsorship Committee for the EACE21 Annual Conference;
2019 - 2020 | Co-Chair, Exhibitors and Sponsorship Committee for the EACE20 Annual Conference;
2018 - 2019 | Committee Member, Professional Development Committee, Scholarships
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