Who we are

PCI Principals

Jill Allread, APRPresident

Jill Allread, APR, counsels a wide variety of clients to enhance their brand and reputation and to strengthen their internal and external communications by more effectively telling their story through strategic communications and planning.

She joined PCI’s ownership team in 1994, after working 12 years in newsrooms of daily newspapers, including as a reporter then metropolitan editor for The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette.

Many of Jill’s clients are in the areas of environment, health care, not-for-profit, and community relations, and she counseling them in message development and communications and public affairs strategies. With extensive experience in crisis management, Jill helps clients navigate through crisis on issues as varied as corporate restructuring to brown field redevelopment to activist group protests to accidents involving the public.

She also advises many clients in public affairs and government relations strategies, building on her experience gained as Director of Public Affairs and Public Relations at Brookfield Zoo for three years. In that role she managed county and state government relations and all external communications.

Among her clients are John G. Shedd Aquarium, AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Chicago Zoological Society, The National Elephant Center, UNICEF Midwest, Lake County Forest Preserves District, Chicago Wilderness, Iowa Transportation Museum, The Anti-Cruelty Society, and more than two dozen zoos, aquariums and marine parks internationally.

A frequent media spokesperson trainer and speaker on topics such as crisis management and social media, Jill’s client programs have earned six national PRSA Silver and Bronze Anvil awards as well as more than 100 additional PR awards, including the national PR Platinum Award and the PR News Nonprofit Award for issues management (AZA ELEPHANT);  the prestigious 2001 Platinum Award for the Museum of Science and Industry's “Titanic” exhibit; and awards for public affairs and cultural institution exhibit events and programs such as opening the BodyWorlds, Star Wars and U-505 Submarine at MSI; International Ape Conference, Chicago's Museum Campus opening; launching of Chicago Wilderness; and celebrating Shedd’s 75th anniversary and 10th anniversary for its Oceanarium and opening Wild Reef.

In 2005 she received the Publicity Club of Chicago’s Edwin J. Shaughnessy Quality of Life Award for “Saving Illinois Parks and Wildlife,” a grassroots, public affairs campaign that restored critical funding to Illinois Natural Areas Acquisition Fund.

An active civic leader, Jill’s community service was recognized nationally with the prestigious 2007 Public Relations Society of America’s Paul Lund Public Service Award. Her volunteer work includes serving as a commissioner and past chair of the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, a citizens’ board responsible for oversight of the state’s most rare natural areas; being a founding board member and former chairman of Girls in the Game, a non-profit helping girls build self confidence and a healthier lifestyle; and an Advisory Board member for Cabrini Connections tutoring program. In 2008 Jill was elected board chair of Openlands, one of the nation’s oldest and most successful regional conservation organizations.

She is an accredited member of Public Relations Society of America.

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