Bridging Counties, Building Community: How Communications Drives Community

Join us on Saturday, October 11, at 10 am at Saint Vincent College: Conference Room at Fred Rogers Center for an engaging panel discussion exploring how public relations professionals are shaping Western Pennsylvania's economic future through collaboration and community-focused storytelling. Our diverse panel of regional leaders will share insights on how effective communications strategies can break down silos between counties, industries, and sectors to create a unified narrative that attracts investment, talent, and tourism to our region. From promoting natural attractions and cultural treasures to building academic-industry partnerships and amplifying success stories through media, discover how PR skills can directly contribute to economic development.

You'll Learn:

• How tourism, academia, and media collaborate to strengthen regional economic narratives
• Career pathways in PR that make meaningful community impact
• Practical strategies for cross-sector partnership building
• Real-world examples of communications campaigns that drove economic results
• How to leverage your PR expertise for broader community leadership

Meet our panelists, representing organizations driving regional growth:

• Ian Ponitz, Account Supervisor at HAVAS Red 

Ian is an accomplished public relations professional with four years of experience working across the merged media model of communications. Since joining HAVAS Red as a fellow in 2021, Ian has supported clients in several industries including manufacturing, healthcare, life science and educational non-profits. Ian prides himself in ideating stories and executing campaigns for his clients that cut through noise and bridge the gap to audiences. While each day is different, Ian enjoys adapting to each client’s needs and solving complex problems throughout the landscape of merged media. Whether it be through traditional earned media across local or national media, development of bylines or podcasts, or even social media, Ian works to tell a story that will resonate with the proper audience.

 Ian is a member of several PRSA Pittsburgh Renaissance Award winning efforts on behalf of his clients and most recently was named the 2025 Renaissance Rising Star, an award recognizing one PR professional each year with less than five years of industry experience.

 Alongside his day-to-day role at HAVAS Red, Ian dedicates time to serving as a resource to the next generation of public relations professionals. Ian serves on Slippery Rock University’s Strategic Communication & Media Program Advisory Board, offering insight to faculty on the changing world of communication to influence how coursework can be adapted to best prepare students. As part of the advisory board, Ian spends time connecting with current students through in-class presentations, conducting mock interviews and judging senior presentations every spring and fall.

 Ian is a proud graduate of both Slippery Rock University and West Virginia University. He earned his B.S. in Communication with an emphasis in Integrated Marketing Communications from Slippery Rock University in 2018. He also obtained his M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communication from West Virginia University in 2020.

• Laura Argenbright, Senior Director of Cretive Strategy, GO Laurel Highlands

As Senior Director of Creative Strategy, Laura drives the development of dynamic marketing campaigns that inspire travel to Pennsylvania’s Fayette, Somerset, and Westmoreland counties.

With a career rooted in recreation and arts marketing and administration, she has held leadership roles with Vail Resorts at Seven Springs and Hidden Valley, as well as Frank Lloyd Wright’s Polymath Park, among other organizations. A former ski instructor and passionate native of the region, Laura served for a decade on the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau Board of Directors, now GO Laurel Highlands.

Her professional path also led to public service as Director of Communications for the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, where she deepened her expertise in social justice and state government operations.

An active community leader, Laura serves as a Trustee of the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra and as a board member of the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce.

She is married with two grown children. Outside of work, Laura enjoys fitness walking and live music—seeking a concert or festival experience as often as possible!

• Benjamin Luczak, Chief Executive Officer, Westmoreland Cultural Trust (WCT).

WCT is a 501(c)3 nonprofit charitable organization whose mission is to be a conduit for

communities to thrive. WCT does so by welcoming broad forms of artistic expression,

forging purposeful partnerships and programming meaningful arts education and

engagement activities. WCT manages four historic properties - The Palace Theatre,

Greensburg Garden & Civic Center, the Union Trust Building and the Stark/James

Building, has a budget of approximately $8.6MM, serves over 157,000 guests annually,

and in 2024 had a $12.88MM economic impact.

Benjamin has previously held leadership positions at Des Moines Performing Arts

(Director of Development), Asolo Repertory Theatre (Development Director), Broadway

Dallas (Director of Development, Annual Giving, Special Projects, and Strategy),

Omaha Performing Arts (Associate Director of Development, Donor Relations), The

Maryland Symphony Orchestra and Shenandoah Conservatory Performances. At Asolo

Repertory Theatre, Benjamin completed the first phase of a multi-year capital and

endowment campaign which raised $15MM for new rehearsal and education facilities.

The new facility opened in June of 2022, fully funded.

Currently, Benjamin volunteers as a member of the Community Foundation of

Westmoreland County/The Pittsburgh Foundation’s “Westmoreland Together”, a

Community Advisor to Elevate NP of Southwestern PA, a Board Treasurer for City

Theatre Company, and is a member of the Pennsylvania Society. Previously, he served

as Board Chair for Houston-based Social Movement Contemporary Dance Theatre, has

Co-Chaired the League of Resident Theatre's Executive Search (a Subcommittee of

EDI Committee) and was a grant panelist for Florida Department of State Division of Cultural Affairs. Benjamin has also served as an adjudicator for the

Nebraska High School Theatre Academy, a grant maker for the Equality Fund of

Omaha, and a Board member for Nebraska AIDS Project.

An avid learner, Benjamin has studied abroad in Guatemala and Australia on

scholarship. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre and a Master of

Science in Performing Arts Leadership and Management from Shenandoah

Conservatory of Shenandoah University, a Certificate of Fundraising Management from

the University of Nebraska Omaha, and a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the

Workplace Certificate from the University of South Florida. Benjamin is also an Eagle

Scout.

• Megan Swift, News Reporter, TribLive.

Covering current events, important issues and breaking news in the greater Pittsburgh region, Megan is the 2025 recipient of the Lenfest Institute Emerging Journalist Award through the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association’s Keystone Media Awards.  Megan graduated from Penn State Schreyer Honors College in 2023 with a B.A. in print/digital journalism and minor in creative writing. Megan served as the 2022-23 editor-in-chief of The Daily Collegian, Penn State’s student newspaper, and as a 2023-24 Penn State Young Alumni Ambassador after graduation. With a dream of becoming a novelist, Megan is pursuing her graduate degree in creative writing through Harvard Extension School.

• Melinda Farrington, PhD, Associate Professor of Communication, Saint Vincent College 

Dr. Farrington brings 20 years of integrated marketing and communication experience into the classroom. Prior to joining the faculty at Saint Vincent college career highlights include leading public relations initiatives for organizations in both the non-profit and private sectors, as well as leading these organizations through major rebranding initiatives. She has in-depth marketplace experience in crisis communication and fundraising communication. Her research interests include studying how media environments affect human communication in both intended and unintended ways. She also focuses on communication ethics and organizational communication with particular interest in issues of equity and inclusion.

• Logan Johnson, Student, Saint Vincent College 

Logan Johnson is a graduating senior from Saint Vincent College with 3 excellent internship experiences from the Diocese of Greensburg, Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County, and the Westmoreland County Redevelopment Authority and Land Bank. Additionally, Logan is a student assistant in the Office of Strategic Engagement, and mission at Saint Vincent College, and a part-time Marketing Specialist for Lesco Federal Credit Union. Logan has been an active member at PRSA Pittsburgh and has founded the Saint Vincent College Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter. When not working or participating in school events, Logan enjoys traveling, golfing, and trying new restaurants and drinks.