Ocala resident Christopher Bradford has been selected for LeadershipFPRA, an intensive Florida Public Relations Association leadership program featuring seminar-style training classes from a faculty comprised of accomplished professionals in the state.
This leadership program is designed to further strengthen public relations roles and the communities and industries where public relations practitioners live, according to the Ocala chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA).
The yearlong program, which launched in 2016, includes an orientation session, five seminars, and a graduation ceremony. Class VII seminars will cover topics such as leading and managing; economic development and higher education; cross-functional business strategies; government, law, and ethics; and leadership development.
Selection to the class is competitive, and only a dozen public relations professionals are accepted into each group.
“Leadership is cultivated through relationships that have inspired greatness. In this program, we get a chance to see that effect globally in our community and how we can apply it in our own setting to mold our professional development. It’s truly an honor to be chosen for the class,” Bradford said.
Originally from Syracuse, New York, Bradford has resided in Ocala since 1989. He is no stranger to communications, and previously served as the public information officer or commander for the ambulance service at the hospital formerly known as Munroe Regional Medical Center.
Bradford was also an integral part of the ambulance service’s transition to a private-public partnership named EMSA and then to Marion County Fire Rescue in 2008. Since then, he has worked as a firefighter/paramedic in The Villages for 10 years and started his own business to provide quality assurance for 911 agencies across the country.
In 2010, Priority Dispatch acquired his business, and the company has kept him busy ever since. He travels internationally to countries such as Brazil, Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, and the Caribbean Islands to help public safety agencies (EMS, fire, and police) implement dispatch protocols.
In addition, Bradford advocates community relations programs and promotes 911 dispatchers for the lifesaving measures they do worldwide. He is also a member of the College of Fellows for the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch, which oversees the development of the dispatch protocols.
Lieutenant Colonel John W. Dillin, APR, CPRC, established the Florida Public Relations Association in 1938. It is the oldest organization of public relations professionals in the world with more than 1,200 members from 15 professional chapters and 13 student chapters across the state.
FPRA members come from many backgrounds, including private and public corporations, government entities, nonprofit organizations, and consulting firms. Members share a common goal of enhancing the public relations profession in Florida through ethical and standardized practices.
The FPRA Ocala Chapter was established in 1980 and provides professional development, networking, and professional recognition opportunities for its members.
For more information, visit the Ocala chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association’s website.