Parris Communications has announced that Laurie Roberts, the firm’s current chief operating officer, has been selected as the firm’s president. Roberts started as director of account services in 2001 after spending 17 years as a television and radio broadcast journalist.
Parris Communications’ founder and CEO Roshann Parris, who launched the public relations firm in 1988, said she’s always believed that “members of our team organically develop into the role they are destined to assume, often exceeding their own capacity before they even realize it. Laurie is Exhibit A of that precept. She has helped strategically lead and mentor our team for more than a decade—always with an incredibly passionate approach to exceeding expectations. I can’t imagine a more energized partner with which to continue to grow our firm, maintain our differentiated model of client service and lead our tremendous team forward.”
Roberts has served in management roles for much of her tenure at Parris Communications, including as managing director. She became COO in 2014. Roberts heads up several practices within the firm, including the crisis communications, real estate, and health care and life sciences groups.
During her broadcast career, Roberts racked up three Emmy Awards for anchoring and reporting, and she won the national Gracie Award, which is awarded by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation.
Roberts is also well-known for her civic involvement. She was honored as the 2016 recipient of the Bernard Powell award from the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s Centurions. She is a founding member of the Starr Women’s Hall of Fame and was its inaugural co-chair. She also serves on the citywide campaign cabinet for the United Way of Greater Kansas City, is president of the board of directors of the Kansas City affiliate of Susan G. Komen, has served as the vice president of the Girl Scouts of Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri, and has assisted the College Basketball Hall of Fame and Camp Quality.
Parris Communications specializes in corporate media and strategic communications, crisis communications, and public affairs management.
