SARASOTA, FL – July 15, 2025 – Four local public relations professionals have achieved prestigious industry milestones. Sarah Glendening and Virginia Zimmermann have each earned their accreditation in public relations. In receiving the Accredited in Public Relations (APR) designation, they join more than 5,000 professionals nationwide, representing an elite group of public relations professionals committed to practicing with exemplary ethical standards. Additionally, Andrea Knies and Jennifer Linzy earned their Certified Public Relations Counselor (CPRC) credentials from the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA). In order to earn the CPRC designation, communications practitioners must have 10 years of experience, be FPRA members in good standing and have earned the APR.
All four of these members of the Central West Coast Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association (CWC-FPRA) will be honored for these achievements at the FPRA PR & Comms Summit taking place in Orlando August 3-6.
“It can feel intimidating to embark on the credentialing journey, especially when juggling work and family commitments; however, our chapter has a long, proud history of credentialing success stories, due in part to the supports provided by the state office and our board,” said CWC-FPRA Credentialing Co-Director Sharon Kunkel, APR, CPRC. “Those who have committed themselves to the work and study required to earn their credentials unfailingly report that the effort results in increasing their confidence and enhancing their professional performance. We congratulate all of this year’s newly-credentialed practitioners for these significant achievements!”
Glendening serves as the Chief Marketing Officer for the Education Foundation of Sarasota County and is also the Immediate Past President for CWC-FPRA. She is the proud recipient of the 2024 FPRA Chapter President of the Year, the 2022 Ginnie Duffy Troyer Award of Professionalism, the 2021 Joe Curley Rising Leader nomination, and the 2020 Member of the Year for CWC-FPRA. Her career began in entertainment as an actor. Native to the Sarasota-Manatee area, Glendening decided to return home once she was ready to settle in one place. She began working at Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center in 2017 in an administrative role focused on marketing and development. The role expanded, and Glendening became the Director of Community Relations before moving on to her current role at the Education Foundation.
Zimmermann is the Director of Communications and Public Relations for SeaPort Manatee. She worked her way through the ranks starting as the Marketing and Public Relations Manager, followed by the Senior Manager of Communication and Government Relations before assuming her current role in 2020. Zimmermann grew up in Germany where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Applied Sciences in Munich. She has led numerous award-winning endeavors, including a Communications Award of Distinction from the American Association of Port Authorities for SeaPort Manatee’s official directory.
Knies serves as the Communications and Community Engagement Director for Realize Bradenton and is also the Celebrations Director for CWC-FPRA. She previously served as the Communications Director for the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County. Knies earned her APR in 2020 before going on to study for her CPRC. Also in 2020, Knies was honored with CWC-FPRA’s Joe Curley Rising Leader chapter nomination.
Linzy works as the Public Information Officer at the Manatee Clerk Circuit Court, and serves on the CWC-FPRA Board of Directors as the Finance Director. Additionally, she is a second-generation employee at the Clerk’s office. Her mother, Judy Brand, was previously the Law Librarian for the Clerk until retirement. Linzy is a graduate from the University of South Florida with a B.A. in Professional and Technical Communication.
For more information about the APR or CPRC process, visit the Florida Public Relations Association website at https://www.fpra.org/professional-development/credentialing. Additionally, listen to the APR episode of CWC-FPRA’s award-winning podcast, Just Following Up…Again.
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About The Central West Coast Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association (CWC-FPRA)
The Central West Coast Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association is a network of public relations, marketing and communications professionals from Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties who come together for professional development and to build a network of peers. As an active part of the oldest statewide public relations organization in our country, CWC-FPRA takes pride in its 55-plus year history of presenting stimulating programs and advancing the professional growth of its members. The Florida Public Relations Association is dedicated to developing public relations practitioners who, through ethical and standardized practices, enhance the public relations profession in Florida. For more about CWC-FPRA, visit cwcfpra.com.