In the absence of a live event this spring, which would have allowed us to introduce our talented new slate of leaders to membership and the public, we’re using our digital platforms to get virtually acquainted. Up next: meet Josh Friedberg, IWPA’s High School Contest Chair and a much-lauded creative.

When did you first become an IWPA member, and how was that connection made?

I first became an IWPA member in 2014 after I learned about the organization through Tim Libretti, then my department chair for my graduate program at Northeastern Illinois University.

Describe your new board role and name something you hope to accomplish during the first year of your term?

My role is IWPA High School Communications Contest Chair. I hope to accomplish more significant outreach to more schools in and beyond the Chicago area to participate in the contest. Having judged a few categories in the contest (at the state and national level), I would love to see a greater turnout of different schools’ students to receive recognition for their work!

As a male leader in a historic organization built upon female suffrage, community and career advocacy, how will you help carry IWPA into an inclusive future, while respecting its formidable past?

I intend to use my role to collaborate with women in the organization to achieve IWPA’s goals. I also plan to reach out for feedback about my ideas to expand the organization’s outreach, especially by reaching out to past contest Chairs and high schools about what has worked in the past. I hope to make men more aware of the organization and its benefits for networking and recognition, but I don’t want to take attention away from the organization’s focus on women in communications fighting sexism and gender discrimination. I would work for the organization to attract greater numbers of men who support feminism and would get involved in our contests and other opportunities that the IWPA has to offer.