Jill Allread, APR, PRSA Fellow

Chief Executive Officer

Jill is the principal owner of Public Communications Inc., the Midwest’s largest independent, women-owned PR agency. Her 45-member diverse team includes senior counselors, media pros, digital strategists, designers, writers and planners. As CEO, Jill leads the communications, marketing and digital agency, and counsels clients in health care, community wellness, issues management, conservation, nonprofits and business. Her specialties include crisis and reputation management and professional brand building for C-suite executives. She also advises organizations in strategic visioning and planning.

In 2020, Jill was honored with membership in the International Women’s Forum, a distinguished invitation-only global women’s organization that answers high-achieving women leaders’ need for a community of diverse thinkers.

Jill is a founding board member of Girls in the Game, a Chicago nonprofit that empowers girls through sports and leadership. The organization serves 3,000 girls every year in the Chicago region. Jill’s mentorship has included individual girls in Girls in the Game as well as aspiring women executive directors and CEOs at nonprofits nationally. Jill is a sought-after public speaker and facilitator and has been a frequent panelist to address topics that include the #MeToo movement, reputation management, navigating crises and executive leadership.

Jill was recognized in 2015 as one of Chicago Business Journal’s Women of Influence, the 2015 Woman of Vision by Arnstein and Lehr, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Publicity Club of Chicago.s a senior strategist, counselor and agency owner, Jill counsels a wide variety of regional and national clients to enhance their brand and reputation and to navigate crises by more effectively telling their story through strategic communications.

Jill is internationally recognized for her work assisting institutions that have animals in professional care. Among clients she counseled are the World Zoo and Aquarium Association, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums, International Crane Foundation, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, American Veterinary Medicine Association, International Marine Animal Trainers Association and more than a three dozen institutions with animals in professional care.

A frequent national speaker and trainer, she has instructed at NOAA’s National Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Network conferences and presented at the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians (AAZV), the Elephant Managers Association (EMA), American Association of Zookeepers Association (AAZA), and Association of Zoos and Aquarium (AZA) professional meetings.

She co-authored a chapter for the 7^th edition of Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine (ZAWAM) textbook titled “Culture and media shifts put animal care in new light posing new challenges and opportunities for veterinarians.”  She also authored a chapter in the PR News Crisis Management Guidebook titled: “Culture shifts hold animals in new light, pose new challenges.”

In April 2017, Jill joined an animal welfare and crisis management panel for the American Bar Association’s Trial, Tort and Insurance Practice Section Conference sharing insights into the changing roles of animals in society and the ethical and legal discussions that are resulting from shifting attitudes.

An active civil leader, Jill volunteers her professional expertise to international groups working for the welfare of elephants including the Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesviruses (EEHV) Task Force and the National Elephant TB advisory group.