PR Consultants Group Elects Elizabeth Edwards as President to Lead Nationwide Network of Senior PR Specialists

Edwards Brings Expertise in Affective Intelligence, AI-Powered Communication and Engagement Ethics to Consortium Leadership

Apr. 13, 2026 at 11:56am

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A close-up of a polished, geometric glass paperweight or sculpture on a clean, monochromatic background, representing the abstract concepts of communication strategy, AI-powered reputation management, and ethical influence.A sleek, minimalist sculpture symbolizes the evolving role of strategic communication in an AI-powered world.Denver Today

PR Consultants Group, the exclusive nationwide network of senior-level public relations, strategic communications, and marketing specialists in more than 50 U.S. markets, today announced the election of Elizabeth Edwards as President for 2026. Edwards is the President and Founder of Volume PR, Founder of Engagement Science Lab and The Affect Institute, and a leading AI speaker for the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). She brings more than 25 years of interdisciplinary research in the science of affective engagement and ethical persuasion to the consortium's leadership.

Why it matters

As business complexity increases—with organizations facing geographic expansion, regulatory exposure, AI-indexed reputation risk, political dimensions, and crisis velocity—companies are re-evaluating how they structure public relations partnerships. PR Consultants Group's network-integrated model provides national reach and specialist depth without the overhead or fragmentation of traditional agency structures.

The details

Edwards is the first president of PR Consultants Group to bring specialized expertise in artificial intelligence, answer engine optimization (AEO), and generative engine optimization (GEO) to the consortium's leadership. The election comes as more than 40 percent of search queries in 2026 now flow through AI-powered answer engines such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Perplexity, fundamentally reshaping how organizations are discovered, how reputations are formed, and how trust is established before a prospect ever makes contact.

  • Edwards was elected as President of PR Consultants Group in April 2026.

The players

Elizabeth Edwards

Elizabeth Edwards is the President and Founder of Volume PR, the strategic communication firm she established in 2001, and serves as President of Engagement Science Lab and The Affect Institute. She is an internationally recognized trainer and speaker on the science of affective engagement, ethical persuasion, and the application of AI in strategic communication.

Sharon Kreher

Sharon Kreher is the Principal of teamworks communication and Past President of PR Consultants Group.

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What they’re saying

“Elizabeth's Affective Intelligence framework transforms how communicators engage audiences, moving beyond persuasion tactics to a deep understanding of how people actually form trust and make decisions.”

— Sharon Kreher, Principal, teamworks communication

The takeaway

This election highlights the growing importance of AI-powered communication and engagement ethics in the public relations industry, as organizations seek strategic partners who can navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of how brands are discovered and reputations are formed.