Home | PRSA Thoroughbred Chapter | Lexington & Central/Eastern Kentucky

PRSA Thoroughbred Chapter: We want to connect with you!

Professional Development • Networking • Accreditation • PRSSA • Awards • Mentoring

For more than 40 years we’ve been the leading public relations organization serving Lexington and Central/Eastern Kentucky. Our vibrant community of communications professionals covers a wide range of industries and levels of experience. From senior practitioners to young talent launching careers in PR, we’re the go-to resource for learning, networking and professional development.

September Coffee & Comms: Old School Coffee Lansdowne

Join us for Coffee & Comms Sept. 10 at Old School Coffee Lansdowne. This casual morning meetup is the perfect way to connect with fellow comms professionals. Whether you're new to PRSA or a longtime member, start your day with great conversation (and great coffee!). Attend five meetups and your sixth coffee is on us!

Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026 | 8:30-9:30 a.m. ET

Old School Coffee Lansdowne | 3373 Tates Creek Road, Lexington

No cost to attend. Food and drinks at your own expense.

Deadline to Register: Right up until the event

You're invited to the 2026 PRSA Thoroughbred Chapter Awards Ceremony

Thursday, Sept. 24 | 6-8 p.m. ET

Carson's at Andover, 3450 Todds Road, Suite 100, Lexington

Deadline to Register: Thursday, Sept. 17, 11:45 p.m. ET

Join us for an evening celebrating the accomplishments of some of the area's most influential communications professionals. Our region boasts some amazingly talented professionals, and it is our honor to recognize several of the best of them each year. Help us raise a glass as we honor their work and their impact on our community with our annual awards dinner.

Dinner includes entree, beverage, salad and dessert. There will be a cash bar.

$35 Chapter Member | $45 Non-Chapter Member | $25 Student/PRSSA Member

2026 East Central District Conference Sept. 17-18 in Detroit

There's still time to register for the PRSA East Central District Conference taking place Sept. 17-18 in Detroit. This year's conference will focus on how to be scrappy and hustle to evolve with the times and communicate in an age of change. Learn more here.

The PRSA East Central District serves chapters in Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Northwestern Pennsylvania.

Announcing The Inside Track: 2026 PRSA Thoroughbred Chapter Conference

Wednesday, Nov. 4: Pre-Conference Reception, 5-8 p.m. ET
Thursday, Nov. 5: Conference, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. ET

Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center | 141 E. Main St. | Lexington

Follow along: #InsideTrackPRSA

Registration Deadline: Friday, Oct. 23

Learn More & Meet Our Sponsors

Thoroughbred Chapter rep talks PR, awards ceremony, The Inside Track Conference on FOX 56 News

Katie Neal, ACC, recently made an appearance on FOX 56 to talk about all things PR, our chapter awards ceremony on Sept. 24 and The Inside Track Conference coming up Nov. 4-5.

Katie is immediate past president of the Thoroughbred Chapter and founder of Katie Neal Coaching & Consulting.

Watch here: PRSA Thoroughbred Chapter: The Inside Track Conference + Chapter Awards Nominations Open on FOX 56

Thoroughbred Chapter establishes Tom L. Preston Lifetime Achievement Award

The Thoroughbred Chapter has created its first named honor — the Tom L. Preston Lifetime Achievement Award — recognizing a career of extraordinary impact, integrity and leadership in the field of public relations.

The award is named in honor of Tom L. Preston, a founding member of the PRSA Thoroughbred Chapter and one of Kentucky’s most distinguished communications professionals. Preston’s career has been defined by excellence in practice, a deep commitment to ethical leadership, and a lasting influence on generations of practitioners.

Preston also holds the distinction of being the first Kentuckian elected to the prestigious PRSA College of Fellows, the organization’s highest individual honor.

Beginning with the chapter’s 2026 Awards Banquet on Sept. 24, the Tom L. Preston Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented annually to an individual whose career reflects the highest standards of the profession and a measurable, lasting impact on the communities they serve.