PRSA Richmond November Luncheon

Research in a Noisy World: From Insight to Action

How do we conduct meaningful research in a communications landscape where audiences are overwhelmed by messages, information, and competing demands for their attention?

Join PRSA Richmond for our November luncheon featuring Rian Chandler-Dovis, COO and Managing Partner at Brand Federation, for a practical conversation about what research looks like today—and how communicators can move beyond the traditional survey to uncover insights that truly matter.

Rian will explore recruitment, research methodologies, and strategies for designing approaches that make people feel heard. Attendees will learn how to navigate the overused and underutilized world of surveys, identify the right methods for the questions they need to answer, and most importantly, turn research findings into practical, meaningful action.

Honoring Our PRSA Richmond Legacy

This luncheon will also include a special opportunity to welcome and recognize past presidents of PRSA Richmond. We’re proud to celebrate the leaders who have helped shape our chapter, advance the public relations profession in our region, and build the foundation for the PRSA Richmond community we have today.

Come for the conversation, stay for the connections, and help us celebrate both the future of communications research and the legacy of PRSA Richmond leadership. 

We will also recognize our PRSSA scholarship award winners. Please register by November 13, 2026. After this time, we will have a waitlist on a first-come, first serve basis. 

GUEST SPEAKER

Rian Chandler-Dovis has spent over two decades bringing marketing and strategic leadership to some of the world's best known brands, including General Motors, American Express, Samsung, PepsiCo, World Wildlife Fund, AB InBev, and Colgate. She currently serves as Chief Operations Officer and Managing Partner at Brand Federation, a global consultancy focused on organizational brand strategy.

She holds an undergraduate degree from James Madison University (2004) and a Master’s degree from VCU Brandcenter, where she graduated in 2017 as valedictorian. She later returned to the Brandcenter as an adjunct professor, drawn to mentoring the next generation of brand and marketing leaders. That relationship with the school came full circle this year, when Rian was named to VCU's 10 Under 10 for 2026.

Rian stays engaged with her field well beyond client work. She speaks regularly to professional groups and writes for industry media on organizational branding.

Rian is also deeply committed to community. She regularly contributes to local publications in Baja California Sur, Mexico, where she lives with her husband and their two youngest children (15 and 19). In addition, she serves on the boards of Fundación Padrino Todos Santos, a nonprofit bringing world-class health care to children and families in Baja California Sur who would otherwise be unable to access it, and on the board of Adagio House in Virginia, which supports people with disabilities and their families and caregivers. When she isn't working or volunteering, she keeps a steady practice as an oil painter.

Menu:
Eggplant Parmesan Napoleon: Crispy breaded eggplant layered with roasted peppers, spinach, ricotta, and mozzarella cheese. Served with marinara sauce., Angel Hair Pasta: Angel hair pasta tossed with garlic, capers, fresh parsley, and olive oil

Chicken Piccata: Chicken breast lightly coated in egg batter, sautéed and finished with a bright lemon sauce, briny capers, and a splash of white wine, Lemon Garlic Broccolini, Angel Hair Pasta: Angel hair pasta tossed with garlic, capers, fresh parsley, and olive oil,

Event Contact

Jay Ell Alexander, Chapter Administrator
[email protected]

RSVP Policy

Registration for this luncheon will close on the Friday prior to the event. After that time, members and guests wishing to attend in person will need to email the Chapter Administrator, [email protected] to see if space is still available or to be put on a waiting list if needed. Please RSVP early in order to ensure that you are included in the headcount for lunch! If you register as a guest and later determine that you cannot attend, please contact the chapter administrator, at [email protected]. You must cancel prior to three business days in advance of the meeting to be eligible for a refund. If you cancel after that deadline, you will still be responsible for the lunch payment and will be billed if you didn't already pay online. No-shows will be billed for the lunch.