Abbie S. Fink
What do you do: I am the vice president and general manager of HMA Public Relations, Arizona’s oldest continuously operating public relations agency.
Share with us how you give back: I am a founding member and past president of the Valley of the Sun Active 20/30 Club and have the distinction of being the first woman to ever serve on the Active 20/30 International. I am also a graduate and past president of Scottsdale Leadership, and a past member of the organization’s advisory board. At HMA Public Relations, I also make it a priority for the firm to champion critical causes. I am very proud of leading communications efforts to raise awareness around such issues as prescription/OTC drug abuse, mental health disparity, access to affordable healthcare, disability advocacy, voting rights, and diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Similarly committed to advancing the public relations profession, I have been an active member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) since 1986. I am past president of the Phoenix Chapter of the PRSA, past chair of PRSA Western District and chaired its conference twice in the past 10 years. I am also past chair of PRSA’s Counselors Academy and a past chair of PRSA’s National Communications Committee. Beyond this, I served for a decade on the board of directors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, including time chairing the organization’s largest annual event – Celebrate Youth Gala and Auction. In 2012, I was admitted to the executive board for the organization – at the time, the sole female on the board. I also recently completed time as a board trustee for the Independent Newspapers Inc. and as a member of the board of advisors for the Phoenix Jewish News.
Currently, I serve on the board of directors for Camp Colley Foundation, volunteer at Congregation Beth Israel as a mentor to the B’nei Mitzvah kids and on the temple’s Centennial Committee.
Share with us why you give back: Giving back is something that has been a part of my DNA from a young age. My parents regularly volunteered and support causes that were important to them. That stuck with me throughout high school and college. When I started my career and had the time and means to give back, it became an important part of who I am.
Tell us about one nonprofit you support and why: My passion lies with helping kids, so I am drawn to organizations that support programs and services to benefit youth. I am currently serving as co-president of the Camp Colley Foundation, whose mission is to provide scholarships for deserving kids to have a summer camp experience. Summer camps provide a safe environment where young people develop important social, emotional and cognitive skills that will serve them later in life. Camp brings children together in an environment that encourages a greater sense of community and appreciation for individual differences. No matter what a child’s interests are, programs at camp give them the opportunity to engage with others, to learn the value of teamwork, to experience leadership and to work through conflict.