FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact:
Phyllis McElroy 770.634.8032 | pmcelroy@healthybay.org
Melissa Malott 253.444.7039

Phyllis McElroy joins Communities for a Healthy Bay as new Communications and Marketing Director

 TACOMA, WA (April 5, 2022) Tacoma’s own Phyllis McElroy joins Communities for a Healthy Bay (CHB) as the organization’s first Communications and Marketing Director. Phyllis will be developing the communications and marketing program at CHB, creating strategic communications to raise the organization’s profile and elevate awareness of environmental justice issues in Tacoma and the South Sound.

A proud graduate of Lincoln High School, Phyllis brings nearly two decades of results-driven experience in strategic communications and digital marketing to CHB.

“Phyllis has vast experience in raising awareness of important community issues. She has a strategic mind and her role here will help level up CHB’s work to protect the environmental and strengthen communities in Tacoma and the South Sound,” said CHB’s Executive Director Melissa Malott. “CHB strives to punch above its weight, and with Phyllis, I know we’ll be able to make our work even more effective. I am truly stoked for her to join this excellent team.”

Prior to joining CHB Phyllis honed her skills in Atlanta where she worked in digital marketing while pursuing a master’s degree in Public Relations & Applied Communications. After returning to the Tacoma area, Phyllis worked on a community-led effort supported by the Washington State Department of Health garnering earned media and social media engagement to connect with marginalized communities impacted by pandemic-related health issues. She also represented JayRay, local ad and PR agency in media relations efforts for The Kinsey African American Art and History Collection exhibition at Tacoma Art Museum.

CHB created this new position to strengthen the organization’s outreach and raise public awareness of environmental justice issues in Tacoma and the greater South Sound region. CHB aims not only to build support for important environmental issues, but also to help the public understand how environmental issues impact and are affected by other social issues, from affordable housing and racial justice to tribal sovereignty and health disparities.

“I am honored to step into this role within an organization that is doing work to make the South Sound a better place for everyone to live,” says McElroy. “I believe in CHB’s mission and look forward to developing communications that center on environmental justice and the issues that intersect ultimately creating a better future for us all.”

Phyllis has spent most of her career cutting her teeth leading innovative projects and enjoys telling stories that pack a punch. Her passion for art and nature is where work and leisure meld together. She is happy to be back in the Northwest and can be found feasting on new music or delectable eats, at an art show or hiking on local trails.

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About Communities for a Healthy Bay

For 30 years, Communities for a Healthy Bay has brought people together to achieve a clean and healthy Commencement Bay that benefits both our community and the surrounding ecosystem that calls Puget Sound home. Our work is driven by a passion for the natural environment and our community; by a steadfast commitment to good science, strategic action and organizational excellence; and by a conviction that together we can accomplish more.