Member Spotlight: Sterling R. Morris, Ph.D., APR
Posted by admincarolyn on Oct. 25, 2026 / APR, Blog / Subscribe 0
Sterling R. Morris, Ph.D., APR, is director of communications for Intermountain Health’s Desert and Canyons Regions, serving caregivers across Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. He sets the strategic vision for regional communications, aligning messaging, deepening caregiver engagement, and accelerating organizational priorities. Drawing on expertise in marketing, executive communications, and design thinking, he brings a systems-driven, data-informed, and creative approach to complex challenges. He holds a Ph.D. in instructional technology and learning sciences, an M.S. in management information systems, and dual B.A.s in economics and international business, all from Utah State University. Outside of work, Sterling enjoys tennis, sailing, and cheering on his daughters as a proud cheer dad.
Sterling is PRSA Las Vegas Valley’s newest APR, having signed up for the chapter’s Ready to Roll program and worked hard throughout 2026 to learn the material, prepare for and present to the panel, and take the exam.
“My biggest takeaway was a deeper appreciation for RPIE — Research, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation,” he said. “It’s cyclical: what we learn in evaluation feeds directly into the next round of research and planning. It also scales, working just as well for a simple project as for a multi-year initiative. Following it makes you the expert on your project, current on the data, facts, and figures stakeholders and leaders need.”
Sterling’s career journey began with social media at Utah State University’s Jon M. Huntsman School of Business. “Twitter was taking off, college students were still mostly on Facebook, and TikTok didn’t exist,” he said. “An organic post reached all of your followers before advertisers could buy their way into users’ news feeds, and that environment rewarded creative video storytelling, photography, and posts. I’m a numbers guy and competitive by nature, so I tracked the Facebook and Twitter followings of more than 100 business schools and worked to grow the Huntsman School into the top 25 nationally."
Sterling brought those skills to Intermountain, where he started in a do-it-all shop. “As I began supporting executives, design principles — padding, layout, and aesthetics — merged with storytelling to shape how I approach executive communications,” he said. “My training in instructional technology and learning sciences added an understanding of learning psychology and how people consume information. Concepts like cognitive load theory help me make sure we don’t overwhelm our publics with too much on a slide, in an article, or in any other communication."
Later, Sterling worked in community health, where Intermountain’s community health needs assessments and implementation plans showed him that health is shaped by far more than what happens in a clinic or hospital. “Social drivers matter, and in every area we served, mental health kept coming up. That shaped my dissertation, which illustrated the power of peer learning in teaching suicide prevention techniques. It’s the same kind of peer learning I’ve benefited from throughout my career."
While the platforms have changed dramatically, from organic reach to pay-to-play, and from Facebook to TikTok, he said, what hasn’t changed is that public relations starts with understanding our publics: what they need, how they take in information, and what earns their trust. To stay current, Sterling said he makes a habit of following the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list and reading books in and adjacent to our field.
Sterling’s team at Intermountain Health produces the weekly Desert Region and Canyons Region Caregiver Brief newsletters that reach more than 43,000 caregivers across five states. “One of my favorite parts of that work is finding and sharing patient and caregiver stories,” Sterling said. “Those stories remind our caregivers why their work matters and help connect people across a large, geographically spread organization. I’m fortunate to work alongside a talented team and colleagues.”
“Our community relations work is just as important,” he continued. “Connecting our leaders with other leaders across the community is a continuous form of environmental scanning. It helps us understand what our neighbors need, what concerns them, and how we can serve them better. Here in Southern Nevada, those relationships feel especially meaningful as Intermountain builds the Nevada Children’s Hospital in Las Vegas, because the strongest community partnerships start with leaders who know and trust each other."
Sterling previously was a member of the Utah PRSA chapter, and after moving to Las Vegas, he said he kept hearing good things about our chapter from his colleagues Dave De Rurange, MBA, APR; Erin Hakoda, APR; and Brooke Heath, MA, APR, who were already members. Now a member of the Las Vegas Valley chapter, Sterling shared with us what he values about being a PRSA member.
“My personal mission is to live a happy, healthy, and meaningful life with those I love, and continuous learning is one of my core values. Whether it’s reading a book tied to our field or building a related skill, I believe it’s critical to keep learning and evolving alongside our ever-changing profession,” Sterling said. “PRSA’s forums, programming, education opportunities, and networking events work together to keep members current and effective, and to ensure our field is seen as a source of strategic, executive-level value for the organizations and clients we serve.”
When Dave, Brooke, and Erin earned their APRs together a few years ago, he said, they kindly invited him to join them in the credentialing process. He was in a very busy season of his career and education at the time, but hearing how much they valued the process inspired him to add the APR to his career development plan. When Jennifer McDonnell, MBA, APR, shared her recent experience earning the accreditation, the timing finally felt right.
“I owe a big thank-you to Gretchen Papez, APR, and the Ready to Roll program, including everyone who volunteers their time to teach program participants,” Sterling said. “Gretchen helped me focus my study time on the content that mattered most, which made the APR achievable while balancing a full-time job and family. If you’ve been thinking about earning your APR, I’d encourage you to reach out to Gretchen and join a Ready to Roll cohort. It’s one of the best investments I’ve made in my career.”
At the 2026 Pinnacle Awards ceremony, we will celebrate Sterling along with the chapter’s other members who have recently earned their APRs. Please join us in congratulating Sterling on his achievement!
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