NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwire) -- 10/22/09 -- Wendell Potter, APR, who recently abandoned a 20-year career in corporate communications at health-benefits provider CIGNA Corp. to blow the whistle on what he alleges is the health insurance industry's "duplicitous" behavior in the current health-reform debate, will be interviewed by Arianna Huffington before a live audience on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 1 p.m., at the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) 2009 International Conference.

The co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, Huffington will interview Potter -- now a senior fellow on health care at media watchdog the Center for Media and Democracy -- as part of her keynote address at the Conference's opening general session. The two will discuss public relations' influence on public policy, and the personal epiphany that prompted Potter to leave behind a successful career at CIGNA to speak out against his former industry. Potter will address what he sees as "spin" and "flackery" in health care public relations.

Since leaving Cigna, Potter has regularly spoken out on the need for a fundamental overhaul of the health care system in the United States, charging insurance companies with misleading advertising and other forms of miscommunication. Earlier this year, Potter testified about the health insurance industry's lack of transparency before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. He has also appeared on the BBC, CNN, C-SPAN, MSNBC and PBS, and been featured in TIME magazine.

The PRSA International Conference is the public relations industry's largest annual learning and networking event, drawing thousands of public relations and communications professionals from all practice areas and levels of experience who want to learn, share, make industry connections and, ultimately, advance their careers.

For registration information and other information on the PRSA 2009 International Conference, visit the Conference Web site.

About the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)

The Public Relations Society of America (www.prsa.org), headquartered in New York City, is the world's largest organization for public relations professionals with nearly 31,000 professional and student members. PRSA is organized into 110 Chapters and 10 Districts nationwide, and 20 Professional Interest Sections and Affinity Groups, which represent business and industry, counseling firms, independent practitioners, military, government, associations, hospitals, schools, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations. The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) has 304 Chapters at colleges and universities throughout the United States, and one Chapter in Argentina.