Awards Nominate a Colleague Barry Gaskins Mentor Legacy Award

2025 Barry Gaskins Mentor Legacy Award Recipient: Danielle Clark, APR, chief communications officer, Harris County (Texas) Department of Education

Named for NSPRA past-president Barry Gaskins, APR, the Barry Gaskins Mentor Legacy Award recognizes a practicing school public relations professional for outstanding efforts in mentoring colleagues new to school public relations; providing counsel and advice on job success; and assisting colleagues in their professional development by creating or providing programs and activities designed to improve PR skills and knowledge.

Danielle Clark, APR, is a cornerstone of the school public relations profession—an accomplished leader, dedicated mentor and passionate advocate whose influence has uplifted countless colleagues and strengthened the field nationwide.

Currently serving as chief communications officer for the Harris County Department of Education in Houston, Clark leads strategic communications for an agency that serves nearly 1 million students across 50 school districts. Her impact, however, reaches far beyond her role. With more than two decades of experience in school communication roles across four states and leadership positions in three NSPRA state chapters, she has become a trusted advisor and mentor to professionals at every stage of their careers.

“Danielle has been unknowingly doing for her profession what HCDE does for public education—identifying blind spots and finding ways to support others,” said James Colbert, Jr., county superintendent of HCDE. “She is the standard to which others aspire.”

Clark has guided colleagues through earning their accreditation in public relations, helped new leaders step into director roles and developed communications teams from the ground up. “She is not just a mentor; she’s a friend, a sister and a confidant to so many of us,” wrote Kristyn Cathey, APR, president of the Texas School Public Relations Association, in her nomination of Clark. “Her sole focus is to uplift the profession and ensure we are all prepared to lead.”

Clark served as TSPRA’s APR Chair for multiple years and currently co-chairs the association’s Professional Development Committee. Under her leadership, TSPRA launched its first-ever TSPRA Academy pre-conference program for early-career professionals and is now building an on-demand program to support early-career school PR practitioners across Texas.

Dr. Jordan Ziemer, director of communications for Abilene Independent School District in Texas and TSPRA president-elect, described Clark’s mentorship as transformative: “Danielle is currently serving as my APR mentor and did not hesitate to say yes when I asked her to guide me,” he said. “I look forward to becoming the communications professional my district deserves because of her belief in me.”

Clark’s legacy lies in her ability to make everyone around her better. “She reminds me of Barry Gaskins in the way she always lends a listening ear or offers her guidance and support,” said Carol Birdsong, executive director of communications for Williamson County Schools in Tennessee. “With Danielle, everyone feels welcomed, included and appreciated.”

Through strategic vision, personal connection and a profound belief in others’ potential, Clark continues to shape the future of school communication—one relationship at a time.

The nomination submission portal for the 2026 Barry Gaskins Mentor Legacy Award will open in January 2026.

The Barry Gaskins Mentor Legacy Award recognizes a practicing school public relations professional for outstanding efforts in mentoring colleagues new to school PR, for providing counsel and advice on job success, and for assisting colleagues in their professional development by creating or offering programs and activities designed to improve PR skills and knowledge. This award is given in memory of Barry Gaskins, APR, an NSPRA past president who was known for his deep commitment to supporting and mentoring colleagues as well as for his passion for public education. The award is presented during a General Session of the NSPRA National Seminar.

Eligibility and Nomination Criteria

Eligible nominees must:

• Hold membership as a professional or professional partner in NSPRA.
• Belong to their state or region NSPRA chapter (unless nominee’s state/region has no chapter).
• Hold (or have held during their career) a full-time school PR position for a minimum of five years. 

Any professional or professional partner member of NSPRA may submit one nomination, but current NSPRA Executive Board members and NSPRA staff are ineligible for nomination.

Recipient Selection

Up to one Gaskins Award winner may be identified each year. A screening committee, comprised of several Executive Board members, reviews all nominations and identifies the winner. As part of the selection process, the committee considers whether the nominee:

• Is actively engaged in mentoring colleagues new to the school PR profession;
• Unselfishly gives of their time to counsel and advise colleagues on a range of issues;
• Shares expertise by providing professional development training for chapter members and others, and presents workshops/sessions at state and national conferences, including the NSPRA National Seminar;
• Has developed materials or programs designed to help new school PR professionals succeed and thrive in their jobs and the profession;
• Practices strategic communication management and effective public engagement processes;
• Demonstrates excellent personal communication skills and models the NSPRA Code of Ethics;
• Believes in the importance of ongoing professional development, advocates the value of accreditation in public relations (APR), and encourages colleagues to pursue APR (ideal candidate also is APR); and
• Demonstrates a commitment to supporting fellow NSPRA members through regular outreach, encouragement and acknowledgement of their efforts to promote public education as a cornerstone of our democracy.

Recognition and Award Presentation

The Gaskins Award winner will receive:

• Complimentary registration to the upcoming NSPRA National Seminar,
• A formal presentation of the award during a General Session at the Seminar and
• One night of lodging, arranged by NSPRA, for the evening before the award presentation. 

In the spirit of this award, the recipient also is allowed to designate a mentee of their choice to receive a scholarship to the NSPRA National Seminar. The funding for the scholarship is provided by the NSPRA Foundation for the Advancement of Education through memorial donations from NSPRA chapters and colleagues.

View a list of previous award recipients.