Awards Nominate a Colleague School Communicator of the Year Award

The NSPRA School Communicator of the Year Award is one of the association’s highest and most prestigious honors, recognizing an exceptional school communications professional whose work has made a measurable, lasting impact on their district and community. The award is designed to recognize front-line school communicators who are currently leading, innovating and advancing the practice of school public relations through their day-to-day work in school districts or education service agencies. 

2026 Finalists Congratulations to the 2026 National School Communicator of the Year Award Finalists!

Holly Brooker Director of Community Relations Ulster BOCES New York School Public Relations Association Celi Haga, APR Chief of Staff and Executive Director of Strategic Communications Eastern Carver County Schools Minnesota School Public Relations Association Lori Perlow Public Information Officer, Communications Consortium Haddon Township School District New Jersey School Public Relations Association Tove Tupper, APR Chief Communications Officer Highline Public Schools Washington School Public Relations Association

And, congratulations to the following school communicators who were submitted as nominees for the national award from their state or regional chapter. ALL nominees will be invited to be recognized on stage during the General Session at the NSPRA 2026 National Seminar on Monday, July 20, in New Orleans., where the national winner of the award will also be announced.

Denise Barr, APR Director of Communications and Public Engagement Huntley Community School District 158 Illinois School Public Relations Association Ted Beasley Deputy Chief of Communications Louisiana Department of Education Louisiana School Public Relations Association Ja’Leasa Bolden Director of Communication Moss Point School District Mississippi School Public Relations Association Terri Brewer, APR Director of Public Relations Tuscaloosa County School System Alabama School Public Relations Association Amy Buckman Director of School and Community Relations Lower Merion School District Pennsylvania School Public Relations Association Kristyn Cathey, APR Chief of Communications Alief Independent School District Texas School Public Relations Association Michael Cyze Chief Communication Officer Dubuque Community School District Iowa School Public Relations Association Evan Debo Executive Director of Communications South Western City Schools Ohio School Public Relations Association Russ Elek, APR Communication and Public Relations Specialist Burlington School District New England School Public Relations Association Gabriel Gamiño Guerrero Director of Community Relations Alhambra Elementary School District #68 Arizona School Public Relations Association Candace Gibson Marketing and Social Media Coordinator Northern Kentucky Cooperative for Educational Services Kentucky School Public Relations Association Beth Graser Communications Director Hillsboro School District Oregon School Public Relations Association

Tyler Hill Chief of Communications and Planning Arlington Community Schools Tennessee School Public Relations Association Kimberly Koop, APR Director of Community Engagement and Recruitment USD 490 – El Dorado Public Schools Kansas School Public Relations Association Katherine Crnkovich, APR, CPRC Chief Communications Officer Seminole County Public Schools Sunshine State School Public Relations Association (Florda) Fermin Leal Chief Communications and Community Relations Officer Santa Ana Unified School District California School Public Relations Association Emily LeMay Director of Student and Family Engagement MSD Decatur Township Indiana School Public Relations Association Jessica Pupillo, APR Chief Communications Officer Mehlville School District Missouri School Public Relations Association Mitchell Roush Director of Communications and Marketing Grand Island Public Schools Nebraska School Public Relations Association Diana Spencer Communications Officer Baltimore County Public Schools Chesapeake School Public Relations Association Jessica Stilger, APR Director of Communications Berkley School District Michigan School Public Relations Association Jim Strick Communications Director Neenah Joint School District Wisconsin School Public Relations Association Erica Taylor, Ed.D. Assistant Superintendent for Communications and Business and Community Partnerships Orangeburg County School District South Carolina Chapter of NSPRA Tara Thompson, APR Chief Communications Officer Broken Arrow Public Schools Oklahoma School Public Relations Association Lindsay Whitley, Ed.D. Associate Superintendent, Communications and Community Engagement Cumberland County Schools North Carolina School Public Relations Association

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Eligibility for Nomination:

To be eligible for the National School Communicator of the Year Award, candidates must first be selected by their chapter as its Communicator of the Year based on their chapter’s selection criteria. This chapter award may be branded by another name but should reflect the highest award a school communicator can receive. In addition, candidates should be a current member of their chapter, hold a professional membership in NSPRA and plan to continue working in the profession.

This program is designed to recognize the outstanding leadership and contributions of active, front-line school communicators who work full-time in school districts or education service agencies. It is not designed to be a recognition of service at retirement. Current members of the NSPRA executive board are ineligible to receive this award.

For the first three award years (2024, 2025 and 2026), chapters may submit a past winner to allow the alignment of the chapter and national award cycle and criteria. By 2027, chapters should submit their current awardee.

Chapter leaders may complete a nomination form for their chapter nominee. Chapter leaders may also opt to have their nominee complete the application. No other person(s) should complete a nomination. Preview the nomination form before submitting.

Nominations were due by April 13, 2026. See timeline at the bottom of this page for more information.

Judging Areas:

The nomination form includes the submission of one essay of up to 300 words for each of the four judging areas: Leadership, Communication, Professionalism and Community Involvement (four essays total with each individual essay no more than 300 words in length).

Nominations may include supporting documentation of up to three supplemental items for each section. Each nomination must also include two letters of recommendation:

• One letter should be from the nominee's supervisor, superintendent or school board member.
• One letter may be from a chapter leader, such as the president or executive director.

Nominations must also include the updated résumé of the nominee as well as a professional headshot of the nominee.

Each judging area will be scored from 1 to 5, for a maximum of 20 points.

• Leadership: Describe how the nominee demonstrates leadership in successfully meeting the communication needs of their school system or educational service agency. Examples may include leading successful communication campaigns, overcoming an internal communication challenge or creating a robust strategic communication plan. Examples should include data-driven research, planning elements, implementation of strategies and tactics and evaluation measures showing outcomes. 

• Communication: Describe how the nominee demonstrates their strength in both personal and organizational communication. Examples may include evidence of persuasion, public speaking, the power of engagement or influence in decision making. Examples should include why the nominee’s communication strengths made a positive impact. 

• Professionalism: Describe how the nominee demonstrates a consistent effort toward increasing their knowledge and skills, providing professional development opportunities or being a mentor to others. Examples may include achieving accreditation in public relations (APR), participating in NSPRA’s Mentor Match program or serving as a speaker at the chapter or national level. 

• Community Involvement: Describe how the nominee demonstrates active participation in their local community and an understanding of regional, national and international issues. Examples may include going above and beyond their daily work commitments by volunteering in their local community, organizing a fundraising event for their community or writing an article that demonstrates broad knowledge of the complexities of public education. 

All activities or accomplishments must have taken place within the previous five years. Additionally, the nominee must have the ability and skills necessary to represent school communications in a professional manner, including but not limited to high-quality written communication and public-speaking skills. The nominee should maintain the highest standards of personal conduct and recognize that their personal conduct is held up to public scrutiny. Preview the nomination form before submitting.

Nominations were due by April 13, 2026. See timeline at the bottom of this page for more information.

Award Benefits:

• All nominees and finalists will be recognized individually on stage at the NSPRA Seminar during the first General Session. The SCOY awardee will be a surprise announcement and receive a physical award.
• The four finalists will be asked to provide a panel presentation at that same Seminar.

The winner will receive:

• National recognition through NSPRA publications, website and social media.
• Notification of the winner’s local media outlets, superintendent and school board
• Free registration and travel expenses for the subsequent NSPRA Seminar (expenses include airfare, four nights at the conference hotel and per diem for meals).
• Listed as a national speaker on the NSPRA website for one year.
• Represents NSPRA at national events such as serving as an exemplar on the LFA Public Schools Week panel.
• A $1,000 scholarship donation to their choice of an education foundation or school.

Judges:

A blue-ribbon panel of judges who are NSPRA’s past winners of the Presidents Award, the Barry Gaskins Mentor Legacy Award, Bob Grossman Leadership in School Communications Award and the current NSPRA president.

Timeline:

• January 15: Nomination form opens
• April 13: Deadline for chapter leaders to complete the application to submit their respective nominees for the National School Communicator of the Year Award. Chapter leaders may also opt to have their nominee complete the application.
• May: Four finalists are selected and announced.
• July 20: The National School Communicator of the Year is announced and all chapter winners are honored on stage at the NSPRA Seminar during the first General Session.

Questions? Contact NSPRA Executive Director Barbara M. Hunter, APR, at bhunter@nspra.org.

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2025 National School Communicator of the Year

Cindy Warner, APR, executive director of marketing and communications for Shelby County Schools in Alabama, was named recipient of the 2025 National School Communicator of the Year Award.

Read More About Cindy

Read more about all of the 2025 award nominees.

Previous Recipients

2024 National School Communicator of the Year

In 2024, Dirk Tedmon, APR, executive director of marketing and communications for Eden Prairie Schools in Eden Prairie, Minn., was named the inaugural recipient of the National School Communicator of the Year Award.

Read More About Dirk

Read more about all of the 2024 award nominees.

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