This year, 28 outstanding professionals were nominated by their state or regional chapters for this national honor. To be eligible, each nominee was first recognized at the chapter level as a Communicator of the Year or equivalent.

As part of NSPRA’s AANHPI Heritage Month series highlighting member reflections on identity, representation and the power of storytelling in school communities, school PR veteran and NSPRA past president Frank Kwan, APR, shares a personal essay on his journey from broadcast journalism to school public relations, and the importance of telling the stories he never saw growing up.

For nearly a decade, Detroit Public Schools Community District has built a recognizable brand rooted in student success, academic progress and district transformation. But district leaders recognized that even the strongest brands require reinvestment and reintroduction, especially to the audiences who matter most: students and families.

Each year, the NSPRA Foundation administers a number of scholarships for individuals to attend the NSPRA National Seminar. Congratulations to the recipients awarded a 2026 Seminar Scholarship, which includes complimentary registration to the conference in New Orleans this summer.