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2026 NSPRA Presidents Award Recipient: Danielle Airey, APR Chief Communications Officer, Peoria Unified School District (Ariz.)
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 Airey, APR, is a trusted leader in school public relations whose influence can be seen not only in the campaigns she has led but in the communicators and leaders she has helped develop along the way. Known across Arizona and within NSPRA as a strategic advisor, mentor and steady voice during complex moments, Airey has spent her career strengthening both the profession and the people within it.
Currently serving as chief communications officer for Peoria Unified School District in Arizona, Airey has led the district’s communications efforts for more than 15 years, guiding strategic initiatives ranging from crisis communications and community engagement to superintendent transitions and community funding initiatives. Under her leadership, the district has grown its communications department from four to seven professionals, including building the first school public relations team in Arizona with multiple APRs.
“Danielle has built something remarkable in the Peoria Unified School District,” said now-retired Superintendent Dr. Denton Santarelli. “She does not just hire good people — she develops them. She pays attention, she challenges them, she opens doors.”
Airey’s commitment to mentorship is especially visible through her work supporting accreditation in public relations. After becoming one of Arizona’s first school public relations professionals to earn APR, she went on to serve as the state’s first APR chair, helping create a stronger culture of professional growth and accreditation throughout Arizona school PR. Colleagues across the state credit Airey with personally encouraging, coaching and guiding them through the APR process through webinars, mock panels, study support and one-on-one mentorship.
Her mentorship extends nationally through service on NSPRA’s Accreditation Committee and presentations for APR Cohorts and professional learning sessions. NSPRA Southwest Region Vice President Christy McGee, APR, describes Airey as “a steady and inspiring presence” who consistently strengthens the profession by “empowering others to grow, achieve and lead strategically.”
At the same time, colleagues say Airey’s greatest strength is how personally invested she becomes in helping others succeed. “She is often the first to check in, offering thoughtful guidance, asking insightful questions and helping frame challenges through a strategic lens,” said Adriana Alvarado Parsons, Arizona SPRA president-elect and director of communications for Glendale Elementary School District.
Several former members of Airey’s team now lead communications work in districts across Arizona, while others credit her mentorship with helping them earn accreditation, pursue leadership opportunities and grow in confidence as professionals. Sara Meredith, APR, public relations manager for Peoria USD, reflected on Airey’s influence this way: “Her impact is profound, her contributions immeasurable, and her legacy already deeply felt by those fortunate enough to learn from her.”
For Airey, mentorship has never been about recognition or titles. Instead, colleagues describe a leader who listens first, offers honest feedback with compassion and consistently creates opportunities for others to grow. “She is the person who makes the work better and the people around her better,” Santarelli said.
Through strategic leadership, unwavering professionalism and a deep commitment to developing others, Danielle Airey, APR, continues to shape the future of school communication one relationship, one leader and one act of mentorship at a time.
The nomination submission portal for the 2027 award will open in January 2027.
Eligible nominees must:
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.
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:
The Gaskins Award winner will receive:
View a list of previous award recipients.