NSPRA Front-Runners Archive

NSPRA Front-Runners are members identified by the NSPRA Executive Board as emerging leaders who are doing outstanding work for their schools, their chapters and for NSPRA. The annual distinction recognizes four members, each from a different NSPRA region.

Click a school year to show or hide each list of NSPRA Front-Runners.

Click a Front-Runner's name to see his or her full profile, as featured in The NSPRA Network member e-newsletter. These profiles reflect responses provided at the time of selection. 

2019-2020

Angela Linch
Communications and PR Administrator
Central Bucks School District
Doylestown, Pa.
NSPRA Northeast Region 

Karen Heath
Supervisor of Communications
Berrien RESA
Berrien Springs, Mich.
NSPRA Mideast Region

Yolanda Stephen, APR
Director of Public Relations
Troup County School System
LaGrange, Ga.
NSPRA Southeast Region

Todd Hagans
Chief Communications Officer
Gaston County Schools
Gastonia, N.C.
NSPRA Southeast Region

2018-2019

Erica Chandler, APR
Director of Communications
Affton School District
Affton, Mo.
NSPRA South Central Region

Barb Nicol, APR
President
Barbara Nicol Public Relations
Minneapolis, Minn.
NSPRA North Central Region

Daniel Thigpen
Director of Communication and Community Engagement
Folsom Cordova Unified School District
Rancho Cordova, Calif.
NSPRA Southwest Region

Tove Tupper
Assistant Director of Communications
Highline Public Schools
Burien, Wash.
NSPRA Northwest Region
 

2017-2018

Shawn McKillop, APR
Manager of Communications and Community Engagement
Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board
Hamilton, Ontario
NSPRA North Central Region

Jennifer Harris, APR
Director of Communications
Arlington (Va.) Public Schools
NSPRA Mideast Region

Lori Perlow
Admissions Officer/Community Liaison
Mercer County Technical Schools
Pennington, N.J.
NSPRA Northeast Region

Becky Bean
Communications Manager
South Carolina School Boards Association
Columbia, S.C.
NSPRA Southeast Region
 

2016-2017

Danielle Clark, APR
Executive Director of Communications
Poudre School District
Fort Collins, Colo.
NSPRA Southwest Region

David Beil
Community Relations Director
Central Kitsap Schools
Silverdale, Wash.
NSPRA Northwest Region

Danielle (Dani) Brink
Director of Community Relations
DuPage High School District 88
Addison, Ill.
NSPRA North Central Region

Kristin Magette, APR
Director of Communications
Eudora (Kan.) Public Schools
NSPRA South Central Region
 

2015-2016

Lesley Bruinton, APR
Public Relations Coordinator
Tuscaloosa (Ala.) City Schools
NSPRA Southeast Region

Carla Pereira, APR
Manager of Communications
Peel District School Board
Mississauga, Ontario
NSPRA North Central Region

Tom Scheidel
Public & Media Relations Coordinator
Allegan (Mich.) Area Educational Service Agency
NSPRA Mideast Region

Tierney Tinnin
Senior Communications and Community Relations Officer
Oklahoma City Public Schools
NSPRA South Central Region
 

2014-2015

Curtis Campbell
Director of Communications
Sunnyside (Was.) School District
NSPRA Northwest Region

Jason Gaston, APR
Coordinator of Public and Media Relations
Hoover City (Ala.) Schools
NSPRA Southeast Region

Kala Morrissey
Communication Specialist/Webmaster
Papillion-La Vista School District
Papillion, Neb.
NSPRA North Central Region

Heidi Vega
Director of Communications
Arizona School Boards Association
Phoenix, Ariz.
NSPRA Southwest Region

2013-2014

Teri Kranefeld
Manager of Communications
Harford County Public Schools
Bel Air, Md.
NSPRA Mideast Region

Zac Rantz
Director of Communications
Nixa (Mo.) Public Schools
NSPRA South Central Region

Dan Sherman
Director of Communications
Questar III BOCES
Schodack, N.Y.
NSPRA Northeast Region

Kim Yielding
Manager, Communications & Public Relations
District School Board of Niagara
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
NSPRA North Central Region

2012-2013

Mychal Frost
Public Information Officer
Clover (S.C.) School District
NSPRA Southeast Region

Carrie Hilger, APR
Director of Communications
West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan Area Schools
Mendota Heights, Minn.
NSPRA North Central Region

Stephen Nichols
Public Information & Community Relations Officer
Folsom Cordova USD
Rancho Cordova, Calif.
NSPRA Southwest Region

Casey White-Zollman
Director of Communication & Print Solutions
InterMountain ESD
Pendleton, Ore.
NSPRA Northwest Region

2011-2012

Tim Bullis
Director of Community Relations
Chesterfield County (Va.) Public Schools
NSPRA Mideast Region

Jill Filer
Director of Communications and Community Relations
Harrisonville (Mo.) School District
NSPRA South Central Region

Briget McGuiggan, APR
Community Relations Coordinator
Orland School District 135
Orland Park, Ill.
NSPRA North Central Region

Jessica Scheckton
Program Manager
Capital Region BOCES Communications Service
Albany, N.Y.
NSPRA Northeast Region

2010-2011

Danielle Gittus, APR
Public Relations Specialist
Oakland Schools
Waterford, Mich.
NSPRA Mideast Region

LaTarzja Henry
Executive Director of Communications
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Charlotte, N.C.
NSPRA Southeast Region

Trinette Marquis
Director of Communications
Twin Rivers Unified School District
McClellan Park, Calif.
NSPRA Southwest Region

Gracie Valle-Chimal
Community Relations Liaison
Pasco (Wash.) School District
NSPRA Northwest Region