Virginia Professional Communicators recognized 22 annual Communications Contest award winners during the VPC Spring Conference May 5, 2018. These winners were honored at the state level. All first-place winners advance to the National Federation of Press Women contest.

Award winners include:

Bonnie Atwood
Second Place Editorial Opinion – Print-based Newspaper
Look at General Lee — The Whole Man

Nancy Wright Beasley
First Place PR Materials, Newsletters – Corporate or For-Profit
The Seed for The Little Lion

Lyndsie Blakely
First Place Communications Programs and Campaigns – Public Service
“Nursing Is Here” Campaign for Southside Virginia Higher Education Center’s Area Health Education Center

Second Place Communications Programs and Campaigns – Community, Institutional or Internal Relations
Longwood Small Business Development Center

Sunni Brown
First Place Information for the Media – News or Feature Releases – Multiple Releases
University of Richmond Digital Scholarship Lab Garners National Media Attention

Julie Campbell
First Place Publications Regularly Edited by Entrant – Magazine, Newsletter, or Other Non-Newspaper Publication
W&L: The Washington and Lee University Alumni Magazine (Winter/Spring 2017); W&L: The Washington and Lee Magazine (Fall 2017)

First Place PR Materials, Brochures – Nonprofit, Government, or Educational
A Difficult, Yet Undeniable, History

Frances Broaddus-Crutchfield
Third Place Speech
A Century of Service

Ruth Doumele
First Place Speech
Bluebloods and Bohemians: Virginia Women and the Women’s Suffrage Movement

Second Place Speech
The Cary Invincibles

Paul Fletcher
First Place Columns – Humorous
Two Humorous Columns by Paul Fletcher, VLW

First Place Editorial/Opinion – Print-based Newspaper
Put an End to Client-Shaming Fletcher, VLW

Second PlaceColumns – General
Two columns by Paul Fletcher, VLW

Audrey Hingley
First Place Columns – General
Crossroads: Elberon, Virginia; Crossroads: Raphine, Virginia

Second Place Feature Story – Magazine, Newsletter, or Other Non-Newspaper Print Publication
Remember the Rosies

Honorable Mention Specialty Articles – Travel
Williamsburg Film Festival’s Last Hurrah; Operation: Military Cuisine

Bethany Johnson
First Place Feature Story – Online Publication
Forget Trust in Media: It’s Finally Time to Trust Audiences

Virginia Johnson
Second Place Blogs – Nonprofit, Government, or Educational
Holiday Prep Starts Here!; CRRL Guest Picks: Bestselling Author Jamie Ford

Third Place Specialty Articles – History
Never Caught: The Washingtons’ Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave Ona Judge; A Spy Called James: The True Story of James Lafayette, Revolutionary War Double Agent

Jennifer Kinne
First Place Social Media Campaign – Nonprofit, Government, or Educational
Social Media Campaign for Longwood Small Business Development Center

Patty Kruszewski
First Place Columns – Personal Opinion
How to Grow an Adult; Work Ethics: Born in the Crib

First PlaceFeature Story – Print-based Newspaper
Fire Thieves and Sour Lemons

Second PlaceFeature Story – Print-based Newspaper
Talking Teeth

Third PlaceFeature Story – Print-based Newspaper
Henrico Woman Leads Foster Care Effort

Honorable Mention Feature Story – Print-based Newspaper
Benefit Concert Raises Funds for 3-Time Transplant Survivor

Kimberly Loehr
First Place Specialty Articles – Science or Technology
Debunking Myths about Lightning Safety and Lightning Protection; How the Growth of Sustainable Energy Technology is Making Lightning Protection Increasingly Critical

First Place Headlines
Are Churches Attracting More Lightning Than Sinners?; Is Your “Shelter” From the Storm a Lightning Safe Place? Is it Time to Inject a Little Lightning into the Big Weather Discussion?; Safeguarding the Past and Preparing for the Future: Why Lightning Protection is Important for Historic Structures

First Place Communications Programs and Campaigns – Community, Institutional, or Internal Relations
Build & Protect Campaign for Lightning Safe Communities

First Place Communications Programs & Campaigns – Public service
Building Lightning Safe Communities “When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!” In Support of National Lightning Safety Awareness Week

Second Place Website Edited or Managed by Entrant – Nonprofit, Government, or Educational
Lightning Protection Institute (LPI), Lightning.org

Julia McCann
First Place PR Materials – Reports
Southern Virginia Higher Education Center’s 2017 Annual Report

Tiffany Murray-Robinson
First Place Writing for the Web
MARTA Internship Provides ‘One-of-a-Kind Experiences’

Second Place Writing for the Web
Wilder Fellows Take on State Challenges

Catherine Petrini
First Place Website Edited or Managed by Entrant – Nonprofit, Government, or Educational
Reflections Alexandria

First Place Essay, Chapter, or Section in a Book
“Science Night,” published in Dear Friend: Letters of Encouragement, Humor, and Love for Women with Breast Cancer

Honorable Mention Blogs – Personal
What Would Jane Read? Episodes 32 & 33

Louisa Preston
First Place Single Photograph – News or Feature Photo
A Step Back in Time

Honorable Mention Single Photograph – News or Feature Photo
A Colonial Christmas in Williamsburg

Pamela Stallsmith and Sara Rozmus
Second PlacePR Materials, Brochures – Nonprofit, Government, or Educational
The Wilder School

Martha Steger
First Place Personality Profile – 500 Words or Fewer
Pipe Dreams

First Place Specialty Articles – Arts and Entertainment
An Exhibit Where Colors Thunder, Shimmer; Terracotta Warriors: Legacy of the First Emperor

First Place Specialty Articles – History
Maymont Mansion: Our Own Downton Abbey; Interest in Cold War is Heating Up

First Place Specialty Articles – Travel
A White House Built by Blacks; A Family Christmas Visit to Colonial Williamsburg

First Place Columns – Informational
Discover the Western Virginia’s Clifton Forge; Five Major Outdoor Weekends in the Alleghany Highlands

First Place Creative Verse – Single poem
Medieval Lit at 12: “Looking at Grendel Upside Down”

Third Place Feature Story – Magazine, Newsletter, or Other Non-Newspaper Print Publication
Century-Old Camp Continues to Shape Youth

Third Place Personality Profile – More than 500 words
Native Son, David Baldacci, Does It Again

Honorable Mention Personality Profile – More than 500 words
How We Create and Shape Our Life Stories

Honorable Mention Photographer/Writer
Back to the Islands

Joan Tupponce

First Place Feature Story – Magazine, Newsletter, or Other Non-Newspaper Print Publication
Mathletes Leading the Way

First Place Personality Profile – More Than 500 Words
The “Epitome” Of Philanthropy

First Place Specialty Articles – Physical Health, Fitness, Mental Health, Self-Help
To Worry or Not to Worry; A Contemporary Twist on Addiction

Second PlacePersonality Profile – More than 500 words
Richmond Home Makers

Second PlacePersonality Profile – More than 500 words
A New Season

Second PlaceSpecialty Articles – Travel
Whole New World; An Easy Bet

Gwen Woolf

Second Place Specialty Articles – Arts and Entertainment
Classical Music Rejuvenation is the Focus at Garth Newel; The Show Must Go On: Bluegrass Festival Gets New Lease on Life

Second Place Specialty Articles – Arts and Entertainment
Plan an Adventure on the Northern Neck Artisan Trail; Museums Faberge Collection Sparkles

Second Place Specialty Articles – History
Yorktown Museum Connects Visitors with The Revolution; Ella Fitzgerald Centennial Marked

Third Place Specialty Articles –Travel
Nine Ways to Explore the Craft Beverages of Nelson County; Rooms with a View: 3 Nelson County B&Bs Offer Home Base