By Sunni Brown, Contest Chair

NFPW has announced the winners of the 2025 national communications contest, and VPC members were well-represented among those honored — 13 members received 18 national awards, including eight first-place awards!

More than 1,900 entries were submitted in this year’s contest, and all state-level, first-place awards advance to the national competition. About 250 professional communicators from all over the country will be honored with a national award during the celebration at the 2025 NFPW Conference in Golden, Colorado, on September 13. 

Virginia’s winners include:

Frances Crutchfield, Midlothian

• Honorable Mention – Speeches > Speech for “A Broken Promise”

Patty Kruszewski, Richmond

• Honorable Mention – Specialty Articles > Business for “Leaders laud impact of Amazon on region”

Kimberly Loehr, Richmond

• 1st Place – Public Relations Materials > Catalog, Manual, or Handbook for “African Centres for Lightning Education Network Brand Kit”
• 1st Place – Information for the Media > Media Pitch for “Lightning Safety Awareness Week 2024”

Ann Oppenhimer, Richmond

• 1st Place – Publication Regularly Edited by Entrant > Newsletter/other publication – non-profit, government, or educational for “Folk Art Messenger #113”
• 3rd Place – Specialty Articles > Obituary for “James ‘Jim’ Harley 1932-2024”

Cynthia Price, Glen Allen

• Honorable Mention – Specialty Articles > Green/environmental for “Lessons in nature on the University of Richmond campus”

Deana Ricks, Tracy Perkins, Meghan Van Joosten, Yorktown

• 2nd Place – Communications Programs and Campaigns > Marketing Program or Campaign for “Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design”

Deana Ricks, Yorktown

• Honorable Mention – Web and Social Media > Web Copy for “You Can Help > Moving Forward”
• Honorable Mention – Publications Regularly Written by Entrant > Newsletter/other publication, nonprofit, government or educational for “To Do Justice – Voluntary Honor Tax”

Pamela Stallsmith, Richmond

• Honorable Mention – Feature Story > Online publication for “Impromptu sloth rescue highlights dangers to the rainforest”

Martha Steger, Midlothian

• Honorable Mention – Creative Verse > Single poem for “The Long Winter of Cancer”

Diane Thieke, Richmond

• 1st Place – Blog > Corporate or for-profit for “Two Years Later: Gen AI, Content Marketing, and What’s Next”

Joan Tupponce, Glen Allen

• 1st Place – Personality Profile > More than 750 words for “Meet the Delightful Desiree!”
• 1st Place – Specialty Articles > Hobby for “A Special Force”
• Honorable Mention – Specialty Articles > Arts and entertainment for “A Magical Sound”

Alex Veatch/Letterpress Communications, Farmville

• 1st Place – Advertising > Advertising Campaign for “Make Your Move: Highland County, VA, Google Ads Campaign”
• 1st Place – Social Media Presence > Corporate or for-profit for “Monument by Green Front”

You can view the state-level results here: 2025 Communications Contest State-Level Results.