By Sande Snead

Kim Loehr was honored, Sande Snead spoke and Julie Campbell was inducted – all exciting happenings at the 2023 National Federation of Press Women Conference at the Graduate Hotel in Cincinnati, Ohio. Additionally, 16 Virginia Professional Communicators members received national awards in the annual communications contest.

Cathy Jett, Julie Campbell, Sande Snead, Cynthia Price and Kim Loehr represented VPC, kicking off the weekend at the Rhinegeist Tap House (or for some, pre-conference tours).

Left to right: Sande Snead, Julie Campbell, Kim Loehr, Cynthia Price, Cathy Jett

Keynote speakers included longtime NFPW member Jill Miller who spoke about “Adventures in Accidental Entrepreneurship.” Lunch keynote speakers included Sherri Burr and Linda Hass who shared incredible tales about the Underground Railroad including Harriet Tubman’s courageous 19 trips escorting more than 300 slaves to freedom. One story involved a slave whose feet were torn up from the trip. He told Tubman he couldn’t make it. She pointed a gun at him because she couldn’t risk discovery of the Underground Railroad. He decided he could make the trip after all.

Afternoon workshops included a talk by VPC President Sande Snead titled, “How I managed $2.6 million in marketing and advertising from 3,000 miles away during COVID.”

The Authors Alley (member book sales), silent auction and meetings rounded out the rest of the first full day of the conference. The day culminated with the naming of the National Communicator of Achievement – Colorado’s Marilyn Saltzman, a seasoned Jefferson County Schools communications manager, who was thrust into the maelstrom when two Columbine High School students shot and killed 12 classmates and a teacher and wounded 26 others. Our own COA Kim Loehr proudly represented Virginia.

Day 2 included a ChatGPT round table discussion, national high school contest awards, more workshops and big reveal of the 2024 NFPW Conference location (hint: Meet me in St. Louis!). The day and conference concluded with the Communications Contest Awards Banquet and Installation of Officers. Sixteen VPC members received 23 national awards. For a full list, see our news release.

As we expected, VPC’s Julie Campbell (left) was installed as the 2023-2024 National Federation of Press Women president – the third Virginia member to hold the honor. We are so very proud of Julie and are excited to see her in action over the next year! Read more.

NFPW Conferences are educational, fun, provide an opportunity to visit a place that may not be on your radar and perhaps most importantly, are a place to solidify existing friendships and establish new ones. 

I hope members who have never attended a national conference will meet me at the “Gateway to the West” in 2024!