PR News honored the top-performing professionals in PR at its 2016 PR People awards luncheon at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on December 6, 2016. The event recognized the passionate and driven professionals who make communications matter in the marketplace. Also recognized were the 2016 Rising PR Stars 30 & Under award winners, the 2016 Diversity & Inclusion Awards honorees and the Top Places to Work in PR in 2016. PR News also inducted five new members into its Hall of Fame.
See Profiles of the Winners
PR News PR People Awards 2016
Winners and Honorable Mentions
2016 PR News Hall of Fame Inductees
- Anne Cowan, SVP, Communications and Marketing, CTAM
- Raymond Kerins, SVP, Head of Communications, Government Relations & Policy, Bayer
- Robert Mathias, President, Ogilvy Washington
- Debra Silimeo, EVP, Hager Sharp
- Rob Stoddard, SVP, Communications & Public Affairs, NCTA
Account Director or Supervisor of the Year
Winner:
Pouneh Lechner, Sterling Communications
Honorable Mentions:
Jessica Griffith, Pascale Communications
Zinie Chen Sampson, Baretz+Brunelle
Brand Marketer of the Year
Winner:
Janice Kapner, T-Mobile
Honorable Mentions:
Edward Harris, Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board
Simon Hodgkins, Vistatec
Community Relations Professional of the Year
Winner:
Jenna Thomas, Nebo Agency
Honorable Mention:
Lubomir Alamanov, SiteMedia Ltd.
Jon Sullivan, Aflac
Crisis Manager of the Year
Winner:
John Guilfoil, John Guilfoil Public Relations
Honorable Mentions:
Jeff Hallock, Orange County Sheriff's Department
Digital Communications Leader of the Year
Winner:
Mollie Surratt, Mohawk Flooring
Honorable Mentions:
Dickie K. Davis, Miami International Airport
Amy Franco, Princeton HealthCare System
Ryan Green, Illinois Policy Institute
Christian Rodgers, Pascale Communications
Financial Communication Professional of the Year
Winner:
Laureen Ellison, Pepperjam
Honorable Mentions:
Robert Burton Lambert, Edwards & Associates
Intern of the Year
Winner:
Jazmin Beltran, Cognito
Honorable Mention:
Nicole Falk, Havas PR
Thomas Scearce, Iowa State Fair
Rebecca Schaming, Family Promise of Summit County
Internal Communicator of the Year
Winner:
Sean Jamieson, Bank of America
Honorable Mention:
Brianna Cody, SAP
Lisa Hannum, Beehive Strategic Communication
Aaron Sherinian, United Nations Foundation
Measurement Expert of the Year
Winner:
Angela Sinickas, Sinickas Communications, Inc.
Honorable Mention:
Tiffany Jackson, Beehive Strategic Communication
Jessica Onick, Citrix
Alan Wallace, Afilias
Media Relations Professional of the Year
Winner:
Nati Katz, Burson-Marsteller
Honorable Mention:
Nicole Dye-Anderson, Barclaycard US
Alexandra Gambale, Peppercomm
Jamie Hall, Pascale Communications
Erica Hawksworth, Live Wire Media Relations, LLC
Diana Rickert, Illinois Policy Institute
Cara Schneider, VISIT PHILADELPHIA
Sharron Silvers, Burson-Marsteller
Johnny Smith, Ascension
PR Professional of the Year: Agency
Winner:
Lesley Sillaman, Havas PR
Honorable Mention:
Christophe Ginisty, FTI Consulting
Jason Morris, InkHouse
PR Professional of the Year: Corporate
Winner:
Christina Bennett, Elizabeth Arden
Honorable Mention:
Ann-Tyler Connell, Bank of America
Laureen Ellison, Pepperjam
Roger Frizzell, Carnival Corporation
Catherine Hernandez-Blades, Aflac
Janice Kapner, T-Mobile
Amanda Plecas, WACKER
PR Team Leader of the Year
Winner:
Trisha Cardoso, Showtime Networks Inc.
Honorable Mention:
Audra Friis, Pascale Communications
Susan McCabe, Bank of America
Dawn Miller, Miller PR
Ayme Zemke, Beehive Strategic Communication
PR Trainer/Educator of the Year
Winner:
Philip Nardone, PAN Communications
Honorable Mention:
Dr. Robert S. Fleming, Rowan University
Public Affairs Professional of the Year
Winner:
John Guilfoil, John Guilfoil Public Relations
Honorable Mention:
Joshua Boisvert, Davies
Social Media Professional of the Year
Winner:
Carmen Collins Cisco
Honorable Mention:
Alicia Camden, Pascale Communications
Anastassia Mitchell, Central Texas BBB
Spokesperson of the Year
Winner:
Jeff Hallock, Orange County Sheriff's Department
Honorable Mention:
Ted Dabrowski, Illinois Policy Institute
John Drengenberg, Underwriters Laboratories (UL)
Student of the Year
Winner:
Caitlin Bohrer, Arizona State University Cronkite PR Lab
Honorable Mention:
Madison McConnell, Drake University School of Journalism and Mass Communication