Press Women names winners of 2023 Communications Contest

Arkansas Press Women announced the winners of its annual Communications Contest during an awards luncheon on the campus of the NorthWest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville on May 20.

Dwain Hebda of Ya!Mule Wordsmiths, Inc. took top honors, earning the 2023 Sweepstakes Award for the second year in a row. Mary Hightower was recognized as the 2023 Communicator of achievement.

Others winning awards in Arkansas Press Women’s 2023 Professional Communications Contest include Terry Austin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; David Barham, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Jenny Boulden, freelance; Bill Bowden, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; John Brummett, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Janet Carson, Arkansas DemocratGazette; Kaitlin Davidson, Arkansas

Department of Human Services; Stan Denman, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Angelita Faller, University of Arkansas at Little Rock; Gwen Faulkenberry, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Hunter

Field, Arkansas Advocate; Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas DemocratGazette; Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Amy Forbus, Hendrix College; Frankie Frisco, Arkansas DemocratGazette; Jacqueline Froelich, KUAF 91.3; Steve Goff, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Antoinette Grajeda, Arkansas Advocate; Lisa Hammersly, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Audrey Hanes, Occasions Publishing Group; Ashleigh Hart, Arkansas

Department of Human Services; Olivia Hicks, University of Arkansas at Little Rock; Mary Hightower, U or A System Division of Agriculture; Carrie Hill, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Cynthia Howell, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Emma Jones, The Bison, Harding University; Tammy Keith, freelance; Will Langhorne, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Frank Lockwood, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; John Magsam, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Karen Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Samantha McClain, NorthWest Arkansas Community College; Tommy Metthe, Arkansas

Democrat-Gazette; Keith Metz, Arkansas Department of Human Services; Fred Miller, U. of Ark. System Div. of Agriculture; Zoe Moody, The Threefold Advocate/KLRC, John Brown University; Andrew Moreau, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Teresa Moss, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Colin Murphey, Arkansas DemocratGazette; Rex Nelson, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Kristin Netterstrom Higgins, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture; Catherine Nolte, Southwest Times Record in Fort Smith; Catherine Nolte, Northwest Arkansas Food Bank; Morgan Nunley, NorthWest Arkansas Community College; Madison Ogle, The Echo, University of Central Arkansas; Rachel O’Neal, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Brittney Osborn, Occasions Publishing Group; Michelle Parks, University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design; Carrie Phillips, University of Arkansas at Little Rock; Audrey Poff, Occasions Publishing Group; Anna Pope, KUAF; Nick Popowitch, Arkansas DemocratGazette; Delaney Reaves, NorthWest Arkansas Community College; Rachell Sanchez-Smith, KUAF; Jamie Smith, Jamie’s Notebook; Joshua Snyder, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Celia Storey, Arkansas DemocratGazette; Stephen Swofford, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Stephen Thornton, Arkansas Department of Human Services; Klansee Tozer, University of Arkansas at Little Rock; Staci Vandagriff, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Tess Vrbin, Arkansas Advocate and Helaine Williams, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Work produced in a variety of communications fields during 2022 was eligible for the competition. First-place winners are eligible to advance to the National Federation of Press Women competition if they are members of NFPW. National winners will be announced during NFPW’s annual conference June 22-24 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Arkansas Press Women is an association of professional communicators in journalism, public information, business, education and government. To learn more visit arkansaspresswomen.org.

After several years of being unable to travel due to the pandemic, APA is reviving the tradition of visiting member newspapers around the state. Staff recently traveled to newspapers in the eastern part of the state, visiting the TimesHerald in Forrest City, the Wynne Progress and the Helena-West Helena World.

The boasts the state's only all-female the accolades the newspaper has collected over the years. 4: At the start of the pandemic the

1: The community of Wynne was hit hard by an EF-3 tornado that ripped through the heart of the town on March 31 of this year.

2: Wynne Progress/East Arkansas News Leader Classifieds/Legals Clerk Ashlynn Owens and Managing Editor David Owens. While the newspapers have been unable to publish since the tornado, the Owenses have been keeping the community informed of news and events via social media. David Owens is also contributing to the Times-Herald, which has expanded its coverage area into Cross County. 3: The Wynne Progress building was damaged in the March 31 storm. 4: The building remains unuseable. 5: Roofing material blown from several blocks away is drifted in the parking lot at the Wynne Progress 6: Wynne - "The City With A Smile" - is currently rebuilding.