Dozens of Arkansas Press Women (APW) members earned national recognition in the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW) 2025 National Communications Contest.
The awards were announced Sept. 13 during the 2025 NFPW Conference in Golden, Colorado, where more than 250 professional communicators from across the country were honored. This year’s contest drew nearly 2,000 entries from 39 states, the District of Columbia, and Spain.
Thirty-five Arkansas winners received nearly 60 awards across a wide range of categories, including news writing, photography, columns, graphic design, social media, and public relations campaigns.
“The success of our Arkansas members at the national level reflects the exceptional talent, hard work, and dedication of communicators from across our state,” said Angie Faller, president of Arkansas Press Women. “We are proud to see their work recognized alongside the best in the nation.”
Helen Plotkin, NFPW professional contest director, said the competition highlights outstanding work across the communications spectrum.
“The NFPW professional communications contest puts a spotlight on outstanding entries from throughout the United States,” Plotkin said. “Our judges continue to comment about the high quality of entries they judge in the contest. The entries showcase outstanding work and exceptional efforts.”
NFPW is a nationwide organization of women and men pursuing careers in communications, including journalism, freelancing, new media, books, public relations, marketing, graphic design, photography, advertising, radio, and television. Only first-place winners at the state level are eligible to compete in the national contest. All entries were published or broadcast between Jan. 1, 2024, and Dec. 31, 2024.
The following Arkansas members were honored in the 2025 NFPW National Communications Contest (listed alphabetically):
Sonny Albarado
3rd Place – Columns > 08D – Personal opinion for “Arkansas school voucher program clearly supports religious instruction”
David Barham
1st Place – Writing > 04 – Editorial/Op-Ed “Missed-information: Claims are a swing and a miss”
Bill Bowden
2nd Place – Specialty Articles > 07D – Education for “Report: Locker room bullying seen in Quitman”
Honorable Mention – Specialty Articles > 07K – Obituary for “Longtime, beloved reporter Holt dies”
Chelsea Castillo
Honorable Mention – Collegiate / Education > 58C – Writing, Sports for “NWACC Athletic Luncheon Celebrating Esports and Cross-Country”
Sarah DeClerk
1st Place – 06A – Personality Profile > 750 words or fewer “Film to Firm”
2nd Place – Specialty Articles > 07C – Business “A Bigger Boom”
Honorable Mention – Specialty Articles > 07B – Arts and entertainment “Jewell’s Crystal Bridges Experience”
Angelita Faller
1st Place – Information for the Media > 55 – News or Feature Releases – Multiple Releases for “Conversations with Solar Eclipse Experts”
2nd Place – Information for the Media > 54 – News or Feature Release – Single Release for “UA Little Rock Receives $5 Million to Combat Drug Use Among Arkansas Youth”
2nd Place – Information for the Media > 56 – Media Pitch for “Spreading Innovation Brick by Brick”
Angelita Faller and Carrie Phillips
Honorable Mention – Publication Regularly Edited by Entrant > 19C – Newsletter/other publication – non-profit, government, or educational for “UA Little Rock Alumni Association newsletter”
Antoinette Grajeda
2nd Place – Writing > 02 – Continuing Coverage or Unfolding News for “Arkansas’ new prison”
Genesis Guerra
2nd Place – Collegiate / Education > 58A – Writing – News for “Cyber event delays start of semester”
Dwain Hebda
1st Place – Publication Regularly Written by Entrant >10A – Newspaper/Magazine/ Magapaper for “KEYSTONE”
2nd Place – Publications Regularly Written by Entrant > 10B – Newsletter/other publication, nonprofit, government or educational for “MSM MESSENGER”
3rd Place – Specialty Articles > 07R – Sports for “Running for Daylight”
3rd Place – Specialty Articles > 07S – Style for “Ringmasters”
3rd Place – Specialty Articles > 07J – Hobby for “Knitting Hope”
Honorable Mention – Specialty Articles > 07Q – Social issues for “State of Emergency”
Dwain Hebda and Mark Carter
2nd Place – News Story > 01B – Magazine, newsletter/other print publication for “Bold New Vision”
Kristin Netterstrom Higgins
1st Place – Communications Programs and Campaigns > 48 – Public Service Program or Campaign for “2024 Arkansas Ballot Issue Education Program”
Mary Hightower
1st Place – Video for Web > 41D- Special interest video for “Tusk VI: Ag is Big in Arkansas”
1st Place – Writing > 09 – Headlines for “USDA’s latest farm income estimate a tale of black swans, record yields, tenant farmers; ‘Cicadapolcalypse Now’ as emergence begins in Arkansas; Lightning bugs: The story behind summer’s tiny fireworks show; Fraud leaves a bitter taste in honey industry”
2nd Place – Electronic Newsletter > 40A – Nonprofit, government, or educational for “ONE Division”
3rd Place – Specialty Articles > 07A – Agriculture for “Norsworthy honored with Rice Industry award”
Wendy Jordan and Yavonda Chase
2nd Place – Public Relations Materials > 51 – Report for “College Station Conversations”
Wendy Jordan
Honorable Mention – 24 – Graphics > 24B – Infographics for “Arkansas’ Central Cityscape”
Honorable Mention – Photography > 23 – Photographer-writer for “All Along the River”
Tammy Keith
Honorable Mention – Personality Profile > 06B – More than 750 words for “Todd Yakoubian: Taking central Arkansas by storm”
Kay King
2nd Place – Collegiate / Education > 61 – Art and Design > 61A – Design for “Creepy Creatures At Crystal Bridges”
Grant Lancaster
Honorable Mention – Feature Story > 05A – Print-based newspaper for “Fordyce survivors finding way to live”
Frank Lockwood
3rd Place – Specialty Articles > 07N – Religion for “Church group ends with its job undone”
Philip Martin
2nd Place – Columns > 08A – General for “Just another gun guy?”
Honorable Mention – Specialty Articles > 07L – Personal essay for “Kris Kristofferson: Frog-voiced truth teller”
Honorable Mention – Specialty Articles > 07O – Reviews for “THE FIRE this time”
Thomas Metthe
1st Place – Photography > 21C Single Photograph – General photo for “Tulips”
2nd Place – Photography > 21A Single Photograph – News or feature photo for “Pryor in State”
Colin Murphey
3rd Place – Photography > 22 – Photo Essay for “Fordyce Mass Shooting”
3rd Place – Photography > 21B – Single Photograph – Sports photo for “6A Baseball Championship”
Rian Newman
Honorable Mention – Collegiate / Education > 58B – Writing – Features for “Merriman Achieves Long Awaited Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing”
Catherine Nolte
3rd Place – Social Media Campaign > 38A – Nonprofit, government or educational for “Find Food Map launch campaign”
Carrie Phillips and Muriel Schrepfer
1st Place – Public Relations Campaign > 46C – Integrated Communications for “UA Little Rock Eclipse Event”
Audrey Poff
3rd Place – Columns > 08B – Humorous for “The Occasions Lady and Scalded Hydrangeas”
Audrey Poff and Audrey Hanes
Honorable Mention – Publication Regularly Edited by Entrant > 19B – Magazine/Magapaper for “Jonesboro Occasions, September 2024 issue”
Lora Puls
Honorable Mention – Graphics and Design > 25B – Page Design – Magazine or magapaper for “Game Away From Game Day”
Kat Robinson
1st Place – Social Media Presence > 39C – Personal for “Facebook.com/TieDyeTravels – Kat Robinson’s Facebook Page about Arkansas and its Food”
Honorable Mention – Nonfiction Book for Adult Readers > 12D – General Nonfiction for “The Arkansas Barbecue Traveler”
Maggie Ryan
3rd Place – Interview > 30A – Radio for “Three weeks in al-Aqsa: A doctor’s view of the Gaza crisis”
Fernanda Sanchez
Honorable Mention – Collegiate / Education > 62 – Public Relations, Social Media, or Recruitment / Involvement Campaign for “SGA Voter Registration Campaign”
Muriel Schrepfer
1st Place – Advertising > 44 – Advertising Poster, Billboard or Banner for “2024-25 Combined Home Basketball Poster”
2nd Place – Brochure > 52A – Nonprofit, government or educational for “Admissions Social Piece”
2nd Place – Advertising > 43 – Advertising Campaign for “Trojan Guarantee Ad Campaign”
Muriel Schrepfer and Klansee Tozer
3rd Place – Graphics and Design > 26 – Book Designed by Entrant for “UA Little Rock Brand Style Guide”
Aprille Spivey
1st Place – Blog > 37A – Nonprofit, government or educational for “‘I’m all in’: Nurse, Mayor Stephanie White Driven to Change the World”