Each year, the FPRA Southwest Florida Chapter presents four awards to outstanding members of our chapter. These include PR Professional of the Year; Rising Star; Chapter Member of the Year; and the Unsung Hero. The Lifetime Achievement Award, the Pam Nulman Soaring Eagle PR Award, and the Friends of Janet Philanthropic Award are only awarded when there is an individual eligible and does not require distribution annually.

Chapter Awards were distributed at the Local Image Awards Ceremony on April 27, 2023.

Nominations closed at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, March 6, 2023  

PR Professional of the Year

Our chapter honors a member who exemplifies the high standards of the public relations profession in Southwest Florida with the PR Professional of the Year award. The recipients of this award display a professional attitude and exercise professional conduct, are cooperative and supportive of fellow public relations professionals, and are very interested in raising the professional standing of FPRA in our community. Think of this person as one who both leads by word and deed. She/he is a person you respect for their work and for their determination to constantly improve.
2022 PR Professional of the Year: Holly Boldrin, APR, CPRC

The Rising Star Award

The Rising Star Award recognizes an up and coming leader in our chapter. This is someone who has shown enthusiasm and passion for the profession, and where ever you see them, they are likely to be making a positive difference through their service to chapter events, career pursuits and in other arenas. We like to encourage our members to seek opportunities to get involved, and the Rising Star awardee is someone who puts this call into action.
2022 Rising Star: Emily Beltran, APR

Chapter Member of the Year

The Southwest Florida Chapter Member of the Year Award is one who goes above and beyond in their commitment of time and energy to ensure the success of the chapter. Not only has this recipient embraced the creative thinking and opportunities for participation in chapter programs and projects, but she or he also serves as an ambassador to the community of what FPRA is all about. This person excels at their profession, and enjoys giving back to this chapter to inspire future PR leaders to learn and grow through FPRA.
2022 Chapter Member of the Year: Sorena Vargas

Unsung Hero Award

In 2013, we added another award to our annual slate of honorees. The Unsung Hero Award was created to recognize the contributions of an individual SWFL FPRA member for their hard work and dedication to the chapter ‘behind the scenes’ that helps to enhance and promote the Public Relations profession. This award honors an individual who consistently provides support and assistance to the chapter and its professional goals without hesitation.
2022 Chapter Unsung Hero: Marie Heisler, APR

Lifetime Achievement Award

By far the most prestigious and honorable award, the Lifetime Achievement Award is reserved for those public relations professionals who have dedicated their career to the profession and the advancement of it. It’s given only when there is someone eligible and is not required to be distributed annually.
2022 Lifetime Achievement Award: Mary Briggs, APR, CPRC

Pam Nulman Soaring Eagle PR Award

The Pam Nulman Soaring Eagle PR Award was established in 2018 to honor retired public relations practitioner, Pam Nulman, APR, CPRC. Passionate about lifelong learning and naturally restless and inquisitive, Pam followed an already successful 25-year career in corporate public relations and as an independent public relations practitioner to mentor aspiring young PR professionals in the College of Arts and Sciences at Florida Gulf Coast University. Throughout Pam’s long career she was always devoted to leadership and mentorship of the next generation of public relations professionals.

This award recognizes an active FPRA FGCU student member who has demonstrated exceptional leadership ability, talent and passion for the public relations profession, as well as esteemed contributions to the student organization. This student is one that is respected by their peers for their dedication to lifelong learning in the field of public relations. Students competing for this award will be judged based on their leadership, public relations-related achievements, and their commitment to furthering the public relations profession.

This award is given only when there is an individual eligible and does not require distribution annually.
2022 Pam Nulman Soaring Eagle PR Award: Alexa Gutierrez

Friends of Janet Philanthropy Award

Janet WilsonThe Friends of Janet (FOJ) Philanthropy Award was established in memory of Janet Wilson, a true leader during her decade as a member of the Southwest Florida Chapter of FPRA, who passed away unexpectedly in December 2019. Janet was kind to everyone she met and contributed graciously to a vast list of worthy causes in our community. Janet never met a stranger, and often joked about her worldwide network of ‘Friends of Janet’.

The FOJ award is bestowed upon an active member of the Southwest Florida Chapter of FPRA who embodies the spirit of Janet Wilson’s philanthropy and has a proven track record of dedication to the community through volunteering and leadership. The deserving chapter member is someone who consistently demonstrates generosity by giving their time, talent and treasure to benefit our community and leads by example to inspire others to do the same.

This award is given only when there is an individual eligible and does not require distribution annually. The recipient of this award must also be a member in good standing for a minimum of 2 chapter years.
2022 Friends of Janet Philanthropic Award: Karen Ryan, APR, CPRC

Joe Curley Rising Leader Award

The Joe Curley Rising Leader Award is awarded at the state level at FPRA’s Annual Conference. This award is intended to identify and honor up-and-coming individual FPRA members that demonstrate emerging leadership traits along with dedicated active involvement in FPRA Chapter activities, programs, functions and events. The goal of the award is to help recognize personal dedication and engagement of members with two to five years of membership, and to help build a healthy leadership stream at the local chapter level. 

Past Chapter Award Winners:

Year PR Professional Member of the Year Rising Star Unsung Hero Lifetime Achievement Friends of Janet Pam Nulman Award
2022 Holly Boldrin, APR, CPRC Sorena Vargas Emily Beltran, APR Marie Heisler, APR Mary Briggs, APR, CPRC Karen Ryan, APR, CPRC Alexa Gutierrez
2021 Trish Robertson, APR, CPRC Nina Barbero, APR Mike Jackson, APR and Josh Milton Susan Bennett, APR, CPRC Samantha Scott, APR Kaylee Zuidema
2020 Jaimie Miller, APR Niki Mann Kandice Hayes Lisa Murray, APR, CPRC Vicki Moreland Jessica Walker, APR, CPRC Sorena Kleinschmidt-Vargas
2019 Tiffany Esposito, MA, APR Jaimie Miller, APR and Trish Robertson, APR, CPRC Niki Mann Vicki Moreland Pam Nulman, APR, CPRC Krista Kihlander
2018 Betsy Clayton, APR, CPRC Lisa Murray, APR, CPRC Heather Doane, APR Trish Robertson, APR, CPRC Teri Hansen, APR
2017 Jessica Walker, APR, CPRC Randy Mitchelson, APR Lisa Murray, APR, CPRC Pam Nulman, APR, CPRC
2016 Connie Ramos-Williams Mike Jackson, APR Kate Hampton, APR and
McKenzie Cassidy
Tiffany Whitaker, APR Carolyn Rogers,
APR, CPRC
2015 Samantha Scott, APR Angie Strait, APR Jaimie Miller, APR Vicki Moreland Kate Gooderham, APR, CPRC
2014 Vicki Moreland Heidi Taulman, APR Trish Robertson, APR, CPRC & Jessica Boles Kara Winton, APR, CPRC Amy Gravina, APR
2013 Phyllis Ershowsky, APR, CPRC Phyllis Ershowsky, APR, CPRC Janelle Beaber Laura Puerto, APR
2012 Carolyn Rogers, APR, CPRC Michelle Nagel Tiffany Esposito-Kittinger, APR
2011 Kate Gooderham, APR, CPRC Phyllis Ershowsky, APR, CPRC Erin Croop
2010 Pam Nulman, APR, CPRC Victoria Moreland Danielle Flood
2009 Tina Haisman, APR, CPRC Laura Puerto, APR Carla Ulakovic
2008 Kara Winton, APR, CPRC Ginny Cooper Vicki Collins
2007 Karen Sloan, APR, CPRC Kara Winton, APR, CPRC Laura Puerto, APR
2006 Mary Briggs, APR, CPRC Olivia Orth Kirsty Whelen
2005 Kate Gooderham, APR, CPRC Deb Webb, APR Kaley Miller
2004 Melinda Isley, APR Nancy McCarthy, APR & Debbie Steele Paul Filla, APR
2003 Colleen Reynolds, APR Eileyn Sobeck-Bador, APR Nancy McCarthy, APR & Olivia Orth
2002 Karen Ryan, APR, CPRC Lee Rose
2001 Laska Ryan, APR Kate Gooderham, APR, CPRC
2000 Susan Johnson Kelly Powell
1999 Teri Hansen, APR Tina Haisman, APR, CPRC
1998 Susan Bennett, APR, CPRC Melinda Isley, APR
1997 Lynn Schneider, APR, CPRC Susan Johnson
1995/ 1996 Andrea Meyer, APR, CPRC Carolyn Rogers, APR, CPRC
1994 Kitty Green, APR & Craig Bair, APR, CPRC Mary Briggs, APR, CPRC
1993 Margie Byers, APR Betsy Pearce
1992 Deb Wolfson Trish Leonard
1991 George Cecil Claudia O’Brien, APR
1990 Donna Woldorf, APR Cyndi Doragh & Steve Floethe
1989 Craig Bair, APR, CPRC Lynn Schneider, APR, CPRC
1988 Laurel Smith, APR Janette Hunt
1987 Amy Gravina, APR Nancy Frahmann, APR, CPRC