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2026 Spotlight Awards and Awards of Distinction

PRSA Oregon celebrates the best of the public relations and communications industry. The PRSA Oregon Spotlight Awards recognize campaigns and tactics exemplifying excellence and leadership in public relations, digital media, and integrated communications. The Awards of Distinction commemorate commitment, support, leadership and lifetime achievement by outstanding communication leaders.

Judging teams are busy reviewing this year's entries and nominations. Now it's time to reserve your spot at the November 18 Spotlight Awards Ceremony. Don't miss the opportunity to celebrate the best of the best with colleagues from around Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Register now for the 2026 Spotlight Awards Celebration

It's time to celebrate the outstanding public relations work of our professional community. Invite your colleagues, clients and friends to join in the event of the season.

Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2026
Nordic Northwest - Nordia House, 8800 SW Oleson Road, Portland 97223
Networking begins at 5:30 p.m.

Early bird pricing through Oct. 15, 2026

Ticket Type	Early bird	After Oct. 15
Member individual	$90	$110
Nonmember individual	$110	$130
Member-hosted table of eight	$640	$800
Nonmember-hosted table of eight	$800	$960

Registration fees are refundable through Nov. 1, minus a $10 processing fee. After that date, registrations are nonrefundable, but substitutions may be permitted until Nov. 10.

Buy your ticket now

Awards of Distinction

Our Awards of Distinction recognize those individuals who have given exemplary service to our chapter, profession and communities. PRSA Oregon celebrates its members through four distinct awards:

New Professional Award of Excellence
Olga M. Haley Mentorship Award
Ron Schmidt Community Involvement Award
William W. Marsh Lifetime Achievement Award

Awards of Distinction Requirements

New Professional Award of Excellence

The New Professional Award of Excellence honors a chapter member who has entered the field of public relations within the past five years. The recipient must have demonstrated their commitment to advancing public relations through: Career achievements, volunteerism and the highest standards of professionalism.

2024 - Josh Kulla and Alexes Jones
2021 - No award given
2020 - Thelma Hale, MBA
2019 - Eric Johnson
2018 - Nicole Shaddy
2017 - Nicole Early
2016 - Megan Donaldson
2015 - Prapat "Jojoe" Nujoy
2014 - Colby Reade, APR
2013 - Taylor Long
2012 - Julie Williams
2011 - Kate Pitchlynn
2010 - Jamie Godfrey

Olga M. Haley Mentorship Award

The Olga M. Haley Mentorship award reflects our chapter’s dedication to supporting members at every stage of their careers and lives. A legendary figure in Portland public relations, Haley’s background included leadership roles at Gerber and Leopold Ketel, where she spent most of her career before forming her own firm, Power Public Relations. A longtime member of the PRSA Portland Metro Chapter and accredited in public relations, Haley served as president in 2003.

Recent winners:

2024 - Carol Fenstermacher, APR
2023 - Tracy Lam, APR
2022 - Julie Reed, APR, MBA
2021 - Mary Louise VanNatta, APR, Fellow PRSA
2020 - Lise Harwin, APR; Mark Mohammadpour, APR; and Dave Thompson, APR, Fellow PRSA
2019 - John C. Mitchell, APR, Fellow PRSA
2018 - Donna Z. Davis, Ph.D.
2017 - Taraneh Fultz, APR
2016 - No award issued
2015 - Tom Unger, APR, ABC, CTM, Fellow PRSA
2014 - Patti Atkins, APR; Chuck Williams, APR; and Mara Woloshin, APR, Fellow PRSA

Ron Schmidt Community Involvement Award

The Ron Schmidt Community Involvement award honors the outstanding use of public relations to support community improvement and important causes. For nearly 30 years, Ron Schmidt served as an aide to Oregon Gov. Tom McCall, then as the owner of the state’s biggest and most influential public relations firm. He stood at the center of public policy in business, government and the arts.

Ron Schmidt continually raised our collective awareness, consciousness and commitment. Schmidt served nationally on the President’s Commission on the Arts and the board of directors of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

A recipient of the William W. Marsh Lifetime Achievement Award, Ron Schmidt died in 1992 at the age of 56.

Recent winners:

2024 - Mara Woloshin, APR, Fellow PRSA
2023 - Josh Thomas, MPA
2022 - G. Harvey Gail, MBA
2021 - Kat Hendrix
2020 - David Lucas, Maurice Lucas Foundation
2019 - Sheila Hamilton, Communicator, Author, Advocate for Mental Health
2018 - Gary Withers
2017 - Dianne Danowski-Smith, APR, Fellow PRSA
2016 - Stacy Moe-Kean, APR
2015 - Michael Duyck, TVR&R
2014 - Frank Grady, Grady Britton
2013 - Carole Morse, Portland General Electric
2012 - Katlin Smith, APR, Urban Words Group
2011 - Friends of Trees
2010 - Ron Arp, Amplify Group

At the 2013 Spotlight Awards, PRSA’s Portland Metro Chapter celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Ron Schmidt Community Involvement Award through a commemorative video. Film clips courtesy of the Oregon Historical Society.

William W. Marsh Lifetime Achievement Award

The William W. Marsh Lifetime Achievement award honors an outstanding leader in the field of public relations.

For nearly four decades, William W. Marsh was a towering figure in public relations in Oregon. A charter member of the Portland Metro Chapter, which was merged into the PRSA Oregon Chapter in 2017, Marsh served as president in 1963. After 28 years in the profession, Marsh joined Marylhurst University, where he taught from 1986 to 1993, establishing a public relations certificate program.

William Marsh died in 1996 at the age of 81. He was the first recipient of the award named in his honor.

Recent winners:

2024 - Rhonda Morin, APR
2023 - Vicki Guinn, MS
2022 - Patti Atkins, APR
2021 – Wendy Lane Stevens
2020 – Michael Lewellen, APR
2019 – Sally Ridenour, APR
2018 – Mary Louise VanNatta, APR, Fellow PRSA, CAE
2017 – John Mitchell, APR, Fellow PRSA
2016 – Barbara Kerr, APR, Fellow PRSA
2015 – Dave Thompson, APR, Fellow PRSA
2014 – Kathryn Hubbell, APR, M.S., Fellow PRSA
2013 – Darcie Meihoff, APR
2012 – Michael J. Riley, APR, PRC
2011 – Tom Unger, APR, ABC, Fellow PRSA
2010 – Lisa Donoughe