Awards

                                                                Top Wisconsin communications professionals honored at the 2026 WisCOMsin Awards

                       Project-based and practitioner awards were presented in the statewide program hosted virtually by Madison and Northeast Wisconsin chapters of the                             Public Relations Society of America

The Madison and Northeast Wisconsin chapters of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) are pleased to announce the winners of the 2026 WisCOMsin Awards. The sixth annual PRSA state awards ceremony was held virtually on April 28, 2026, and recognized the top communications and public relations achievements in Wisconsin in 2025. 

The WisCOMsin Awards included project-based awards for organizations and prestigious practitioner honors bestowed on individuals and a team. 

The highest-scoring project award entries earned an Award of Excellence. The winners were as follows:

  • Crisis Communications: Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District: “Highland Ave. Sewer Project
  • Events and Observances: Overture Center for the Arts: “Big 2-Oh! Celebration”
  • Integrated Marketing Campaign: Emplify Health: “Children & Adolescent Center Opening"
  • Internal Communications: Didion: “Ethics & Compliance Employee Survey"
  • Nonprofit Organization Campaigns: Didion Foundation: “Strong Communities Golf Outing"
  • Public Affairs and Community Education: Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District: “DRIIPS Communications Toolkit”
  • Media Relations Tools: Red Shoes and Alegria Shoes: “Stepping Into the Spotlight: Alegria Shoes Earned Media Campaign"
  • Special Events: Prevea Health: “Fall Into Confidence, A Prevea Plastics & Rejuvenation Event"
  • Digital Tactics: Prevea Health: “Slaying Social Slang: Reimagining Primary Care PR"
  • Open Campaigns: HSHS St. Vincent Hospital: “Cancer Centers Campaign”
  • Other Tactics: HSHS St. Vincent Hospital and Prevea Health: “Making the Unseen, Seen: Illuminating Northeast Wisconsin’s First Use of CYTALUX”

Those selected for the practitioner awards included:

  • Communicator of the Year: Angela Deja, director of public relations and communications for Prevea Health and Hospital Sisters Health System – Wisconsin Market
  • Young Professional of the Year: Greta Gaworek, community engagement manager for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Wisconsin
  • PR/Communications Team of the Year: NFL Draft Local Organizing Committee’s Communications Subcommittee, comprised of the following professionals: PR"
    • Aaron Popkey: Director of Public Affairs, Green Bay Packers
    • Katie Hermsen: Public Affairs Manager, Green Bay Packers
    • Nick Meisner: Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Discover Green Bay
    • Nadia Farr: Director of Sales, PMI

    “The WisCOMsin Awards give us the opportunity to celebrate the outstanding communications work happening across our state,” said Meghan Finger, president of PRSA Northeast Wisconsin. “We’re proud to recognize this year’s award recipients for their creativity, strategy and impact. Their work not only advances the communications profession, but also strengthens the organizations and communities they serve.”

    The WisCOMsin Awards is a collaborative effort between the Northeast Wisconsin and Madison Chapters of PRSA. For more information on PRSA, visit www.PRSA.org. To learn more about the sponsoring PRSA chapters for the 2026 WisCOMsin Awards, visit PRSA Madison at www.prsamadison.org and PRSA Northeast Wisconsin at www.prsanewis.org.

    Watch a recording of the virtual awards ceremony

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