Nominations for prestigious individual honors, including Communicator of the Year and the Douglas Ann Newsom PR Professional of the Year, are also open.
Entries are now open for the 2025 Worthy Awards, celebrating the most impactful public relations campaigns and tactics from the past year. The Greater Fort Worth Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (GFWPRSA) is also accepting nominations for the 2025 Communicator of the Year and the 2025 Douglas Ann Newsom PR Professional of the Year awards.
“Bold work deserves a brilliant celebration,” said Reggie Johnson, APR, 2025 GFWPRSA president. “The Worthy Awards provide a premier platform to recognize the exceptional talent and innovative strategies shaping the public relations landscape in our community. We encourage both members and non-members to submit their best work for consideration.”
The 2025 Worthy Awards Gala promises a colorful evening of recognition and networking, and is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 7, at 5th & Carroll Events (612 Carroll St. above Blue Mesa Grill in Fort Worth). Further details about the gala will be announced soon.
Worthy Awards Deadlines and Entry Fees:
Communications professionals are encouraged to submit their work across various categories and tactics.
Entrants can take advantage of early-bird pricing:
- Early-Bird Deadline: Friday, Aug. 1, by 5 p.m.
- Regular Deadline: Friday, Aug. 29, by 5 p.m.
- Extended Final Deadline: Friday, Sept. 5, by 5 p.m.
For detailed entry instructions, category information and the entry form, please visit the Greater Fort Worth PRSA website.
In addition to the Worthy Awards, GFWPRSA is seeking nominations for two distinguished individual honors:
- 2025 Communicator of the Year: This award recognizes a community member in the greater Fort Worth region who exemplifies significant leadership and communications ability. The recipient serves as a role model for communicators and has made substantial contributions to the community through their communications efforts. Nominations require a brief paragraph (three to five sentences) highlighting the individual’s career achievements, leadership, impact on the profession and alignment with PRSA values. To nominate an individual for Communicator of the Year, please visit this link.
Previous honorees include :
- 2024 – Brian Luenser, photographer and U.S. Navy veteran
- 2023 – Opal Lee, grandmother of Juneteenth
- 2022 – Worthy Awards were not held
- 2021 – Carla Brown, executive director for Key School and Training Center
- 2019 – Mary-Margaret Lemons, president of Fort Worth Housing Solutions
- 2025 Douglas Ann Newsom PR Professional of the Year: This award honors a North Texas public relations professional who has significantly advanced the public relations profession. The recipient should demonstrate excellence in PR practice, leadership within the field and meaningful community service. Nominations require a brief paragraph (three to five sentences) explaining why the individual deserves recognition. To nominate an individual for Douglas Ann Newsom PR Professional of the Year, please visit this link.
Previous honorees include:
- 2024 – Jennifer Henderson, founder of J.O. Agency
- 2023 – Matt Zavadsky, former chief transformation officer at MedStar
- 2022 – Worthy Awards were not held
- 2021 – Winifred “Wini” King, chief of communications and employee connections at Cook Children’s Health Care System
- 2019 – Michelle Gutt, director of communications and public engagement at the City of Fort Worth
The deadline for nominations for both the 2025 Communicator of the Year and 2025 Douglas Ann Newsom PR Professional of the Year nominations is Thursday, Aug. 29, by 5 p.m.
