Athena Vadnais, APR, was awarded the 2023-24 School Communicator of the Year by the Oregon School Public Relations Association (OSPRA) at its conference in Eugene, Oregon.

Vadnais, the director of communications and community engagement for the Gresham-Barlow School District, was recognized for her exemplary work and leadership in school public relations.

“I am passionate about bringing the community together to support our schools and the students we serve,” said Vadnais. “It is an honor and a privilege to be named School Communicator of the Year.”

Vadnais has paved the way for other school communicators through her strategic, proactive communications plans. Vadnais has been instrumental in demonstrating the value of school communications in Oregon and continues to be a strong advocate for public education. With more than 20 years in school public relations, Vadnais is the first point of contact for many school PR professionals nationwide. 

"Athena was one of the first people I met when I joined OSPRA in 2019," said OSPRA President Megan Mahoney. "She leads with compassion and empathy. Being able to present her with our first-ever School Communicator of the Year award is an incredible honor."

The School Communicator of the Year award program recognizes the outstanding leadership and contributions of active, front-line school communicators who work full-time in school districts or education service agencies. Nominees were selected through OSPRA member nominations and submissions from the OSPRA board. Then, the chapter's membership voted on eligible nominees to select Oregon's School Communicator of the Year.

Oregon's School Communicator of the Year award recipient, Athena Vadnais, will be considered for the national-level award presented by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) at the National Seminar in Seattle, Washington, in July 2024.