By Steven Baird, CAPIO VP Awards

With the EPIC Awards submission window now closed, it’s time to turn our attention to the prestigious CAPIO Special Awards program. These honors celebrate exceptional government communicators who embody CAPIO’s values and demonstrate the impact of effective communication to the communities we serve.  Winners will be celebrated during the EPIC Awards Dinner at the annual CAPIO Conference, where their achievements will be shared and applauded by fellow members. Let’s take a closer look at these distinguished awards

Rising Star Award

Introduced last year, this award is all about celebrating the up-and-comers—the fresh voices and innovative thinkers who are already making an impact early in their careers. If you know someone whose bright future is just getting started, this is the perfect award to recognize their contributions and potential.

Crisis Communications Leader Award

This award recognizes an individual or team that has demonstrated outstanding leadership and expertise during a crisis. Whether it’s managing communications during a natural disaster, public health emergency, or other urgent situation, this award honors those who delivered timely, accurate, and compassionate messaging under pressure. Crisis response requires collaboration, quick thinking, and clarity, and this award celebrates the communicators who rise to the challenge.

Communicator of the Year Award

This award celebrates an individual who has gone above and beyond in the past year to make a lasting impact on their agency or community. From groundbreaking campaigns to innovative strategies, this award honors those who consistently set the standard for excellence in government communications.

Paul B. Clark Award

CAPIO’s highest honor, this award recognizes a true changemaker—someone who has made a lasting impact on public sector communications through their leadership, vision, and dedication to the profession. Named after one of CAPIO’s founding members, the Paul B. Clark Award celebrates those who advance the field, inspire others, and create a legacy that benefits the profession and their communities.

Mark Your Calendars

• Special Awards Deadline: February 19, 2025, at 5 p.m.
• EPIC Awards Dinner: April 3, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.

Whether it’s recognizing exceptional teamwork, celebrating innovation in crisis response, or honoring the changemakers in our field, let’s make 2025 the year of big wins and even bigger inspiration so we call soar higher together in Napa this April!

To learn more about the awards criteria and start your submissions today, visit the CAPIO Awards webpage. https://www.capio.org/awards

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