NDPC 2025 Contest WinnersNorth Dakota Professional Communicators announced the winners of the 2025 NDPC Communications Contest on May 9 during the organization’s spring conference and awards ceremony. This year’s event was held at the Carnegie Center in Minot. NDPC members from North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota earned awards for their work in writing, editing, photography, graphics and design, advertising, web and social media, video, communication programs and campaigns, public relations, information for the media and speeches. Amy Wieser Willson, president of Neon Loon Communications, took first place in the sweepstakes competition. Pamela Knudson, Grand Forks Herald reporter, took second and Dr. Debora Dragseth, Dickinson State University professor, received third in the sweepstakes. Sweepstakes winners are determined by a weighted point system based on place and the number of entries in each category of the Communications Contest. Amanda Kosior received the Communicator of Achievement award for her more than 25 years of experience in communications and marketing. Kosior is a Board Member and Marketing Director at JLG Architects, where she leads the firm’s award-winning graphic designers, environmental branders, writers, social media planners, photographers/videographers, and studio marketing coordinators. Kosior is also the founder of the popular NorthDakotaNice.com. Communicator of Achievement is the highest honor NDPC can bestow upon one of its members. The individual winners at the state level are:Candace Brekke, Minot First: Advertising Poster, Billboard or Banner First: Single Advertisement First: Web Copy Second: Advertising Poster, Billboard or Banner Second: Social Media Campaign – Corporate or For-Profit Second: Single Photograph – General Photo Second: Social Media Presence – Corporate or For-Profit Third: Website – Corporate or For-Profit Honorable Mention: Photography – Photo Essay Tyler Brown, Fargo First: Single Photograph – Photo Illustration First: Specialty Articles - Food First: Specialty Articles - Sports First: Columns - Informational First: News Story – Online Publication Second: Public Relations Campaign – External Communications Second: News or Feature Release – Single Release Second: Specialty Articles - Education Honorable Mention: Specialty Articles – Science or Technology Jaryn Homiston, Fargo First: Radio & Television Advertising - Television Second: Video for Web – Nonprofit or Government Organization Third: Video for Web – Nonprofit or Government Organization Pamela Knudson, Grand Forks First: Specialty Articles - Style First: Specialty Articles – Science or Technology First: Specialty Articles - Reviews First: Specialty Articles – Religion First: Specialty Articles– Hobby First: Specialty Articles – Arts & Entertainment First: News Story – Print-Based Newspaper Second: Specialty Articles – Social Issues Second: Specialty Articles – Obituary Second: Specialty Articles – History Second: Specialty Articles – Government or Politics Second: Specialty Articles – Food Second: Specialty Articles – Business Second: Personality Profile – More than 750 Words Second: Feature Story – Print-Based Newspaper Third: Specialty Articles - Education Honorable Mention: Specialty Articles - Health Elizabeth Leonard, St. Michael, Minn. Honorable Mention: Collegiate / Education Art & Design – Photographs Tracy Nicholson, West Fargo First: Book Edited by Entrant Second: Single Page, Section, or Supplement Edited by Entrant – Magazine or Magapaper Second: Book Edited by Entrant Third: Single Page, Section, or Supplement Edited by Entrant – Magazine or Magapaper Third: Book Edited by Entrant Honorable Mention - Single Page, Section, or Supplement Edited by Entrant – Magazine or Magapaper Chloe Piekkola, Grand Forks First: Book Designed by Entrant First: Specialty Articles - Travel First: Feature Story – Print-Based Newspaper Second: Specialty Articles - Religion Second: Specialty Articles – Health Second: Specialty Articles – Arts & Entertainment Third: Specialty Articles – Social Issues Third: Specialty Articles - Health Third: Specialty Articles - Obituary Third: Personality Profile – More than 750 Words Honorable Mention: Personal Opinion (bylined, not editorial) Honorable Mention: Specialty Articles – Science or Technology Danielle Teigen, Turton, S.D. First: Specialty Articles – Business First: Specialty Articles – Social Issues First: Specialty Articles – Obituary First: Specialty Articles – History Adam Watts, Fargo First: Electronic Newsletter – Nonprofit, Government or Educational Second: Electronic Newsletter – Nonprofit, Government or Educational Amy Wieser Willson, Moorhead, Minn. First: Editorial / Op-Ed First: Feature Story – Magazine, Newsletter / Other First: Personality Profile – 750+ Words First: Specialty Articles - Agriculture First: Blog – Personal First: News or Feature Releases – Multiple Releases First: News or Feature Release – Single Release First: Headlines First: Specialty Articles – Green / Environmental First: Infographics First: Newsletter / Other Publication – Nonprofit, Government or Educational First: Public Relations Campaign – External Communication First: Social Media Presence – Nonprofit, Government or Educational First: Website – Corporate or For-Profit First: Website – Nonprofit, Government or Educational Second: Specialty Articles - Hobby Second: Video for Web – Special Interest Second: Public Relations Campaign – Internal Communications Second: Audiovisuals Third: Electronic Newsletter – Nonprofit, Government or Educational Third: Social Media Campaign – Nonprofit, Government or Educational Third: Photo Essay Honorable Mention: Blog – Corporate or For-Profit The group entry winners at the state level are:Betsy Beaton, AnnMarie Campbell, Tyler Brown & Adam Watts - Fargo Public Schools First: PR Materials – Brochure – Nonprofit, Government or Education First: Ad Campaign Second: Public Relations Materials – Report Candace Brekke & Jessica Ackerman - Freelance Second: Website Edited or Managed by Entrant – Corporate or For-Profit Tyler Brown, Adam Watts & Jaryn Homiston - Fargo Public Schools First: Advertising Campaign Tyler Brown & Adam Watts - Fargo Public Schools Second: Brochure – Nonprofit, Government or Education Julia DeSantis, Leora Hilman & Cailin Shovkoplyas – Noridian First: Public Relations Campaign – Internal Communications Julia DeSantis & Brook Mikulecky – Noridian Julia DeSantis, Brandon Novak & Cailin Shovkoplyas – Noridian Honorable Mention: Public Relations - Report Debora Dragseth & James (Scooter) Pursley – Dickinson State University Amanda Kosior & Amanda Poehls – JLG Architects First: Specialty Articles - EducationFirst: Specialty Articles – Health First: Podcast Honorable Mention: Specialty Articles - Education Amanda Kosior & Catherine Dorsher – JLG Architects First: Graphics Second: Graphics Third: Graphics Amanda Kosior & Kate Ankrom – JLG ArchitectsFirst: Video for Web – Special Interest Video First: Social Media Campaign – Corporate for For-Profit Amanda Kosior, Kate Ankrom, Amanda Poehls, Haley Darling, Catherine Dorsher, El Winkelman, Erica Rapp & Julia Miller - JLG Architects First: Social Media Presence – Corporate or For-Profit Elizabeth Leonard, Camille Haman, April Anderson & Nathan Ambrose – NDSU Students First: Collegiate / Education – Public Relations, Social Media, or Recruitment / Involvement Campaign Roxane Salonen & Kris Kerzman – Forum Communications Second: Podcast Amy Wieser Willson - Neon Loon Communications & Chandler Dick – C Three Media First: Video for Web – Video for Nonprofit or Government Organization |
