WWPR Names Finalists for PR Woman of the Year

WASHINGTON, D.C. – October 9, 2012 – Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR) has selected three finalists for the annual Washington PR Woman of the Year Award. This year’s finalists include a corporate communications executive, a public relations agency owner, and a social cause communications strategist. The Woman of the Year ceremony, WWPR’s annual signature event, recognizes three women  who have reached a pinnacle in the public relations profession.  At the ceremony, to be held on November 15, WWPR will announce the woman selected as 2012 Washington PR Woman of the Year. The Woman of the Year finalists are Debbi Jarvis, vice president Corporate Citizenship and Social Responsibility for Pepco Holdings, Inc. and a former NBC-4 TV news anchor and reporter; Gwen McKinney, president and founder of McKinney & Associates and former press secretary for the first congressional campaign of U.S. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC); and Stephenie Fu, principal, SLF Strategies, and public relations strategist for the return of the AIDS Memorial Quilt to Washington this summer for the first time in 16 years. The 23^rd annual WWPR Washington Woman of the Year Luncheon will be held on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Grand Hyatt, 1000 H St. NW, Washington, D.C. Registration is currently open and tickets are available at a discount for WWPR and PRSA members. The event’s keynote speaker will be advertising icon Charlotte Beers, former CEO of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide, whose book I’d Rather Be in Charge gives women advice on how to achieve power, pride and joy at work and advance their careers all the way to the C-suite. Beers will be available to sign copies of her best-selling book after the luncheon. In addition to honoring the achievements of the three nominees, the event raises funds for Thrive DC, a non-profit organization that works to prevent and end homelessness by providing vulnerable individuals with a comprehensive range of services to stabilize their lives. About the WOY Selection Process Each year, candidates are nominated through an open application process.  The applications are then reviewed and evaluated based on standard criteria, which include: accomplishments in the public relations field; contributions to the community; and industry leadership.  The final selection is made by a panel of five esteemed communications professionals based in the Washington, D.C. area. About Washington Women in Public Relations Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR) is a vital resource for communications professionals in metropolitan Washington, D.C. WWPR is committed to delivering outstanding professional development, networking, marketplace positioning, and leadership opportunities to area communicators. Visit us at wwpr.org, find us on Facebook.com/WashingtonWomeninPR and follow us on Twitter @WWPR. Newsroom: https://wwpr.org/newsroom/ Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/26564507@N06/