WWPR Names Pam Jenkins the 2013 Washington PR Woman of the Year

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Pam Jenkins, president of Powell Tate, a division of global public relations firm Weber Shandwick, was named the Washington Women in Public Relations' (WWPR) 2013 Washington PR Woman of the Year yesterday in a ceremony honoring top public relations executives and celebrating women in communications.

Jenkins was one of three public relations professionals chosen as an honoree for the 24th annual award. The other honorees were Allyson Burns, SVP communications, Case Foundation & Revolution LLC, and Hilary Rosen, managing director, SKDKnickerbocker. The three honorees are true representatives of the best public relations talent in the Washington area.

"Thank you WWPR for this award, I am surprised and humbled," said Jenkins. "I want to share one word of advice for those who feel there is a glass ceiling for women in the field: be fearless or hide your fear. At the end of the day, it's who you help that really counts."

WWPR, a professional society advancing women communicators in metropolitan Washington, established the Woman of the Year Award in 1990 to honor the most talented women in the public relations profession. This year's luncheon was held at the W Hotel in Washington, D.C., and featured keynote speaker Judy Smith, founder and president of Smith & Company and as the inspiration for ABC's hit television series Scandal, Smith's keynote provided amusing anecdotes and useful advice for the WWPR members in attendance.  "When I think about things I want to do, I do them," said Smith.  "In order to be successful, I learned you have to start with a solid foundation of transferrable skills: being able to answer questions, solid basics in communications and good judgment will get you far."

"We are thrilled to honor Pam Jenkins as the 2013 Washington PR Woman of the Year for her tremendous contributions to the field of communications," said WWPR co-presidents Kendra Kojcsich and Tina Beaty. "This year's three honorees showcase the immense talent found in DC. Congratulations to all."

Proceeds from the raffle benefit FLOW (Financial Literacy Organization for Women and Girls), a charitable organization committed to empowering young women and girls, with the knowledge and skills necessary to make good economic decisions in an increasingly complex U.S. and global financial system.

Special thanks goes to event table sponsors, raffle contributors and in-kind donors for their generous support of the event: Ben Droz Photography, Encore Décor, News Generation, Popcorn Monkey, Sewall-Belmont House & Museum and Story Store Media.

About the Washington PR Women of the Year 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. The judging panel included WWPR co-presidents Kendra Kojcsich and Tina Beaty, Porter Novelli; Fran Bernhards, Ketchum; Caren Kagan Evans, ECI Communications and Mary Beth Merrin, Decision Making Research.

About Washington Women in Public Relations
Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR) is a vital resource for communications professionals in metropolitan Washington, D.C. With a thriving membership base and a slate of highly anticipated annual events, WWPR is committed to delivering outstanding professional development, networking, marketplace positioning and leadership opportunities to area communicators. Find out more at www.wwpr.org, "Like" us on Facebook.com/WashingtonWomeninPR, join our group on LinkedIn, and follow us on Twitter @WWPR.

SOURCE Washington Women in Public Relations