Congratulations to former MinnSPRA president Dirk Tedmon on being named the inaugural School Communicator of the Year by NSPRA. This is a tremendous accomplishment and a testament to Dirk's amazing work in school PR.

Presented in partnership with Finalsite, the award is designed to recognize the outstanding leadership and contributions of an active, front-line school communicator. Presented for the first time in 2024, the winner of the award was announced during the first General Session of the NSPRA 2024 National Seminar this week in Bellevue, Wash.

"Finalsite is proud to partner with NSPRA to recognize the exceptional efforts of school communication professionals," said Finalsite Chief Marketing Officer Risa Engel. "This award underscores the profound impact of their work, shining a light on the innovation, creativity and strategic thinking that define the best in school communications."

A nationally recognized school public relations practitioner, Tedmon continually works to advance local and national conversations on education, most recently serving as a speaker on navigating the generative artificial intelligence frontier and managing threats and crises with a comprehensive, empathetic response at this year’s NSPRA Seminar, the premier communications-focused conference for school public relations practitioners and education leaders aimed at enhancing their district's crisis and strategic planning, community engagement efforts and more.

“Dirk is a changemaker and trailblazer,” said Shawn Hogendorf, president of the Minnesota chapter of NSPRA, known as MinnSPRA. “Through his adept communication skills, he fosters a culture of collaboration and transparency. He does not shy away from asking questions or having conversations to better understand a challenge and determine what is best for the district community. He deeply and actively listens to stakeholders' needs and pain points and then identifies solutions and tackles challenges head on.”

Read the Full NSPRA Press Release