The Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL) Baton Rouge Chapter held its annual Red Stick Awards program on Friday, May 13 at the Lod Cook Alumni Center to honor outstanding local communicators and recognize the best work by public relations professionals in Baton Rouge.

This year’s individual honorees include:

• Member of the Year: Ryan Sinitiere - Feigley Communications
• Practitioner of the Year: Tracy White - Cox Communications
• Communicator of the Year: Dr. Joseph Kanter - Louisiana Department of Health
• First Circle Award: Ginger Guttner, APR - LSU School of Veterinary Medicine

Winners of Red Stick Awards for projects completed last year were also announced. Woman’s Hospital captured four awards, including Best in Show for "Lexa’s Story" that shared the story of a newborn’s diagnosis with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and how the hospital was able to help acquire a drug to save the patient’s life. The Louisiana Office of Public Health, Feigley Communications and Covalent Logic each took home multiple awards for their work as well.

To learn more about PRAL or to become a member, visit pralstate.org.

Red Stick Award Winners

Public Relations Campaigns

• Long-Term Campaigns
• Red Stick Award: “Sleeves Up” Campaign - Feigley Communications
• Short-Term Campaigns
• Red Stick Award: Big Freedia: Bring Back the Family Music Video - Bob Johannessen, Louisiana Office of Public Health

Materials

• Newsletters
• Red Stick Award: Woman’s Updates - Woman’s Hospital
• Red Stick Certificate: Shell Geismar - Geisette - Courtney Greathouse, Covalent Logic

Special Events

• Special Events with budget greater than $2,500
• Red Stick Award: Virtual Baby Grand - Woman’s Hospital

Digital

• Social Media - Campaign/Strategy Across Platforms
• Red Stick Award: “Sleeves Up” Social and Digital Campaign - Feigley Communications
• Audio/Visual Production
• Red Stick Award: LDH - Tiny Docs - Theresa Stewart, Covalent Logic
• Red Stick Certificate: Crisis and Emergency Risk Communications Online Training - Bob Johannessen, Louisiana Office of Public Health

Media Relations

• Proactive Media Relations
• Red Stick Award: Lexa’s Story - Woman’s Hospital

Lagniappe

• Lagniappe
• Red Stick Award: UNprivate Parts Podcast - Woman’s Hospital

Bill Michelet Best in Show Winner: Proactive Media Relations: Lexa’s Story - Woman’s Hospital