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Richmond Chapter Public Relations Society of America Announces 2024 Individual Virginia PR Awards Winners

Jill Lawrence Vaughan, APR, Recognized for Excellence in Public Relations; Taya Jarman, APR, Named as Shining Star; Jason Lee Named as Rising Star

RICHMOND, Va. – The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Richmond Chapter will host the 77th Virginia Public Relations Awards at a cocktail reception on Thursday, May 30, at the Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). The reception will recognize outstanding public relations (PR) professionals and exceptional public relations achievements. 

The event will celebrate all this year's award recipients will special recognition for three individual honorees: 

• Jill Lawrence Vaughan, Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) for Excellence in Public Relations, 

• Taya Jarman, APR for the Shining Star Award, and

• Jason Lee for the Rising Star Award.

Vaughan, owner of JLV Communications, is the recipient of this year’s Excellence in Public Relations Award. The award recognizes the extraordinary achievements of seasoned professionals in the Richmond region. Vaughan started her career at a boutique PR firm in Fairfax, Virginia and spent 22 years serving in communications leadership roles at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and the Virginia Lottery. Her work at the Lottery won two Silver Anvils from PRSA, the highest national honor for the association. Vaughan currently owns her own strategic communications firm focused on manufacturing and economic development, serving clients such as Virginia’s Gateway Region, Weidmuller USA and Winndom. She serves on the communications committee for LEAD Virginia and raised more than $63,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society as a Woman of the Year Candidate in 2022. Vaughan led the PRSA Richmond Chapter as president in 2007 and is currently a director at large. She has been a board member for the Richmond Public Relations Foundation for the past 10 years, promoting student scholarships for communications students in central Virginia.

Jarman, communication director for the Institute for Public Health Innovation is this year’s first recipient of the new Shining Star Award. The award recognizes a mid-level career professional showing a high level of achievement in PR, demonstrating leadership as a professional within the industry and who actively gives back to the community. Jarman spent more than 15 years in the Virginia state government before taking on her current role at a regional public health institute. Jarman has served as an adjunct professor at several colleges and universities teaching public relations and communications. She currently serves as a board member for the VCU Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture, Christopher Newport University Alumni Society Board, and as editor for the Midlothian Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Jarman also served in various roles on the PRSA Richmond Chapter board before becoming chapter president in 2023.

Lee, marketing manager for the Greater Richmond Partnership (GRP), the region’s leading economic development firm, is this year’s Rising Star Award recipient. This award is bestowed upon a professional with less than five years of experience who has done incredible work in public relations. Lee’s social media campaigns and other digital marketing tactics for GRP have helped position Greater Richmond as a top location for business. Lee currently serves as DEI Chair for the PRSA Richmond Chapter. In 2023, Lee helped write an article for PRSA’s Strategies and Tactics national newspaper titled, “Five Steps to Create Educational Heritage-Content.” He is also the secretary of the American Marketing Association Richmond Chapter, a marketing committee member of the Richmond LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the LGBTQ+ Engagement & Philanthropy steering committee at VCU. 

“Richmond has an incredible wealth of public relations talent,” said PRSA Richmond Chapter President David Bass. “Jill, Taya and Jason are three of the best in the Commonwealth. Working alongside each of them on the PRSA Richmond Chapter board has allowed me an exhilarating front-row view to see their leadership skills and expertise in action.”

Each year, the PRSA Richmond chapter recognizes exceptional public relations professionals and their work at the Virginia Public Relations Awards reception. Entries are taken for local, statewide, national, and global campaigns, from government entities, non-profit organizations, corporations, PR agencies, and independent practitioners. The chapter recognizes the most creative and effective communications strategies and tactics happening across Virginia. Over 100 individuals and organizations will be recognized for their notable campaigns and tactics in various categories. 

Vaughan, Jarman, Lee and more award winners will be honored at the 77th Virginia PR Awards presented by The Hodges Partnership and Padilla on May 30. The event will include a cocktail hour sponsored by the Virginia Association of Broadcasters. The new Shining Star award is sponsored by PR Talent. Tickets are available through May 24 at https://prsarichmond.org/Virginia_PR_Awards.

Downloadable images of the individual winners are available here: PRSA 2024 Individual Award Headshots

About PRSA Richmond
PRSA Richmond is a professional association serving Central Virginia public relations practitioners. The chapter and the national organization share the vision of bringing professionals together to enhance the practice, exchange experiences and ideals, and to promote professional development. For more information, visit: www.prsarichmond.org.  

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Contact:
Rayhan Daudani, Outreach Chair
[email protected]
804-291-6132