District Honored with Award for Public Relations Excellence
The St. Johns River Water Management District is being recognized for outstanding achievement in public relations. An awards ceremony was held at the Florida Public Relations Association’s (FPRA) 68th Golden Image Awards Gala, held on Aug. 5 at Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando.
The District earned both the prestigious Award of Distinction and Judges’ Award in the “News Release or Pitch” category for its strategic media campaign highlighting watering restrictions. The campaign marked a shift from a one-size-fits-all approach to a regionally tailored strategy, with targeted messaging for the northern, central and southern areas of the District’s 18-county region.
Danielle FitzPatrick (left) and Corey Finton (right) accept the awards on behalf of the District’s Office of Strategic Communications and Engagement.
Work on the campaign kicked off in February, with the communications team refreshing media lists and crafting three tailored versions of a press release. Each version featured quotes and context relevant to its target region to better connect with residents. By early March, the team began pitching the release to key media outlets, followed by a wider rollout that included irrigation-themed B-roll footage to support TV coverage.
The results spoke for themselves, generating 30 media placements, broader news coverage, and reaching an audience of over 25 million. Compared to previous outreach efforts, it significantly increased public awareness about watering rules and the importance of conservation.
“Communicating in a meaningful way is at the heart of what we do,” said Strategic Communications and Engagement Director Tiffany Cowie. “We’re proud to be recognized for an effort that not only achieved measurable results but also helped residents see how their everyday actions can make a difference in protecting Florida’s water resources.”
District staff members Danielle FitzPatrick and Corey Finton attended the awards gala on behalf of their team, joining peers from across Florida to celebrate the power of thoughtful, creative communication.
“It was an inspiring evening surrounded by passionate communicators,” said FitzPatrick. “This was truly a team effort, and we’re proud to share this success with everyone involved.”
The award-winning press release was the result of strong collaboration between the District’s media and communications team, water conservation staff, media partners and local governments. Together, they ensured the messaging was timely, clear and actionable. The recognition reflects the District’s ongoing commitment to using strategic communication as a tool to drive meaningful, lasting change.
