Crisis Communications Leader Award: Past Winners
Jennifer Nance Wins 2025 Frank Potter Cowan Crisis Communicator of the Year Award
Jennifer Nance, Communications Manager and Public Information Officer for the City of Ventura, is proud to be recognized as the recipient of the CAPIO 2025 Frank Potter Cowan Crisis Communications Leader of the Year Award for her exemplary efforts during the Pierpont Gasoline Leak incident in September 2024.
Fresno County Communications Team Wins 2024 Frank Potter Cowan Crisis Communicator of the Year Award
The California Association of Public Information Officers (CAPIO) has awarded the Fresno County Communication Team the 2024 Frank Potter Cowan Crisis Communicator of the Year Award for their extraordinary efforts to educate the public on the dangers of winter storms that struck the County in 2023. The number of atmospheric storms that impacted the Central Valley and the County had severe public safety scenarios that could have led to a more significant loss of life and injuries. The Fresno County Communications Team provided vital warnings and educational information on easy-to-reach channels to get the word out.
Las Virgenes Municipal Water District honored with 2023 Frank Potter Cowan Crisis Communicator of the Year Award
Monterey, Calif., – The Las Virgenes Municipal Water District was awarded the California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) 2023 Frank Potter Cowan Crisis Communicator Award on Wednesday, May 3. LVMWD was honored for their dedication, perseverance, and customer-service central approach during the most critical months of the state-wide drought.
2022 Frank Potter Cowan Crisis Communications Leader
Jennifer Carey
Respected for her leadership, collaboration, and forward-thinking during the Huntington Beach oil spill, Jennifer Carey has established herself as a respected and trusted figure within the city of Huntington Beach. As the Public Information Officer for the Huntington Beach Police Department, and now Public Affairs Manager for the City of Huntington Beach, Jennifer is relied upon to relay timely and sensitive information to the City’s nearly 200,000 residents.
While over a million beachgoers were enjoying the sights and sounds of jets flying overhead as part of the Pacific Airshow in October 2021, Jennifer was working alongside Huntington Beach public safety staff to assess the magnitude of a potential oil spill happening just miles off the Huntington Beach coast. Jennifer took control of the situation and quickly asserted herself as a leader and initiated a game plan for communicating with residents and stakeholders. Utilizing her regional and national contacts, Jennifer swiftly pulled together information and resources to quickly and proactively communicate details on the evolving situation.
Jennifer quickly became the go-to for oil spill information not only for the press and Huntington Beach residents, but for other cities and agencies across the nation.
2021 Frank Potter Cowan Crisis Communications Leader
Brooke Federico - County of Riverside
Honored for her voice, vision and exceptional leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, Brooke Federico, Public Information Officer for the county of Riverside, leads the COVID-19 crisis communication efforts for Riverside County’s 2.4 million residents.
2020 Frank Potter Cowan Crisis Communications Leader
City of Santa Clarita - Communications Team
The City of Santa Clarita Communications Team was selected as the 2020 Crisis Communications Leader by the California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) in recognition of superior efforts during 24 days in the fall of 2019 where the team helped residents navigate the darkest days in Santa Clarita’s recent history.
2019 Crisis Communication Leader of the Year Award
Matt Myerhoff
Matthew Myerhoff Selected as 2019 Crisis Communicator of the Year by the California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO)
In Recognition of Superior Efforts During Southern California’s 2018 Woolsey Fire
2018 – Jamie Hansen – Individual Award
Jamie Hansen Named Crisis Communicator of the Year, Individual, Honoring Her Work During the North Bay Fire
Santa Rosa, Calif.- Jamie Hansen, a communications specialist with Sonoma County Office of Education, was recognized with the Frank Potter Cowan Crisis Communications Award on April 11 at the California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) annual conference.
2018 – County of San Diego – Team Award
Santa Rosa Calif.- The County of San Diego Communications Office was awarded on April 11 with the Frank Potter Cowan Crisis Communications Team award at the California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) annual conference.
2017 – Frank Potter Cowan
The inaugural Frank Potter Cowan Crisis Communications Leader Award was presented to Frank Cowan at the 2017 Award of Excellence Gala in San Diego. Frank Potter Cowan was instrumental in developing training courses for communicators who are faced with an unexpected emergency. In 1984, he developed the California Specialized Training Institute, CSTI, which is offered through the State of California Office of Emergency Services. Cowan personally worked as a Crisis PIO during three major earthquakes in California, two major urban/wildland fires, a statewide flood, an oil spill off the Ventura coast and a biker rally in Hollister. Real-life lessons learned during those disasters were integrated into the training. Throughout his career Frank Potter Cowan mentored PIOs who faced the stress of being under pressure during an unexpected emergency and was always generous in mentoring former students and colleagues during times of crisis. Frank was also a past president of CAPIO in 1984.