On May 13 at the 2026 CAPIO Annual Conference Special Awards Dinner, Mary Haddad was awarded the 2026 Scott Summerfield Communicator of the Year Award.  This award is presented to the individual who, in the judgment of the CAPIO Awards Committee and Board of Directors, demonstrates exceptional abilities, skills and talents in leading their organization to greater and more successful communications and public engagement. In 2025, this award was renamed the Scott Summerfield Communicator of the Year award in recognition for Scott’s decades-long involvement and many contributions to CAPIO and its membership.

Mary Haddad exemplifies the very best of public sector communications—strategic, innovative, and grounded in a deep commitment to community. As Communications Manager for the City of Agoura Hills, she has transformed the City’s communications function into a high-performing, trusted, and modern system that informs, engages, and connects residents.

In 2025, Mary’s leadership was put to the test during a series of January wildfires. Serving as the City’s lead communications strategist, she executed a 44-page Crisis Communications Plan she had developed and secured in advance — ensuring the City was prepared when it mattered most. Within 15 minutes of notification, she issued the first public communication. Over the next 10 days, she led 61 social media updates, six emergency email alerts, and more than 30 website updates, often delivering real-time information in rapid intervals as conditions evolved. She also launched a centralized emergency webpage integrating a live regional map, ensuring timely, accurate, and coordinated information across jurisdictions.

Her impact was immediate and measurable. During the fires, average post views surged from 824 to 8,780, and video views increased from 887 to 6,171—representing increases of 965 percent and 595 percent, respectively. One post alone reached 843,000 views, demonstrating extraordinary regional reach and public reliance on official City communications.

Beyond crisis response, Mary has led a comprehensive digital transformation for the City. She directed the development of a new website, coordinating across eight departments, refining more than 300 pages, and integrating accessibility, multilingual access, and modern meeting tools. This work institutionalized transparency and significantly improved public access to information.

Mary has also reimagined community engagement. She shifted the City’s State of the City event from predominantly corporate attendance to 90 percent community participation and expanded business outreach from 1,205 to 4,500 contacts. Her social media strategy drove Instagram growth from approximately 3,000 to nearly 6,000 followers — an exceptional level of engagement for a city of 24,000 residents.

A respected leader in the profession, Mary shares her expertise widely, presenting at CAPIO conferences, summits, and webinars, and mentoring emerging communicators. Her work has earned recognition from leadership and peers alike, including a CAPIO EPIC Award and a 2025 40 Under 40 honor.

For her vision, leadership, and measurable impact, Mary Haddad sets the standard for excellence in public sector communications and is a truly deserving recipient of the Communicator of the Year Award.