Kathleen Spring, Colorado Press Women’s 2026 Communicator of Achievement, was honored at our 85th Anniversary celebration in April. A born storyteller, Kathleen would invent stories for her two younger brothers when they were doing yard work. She knew she wanted to be a writer but couldn’t afford college, so she went into business administration. After a [...]
A descendant of storytellers and story lovers, Donna Bryson first discovered her affinity for journalism in high school, where she edited her school magazine, the Serrandipity after school namesake, 18th century missionary Junipero Serra. Her adviser, Laura Hiltz, encouraged her to pursue journalism in college. Donna was admitted to her first choice of universities, Northwestern’s Medill School of [...]
Perseverance, service and courage are the hallmarks of Sharon Almirall’s 55-year career in journalism and communications. With perseverance and courage, Sharon has suffered many “scrapes and scars” in her career, as she writes in her memoir by that title. Whether it was being victimized by gender discrimination at her first job after college, sustaining verbal insults [...]
The morning of April 20, 1999, Colorado Communicator of Achievement Marilyn Saltzman’s life changed forever. Two armed teenagers strode into Columbine High School in Jefferson County, Colorado, and shot and killed 12 fellow students and a teacher and wounded 26 others. Marilyn, then a school district communications manager, was “in the center of that storm,” [...]
When the highest level of government was intent on suppressing the truth about the environmental damage inflicted by the actions of humankind, forbidding phrases such as “climate change,” “global warming,” carbon footprint,” and “greenhouse gas emissions” to appear in federal websites and publications, Karen Pochert Petersen spoke up. After her first thought of quitting her [...]
At the University of Colorado-Boulder in the mid-1960s, Sandy Michel decided to study advertising in the journalism school. First, though, she was required to take an introductory newswriting class. Her focus changed: Newswriting was more creative than she expected and she put advertising aside. “I decided I’d rather write about people than products,” said Sandy, now [...]
Veteran journalist and award-winning author Donna Bryson decided to become a reporter in her teens – after giving up her childhood dream of being a tightrope walker! Donna’s work for The Associated Press has taken her to Europe, Africa and Asia. She has written two acclaimed books. Her byline has appeared in top publications including The [...]
In work spanning more than 45 years, Ruth Anna has ardently defended the First Amendment and Colorado’s open records laws as a board member of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition, led both CPW and NFPW as president, founded Anna Public Relations Consultants – shepherding a wide range of clients – and volunteered for many community [...]
Carol Anderson is Colorado Press Women's 2016 Communicator of Achievement. Her career demonstrates, yet again, that a journalism degree can take its holder into wide-ranging professional realms. Much of Anderson's career has focused on involving more people in local and regional issues that affect them. She has been a firm believer in encouraging diverse people to [...]
In a wide-ranging career spanning more than 40 years, Barbara "Bobbi" Gigone compiled an impressive list of "firsts." First regular female news reporter at the Boulder (Colorado) Daily Camera First public information officer for Boulder County First director of the county's newly formed Department of Community Services In addition to her professional achievements, Bobbi has given [...]
