Nine members of Nebraska Press Women won a collective 26 awards at the 2025 NFPW Professional Communications Contest.
The awards were presented Sept.13 at the annual National Federation of Press Women Conference in Golden, Colo. The contest drew more than 1,900 entries from across the country in newspapers, public relations, websites, education, online publications, blogs, books, radio, television and other communication categories.
The nine members won nine first place awards, three second place, two third place and 11 honorable mentions. Winners first competed in contests within their state affiliate. First-place winners at the state level advanced to the national competition.
Top winner from Nebraska was Lori Potter, a freelancer from Kearney, who won eight awards, including three first place and five honorable mentions. Second highest was Mary Jane Skala of the Kearney Hub, whose six awards included a second-place for an arts and entertainment story and five honorable mentions.
Four staff members of Flatwater Free Press collectively captured six awards, the most for a single publication. All were for entries in online publications. They were Natalie Alamdari, who won a first place award; Destiny Herbers, a second place and a third place prize; and Sara Gentzler won two first-place awards, including one shared with fellow FFP staff member Yanqi Xu.
NPW members and their NFPW awards are:
Natalia Alamdari, Omaha, Flatwater Free Press:
- 1st Place – Feature Story, online publication, “Marco’s journey: As others sleep, a Nebraska high schooler survives the graveyard shift”
Barb Batie, Lexington, freelance:
- Third place, General column, “Red shoes never retire”
Sara Gentzler, Omaha, Flatwater Free Press:
- 1st Place, In-depth reporting, “Nebraska abortion access coverage” (shared with Yanqi Xu)
- 1st Place – Specialty Articles, Government or politics, “Nebraska confines some sex offenders years after their prison sentence”
Terri Hahn, Osceola, features editor, Grand Island Independent:
- 1st Place – Single Page, Section, or Supplement Edited by Entrant, Print Newspaper, “Holiday Happenings”
Destiny Herbers, Flatwater Free Press, Omaha:
- 2nd Place – Specialty Articles, Green/environmental, “After 5 years without drinkable water, Santee asks: When will our tap water be safe?”
- 3rd Place – News Story, online publication, “Seventeen horses owned by a Nebraska vet died. Neighbors want to know: Why is no one paying?”
Lori Potter, Kearney, freelance
- 1st Place – Photography, Photographer-writer for “Branding a tradition for families in cow business”
- 1st Place – Specialty Articles, History, for “They had lost everything’: Nebraska museum tells stories of Japanese-Americans during dark chapter.
- 1st Place – Photography, Single Photograph – News or feature photo, for “Deer crossing Platte River”
- Honorable Mention – Photography, Photo Essay for “Geese and lots of ’Em”
- Honorable Mention – News Story, Print-based newspaper for “Repair project planned at Kingsley Dam”
- Honorable Mention – Single Photograph, – Sports photo, for “Sumner Rodeo bronc rider”
- Honorable Mention – Specialty Articles, Business, for “From Combine Cab to Calculator”
- Honorable Mention – Specialty Articles,- Travel for “Potter’s Wheel”
Mary Jane Skala, Kearney, Kearney Hub:
- 2nd Place – Specialty Articles, Arts and entertainment, “Stars and Scars: 30 years in Hollywood”
- Honorable Mention – Personality Profile, More than 750 words, “Once homeless, now healed”
- Honorable Mention – Specialty Articles, Education, “I’m going out just the way I’d hoped to”
- Honorable Mention – Specialty Articles, Health, “He was nearly paralyzed. Now he’s running.”
- Honorable Mention – Specialty Articles, Sports, for “101 years at Indy and a checkered flag”
- Honorable Mention – Feature Story, Print-based newspaper for “Family is grateful they found love”
Melanie Wilkinson, York, website, justmelaniew.com
- 1st Place – Blog, Personal for “The World According to Rikki”
- 2nd Place – Writing, – Headlines for “Headline writing”
- Honorable Mention – Web and Social Media, Personal Website for “Justmelaniew.com”
Yanqi Xu, Omaha, Flatwater Free Press:
- 1st Place – Writing, In-depth reporting for “Nebraska abortion access coverage” (co-winner with Sara Gentzler)
