PROTOS Awards 2026

OCPRSA Celebrates Orange County's Best in PR at the 2026 PROTOS Awards

The sold-out celebration honored outstanding campaigns, communications professionals and the power of intention to create meaningful impact.

Golden Horizon: Where Intention Meets Impact

The Orange County Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (OCPRSA) brought together Orange County's public relations and communications community for the 2026 PROTOS Awards, an evening celebrating the people, ideas and work making an impact across the region.

This year's theme, 'Golden Horizon: Where Intention Meets Impact,' reflected both the work honored throughout the evening and the future of the communications profession.

As OCPRSA President Alexis Flores shared during his opening remarks, meaningful impact rarely happens by accident. Behind every campaign recognized at PROTOS is an intention - to tell a story, strengthen a relationship, build trust, bring people together or create something meaningful for a community. When that intention is paired with strategy, creativity, collaboration and action, impact follows.

Celebrating a Year of Growth and Connection

The evening also provided an opportunity to reflect on a milestone year for OCPRSA.

Throughout 2026, the chapter hosted a sold-out Western District Conference in Orange County and a sold-out Taco 'Bout Leadership event, launched its Senior Roundtable series, welcomed more than a dozen journalists to its Media Mixer, and sold out its full APR accreditation program.

The chapter also continued its work around diversity, equity and inclusion, expanded membership efforts, strengthened its social and digital presence, met sponsorship goals across events - and capped the year with a sold- out PROTOS Awards celebration.

Those accomplishments represented more than a full calendar of events. They reflected a year focused on creating opportunities for professionals to connect, learn, grow and find community within Orange County's communications industry.

Honoring Outstanding Work Across Orange County

Hosted by Emmy Award-winning ABC7 Eyewitness News journalist Bianca Buono, the 2026 PROTOS Awards recognized campaigns and programs demonstrating creativity, strategic thinking, collaboration and measurable impact.

This year's PROTOS recipients represented organizations and agencies throughout the region, including Reveille, Inc., Pacific Symphony, Treat Public Relations, CASANOVA // McCANN, OC Waste & Recycling, Westbound Communications, UCI Health, City of Hope Orange County, Idea Hall, Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, Waymakers and Orange County Power Authority, among others.

Additional Awards of Excellence recognized work from organizations including the City of Irvine, Experian, ABBYY, California Food Banks, Visit Newport Beach, ArtsPR, CalOptima Health, Venture Strategic, UC Irvine, Orangewood Foundation and Meals on Wheels Orange County.

The evening's Best in Show honor went to Second Harvest Food Bank and Reveille, Inc. for Permanent School Pantries / 10th Anniversary.

Click here for the full list of winners.

Recognizing the People Behind the Profession

PROTOS also celebrated individuals whose leadership, mentorship and service continue to strengthen Orange County's PR community.

Tiffany Aguinaldo, APR received the 2026 Distinguished Service Award, recognizing her longstanding commitment to OCPRSA, students and emerging communications professionals. Her service includes more than eight years on the OCPRSA board, serving as chapter president, mentoring young professionals and continuing to volunteer beyond her presidential term.

Jorgie Sandoval was recognized with the Rick Miltenberger Mentorship Award, honoring the role mentorship plays in empowering today's leaders to guide the next generation of communications professionals.

The evening's Hermes/Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Christopher Trela, whose career of more than 35 years has spanned public relations, journalism, education and the arts. Trela has published more than 3,000 articles and columns and has shared his professional experience with future communicators as a professor at Chapman University.

Investing in What Comes Next

While PROTOS celebrates the accomplishments of today, the evening also looked toward the future.

Raffle proceeds supported OCPRSA's YoPro Mentorship Program and PRSSA Sponsorship Program, helping local PRSSA students transition into PRSA by supporting chapter membership fees and connecting emerging professionals with mentorship, professional development and the broader communications community.

That commitment to the next generation was central to the evening's Golden Horizon theme.

As Flores shared with the students and young professionals in attendance, the future leaders of OCPRSA may already be in the room - future presidents, board members, APRs, agency leaders and mentors. The responsibility of today's leaders is to continue opening doors for those who come next.

The 2026 PROTOS Awards ultimately celebrated more than trophies. They celebrated a community - and the intention, creativity, relationships and people that continue moving Orange County's communications profession forward.

Congratulations to all of the 2026 PROTOS Awards recipients, honorees and members of the OCPRSA community. 

Here's to the Golden Horizon ahead.

Photo Gallery

Relive the 2026 PROTOS Awards through our photo gallery, featuring highlights from the evening, award recipients and the Orange County communications community coming together to celebrate.  Click HERE to view the gallery.

1. The Category of Total Program - Consumer Programs goes to
   Reveille, Inc. & Pacific Symphony For the Orange County, Meet Alexander Shelley
   
   
2. For the Category of Total Program - Nonprofit Programs goes to
   Treat Public Relations for the McCourt Foundation Gets Its Flowers At Rose Bowl Half
   
   
3. For the Category of Total Program - Diversity, Equity & Inclusion goes to
   CASANOVA // McCANN For the work in Corridos Rescue Corridos
   
   
4. For the Category of Media Relations Programs goes to
   Treat Public Relations For the work in SoCal Triple Crown: SD Foundation Ennobled
   
   
5. For the category of Special Events and Observances goes to
   OC Waste & Recycling for their work in Countywide Compost Giveaway Program
   
   
6. For the category of Special Events and Observances goes to
   Westbound Communications for their work in K'ya Laguna Grand Opening La Casa del Camino
   
   
7. For the category of Special Events and Observances goes to
   UCI Health for their work in Discover UCI Health Irvine Campaign
   
   
8. For the category of Special Events and Observances goes to
   City of Hope OC & Reveille, Inc. for their work in This is Hope
   
   
9. For the category of Internal Communications Programs goes to
   City of Hope Orange County for their work in Marathon Toward Day One
   
   
10. For the category of Online Marketing Programs goes to
    Idea Hall & Second Harvest Food Bank of OC for their work in Second Harvest Food Bank: Connecting Community to Care Through Digital Engagement
    
    
11. For the category of Best Single Media Placement – Print or Broadcast goes to
    Treat Public Relations for their work in PEOPLE: Half Marathon in AM Wedding in PM
    
    
12. For the category of Best Single Media Placement – Print or Broadcast goes to
    Westbound Communications for their work in CBU STUNT Camp Spotlight on FOX 11
    
    
13. For the category of News Release or Media Alert – Consumer goes to
    Treat Public Relations for their work in Catalina Island Marathon: From Sell-Out to Spotlight
    
    
14. For the category of News Release or Media Alert – Nonprofit goes to
    Second Harvest & Reveille, Inc. for their work in Permanent School Pantries / 10th Anniversary
    
    
15. For the category of Press Conference or Press Tour goes to
    Reveille Inc. & Waymakers for their work in 2025 OC Human Trafficking Task Force Report Press Conference 
    
    
16. For the category of Social Media Program goes to
    CASANOVA // McCANN for their work in The Last of the Non-Coffee Lovers
    
    
17. For the category of Social Media Program goes to
    Reveille, Inc. & Orange County Power Authority for their work in What is Community Energy?

Awards of Excellence go to...