Above: Media and public relations professionals confer at the 21st annual Valley Publicity Summit, Presented by SPJ, in September 2025 in Scottsdale. SPJ photo
Your Valley of the Sun SPJ chapter received national hardware for the second time in three years at the recent 2025 MediaFest, the Society of Professional Journalists’ national convention.
As it had in 2023, SPJ presented the chapter with the national Circle of Excellence Award for Professional Development, for programs and activities in 2024-2025 that successfully help journalists do their jobs better.
In a recent announcement, the Society noted the following professional development activities that earned our chapter the honor:
- The 20th annual Valley Publicity Summit, held in fall 2024.
- Efforts to revitalize the First Amendment Coalition of Arizona.
- Public and student-focused workshops, panels and training sessions, including a discussion on covering elections and a scholarship essay competition emphasizing journalism’s role in upholding truth and democracy.
The Society bestowed the same award on the Valley of the Sun chapter in 2023, also citing the Valley Publicity Summit. The chapter held the 21st annual Summit, which connects journalists and public relations professionals, in September 2025. The gathering elevates the conversation between the two groups of communicators, who discuss story pitching preferences and actual story pitches.
SPJ: Phoenix, Arizona Chapter 