2026 Winners & Finalists

Category: Social Media Professional of the Year

Winner: Jessie Brown

Jessie has been active in the social gov community locally and nationally, advocating for well-being in this profession, sharing knowledge with others as a presenter and leader, and offering encouragement and recognition — even when the world turned upside down. 

She was instrumental in making this awards program happen virtually in 2020, a time when we all needed something to look forward to. For almost a decade now, she has helped to hold this community together, and shape how we connect, celebrate, and care for one another.

Follow Jessie on LinkedIn

Category: Social Media Leadership Award

Winner: Wendy Aguilar

Wendy is a storyteller who has carved out a distinct lane in short-form video — building viral success while strengthening human connection, celebrating colleagues and peers, and generously sharing expertise with peer organizations. She has a gift for making people feel seen, valued, and part of the story.

Follow Wendy on LinkedIn

Category: Social Media Team of the Year

Winner: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

The team at Wisconsin DNR has worked for years to develop a standout social presence backed by a strong team. The result is a multi-platform presence that engages the audience by emphasizing clarity, safety, and accessibility to inspire people about our natural environment. 

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on Facebook | Instagram | Threads | X | YouTube | Website

Category: Nextdoor Neighborly Award

Winner: City of Aurora, CO

Nextdoor named City of Aurora, CO as the recipient of the Nextdoor Neighborly Award in recognition for their performance on the platform over the past year.

They have established Nextdoor as the platform for city-to-resident communication by operating five distinct agency pages — City of Aurora, Aurora Police Department, Aurora Fire Rescue, Aurora Water, and Aurora Public Library. With 21 contributing content creators this results in a robust, city-wide communications presence.

Aurora utilizes Nextdoor precisely as intended: to be present for neighbors during moments that truly matter. Their content portfolio is rich, ranging from essential public safety alerts and impactful service announcements to heartwarming community stories.

City of Aurora on Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | X | YouTube | Website

Category: TikTok Creative Catalyst Award

Winner: Sacramento Fire Department

Sacramento FD has used TikTok as a high-impact channel for public service and professional storytelling. We've seen them use this platform to honor the true weight of the profession. By sharing the grit of training and the humanity of the individuals behind the equipment, they are showing a new generation that this isn't just a career, it's a calling.

This department has proven that you can be authentic and accessible while maintaining the strict professionalism and trust that the community expects. They've used TikTok to turn "views" into "applicants" and "followers" into an informed, engaged public.

Sacramento Fire Department on Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | X | YouTube | Website

Category: Best Overall Social Media Presence

Winner: Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)

Voters were drawn to the WMATA's ability to blend timeliness, authenticity, and creativity, engaging audiences with a distinctive voice while staying responsive and no informative during real-world events. Voters were also gravitated to its strategic, platform-specific approach and strong community connection, especially in reaching younger riders.

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority on Bluesky | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | X | TikTok | YouTube | Website

Finalists:

• Albuquerque Police Department
• City of Savage, MN
• Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
• Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation

Category: Best Organic Campaign

Winner: Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)

This award honors purely organic efforts - strategy, creativity, and authentic engagement. Judges praised the campaign entires smart use of personalized storytelling to humanize the people behind the work, paired with creative, scroll-stopping elements that balanced humor, safety tips, and real impact.

Washington State Department of Transportation on Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | X | YouTube | Website

Finalists:

• City of Boise, ID
• City of Long Beach, CA
• San Francisco Environment Department
• Utah Transit Authority

Category: Best Organic Collaboration

Winner: City of Riverside, CA

This category celebrates agencies that teamed up with partners to create meaningful campaigns and maximize reach without paid promotion. Judges praised this agencies Skate & Shape Community Workshop collaboration as being a inclusive, well-executed engagement strategy that skated beyond traditional channels, using non-traditional feedback methods to reach a broader audience and incorporating that input directly into the project itself.

City of Riverside on Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | X | YouTube | Website

Finalists:

• Atlanta Beltline
• City of Maryland Heights, MO
• Utah Department of Transportation

Category: Best Paid Campaign

Winner: Lane Transit District, OR (LTD)

This award honors agencies that made every dollar count, leveraging paid ads to drive big results. Judges praised the creative use of student-athlete partnerships and influencers to authentically reach Gen Z audiences, resulting in strong engagement and a fresh, relatable portrayal of public transit that highlights its benefits and reflects a growing direction in our social gov profession.

Lane Transit District on Facebook | Instagram | X | LinkedIn | YouTube | Website

Finalists:

• City of Fort Collins, CO
• City of Henderson, NV
• Utah Historical Society

Category: Post of the Year

Winner: Oregon State Parks

This award recognizes a piece of content that broke through the noise; a single post that informed, inspired, or moved people in a lasting way. Judges praised this top-tier, wildly creative post that turned essential safety information into a story-driven, employee-focused standout — so engaging it quenches your thirst… all kinds of thirst.

Oregon State Parks on Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | X |  YouTube | Website

Finalists:

• City of Fort Collins, CO
• City of Mesa, AZ
• Public Health - Seattle & King County
• Utah Department of Transportation

Category: Best Public Awareness Strategy

Winner: Utah Transit Authority

This category represents the best in content that made people stop scrolling and learn something. Judges praised the campaign’s disciplined, creative approach to a public safety message, highlighting its strong real-world impact and how its memorable catchphrase became widely adopted across the community, driving engagement well above expectations. Remember, folks: Trains don’t swerve.

Utah Transit Authority on Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | X | YouTube | Website

Finalists:

• City of Oakland, CA - Office of the City Auditor
• Oklahoma Department of Transportation
• Public Health - Seattle & King County
• Town of Prescott Valley, AZ

Category: Best Video Strategy

Winner: City of McKinney, TX

Video strategy in 2026 isn’t just “post more video.” It’s knowing how to hook the viewer in two seconds or, more realistically, in less than one. Also: captions. Always captions. 

The judges praised the creative, scroll-stopping video strategy used by the City of McKinney, that transforms everyday municipal messaging into high-impact, platform-native storytelling — powered by bold concepts, strong visual branding, and growth driven by engaging, employee-led content.

City of McKinney on Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Website

Finalists:

• City of San Antonio, TX
• Public Health - Seattle & King County
• Town of Marana, AZ
• Utah Transit Authority

Category: Best Brand Voice

Winner: Pennsylvania Game Commission

Finalists:

• Coral Springs Police Department, FL
• Illinois Department of Public Health

Category: Best Use of Social Media in an Emergency

Winner: Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)