Vazquez-Hernandez named finalist for National School Communicator of the Year

EDINBURG, Texas – Communications specialist Arianna Vazquez-Hernandez has been named a finalist for the National School Communicator of the Year Award by the National School Public Relations Association.

Vazquez-Hernandez is executive administrator for partnerships, marketing and communication at Region One Education Service Center.

The prestigious honor recognizes individuals whose leadership, strategic expertise and unwavering commitment have made a transformative impact on the school systems and the communities they serve.

“Arianna is a builder of teams, partnerships and transformative communication,” said Region One Executive Director Dr. Daniel King. “Her communication and outreach efforts are the heartbeat of all the organizations and communities she serves.”

Each year, NSPRA’s National School Communicator of the Year Award honors one individual from the school public relations profession. In 2025, 26 professionals were nominated by their state or regional chapters for this national honor. In May, four finalists were named.

Vazquez-Hernandez has a 19-year career in school communications. During this time she has built systems that inform, connect and empower, positioning communication as a strategic function central to educational leadership.

Dr. King said that at Region One, Vazquez-Hernandez has transformed the agency’s communications office into a regional resource. He said she has expanded services to help districts strengthen their own communication efforts, launched a new professional development network for school communicators and developed a menu of low-cost services to increase access for smaller, under-resourced schools. Through her work, King said, high-quality public relations support is now available to some of the state’s most vulnerable school systems.

Patti Pawlik-Perales is executive director of the Texas School Public Relations Association. She said Vazquez-Hernandez’s communication philosophy is rooted in service, ensuring all staff understand the “why” behind initiatives and that stakeholders receive accurate, timely and accessible information, especially during critical times.

“Arianna exemplifies what it means to lead with both strategy and heart,” Pawlik-Perales said. “Her commitment to mentoring others, advancing the profession and supporting Texas schools is unmatched.”

The National Communicator of the Year will be announced this July at the National School Public Relations Association Seminar in Washington, D.C.

About Arianna Vazquez Hernandez

Arianna Vazquez-Hernandez, APR, CPC, serves as the Executive Administrator for Partnerships, Marketing & Communication at Region One Education Service Center. She is an experienced Executive of Communications with a demonstrated history of success in the public relations and communications industry. Skilled in News Writing, Crisis Communications, Editing, Feature Writing and Strategic Planning, she has served the deep South Texas K-12 community for the last 19 years as public information officer and executive director at both Hidalgo ISD and Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD. She attributes her success in school public relations to her background in news media and journalism, as well as her numerous mentors that have guided her through her tenure in public education. 

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