NCSPRA presented its School Communicator of the Year award to Dr. Lindsay Whitley of Cumberland County Schools at the annual Blue Ribbon Awards Ceremony on March 6, 2026. The ceremony was held at the Guilford County Schools Community Education Center in Greensboro.

The School Communicator of the Year award recognizes one NCSPRA member each year for excellence in the field of school communications. Candidates are nominated by NCSPRA members and are evaluated based on outstanding performance in the areas of Leadership, Communication, Professionalism, and Community Involvement. 

Whitley was honored for his exceptional commitment to strategic communication and for advancing the field of school PR.

"Since joining Cumberland County Schools (CCS) in 2018, Dr. Lindsay A. Whitley has reimagined district communications and community engagement," said Dr. Marvin Connelly, Jr.  who nominated Whitley for the award. "Charged with restoring trust, building systems, and uplifting families, he transformed a two-person office into a department of nine, guided by national best practices and stakeholder voice. Upon his arrival, Dr. Whitley developed and launched a multi-year strategic communications campaign informed by focus groups, surveys, and community feedback. Under his leadership, CCS unveiled its first districtwide brand guidelines, upgraded the district logo, and implemented a customer service framework."

Whitley also directed the redesign of the district website and all 86 school websites to improve accessibility, mobile responsiveness, and usability. He created the Key Communicators Network, trusted messengers who share accurate district information, and established a multimedia studio empowering staff and students to tell the CCS story through professional-grade video production.

Dr. Whitley is now eligible for the National School Communicator Award. It will be presented at the National School Public Relations Association seminar this July in New Orleans, LA.