Golden Gator Awards
2007 Judging Panels
Photography and Visual Design
Chair
Tom Caswell is the Assistant University Librarian for UF's Architecture and Fine Arts Library. He is responsible for the collection development of research materials in the areas of art, art history, museum studies, and related disciplines. Over the years, he has served as a visual representative on the Art in State Buildings Committee and also as a judge in regional book awards for arts-related publishing. He received his master's degree in library and information science from the University of South Florida, and his bachelor's degree in art history from the University of Florida.
John Kaplan, an University of Florida tenured professor of journalism, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography in 1992 and was honored with the Overseas Press Club Award for Feature Photography in 2003. In 1989, Kaplan was named National Newspaper Photographer of the Year in the annual Pictures of the Year (POY) contest. He has twice received awards by the Robert F. Kennedy Foundation. Kaplan is a frequent lecturer at photography and journalism workshops throughout the world and also has received national recognition for his poetry and writing. In addition, he has been named the College of Journalism and Communications Teacher of the Year. Kaplan teaches photography, design and international journalism.
Sarah Modell is the production manager for the School of Theatre and Dance at the University of Florida. She received her BFA in Theatre from UF, and her MFA in Scenic Design from Florida State University. She held the position of stage supervisor for the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts where she was the technical supervisor for a wide variety of shows and had the opportunity to work with many different artists like Yo-Yo Ma and Mikhail Baryshnikov. She has most recently designed for Dance Alive!, Tallahassee Community College, Gainesville Community Playhouse and Central Florida Community College.
Press Releases and Periodicals
Chair
Buffy Lockette is the acting coordinator for the News and Publications office of UF’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She serves as college spokesperson, editor of the CLASnotes newsletter and alumni magazine, and features editor of the UF Journal of Undergraduate Research. As a member of the UF Communications Network, Lockette serves on the Internal Communications and Publications committees. Prior to UF, Lockette served as a staff writer for the Jacksonville State University News Bureau in Jacksonville, Alabama. She has also been a reporter for the Birmingham Post-Herald and a stringer for several newspapers, including the Gadsden Times and the Jacksonville News.
Janine Young Sikes is editor of the The Campus Sun, an edition of The Gainesville Sun which is distributed five days a week on the UF campus. She also is an assistant city editor for the Sunday edition of The Gainesville Sun. In 1998, she began covering business news for The Sun, and has since covered state and national politics, county and city government, neighborhood issues, sheriff's office and police matters, as well as the University of Florida. She has been awarded several awards for reporting. Sikes graduated sum cum laude from UF's College of Journalism and Communications in 1997.
Cory Armstrong joined UF’s journalism faculty in 2004, following approximately eight years of professional journalism experience with Ohio newspapers. She has been a copy editor, reporter, and bureau chief. Armstrong has interdisciplinary interests in research, and her dissertation focused on the influence of community pluralism on local news content. She has received the Mary Gardner Award for Graduate Student Research in 2003 from the Commission on the Status of Women in the Association for Educators in Journalism and Mass Communication for her dissertation proposal. She also has won a top research paper award from the AEJMC Newspaper Division. Her teaching areas include applied fact-finding and news writing/reporting.
Electronic Media and Web
Chair
Joe Kays is director of Research Communications within UF’s Office of Research. He has been at UF since 1990, serving five years as associate director of the Office of News & Public Affairs before moving to his current position. Past experience includes working as a reporter with the Tampa Tribune and the Morristown (NJ) Daily Record. He holds a master’s in science and health communications from the University of Florida and a bachelor’s in journalism from Penn State.
James C. Oliverio has served as professor and director of the Digital Worlds Institute at the University of Florida since January 2001. Oliverio is internationally known as a creative artist, educator and producer, and is a frequent keynote speaker and consultant to digital media, industry and education programs. He has more than 20 years of experience in the film and electronic media industry, working with directors, producers, animators, vendors and production executives. He holds five Emmy Awards from the Atlanta chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, along with numerous national grants and symphonic commissions.
Nickie Doria is marketing director for Emmer Group, overseeing the sales and marketing of single family, multi-family and condominium projects. She is directly responsible for public relations, advertising, market research, sales, Internet relations, promotions, special events and community relations. Doria is president of the Gainesville chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association and is a member of the North East Florida and National Sales and Marketing Councils, as well as the Builders Association of North Central Florida.
Brochures and Newsletters
Chair
Renee Musson is currently the business manager of UF’s Stephen C. O'Connell Center. In addition to fiscal functions, box office, and special events, her current duties include all marketing, promotion, and sponsorship revenue generation for the building. Her marketing and promotional efforts have resulted in many sold out concerts, including Tom Petty, Elton John, Dave Matthews and Cher. Musson’s promotional relationships have resulted in $1.3 million in sponsorship sales. A proud member of the Gator Nation, Renee received both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in marketing from the University of Florida.
Katherine Jeffers is senior marketing and communication specialist for Gainesville Regional Utilities. Jeffers is responsible for employee communication and also assists in developing community relations programming. She develops informational pieces for, and maintains relationships with, a variety of targeted audiences, including customers, the financial community and the news media. Jeffers is a member as well as the community relations director of the Florida Public Relations Association’s Gainesville chapter. She has been awarded the FPRA Image Award on both the local and state levels. She received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Eastern Illinois University and a master’s in mass communication from UF.
Terry Van Nortwick, began PRO iNK (formerly Production Ink) in 1979. With 36 years of experience in public relations and communications, Van Nortwick frequently speaks and leads workshops on marketing plans, Web writing, public relations strategies, starting a business, and effective advertising techniques. Gainesville’s Council for Economic Outreach named her the Business Volunteer of the Year in 1998 and the Florida Public Relations Association's Gainesville chapter named her "Public Relations Professional of the Year" in 1994. Van Nortwick received both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UF and she has been a visiting professor at the UF’s College of Journalism and Communications.
Magazines and Community Programs/Special Events
Chair
Tracy Zwillinger is the graphics coordinator for IFAS Communication Services at the University of Florida. She has ten years experience in many graphic design settings, including direct mail, marketing, private print shops and higher educational venues. Previously she has judged 4-H Congress competitive events, Brevard County Transportation's 25th Anniversary contest, and the Florida Today newspaper Design and Ad contest. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications/Advertising from the University of South Florida, Tampa.
Jeff Gage directs the Audio Visual and Photography
Department for the Florida Museum of Natural History. His
30 years of photography experience include previously working
as a photographer within UF’s News and Public Affairs department. In
1999, he joined the Florida Museum of Natural History staff.
His award-winning images have been published in newspapers,
magazines, textbooks and Web sites around the world.
Janis Page joined the UF public relations faculty in 2005. She teaches public relations visual communications. Previously, she worked professionally for 20 years in magazine management, directing strategic communication for national and regional trade and consumer magazines. In 1997, she co-founded a Chicago-area public relations consultancy. Page has taught as an adjunct at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Missouri School of Journalism, DePaul University and Aurora University--in the areas of magazine management, public relations writing, public speaking and strategic campaigns. Her research has appeared in the 2005Media Report to Women and Visual Communication Quarterly.