The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) has announced the shortlist for the annual Douglas Smith Prize for best young public affairs practitioner in the UK.
The shortlisted candidates are:
- Samuel Evans, Account Executive, Cavendish Communications
- Philippa Alway, Senior Account Executive, Lodestone Communications
- Natasha Silkin, Senior Account Executive, PB Consulting
- Liz Moore, Account Manager, PLMR
- Rhiannon Sanders, Associate Political Consultant, The Whitehouse Consultancy
- Tanyka Davson, Assistant Account Executive, Weber Shandwick
They were shortlisted following the first round of the Prize which asked candidates to submit a short essay entitled “What impact does a minority Conservative Government have on the public affairs industry?”. They were also asked to submit an endorsement from their line manager or senior colleague who worked with them on a daily basis.
The Prize, in memory of PRCA founding fellow Douglas Smith, is accompanied by a £500 award.
The shortlisted candidates will be interviewed on their essay and their wider work on the 28th November.
The Prize is judged by Andrew Gill, PRCA Public Affairs Group Vice-Chairman; Liz Laurence, winner of the Douglas Smith Prize 2016; Emma Pointer, Account Director at Weber Shandwick and PRCA Public Affairs Group Vice-Chairman; and Bene’t Steinberg, Group Director, Public Affairs, Cambridge Assessment.
The winner will be announced at The Public Affairs Awards 2017 on Thursday 14th December.
This year the Prize is sponsored by Cambridge Assessment. Cambridge Assessment is a department of the University of Cambridge, they provide education programmes and exams in over 170 countries offering global recognition. It is an international not-for-profit organisation with unique strengths and 160 years of expertise.