The Coast Guard has announced the recipients of the 2020 Chief Journalist (JOC) Alex Haley and Commander Jim Simpson Public Affairs Awards.
The awards recognize units and individuals for their role as educators, capturing the missions of Coast Guard activities through their cameras, content, and collaborations.
The Coast Guard’s success depends in great measure upon the American public’s understanding and support of our missions, accomplished in large part through the development and distribution of public affairs efforts.
The Seventh District public affairs team has been named the Coast Guard’s 2020 Public Affairs Office of the Year. D7’s aggressive, forward-leaning and creative approach provided outstanding support last year for Super Bowl LIV in Miami, and other high-profile efforts such as the Commandant’ 2020 State of the Coast Guard in Charleston, S.C., the Golden Ray public hearing, and the Cruise Ship Unified Command Joint Information Center.
PA3 Anthony Pappaly of District 1 was named 2020 Coast Guard Photographer of the Year, for work including the portrait (right) of the Coast Guard's first female Native American to make the rank of chief petty officer.
PA2 Travis Magee of the Commandant’s Advisory Group is 2020 Coast Guard Videographer of the Year, for videos such as "You've Got Us Figured Out," a tongue-in-cheek showcase of female Coast Guard members.
The entire list of Public Affairs Award winners is below.
“Congratulations to the 2020 award winners and a heartfelt thank you to everyone who told the Coast Guard’s amazing stories this past year,” said Rear Adm. Jon Hickey, director of Coast Guard governmental and public affairs.
Unit Awards
The 2020 CDR Jim Simpson Public Affairs Awards recognize a unit’s overall achievement in supporting the Coast Guard’s public affairs program.
Coast Guard Public Affairs Office of the Year 
1ST PLACE: Seventh Coast Guard District
2ND PLACE: Fifth Coast Guard District
HONORABLE MENTION: Eighth Coast Guard District
HONORABLE MENTION: Fourteenth Coast Guard District
Outstanding Unit Achievement in Coast Guard Public Affairs
(Air Station)
1ST PLACE: Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak
Outstanding Unit Achievement in Coast Guard Public Affairs
(Large Afloat)
1ST PLACE: USCGC HEALY (WAGB 20)
Outstanding Unit Achievement in Coast Guard Public Affairs
(Small Afloat)
1ST PLACE: USCGC ROBERT YERED (WPC 1104)
Outstanding Unit Achievement in Coast Guard Public Affairs
(Sector)
1ST PLACE: Coast Guard Sector Mobile
Outstanding Unit Achievement in Coast Guard Public Affairs
(Operations Ashore)
1ST PLACE: Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Houma
Outstanding Support Unit Achievement in Coast Guard Public Affairs
1ST PLACE: Coast Guard TRACEN Cape May
2020 Chief Journalist (JOC) Alex Haley Awards
Individual Awards
The 2020 Chief Journalist Alex Haley Public Affairs Awards recognize the special achievements of individual Coast Guard members whose efforts and published works have furthered the operational goals of local commanders and the service at large. 
Photo Products: News Photo
1ST PLACE Group A: PA2 Ryan Dickinson, D8
2ND PLACE Group A: PA1 Nathan Littlejohn, D17
1ST PLACE Group B: SN Katlin Kilroy, Base Portsmouth
Photo Products: Photo Series
1ST PLACE Group A: PA3 Taylor Bacon, D11
2ND PLACE Group A: PA2 Travis Magee, COMDT CAG
1ST PLACE Group B: SN Katlin Kilroy, Base Portsmouth
Photo Products: Feature Photo
1ST PLACE Group A: PA2 Ryan Dickinson, D8
2ND PLACE Group A: PA3 Taylor Bacon, D11
1ST PLACE Group B: SN Katlin Kilroy, Base Portsmouth
Photo Products: Portrait
1ST PLACE Group A: PA3 Anthony Pappaly, D1 
2ND PLACE Group A: PA2 Travis Magee, COMDT CAG
1ST PLACE Group B: SN Josalyn Brown, TRACEN Cape May
Video Products: Video Story
1ST PLACE Group A: PA2 Travis Magee, COMDT CAG
2ND PLACE Group A: PA3 Anthony Pappaly, D1
1ST PLACE Group B: SN Josalyn Brown, TRACEN Cape May
Video Products: B-Roll
1ST PLACE Group A: PA3 Ryan Noel, D1
2ND PLACE Group A: PA1 Nathan Littlejohn, D17
Written Products: Information Story
1ST PLACE Group A: PA1 Cynthia Oldham, D13
1ST PLACE Group B: SN Josalyn Brown, TRACEN Cape May
Written Products: Feature Story
1ST PLACE Group A: PA2 Melissa McKenzie, D17
2ND PLACE Group A: PA1 Cynthia Oldham, D13 
1ST PLACE Group B: SN Josalyn Brown, TRACEN Cape May
Written Products: Blog Post
None Awarded
Written Products: Photojournalism
1ST PLACE Group A: PA1 Tara Molle, D5
Coast Guard Writer of the Year
None Awarded
Coast Guard Communicator of the Year
None Awarded
Coast Guard Photographer of the Year
PA3 Anthony Pappaly, D1
Coast Guard Videographer of the Year
PA2 Travis Magee, COMDT CAG
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