2023 IABC/San Diego COTY Award Ceremony

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Buy tickets now!

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We are thrilled to announce that Emilie Vicchio is the 2023 IABC/San Diego Communicator of the Year (COTY) and Lauren Karwel is the 2023 Junior COTY winner.

With more than 18 years of experience in communication, Emilie is the director of marketing, brand & communication for Client Solution Architects, a leading federal contractor. Emilie leads all marketing, brand and communication efforts, guiding her organization's internal, corporate and executive messaging during M&As, organizational restructuring, rebrands, and day-to-day operations. Emilie is responsible for building multi-year, award-winning cultures through her unique approach to communication—she blends visual design, behavioral science, and communication best practices to create memorable and objective-driving experiences.

Lauren is the senior employee communications specialist at Qualcomm, where she works closely with the human resources leadership team and cross functional teams to develop and implement communication plans that support the company and department’s goals and drive engagement across the 45,000-employee organization.

The IABC/San Diego COTY Award recognizes a greater San Diego leader who demonstrates strategic excellence in communication and serves as an outstanding example to others through quality of work and contributions to the communications profession. Likewise, the Junior COTY recognizes a communications professional with less than seven years of experience who is already doing amazing work.

Join us in celebrating our COTY winners’ accomplishments at Karl Strauss Brewing Company on Wednesday, April 26. Your ticket includes your first beverage and dinner from a preselected menu. We can't wait to celebrate our COTY award winners with you!

Ticket Price: $40, member / $50, non-member Buy tickets now!

Date/Time: Wednesday, April 26 at 5 p.m. (to 7 p.m.)

Location: Karl Strauss Brewing Company, 9675 Scranton Rd., San Diego, 92121

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Meet the 2023 Winners:

2023 IABC/San Diego Communicator of the Year (COTY) Winner: Emilie Vicchio

Emilie is the director of marketing, brand & communication for Client Solution Architects, a leading federal defense contractor that solves some of the defense industries toughest technology and mission challenges. Emilie leads  all marketing, brand and communication efforts, guiding her organization's internal, corporate and executive messaging during M&As, organizational restructuring, rebrands, and day-to-day operations.

Emilie is responsible for building multi-year, award-winning cultures through her unique approach to communications—she blends visual design, behavioral science, and communication best practices to create memorable and objective-driving experiences.

Emilie  has a master's in strategic brand communication from the University of Illinois-Champaign-Urbana, an MBA from Alfred University, and a bachelor's in marketing and a bachelor's in visual communication from Alfred University. She is a certified copy editor from UC San Diego and holds a certificate in leadership and change management from Cornell University.

Visit Emilie on LinkedIn >

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2023 IABC/San Diego Junior Communicator of the Year (COTY) Winner: Lauren Karwel

Lauren Karwel is a communications professional with expertise in developing and executing internal communications strategies. In her role as Senior Employee Communications Specialist at Qualcomm, she works closely with the Human Resources leadership team and cross functional teams to develop and implement communication plans that support the company and department’s goals and drive engagement across the 45,000-employee organization.

With a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Penn State University and a master’s degree in communication management from the University of Southern California, Lauren has honed her skills in crafting compelling messages and delivering them effectively to diverse audiences.

Visit Lauren on LinkedIn >

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