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Senior Vice President Debra Silimeo Named 2010 WWPR Woman of the Year
Debra Silimeo and Garry Curtis
November 10, 2010 - Debra Silimeo, Senior Vice President at Hager Sharp Inc., was named the 2010 "Washington PR Woman of the Year" by Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR). The honor was announced at WWPR’s premier awards ceremony held at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, at which former White House Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers presented the keynote address. More than 250 people attended the event to celebrate three extraordinary women honored for their contributions to the Washington-area public relations industry.
In addition to Silimeo, honorees included Donna Vincent Roa, PhD, ABC, CSR‐P, managing partner and chief strategist, Vincent Roa Group LLC, and Johanna Schneider, executive director‐external relations, Business Roundtable. However, it was Silimeo who walked away with the honor, just moments after delivering an inspiring speech about her passion for advancing women in the communications industry and for helping people live healthier, safer, and smarter lives. Sharing in her special moment were many of Silimeo’s colleagues, including Hager Sharp President and CEO Garry Curtis and Silimeo’s husband, Dan Cohen. In his introduction of Silimeo, Curtis shared, “Debra is so much more than a resume. She is a visionary, a leader, and she is a friend. She has been a lifeline for so many, both at Hager Sharp and in the community.” Silimeo also spoke fondly of 2004 Washington PR “Woman of the Year” awardee and Hager Sharp’s founder, the late Susan Hager.
As the senior media and creative counselor at Hager Sharp Inc., Silimeo has led numerous award winning campaigns and initiatives. By managing across the firm’s health, safety and education practices, she has helped Hager Sharp achieve its mission of helping people live healthier, safer and smarter lives. Silimeo has lead the firm’s work with the National Center for Education Statistics, Georgetown University Center for Education and the Workforce and American University, achieving such products as widely reported releases, publication development and raising national awareness of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), widely known as the “Nation’s Report Card.” Silimeo also served as creative director for the United States Fire Administration’s (USFA) fire safety campaign targeted at parents of babies and toddlers.
Silimeo has acted as corporate project manager for all of the firm’s work on behalf of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health (OWH) and for the Ad Council campaign to prevent teen reckless driving, utilizing new media and viral marketing efforts to reach a highly media savvy audience. In addition to affecting positive change among the public, Silimeo has benefitted those within Hager Sharp by developing an internal professional development series.
Silimeo’s work, however, does not lie solely behind the desk. Silimeo has mentored girls on leadership and confidence through her participation in the annual Girl Scout’s National Capital Region’s Camp CEO and co-organized the Washington Women’s News Network, an organization created with the purpose of supporting the professional growth of women in business.
Upon receiving the award, Silimeo commented, “I am thrilled to be honored by WWPR and humbled by the accomplishments of the extraordinary women with whom I now share this achievement. Working in the public relations field enables me to make a difference every day. This award serves as a reminder that by giving people information and helping open doors of opportunity, I can in my own small way, help make all of us better off. Making a difference is not just a Hager Sharp slogan – it’s our reason for being.”
Founded in 1973 and based in Washington, D.C., Hager Sharp is an award-winning, independent, employee owned firm known for outstanding client service. Hager Sharp is eighth in the nation among independent healthcare agencies and 31st in the nation across all practice areas, as ranked by O’Dwyer’s. The firm provides strategic communications, public relations, marketing and public affairs leadership to corporate, government and not-for-profit clients. Hager Sharp’s strengths include: national public awareness campaigns and social marketing programs that make a difference in people's lives, partnerships that leverage our clients' audience reach and engagement, media relations and multicultural outreach.
