Sister Mary Ann Walsh, USCCB Media Relations Director, Awarded President’s Medallion by Catholic Academy of Communication Professionals

WASHINGTON—The Catholic Academy ofCommunication Professionals awarded its President's Medallion to Mercy SisterMary Ann Walsh, director of media relations for the U.S. Conference of CatholicBishops (USCCB), June 21. The medallion is the highest membership honorpresented by the Catholic Academy.

The medallion was presented at aluncheon during the annual Catholic Media Conference, held this year in Denver.Sally Oberski, president of the Catholic Academy and director of communicationsand public relations for the Diocese of Toledo, Ohio, said this year's award isa "long overdue recognition to someone who has served for many years andcontinues to serve in an outstanding manner."

Sister Mary Ann Walsh is a member ofthe Northeast Community of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. She holds amaster's degree in English from the College of St. Rose and a master's degreein pastoral counseling from Loyola College of Maryland.

She began her journalism career withThe Evangelist diocesan newspaper in her native Albany, New York, before servingas a correspondent for Catholic News Service in Rome and Washington. She servedas director of communications for World Youth Day in Denver in 1993 and thenbegan her work in media relations for the U.S. bishops.

She has prepared media relationsprograms, spoken on media topics and written for publications includingAmerica, the Washington Post, Huffington Post and USA Today. She also blogsregularly at https://usccbmedia.blogspot.com.She is the producer of the award-winning video, Five Extraordinary Days andeditor of books that include profiles of Pope John Paul II and Pope BenedictXVI. She coordinated the media efforts of the U.S. cardinals during both the 2005and 2013 papal transitions.

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Keywords: Sister Mary Ann Walsh, Sisters of Mercy, U.S.bishops, USCCB, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, media relations, CatholicAcademy of Communication Professionals, President's Medallion

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