Amy Barnes, APR, assistant professor at UALR’s School of Mass Communication, received the prestigious Crystal Award, given to a public relations practitioner for lifetime achievements in the profession, from the Arkansas Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

Barnes, UALR’s director of the Office of Communications prior to her move to academe, received the honor at the public relations professional society luncheon Friday, March 20. Robert Phelps, a state leader in environmental advocacy and director of Keep Arkansas Beautiful, received the society’s Diamond Award, the group’s other top honor.

Barnes is a former reporter, anchor, and producer for KATV Channel 7 and an editor and assistant news director for KARK Channel 4. She later worked with the state health department in media relations and then joined the Arkansas Educational Television Network as operations manager and public affairs executive producer for various network public affairs programming.

At channels 4, 7, and AETN, she has produced and supervised several award-winning documentaries. Since joining PRSA in 1993, Barnes has served as a past president of PRSA Arkansas and recently as a chairman of the Southwest PRSA District, which serves 2,500 members in six states, including Arkansas.

Dr. Jamie M. Byrne, associate professor and director of UALR’s School of Mass Communications, and several of Barnes’ students attended the awards ceremony.