The Communicator of Achievement Award is the highest award New Mexico Press Women grants to a member to recognize outstanding achievement in journalism and communication. All New Mexico winners proceed to compete in the National Federation of Press Women Contest, where New Mexico has had more winners than any other state.

NMPW Communicators of Achievement   

(Woman of Achievement until 1991)

1963    Frankie McCarty
1964    Val Cooper
1965    Mildred Latini
1966    Ruth Bush Jones
1967    Kathryn Morris
1968    Cathie Bower
1969    Regina Tatum Cooke
1970    Alice Gruver
1971    Mary Olin Harrell
1972    Laura Robertson
1973    Glenna Lee Gallemore
1975    Grace McCallum
1979    Kathryn Morris
1980    Sherry Robinson
National First Runner-Up
1981    Faye Plank
National Winner
1982    Tricia Hurst
1983    Jean Jordan
1984    Della Kilcrease
1985    Mary Thompson
1986    Lynn Peters
1987    Marie Hirst
1988    Anne Hillerman
1989     Mamie Carter
1990    Mamie Carter
1991    Cathy Robbins
1992     Marsha Vohs
1993    Pat Graff
1994    Hollis Walker
1995    Denise Tessier
National First Runner-Up
1996    Virginia Dooley
1997    Linda Harris
1998     Chris Burroughs
1999     Carolyn Mullenax Edwards
2000    Sandy Schauer
2003    Susanne Burks
2004    Kathy Cordova
2005    Ree Strange Sheck
National Winner
2006    Emily Drabanski
2007    Connie Gotsch
2008    Cary Herz
National Winner
2009    Susan Walton
2010    Tom Berner
2011    Bud Russo
2012    Cheryl Fallstead
2013    Carol Kreis
2014    Sherri Burr
2015    Anne Hillerman
National First Runner-Up
2016    Loretta Hall
National Winner
2018    Jessica Savage
2020    Damien Wills
2021    Sherri Burr
 National Winner
2022    Margaret Cheasebro

 Note: No awards were made in 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 2001, 2002, 2017 or 2019.

 This list was compiled by current historian Robert Flinkman and long-term historian Denise Tessier.