From Great Idea to Award-Winning Work
2:00 – 3:00 p.m., Aug 31
The 2026 TAMI Awards may be behind us, but the work that could become next year’s winning entries is already happening.
So how do you know when a project is TAMI worthy?
Hear from recent TAMI Award winners as they take you behind the scenes of standout work from communities across Texas, from a major multilingual budget campaign and an international media response to creative projects that turned communication tactics into powerful tools for community engagement.
Along the way, our panelists will share how they approach their work, what made these projects successful and how they recognize when an everyday assignment has the potential to become something exceptional.
With plenty of time until the 2027 TAMIO Conference (June 2-4, 2027 at The Woodlands Resort!), now is the perfect time to start looking at your own work differently. Come for the ideas, bring your questions and leave with a better eye for spotting the TAMI-worthy work already happening in your organization.
Hosted by: Sara Bustilloz, CPC, TAMIO VP of Development and Education & Director of Communications and Marketing
City of Round Rock
Kristen Waggener, CPC
Marketing Communication Manager, City of Arlington
Kristen Waggener is the Marketing Communication Manager for the City of Arlington, Texas, where she leads the strategy and daily work of the City’s Office of Communication. She has nearly 15 years of government communications experience in several cities including Lenexa, Kan., and Bryan, Texas. Prior to that, she spent several years as a newspaper journalist in small communities outside of Kansas City. Kristen is a Certified Public Communicator through Texas Christian University and holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from Buena Vista University. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for 3CMA and as a TAMIO Teammate. She has let her communications teams to numerous state and national awards and was named the 2020 Social Media Professional of the Year by the national Government Social Media Organization. In her free time, Kristen enjoys traveling, experiencing great food and spending time with her cat, Archie.
Abby Fenton
Communications Manager, City of Hutto
Abby Fenton is the Communications Manager for the City of Hutto, Texas, with five years of experience in local government communications. She got her start in her hometown of Mont Belvieu before moving into her current role in Hutto. A graduate of LSU with a degree in Mass Communication, Abby is passionate about making government communications engaging and approachable, helping residents feel more connected to the community they call home.
Richard Yeakley
Assistant to the City Manager, City of Longview
Richard Yeakley serves as Assistant to the City Manager for the City of Longview, where his work includes communications, community engagement and special projects for the City Manager’s Office. He continues to serve as a spokesperson for the City and has extensive experience in media relations, social media, digital communications and storytelling.
Richard is also Vice President of Awards for TAMIO. A former print reporter, he joined the City of Longview in 2019 and has helped develop creative approaches to government communications, including the City’s use of short-form video, humor and memes to reach residents.
When not helping tell Longview’s story, Richard spends time with his wife and triplets, serves his church, and participates in community theatre and improv. He is fascinated by technology and always thanks Siri so that when the robots take over, they will remember he was one of the nice humans.