March 19, 2024

Hansen honored at AFCP’s annual conference in San Diego

Sunny San Diego was the place to be for Osceola Sentinel-Tribune News Editor Amy Hansen.

For the third year in a row, she attended the Association of Free Community Papers (AFCP) annual conference and trade show as part of AFCP’s Rising Stars program. The San Diego conference was held April 28-30.

“I love the leadership and network opportunities AFCP’s Rising Stars offers for young people in the publication industry,” Hansen said. “This is something I have looked forward to all year.”

Rising Stars

The Rising Stars program is designed to honor individuals who are emerging leaders in the free paper industry and 35 years old or younger.

This annual program recognizes individuals who represent the best of the publication world’s up-and-coming industry professionals. These individuals exemplify good character, leadership and professionalism not only at work, but in the communities they serve.

Every month, Hansen sits in on conference calls for the Rising Stars members, as well as for AFCP’s INK magazine committee. She is a regular editorial contributor for the magazine.

Hansen was first inducted into the Rising Stars program in Orlando, Florida, in 2014. She attended the 2015 conference in Savannah, Georgia, as a second-year member.

Throughout the three years, Hansen was able to aid in conference classes and attend Rising Stars leadership sessions with Dr. Andy Hoh of Creighton University.

Silent auction

In 2015, Hansen helped organize the conference’s first-ever Rising Stars Silent Auction. The second annual silent auction was held in San Diego, as well. This year, the auction had 32 items donated for people to bid on and raised more than $5,300 for the program.

“It’s been amazing to be a part of something that started as just an idea and has become a reality,” Hansen said. “I take pride in knowing I’ve been a part of something that people now look forward to every year.”

At the beginning of the San Diego conference, Hansen was brought up on stage and honored as a third-year Rising Stars member with an award certificate.

Presenter

On the second day of the conference, she was a presenter in the Rising Stars editorial session titled, “Today’s Newsroom.”

Hansen’s presentation was called “The Do’s and Don’t’s of Social Media,” and focused on the best way to engage and be appropriate on professional publication and personal social media accounts.

The other contributors in the “Today’s Newsroom” session were David Sickels, managing editor with “The Post” newspapers in Medina, Ohio, Kylah Strohte, regional advertising specialist/social media manager with the Exchange Publishing in Spokane, Washington, and Amanda Goossen, managing editor of the Arcadia News in Phoenix.

“It was wonderful to be a presenter during a conference session and provide insight to other industry professionals,” Hansen said. “I’m grateful to AFCP’s Rising Stars program for giving me the opportunity to be in so many leadership roles.”