IWPA Announces 2008 Communicator of Achievement Wolf

Marianne Wolf-Astrauskas 2008 IWPA COA

SCHAUMBURG, IL - The Illinois Woman's Press Association, an affiliate of the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW), honored Marianne Wolf-Astrauskas as its 2008 Communicator of Achievement at its May 17 Awards Luncheon at the Union League Club in Chicago.

The Communicator of Achievement Award is the highest honor bestowed by the affiliates of the National Federation of Press Women upon those members who have redefined "outstanding." The Communicator of Achievement Award program is one of NFPW's prized projects an opportunity for members to shine. The recipient is recognized for exceptional achievement in the communications field, service to NFPW/IWPA and to the community.

Marianne Wolf-Astrauskas reinvented herself 14 years ago after serving as a VIP Volunteer for Fédération Internationale de Football Association during the 1994 World Cup held in Chicago. She went on to organize volunteers during the 4th International Congress of Educating Cities. For 12 years she has managed Volunteers for the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, where she is the founding editor of Volunteer Network News.

Finding a way to combine career and community commitments, she was instrumental in organizing philanthropy projects benefiting Chicago grade-school children, and most recently the "Saturday in the City" program, connecting international students with Illinois Wesleyan University alums.

A book author and fiction writer, Marianne serves on the TallGrass Writers Guild board. She is the President of IWU's Chicago Alumni Organization and 2nd VP and Membership Chair of the Illinois Woman's Press Association. She co-chaired IWPA's 2005 Book Fair and chaired the event in 2006 and 2007. She is a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma, the Association of Volunteer Administrators of Metropolitan Chicago, the Croatian Fraternal Union of America (Lodge 18), and the Slovenian Women's Union of America.

NFPW and its affiliates are a dynamic nationwide organization of professional women and men pursuing careers across the communications spectrum. Its members work in print and electronic journalism, public relations, advertising, freelancing, graphic design, new media, marketing, photography, book publishing, education, government and more. The organization is dedicated to professional excellence and the highest ethical standards in the communications field, and to the rights and responsibilities of the First Amendment. For more information about IWPA, call the Illinois Woman's Press Association Hotline, 312/458-9151, e-mail iwpa@comcast.net or visit the IWPA Web site, www.iwpa.org. Contact NFPW at 800-780-2715, presswomen@aol.com or www.nfpw.org.