Each year, the San Diego Press Club honors individuals for exceptional service and commitment to the media industry.
Harold Keen Award for Outstanding Contribution in Journalism: Given to the journalist who has throughout their career shown a high degree of professionalism, and gone above and beyond standard practices for the sake of fairness and truth telling.
The 2025 Harold Keen Award for Excellence in Journalism goes to Virginia “Ginny” Creighton.
Virginia (Ginny) Creighton, photographer for KGTV 10 News, is the winner of the Harold Keen Award for Outstanding Contributions in Journalism. She was nominated by former colleague J.W. August and selected by an overwhelming vote of the previous winners.
Creighton has worked for KGTV for 45 years, her entire professional career. Creighton, daughter of a United States Navy pilot and United States Navy nurse, grew up as the middle sibling of three with beagles. Creighton notes one of the dogs flew with the Blue Angels “Fat Albert” support aircraft.
Creighton earned a communications degree from Pepperdine University, and went to work at KGTV, first as an assignment editor. After what she describes as “decades” on the assignment desk, she shifted into her current role as a photojournalist.
In his nomination of Creighton, August called her work as an assignment editor “legendary.” describing her in part, “There are few people of consequence in San Diego who are in or out of the news business who haven’t dealt with Virginia. Just ask.
“She’s been a key part of 10News coverage on so many big stories over the years. Always
prepared, always on top of issues, she is the kind of journalist that would add value to any
newsroom in the community.
“After she left the desk she became a photographer, covering stories in the field with a knowledge of the community that few broadcast camera photographers can match. How she handles the citizens who are reluctantly put in the news spotlight is a gold plated example of her inherent honesty and compassion.
“Now, she not only shoots but reports from the field. This woman exemplifies what the award is about.”
Creighton said she is deeply honored to receive the Keen Award. “There are so many deserving individuals in San Diego for this kind of honor. Thank you and my colleagues. It’s pretty Keen.”
Andy Mace Award for Outstanding Contribution in Public Relations: Awarded to a Public Relations/Marketing professional who has exemplified a high ethical standard of fairness and integrity, and over the course of their career has effectively disseminated the truth on behalf of their clients to the general public.
The 2025 Andy Mace for Outstanding Contribution in Public Relations goes to Julie Wright.
Julie Wright, president of San Diego-based public relations firm (W)right On Communications, Inc., is the recipient of the 2025 Andy Mace Award for Excellence in Public Relations. She was nominated by Elizabeth Pecsi and selected through a vote of the previous winners.
The Andy Mace Special Award is given to a PR practitioner who, over the course of his or her career, has exemplified fairness and integrity and has effectively disseminated the truth to concerned publics.
Julie Wright, president of San Diego-based public relations firm (W)right On Communications, Inc., is the recipient of the 2025 Andy Mace Award for Excellence in Public Relations. She was nominated by Elizabeth Pecsi and selected through a vote of the previous winners.
On learning about her award, Wright said, “I’m so honored by the nomination and touched to receive this award given what it stands for and those who’ve received it before me.”
Wright began her career as a journalist, working as a weekend news anchor for the FM radio station serving Whistler, B.C.
She founded (W)right On Communications in her hometown of Vancouver, B.C. in 1998 and later expanded to San Diego and opened offices in Los Angeles and Seattle.
Over the years, (W)right On Communications has earned national recognition. The agency was named a PRNEWS 2026 Agency Elite, which represents the top 120 best and brightest PR and communications firms, as well as Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Public Relations Agencies 2024, joining 150 of the most recommended agencies by sector or area of specialization.
Wright serves on the boards of the California Travel Association where she chairs its communications committee and of publicly-traded Canadian biotech company Innovotech Inc. She formerly served as a trustee of the Tri-City Hospital Foundation, chair of the CSUSM President’s Council, chair and director of the San Diego North EDC, director-at-large of IABC Los Angeles and vice-president of the La Jolla Village Merchants Association.
For her community service, she has received Leadership North County’s Fran Aleshire Award. She has also been named a San Diego Business Journal “Woman Who Means Business,” one of “San Diego’s Best Marketing Executives” by San Diego Metropolitan magazine and “Communicator of the Year” by IABC San Diego.
Wright has a graduate degree in journalism from the University of Western Ontario and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of B.C.
San Diego Press Club 