Each Friday this summer, IWPA’s 3rd Vice President and Professional Contest Chair Ana Mendez will shine a spotlight on one of our 2018 Mate E. Palmer/National Federation of Press Women Communications Contest Winners. This week’s featured communicator is Mary Wagner…

Mary T. Wagner is a former journalist, blogger, author, and criminal prosecutor. She has juggled a professional career with personal demands as a mother of four and has done a phenomenal job staying maintaining her passion for writing. Her diverse portfolio includes her award-winning essay collections, Running With Stilettos, Heck on Heels, and Fabulous in Flats.  Her break out work contains brilliant stories of womanhood and earned her a Gold E-Lit Award, an Indie Excellence Award, and the Published Book of the Year recognition, by the Florida Writers Association. Other publications include, Finnigan the Circus Cat and Finnigan and the Lost Circus Wagon, where Wagner takes on the children’s fiction genre.

This year Wagner’s work was further recognized. Her blog “Empty Nest” won first place in the Mate E. Palmer Communications Contest and first place in the National Federation of Press Women’s Professional contest, for the category Blog – Corporate or For-Profit. The blog is a reflection on life after some major milestones have come and gone. A keen take on the literal empty nest.

Of her success and thoughts on IWPA, Wagner says, “I pursued a career as a criminal prosecutor, which is a truly amazing job. After a few years I felt the urge to start writing again, and friends pushed me into blogging. I hadn’t realized how much I missed creative writing until the words started pouring out. In joining IWPA I found a community of the most amazing creative, professional, lively and supportive men and women. And while I’m both humbled and honored to have won some awards here and there in the annual communications contest, I am awestruck at the depth of the history and stature of this organization and the courage and prescience that its founding members had more than a century ago.”

As a recipient of countless awards in the Mate E. Palmer Communications Contest, including two-time Silver Feather Award wins, Wagner still cites the community that IWPA offers as being of utmost importance. For her continuous support of other members and participation in the contest year after year, we offer our thanks. Wagner is a valued member of this association. Wagner plans to retire from her job as a state prosecutor in late 2018 in order to devote more time to writing, public speaking, and visiting her adorable grandchildren!

Congratulations Mary!

Visit her website here.

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