TCSS Director Of Public Relations Terri Brewer Named Alabama School Communicator Of The Year

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Tuscaloosa County School System (TCSS) Director of Public Relations Terri Brewer has been named the 2026 Alabama School Communicator of the Year by the Alabama School Public Relations Association (ALSPRA).

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Brewer was recognized at ALSPRA’s statewide conference in Tuscaloosa, where she also received an Excellence in Strategic Communication Award for leading a redesign of the school system’s website to comply with new Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

Brewer also earned two Excellence in Communications awards for the TCSS Educator Recognition Awards and the system’s newsletters.

“Terri represents the very best of our profession,” ALSPRA President Rena Philips said in a statement. “It has been a privilege watching her transition over the last eight years from a career in television news into the school public relations leader that she is today.”

Philips went on to praise Brewer’s leadership and approach to the profession.

“She leads with integrity, lifts up those around her, and approaches every challenge with both strategy and heart,” Philips said. “Terri is not only an outstanding communicator — she is a model for all of us in school public relations.”

ALSPRA is a statewide network of school communicators focused on strengthening public education through effective communication, professional development and strategic resources.

Each year, the organization names one member as its Communicator of the Year in recognition of outstanding work in school public relations.

Brewer has served as TCSS director of public relations since 2018.

She is a two-time recipient of the National School Public Relations Association’s Gold Medallion Award, the organization’s highest honor for strategic communication work, and has presented at two NSPRA National Seminars.

She also led the development of TCSS University, a program designed to inform and engage community advocates for students and schools.

ALSPRA said nearly 200 Tuscaloosa County residents have completed the program, which has received state and national recognition and has inspired similar efforts in other Alabama school systems.

“What stood out most to our selection committee was her integrity, her mentorship of others, and her unwavering commitment to telling the story of public education with care and purpose,” ALSPRA Treasurer Nicole Wheeler said.

Brewer holds the Accreditation in Public Relations designation, a national credential recognizing strategic communication expertise, ethical practice and continuing professional development.

As an affiliate of NSPRA, ALSPRA’s Communicator of the Year honoree will now become Alabama’s nominee for National School Communicator of the Year.

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