News Release: 11/13/2025

CharlottesvilleFamily magazine, Central Virginia’s trusted family publication for more than 25 years, has earned seven national awards at the 2025 Parenting Media Association (PMA) Design and Editorial Awards.

Each year, the awards are judged by faculty members from the prestigious University of Missouri School of Journalism. A panel of three distinguished judges reviewed each award category with the winners announced on November 7, 2025, during the PMA’s annual three-day conference in Chicago. 

The PMA Awards spotlight the finest in local and regional family publications, recognizing achievements in editorial writing, design, digital innovation, and community engagement. 

This year’s honors celebrate CharlottesvilleFamily’s creativity, commitment to community, and dedication to delivering engaging, relevant content for families across Central Virginia. 

The magazine stood out for its editorial strength, visual design, and digital storytelling that connects with readers of all ages.

In addition, Publisher and Co-Founder Jennifer Bryerton has been appointed to the Parenting Media Association Board of Directors, further elevating CharlottesvilleFamily’s voice and influence within the national parenting media landscape.

Below are the awards and distinctions received by CharlottesvilleFamily in 2025.

GOLD AWARDS

Service Feature – “Working With a Doula”

Written by Katherine Paljug and Jennifer Bryerton, this article guides families through the benefits and practicalities of working with a doula, offering insight, resources, and expert advice tailored to the Central Virginia community.

“This information-packed feature covers all the questions readers might have and sorts the information into manageable bits. The information also covers rules related to Virginia specifically so readers benefit from local relevance, too.”

Ancillary General Excellence – CharlottesvilleFamily Go-To Guide

Jennifer Bryerton, Barbara Tomkins, Elizabeth Bryerton, Ellen Sewell, and Emily Selden

“Simple logos and minimalist cover images make for a pleasant scrolling experience. The event round-up carousel slides are expertly designed for people to swipe through and find new information without becoming fatigued by the list of things to explore. The reels are concise and strategically capture the visuals that will make viewers stay and engage with the collaborating accounts.”

Social Media, Single Platform – CharlottesvilleFamily Instagram

Elizabeth Bryerton and Jennifer Bryerton 

“Simple logos and minimalist cover images make for a pleasant scrolling experience. The event round-up carousel slides are expertly designed for people to swipe through and find new information without becoming fatigued by the list of things to explore. The reels are concise and strategically capture the visuals that will make viewers stay and engage with the collaborating accounts.”

SILVER AWARDS

Table of Contents Design

Elizabeth Bryerton and Jennifer Bryerton

“What a creative way to create a roadmap through a publication, to literally place the contents along a road. Readers travel from upper left to lower right, encountering illustrations and text that define each section. The background adds to the contents, acting as a landscape.”

BRONZE AWARDS

Front Cover (Use of Stock Photo) – Bloom Spring/Summer 2025

Elizabeth Bryerton, Barbara Tomkins, and Jennifer Bryerton

“Bright spring and summer colors pop off the page, fitting the teases about flower farms and the camp guide. The subject points to the teases and leads viewers around the page. Easy to navigate typography effectively promotes the content inside.”

Single-Page Design – “8 Signs Your Child May Need to See an Orthodontist”

Elizabeth Bryerton and Jennifer Bryerton 

“What a creative way to create a roadmap through a publication, to literally place the contents along a road. Readers travel from upper left to lower right, encountering illustrations and text that define each section. The background adds to the contents, acting as a landscape.”

Website General Excellence

Jennifer Bryerton, Elizabeth Bryerton, Katharine Paljug, and WP Barista

“The website is pleasant and visually appealing thanks to a cohesive color scheme and hand-drawn logo, which communicate an authentic and hand-made feel. The navigation menu is intuitive, and featuring the calendar first makes it easy for parents to get useful information quickly.”

Carrying Family Values Forward

For Publisher and Co-Founder Jennifer Bryerton, this year’s recognition reflects both professional excellence and a deeply personal milestone.

“These honors from the Missouri School of Journalism carry particular meaning,” Bryerton shares. “Their rigorous judging process sets the national standard for journalism and media ethics. To have CharlottesvilleFamily recognized in seven categories confirms that a small, locally rooted magazine can achieve excellence on a national stage despite a smaller market. And, I am especially proud of my daughter Elizabeth’s design work and delighted she wanted to work with me on these projects.”

Bryerton also expressed gratitude to the magazine’s creative team and loyal readers:
“Our strength comes from collaboration — and from the talented writers, designers, advertisers, and, most of all, from the families who inspire every issue.”

About CharlottesvilleFamily

CharlottesvilleFamily magazine is an award-winning regional parenting publication that provides expert articles, seasonal guides, and community resources for Central Virginia families. The publication is part of a network that includes VirginiaSummerCamp.com, the statewide camp directory, and TheBiblioParent.com, a literary platform for parents and educators.

About PMA

Founded in 1988, PMA is a national trade association based in New York City, NY, representing over 50 regional and local parenting media companies in the United States, Canada, and Australia, with a combined print and digital circulation of over 3 million.