Meet the 2026 IRMA Awards Jury

The International Regional Magazine Association Awards Committee is pleased to announce the Jury for the 2026 IRMA Awards. We are very grateful to all these talented industry leaders for giving us their time and expertise.

Content produced by IRMA members between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025 was evaluated in 45 categories, and will be announced at the 2026 IRMA Conference, in September 2026 in Calgary, Alberta.

Trevor Battye

Trevor Battye is the founder of Trevor Battye Advertising Sales.

Tara Cox

Tara Cox is a New York-based food writer and magazine editor, and is the creative director at New York startup Epicure.

Suzanne Trudel

Suzanne Trudel is the executive director of the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association and a veteran of the media industry.

Sara Harowitz

Sara Harowitz is a journalist, content strategist, and consultant based in Vancouver, BC.

Ryan Krogh

Ryan Krogh is a writer and journalist living in Austin, TX.

Phoebe Flynn Rich

Phoebe Flynn Rich is a New York–based Creative Director with a background in lifestyle consumer media.

Nick Jackson

Nick Jackson is an editor, writer and media strategist with experience leading some of the most distinctive digital brands.

Megan McPhaden

Megan McPhaden is a journalist and digital content strategist in Toronto, ON.

Mason Hastie

Mason Hastie is a graphic designer, illustrator and serial hobbyist with a 20+ year career in magazines.
A photo of Liann Bobechko

Liann Bobechko

Liann Bobechko is a writer and editor, who has been working in the magazine industry since 2000.

Kristopher Andres

Kristopher Andres is a fine art photographer and expedition-driven storyteller.

Jim Vickers

Jim Vickers is the editor of Ohio Magazine.

Jennifer Hewett

Jennifer Hewett is the editor of Georgia magazine.

Jeff Labreque

Jeff Labreque is the Director of Content for Advancement Communications at Princeton University.

Jacqueline Marino

Jacqueline Marino is a Professor at Kent State University School of Media and Journalism.

Jack Saul

Jack Saul is a writer and editor, and the executive direcotor of The Center for Northern Woodlands Education an educational nonprofit located in Lyme, New Hampshire.

Eithne McCredie

Eithne McCredie is a magazine publisher and circulation consultant based in Toronto, ON.

Drue Wagner

Drue Wagner is a graphic designer and illustrator living in Austin, TX.
Deanna Lowe

Deanna Lowe

Deanna Lowe is an award-winning Designer and Creative Director based in New York.

Dan Oko

Texas-based freelance writer Dan Oko specializes in coverage of outdoor travel and environmental affairs. 

Bob Sexton

Bob Sexton is an editor, writer and seasoned communication specialist based in Toronto, ON.

Andrea Kaneko

Andrea Kaneko is the associate editor of Missouri Life. 
A photo of Alan Bartels

Alan J Bartels

Alan J. Bartels is a writer, photographer, gardener, student of nature, father, chronic volunteer, and wanderer.
A photo-illustration of Huck Beard

Huck Beard

Huck Beard is Creative Director at Pittsburgh Magazine, as well as an accomplished fine-art photographer and creative writer.
A photo of Al Bonowitz

Al Bonowitz

Al Bonowitz edits the Northern New England and Hawai‘i regional sections of AAA Explorer.
A photo of Harriet Brown

Harriet Brown

Harriet Brown is a professor of magazine, news & digital journalism at the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, where she directs the MND graduate program.

Melissa Chessher

Melissa Chessher is a magazine writer and editor, and the Belo Foundation Endowed Distinguished Chair in Journalism, at Southern Methodist University.

Joanna Cummings

Joanna Cummings is the editorial director of The Grub Street Journal, the magazine for magazine people.
A photo of David Halloran

David Halloran

David Halloran is the creative director for Midwest Luxury Publishing, as well as doing freelance designer, photography and writing.
A photograph of Nicola Hamilton

Nicola Hamilton

Nicola Hamilton RGD (she/her) is an award-winning editorial designer based in Toronto, Canada, and owner of Issues Magazine Shop.
A photograph of Joshua Hardin

Joshua Hardin

Joshua Hardin has dedicated his life to looking for the best light to photograph the world’s peaks and plains; forests and deserts; rivers and coasts.
A photo of Brian Kevin

Brian Kevin

Brian Kevin is a features editor at National Geographic, a founding editor of Wildsam, and the former editor in chief of Down East.
A photograph of Kim Larson

Kim Larson

Kim Larson is an editorial art director and designer who has created many award-winning magazines, including Eighteen Bridges, Avenue Edmonton, Alberta Venture, and Edify magazine.
A photograph of Amélie Legare by Darby Magill.

Amélie Legare

Amélie Legare runs Calypso Design, a graphic design firm based in Pemberton BC and is the Creative director for Mountain Life Media.

Sharon McAuley

Sharon McAuley is a turnaround specialist and publishing consultant based in Toronto, ON.
A photo of Robert Newman

Robert Newman

Robert Newman is the former design director of New York, Details, Fortune, The Village Voice, Entertainment Weekly, and Vibe.
A photo of Danielle Sayer

Danielle Sayer

Danielle Sayer is the Montreal-based art director at Québec Science magazine.
A photograph of Paige Weir

Paige Weir

Paige Weir is a visual designer, photographer and stylist based in Northern Ontario.
A photograph of Lisa Whittington-Hill

Lisa Whittington-Hill

Lisa Whittington-Hill is a writer and the publisher of This Magazine.