CharlottesvilleFamily Magazine Wins Seven National Awards from the Parenting Media Association
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA — CharlottesvilleFamily Magazine, Central Virginia’s trusted family lifestyle 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 along with the judges’ comments for each:.
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 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.
CharlottesvilleFamily Magazine Honored with “Above and Beyond Business” Award by United Way of Greater Charlottesville
Charlottesville, VA – September 18, 2025 – CharlottesvilleFamily Magazine is proud to announce that it has been named the “Above and Beyond Business” honoree at the 6th Annual Caring for Community Awards hosted by the United Way of Greater Charlottesville.
This recognition celebrates local organizations that demonstrate extraordinary dedication to strengthening the community. CharlottesvilleFamily was selected for its long-standing commitment to supporting local families through trusted resources, collaborative partnerships, and positive storytelling about the people and places of Central Virginia.
“We are honored to be recognized by United Way for doing what we love — connecting families and building community,” said Jennifer Bryerton, Publisher and Co-Founder of CharlottesvilleFamily Magazine. “Our team believes that strong communities grow from informed, supported families, and we are proud to be part of that work.”
2025 Caring for Community Award Honorees
United Way of Greater Charlottesville recognized the following community leaders and organizations at this year’s event:
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Above and Beyond Community Advocate: Amy Long, International Neighbors
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Above and Beyond Nonprofit (Tie): ReadyKids and Come As You Are Cville
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Above and Beyond Voice for Community Collaboration: Shaniece Bradford, ReadyKids & Shaniece Be
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Above and Beyond Voice for Early Education: Mary Johnston, Burnley-Moran Elementary School
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Above and Beyond Employee: Laquinn Gilmore, The Haven
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Above and Beyond Healthcare Provider: Dr. Paul Wisman, Pediatric Associates Jefferson St
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Above and Beyond Voice for Financial Empowerment: Janasha Bradford, Mahogany & Friends
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Above and Beyond Faith-Based Community or Group: Love In the Name of Christ Charlottesville/Albemarle
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Above and Beyond Business: CharlottesvilleFamily Magazine
