Texas Managing Editors

News

Texas journalism has always been a high-stakes endeavor, but the challenges we face in 2026 — from navigating the AI frontier to reporting on the latest immigration news — require a new kind of leadership.

From April 24 to 26, the Texas Managing Editors are heading to El Paso for a weekend of rigorous professional development and the celebration of the best journalism and journalists in the state. We’re finalizing our schedule, and it’s a lineup you won’t want to miss.

The Highlights

  • Frontline Reporting: We’re getting out of the conference room and onto the streets with a Chartered Bus Tour, visiting sites that define America’s border policy.
  • Crisis Management: We’ll go behind the scenes of the Kerrville Flooding coverage to discuss leading newsrooms through environmental and community disasters.
  • The AI Blueprint: Featured speaker Ryan Serpico, deputy director of newsroom AI and automation for Hearst Newspapers, joins us for a deep dive into practical planning every editor needs to navigate the AI shift.
  • Legislative & Open Government Status Check: Get the latest updates on open government challenges and press freedoms in our “Ask a Lawyer” session.

The Convention Schedule

Friday, April 24: Arrive & Connect

  • 6:30-8:30 PM: Opening Reception: Kick off the weekend with drinks and hors d’oeuvres.
  • 8:30 PM-Midnight: Hospitality Room: The networking continues late into the night.

Saturday, April 25: Visit the Frontlines

  • 8:00 AM: Breakfast
  • 8:50 AM: Welcome Remarks
  • 9:00 AM: Trauma-informed Leadership: What a case study on Kerrville flooding coverage can show us about leading during crises.
  • 11:15 AM: Awards Luncheon: Celebrating the first round of our state’s top honors.
  • 1:00 PM: Immigration Reporting: A panel on where policy meets lived reality.
  • 2:15 PM: Immigration Bus Tour: A guided tour of El Paso’s most significant frontline sites.
  • 6:00 PM: Evening Reception & Silent Auction
  • 7:00 PM: Awards Dinner & Live Auction: Join us as we toast the year’s most impactful journalism.

Sunday, April 26: The Future & The Final Honors

  • 8:00 AM: Breakfast
  • 9:00 AM: Big Tech, Big Stakes. Navigating the AI frontier for newsrooms.
  • 10:15 AM: Guarding Press Freedoms. A legal legislative update and Q&A.
  • 11:30 AM: Final Awards. The big reveal: Newsroom of the Year and Star of Stars Headliners winners.
  • 1:00 PM: Closing Remarks & Adjourn

Register Now

Whether you’re here for the networking in the hospitality room or taking in the gritty reality of the border tour, this convention is about strengthening the connective tissue of Texas media.

Register here for the 2026 TME Convention in El Paso.

See you in the Sun City!

Texas Managing Editors on Sunday announced its final winners and runners-up in the 2025 edition of the contest. Congratulations to the newsrooms recognized for their outstanding work last year. For first-round winners, click here.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

1A

1st Place: Josh Edwards and Andrew Hodge – Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

2nd Place: Ruben Ibarra, Josh Havard, Lance Kingrey, Mike Zimmerman, Joel Andrews, Stacy Faison, Brock West – Lufkin Daily News

2A

1st Place: Richard Douglas, Eric Garcia, Jerry Prickett, Elliot Hemstreet, Joel Valley, Larry Causey, Nan Dickson, Earl Nottingham, Shawn Ankrom, Eric Drennan, Jon Brooks, Will Hopkins, Randy Ray, David Stone, Jeff Sebestyen – Temple Daily Telegram

2nd Place: Brandi D. Addison, Alex Driggars, Mateo Rosiles and Adam D. Young – Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

3rd Place: Kevin Limiti – Killeen Daily Herald

3A

1st Place: Asher Lehrer-Small – Houston Landing

2nd Place: Staff – The Dallas Morning News

3rd Place: Sara DiNatale – San Antonio Express-News

Honorable Mention: Texas Tribune

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION

1A

1st Place: Laura Dennis, Kim Smith – Odessa American

2nd Place: Ashley Brooking – Bay City Tribune with Southern, Inc.

3rd Place: Lani Sneed – Abilene Reporter-News

2A

1st Place: Emily Wolf, Toluwani Osibamowo – Fort Worth Report

2nd Place: Mateo Rosiles – Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

3rd Place: Robert Moore – El Paso Matters

Honorable Mention: Elida S. Perez – El Paso Matters

3A

1st Place: Zach Despart, Yuriko Schumacher, Uriel García – The Texas Tribune

2nd Place: Yamil Berard – The Dallas Morning News

3rd Place: Caroline Ghisolfi, Amelia Winger, Matt deGrood – Houston Chronicle

Honorable Mention: Alison Young – Houston Landing

TEAM  EFFORT

1A

1st Place: Stacy Faison, Josh Havard – Lufkin Daily News

2nd Place: Dalondo Moultrie, Felicia Frazar – Seguin Gazette-Enterprise

3rd Place: Staff – Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

2A

1st Place: Staff – Temple Daily Telegram

2nd Place: Cecilia Lenzen, Emily Wolf – Fort Worth Report

3rd Place: El Paso Matters, La Verdad, Lighthouse Reports –El Paso Matters

Honorable Mention: Staff – The Beaumont Enterprise

3A

1st Place: Zach Despart, Alejandro Serrano, Yuriko Schumacher, Uriel García, Berenice Garcia, Elijah Nicholson-Messmer, Jakob Maurer, The Texas Tribune; Perla Trevizo, ProPublica/Texas Tribune; Juan A. Lozano, Elliot Spagat, The Associated Press – The Texas Tribune

2nd Place: Houston Chronicle

3rd Place: Houston Landing

Honorable Mention: Austin American-Statesman

NEWSROOM OF THE YEAR

1A

1st Place: Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

2nd Place: Lufkin Daily News

3rd Place: Bryan-College Station Eagle

2A

1st Place: El Paso Matters

2nd Place: Fort Worth Report

3rd Place: Clute, The Facts

3A

1st Place: Houston Chronicle

2nd Place: The Dallas Morning News

3rd Place: San Antonio Express-News

Texas Managing Editors honors the top journalism across the state with its awards contest. Winners are announced throughout the annual conference, which is taking place April 24-26.

FEATURE WRITING

1A

1st Place: Jennifer Dean, Louis Amestoy – Kerr County Lead

2nd Place: Sam Shaw – The Waco Bridge

3rd Place: Sydney Jansen – The Daily Skiff, TCU

Honorable Mention: Paul Witwer – San Angelo Standard-Times

2A

1st Place: Jeff Abbott – El Paso Times

2nd Place: Ken Rodriguez – San Antonio Report

3rd Place: Robert Moore – El Paso Matters

Honorable Mention: McKinnon Rice, Forth Worth Report; Marissa Greene, Fort Worth Report

3A

1st Place: Sarah Smith – Houston Chronicle

2nd Place: Yamil Berard – The Dallas Morning News

3rd Place: Ana Gutierrez – Austin American-Statesman

FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHY

1A

1st Place: Ruben R. Ramirez – El Paso Inc.

2nd Place: Beth Hisler – Baytown Sun

3rd Place: Meredith Seaver – Bryan-College Station Eagle

2A

1st Place: Tennyson Luhrs – New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung

2nd Place: Stuart Villanueva – The Galveston County Daily News

3rd Place: Gaby Velasquez – El Paso Times

Honorable Mention: Omar Ornelas – El Paso Times; Stuart Villanueva – The Galveston County Daily News; Hamida Botchway – Killeen Daily Herald

3A

1st Place: Amanda McCoy – Fort Worth Star-Telegram

2nd Place: Jay Janner – Austin American-Statesman

3rd Place: Jay Janner – Austin American-Statesman

Honorable Mention: Sam Owens – San Antonio Express-News

GENERAL COLUMN WRITING

1A

1st Place: Ronald W. Erdrich – Abilene Reporter-News

2nd Place: Kent Miller – Greenville Herald-Banner

3rd Place: Josh Havard – Lufkin Daily News

Honorable Mention: Joe Southern – Bryan-College Station Eagle

2A

1st Place: Blake Burleson – Waco Tribune-Herald

2nd Place: Robert Moore – El Paso Matters

3rd Place: Bill Whitaker – Waco Tribune-Herald

Honorable Mention: Kevin Limiti – Killeen Daily Herald

3A

1st Place: Lisa Falkenberg – Houston Chronicle

2nd Place: Bud Kennedy – Fort Worth Star-Telegram

3rd Place: Cary Clack – San Antonio Express-News

Honorable Mention: Robert Wilonsky – The Dallas Morning News

INFOGRAPHICS

1A

1st Place: Ella Funke – The Daily Skiff, TCU

2nd Place: Lance Kingrey – Lufkin Daily News

3rd Place: Kiley Beykirch – The Daily Skiff, TCU

2A

1st Place: Win Emmons – Waco Tribune-Herald

2nd Place: Michael Rodriguez – MyRGV.com

3rd Place: Ismael M. Belkoura – Fort Worth Report

Honorable Mention: Corey Greineisen – The Galveston County Daily News

3A

1st Place: Matt Zdun, Jason Buch, Benjamin Wermund – San Antonio Express-News, Houston Chronicle

2nd Place: Caroline Ghisolfi – Houston Chronicle

3rd Place: Leila Darwiche – San Antonio Express-News

Honorable mention: Michael Hogue – The Dallas Morning News

EDITORIAL WRITING

1A

1st Place: Louis Amestoy – Kerr County Lead

2nd Place: Kim Smith, Laura Dennis – Odessa American

3rd Place: Stacy Faison, Josh Havard – Lufkin Daily News

Honorable Mention: Kent Miller – Greenville Herald-Banner

2A

1st Place: Michael A. Smith – The Galveston County Daily News

2nd Place: Dave Miller – Killeen Daily Herald

3rd Place: Leonard Woolsey – The Galveston County Daily News

3A

1st Place: Cary Clack – San Antonio Express-News

2nd Place: Evan Mintz – Houston Chronicle

3rd Place: Bridget Grumet – Austin American-Statesman

Honorable Mention: Raj Mankad – Houston Chronicle

VIDEO

1A

1st Place: Rosanna Fraire – San Angelo Standard-Times

2nd Place: Ronald W. Erdrich – Abilene Reporter-News

3rd Place: Ronald W. Erdrich – Abilene Reporter-News

Honorable Mention: Colin McThorn & Caleb Gottry – The Daily Skiff, TCU; Will Lanigan, Edwin Quarles – Lufkin Daily News

2A

1st Place: Angela Piazza – Corpus Christi Caller-Times

2nd Place: Omar Ornelas – El Paso Times

3rd Place: Gaby Velasquez – El Paso Times

Honorable Mention: Rod Aydelotte – Win Emmons, Waco Tribune-Herald; Corey Greineisen – The Galveston County Daily News

3A

1st Place: Sharon Steinmann – Houston Chronicle

2nd Place: Michel Fortier, Annasofia Scheve, Monte Bach – San Antonio Express-News

3rd Place: Laura Duclos, Emily Foxhall – The Texas Tribune

Honorable Mention: Azul Sordo – The Dallas Morning News, Laura Duclos – The Texas Tribune

COMMENT AND CRITICISM

1A

1st Place: Joe Southern – Bryan-College Station Eagle

2nd Place: Josh Edwards – Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

3rd Place: Victor R. Martinez – El Paso Inc.

Honorable Mention: Elena Mathews – Cheryl Donatto, Baytown Sun; Will Lanigan – Lufkin Daily News

2A

1st Place: Pablo Villa – El Paso Matters

2nd Place: Carl Hoover – Waco Tribune-Herald

3rd Place: Alana Edgin, Mateo Rosiles – Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Honorable Mention: Michael Rodriguez – MyRGV.com; Carl Hoover – Waco Tribune-Herald

3A

1st Place: Deborah Sengupta Stith – Austin American-Statesman

2nd Place: Bud Kennedy – Fort Worth Star-Telegram

3rd Place: Sarah Hepola – The Dallas Morning News

Honorable Mention: Bao Ong – Houston Chronicle; Mark Lamster – The Dallas Morning News

SPORTS COLUMN WRITING

1A

1st Place: Nathan Hague – Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

2nd Place: Josh Havard – Lufkin Daily News

3rd Place: Alex Miller – Bryan-College Station Eagle

Honorable Mention: Edwin Quarles – Lufkin Daily News

2A

1st Place: Jason Mack – Laredo Morning Times

2nd Place: Don Williams – Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

3rd Place: Nathan Giese – Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Honorable Mention: Tim Waits – Temple Daily Telegram

3A

1st Place: Kevin Sherrington – The Dallas Morning News

2nd Place: Tim Cowlishaw – The Dallas Morning News

3rd Place: Cedric Golden – Austin American-Statesman

Honorable Mention: Mike Finger – San Antonio Express-News

SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

1A

1st Place: Ruben R. Ramirez – El Paso Inc.

2nd Place: Josh Edwards – Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

3rd Place: Ronald W. Erdrich – Abilene Reporter-News

Honorable Mention: Paul Witwer – San Angelo Standard-Times

2A

1st Place: Gaby Velasquez – El Paso Times

2nd Place: Delcia Lopez – MyRGV.com

3rd Place: Brisenia Flores – Clute, The Facts

Honorable Mention: Omar Ornelas – El Paso Times; Stuart Villanueva – The Galveston County Daily News; Nathan Giese – Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

3A

1st Place: Jason Fochtman – Houston Chronicle

2nd Place: Sara Diggins – Austin American-Statesman

3rd Place: Jason Fochtman – Houston Chronicle

Honorable Mention: Amanda McCoy – Fort Worth Star-Telegram

SPORTS FEATURE

1A

1st Place: Jonathan Hull – Wichita Falls Times Record News

2nd Place (tie): Josh Havard – Lufkin Daily News; Drew Muller – The Daily Skiff, TCU

3rd Place: Andrew McCulloch – Abilene Reporter-News

Honorable Mention: Steve Escajeda – El Paso Inc.

2A

1st Place: Dennis Silva II – Clute, The Facts

2nd Place: Billy Woods – Laredo Morning Times

3rd Place: Jason Mack – Laredo Morning Times

Honorable Mention: Quinton Martinez – Corpus Christi Caller-Times; James LaCombe – The Galveston County Daily News

3A

1st Place: Emiliano Tahui Gomez – Austin American-Statesman

2nd Place: Danielle Lerner – Houston Chronicle

3rd Place: Shawn McFarland – The Dallas Morning News

Honorable Mention: Mike Curtis – The Dallas Morning News

NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY

1A

1st Place: Ronald W. Erdrich – Abilene Reporter-News

2nd Place: Ruben R. Ramirez – El Paso Inc.

3rd Place: Joel Andrews – Lufkin Daily News

Honorable Mention: Abilene Reporter-News, Seguin Gazette-Enterprise, Baytown Sun

2A

1st Place: Delcia Lopez – MyRGV.com

2nd Place: Marissa Greene – Fort Worth Report

3rd Place: Stuart Villanueva – The Galveston County Daily News

Honorable Mention: The Galveston County Daily News, El Paso Times, San Antonio Report

3A

1st Place: Chitose Suzuki – The Dallas Morning News

2nd Place: Brett Coomer – Houston Chronicle

3rd Place: Josie Norris – San Antonio Express-News

Honorable Mention: San Antonio Express-News, Austin American-Statesman

DEADLINE WRITING

1A

1st Place: Louis Amestoy – Kerr County Lead

2nd Place: Ronald W. Erdrich, Paul Witwer, Rosanna Fraire, Trish Choate, Lynn Walker – San Angelo Standard-Times

3rd Place: Andrew Hodge – Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

Honorable Mention: Ronald W. Erdrich – Abilene Reporter-News

2A

1st Place: Robert Moore – El Paso Matters

2nd Place: Ken Rodriguez, Diego Medel – San Antonio Report

3rd Place: Matthew Sgroi – Fort Worth Report

Honorable Mention: Michael Morris – Clute, The Facts

3A

1st Place: Staff – San Antonio Express-News, Austin American-Statesman, Houston Chronicle

2nd Place: Keri Heath, Tony Plohetski, Andy Sevilla – Austin American-Statesman

3rd Place: Calvin Watkins, Jamie Landers, Elissa Jorgensen – The Dallas Morning News

Honorable Mention: Harriet Ramos, Emerson Clarridge, Amy McDaniel – Fort Worth Star-Telegram

HEADLINE WRITING

1A

1st Place: Stacy Faison – Lufkin Daily News

2nd Place: Dalondo Moultrie – Seguin Gazette-Enterprise

3rd Place: Kent Miller – Greenville Herald-Banner

Honorable Mention: Cheryl Donatto – Baytown Sun

2A

1st Place: Michael Morris – Clute, The Facts

2nd Place: Bob Francis – Fort Worth Report

3rd Place: Randy Ray – Temple Daily Telegram

3A

1st Place: Max Romero – The Dallas Morning News

2nd Place: Chris Quinn – San Antonio Express-News

3rd Place: Jaundrea Clay – San Antonio Express-News

Honorable Mention: Natalie Webster, JJ Velasquez – San Antonio Express-News

PHOTOJOURNALISM

1A

1st Place: Jennifer Dean – Kerr County Lead

2nd Place: Justin Hamel – The Waco Bridge

3rd Place: Meredith Seaver – Bryan-College Station Eagle

Honorable Mention: Ronald W. Erdrich – Abilene Reporter-News

2A

1st Place: Omar Ornelas – El Paso Times

2nd Place: Delcia Lopez – MyRGV.com

3rd Place: Omar Ornelas – El Paso Times

Honorable Mention: MyRGV.com, Corpus Christi Caller-Times

3A

1st Place (tie): Staff – Austin American-Statesman; Jason Fochtman – Houston Chronicle

3rd Place: Jessica Phelps – San Antonio Express-News

Honorable Mention: Tom Fox – The Dallas Morning News

BUSINESS REPORTING

1A

1st Place: Reyes Mata III – El Paso Inc.

2nd Place: Luis Rios – El Paso Inc.

3rd Place: Ronald W. Erdrich – Abilene Reporter-News

Honorable Mention: Nate Jackson – Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

2A

1st Place: Nicole Lopez – Fort Worth Report

2nd Place: Diego Mendoza-Moyers – El Paso Matters

3rd Place: Jasper Kenzo Sundeen – San Antonio Report

Honorable Mention: Ken Rodriguez – San Antonio Report

3A

1st Place: Karoline Leonard – Austin American-Statesman

2nd Place: Claire Hao – Houston Chronicle

3rd Place: Lily O’Neill – San Antonio Express-News

Honorable Mention: The Texas Tribune, The Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

SPECIALTY REPORTING

1A

1st Place: Sam Shaw – The Waco Bridge

2nd Place: Reyes Mata III – El Paso Inc.

3rd Place: Ronald W. Erdrich – Abilene Reporter-News

Honorable Mention: Reyes Mata III, Steve Escajeda – El Paso Inc.

2A

1st Place: Cindy Ramirez – El Paso Matters

2nd Place: Blake Hollingsworth – Waco Tribune-Herald

3rd Place: Olivia Garrett – Corpus Christi Caller-Times

3A

1st Place: Kevin Krause – The Dallas Morning News

2nd Place: Sig Christenson – San Antonio Express-News

3rd Place: Jessica Priest – The Texas Tribune

Honorable Mention: Rebecca Schuetz – Houston Chronicle

UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE NEWSPAPERS

1st Place: The Shorthorn – University of Texas at Arlington

2nd Place: The Collegian – Tarrant County College

3rd Place: University Press – Lamar University

Submit convention and contest payments here.