The Illinois Women’s Press Association is pleased to announce Marianne Wolf-Astrauskas, two-term President of the Illinois Woman’s Press Association, and Executive Board Secretary of National Federation of Press Women, has been honored as the 2013 Communicator of Achievement. Marianne continues the tradition of communicative collaboration established by Helen Miller Malloch, former IWPA President and Founder/President of the NFPW. She has served IWPA as Vice President/Membership Chair, High School Contest Chair, Book Fair Chair, and is the Co-Editor of The Anthology, to be published in 2014. In 2008, she was named the IWPA COA. She has served the National Federation of Press Women as Membership Chair.
Author, historian, storyteller, editor, administrator, recruiter, collaborator, mentor, volunteer, caregiver, daughter, wife, stepmom and friend — these samples demonstrate Marianne’s versatility. Her daily life reflects the quintessential positive communicator. Her ability to connect people from all walks of life brings out the power of possibilities and the passion to transform lives.
A long-standing Alumni Regional Board member and current Chair of the Chicago Regional Board for her alma mater, Illinois Wesleyan University, she embraces the vision of her education focused on relevance and commitment. She provides leadership on the Executive Alumni Board for the entire university community promoting partnerships between alums and students through programs like Saturday in the City, an idea she began after hearing students discuss their campus experiences.
The author of Joliet, a historical book on her home town, Wolf-Astrauskas is passionate about recording family and community history. She was also instrumental in researching and writing the history of the Illinois Kappa Kappa Gamma chapters for Kappapedia on the kappakappagamma.org national website. A published fiction writer as well, her short stories have won numerous Mate E. Palmer Communications Awards as well as writing awards from the National Federation of Press Women. Her award winning professional experience includes serving an Illinois U.S. Senator and the City of Chicago.