Tripepi Smith Clients Awarded CAPIO EPIC Awards
Tripepi Smith is proud to celebrate the achievements of two clients, the cities of Palmdale and Jurupa Valley, who were recognized with EPIC Awards at the 2025 California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) Annual Conference. Held in Napa from April 1–4, this year’s conference was centered around the theme “Let’s Soar” and spotlighted exceptional public communication efforts across a range of categories including newsletters, photography, writing, websites, video production and more. Over 500 submissions were made during this award cycle, a record number, making the competition particularly tight this year. The EPIC Awards honor excellence in public sector communications and are thoughtfully categorized by agency size and budget to ensure a level playing field.
The City of Palmdale was honored with an EPIC Award in Communication and Marketing Tools – Special or Community Event: Series for its 2024 State of the City (YouTube Video). The event spotlighted Palmdale’s achievements, current initiatives and vision for the future. Through thoughtful planning, City staff, with the support of Tripepi Smith, delivered an event that reflected Palmdale’s dedication to excellence, innovation and meaningful community engagement.
“A State of the City is more than just a presentation — it’s a chance to bring our community together, celebrate progress and build excitement for what’s ahead,” said Palmdale Deputy City Manager Sara Gallagher. “We set out to create an experience that was bold, engaging and unforgettable. Tripepi Smith was a key partner with our internal team to lay out a vision and professionally execute on the effort. Our teams delivered an event that exceeded expectations and left a lasting impression on both our community and City team.”
The City of Jurupa Valley received the EPIC Award in Digital Communications – Video Production: Marketing Video – Consultant Supported for its Rio Vista Preservation Development video (YouTube Link). In a commitment to protecting significant cultural icons, the City partnered with the Gabrielino Band of Mission Indians, Kizh Nation, to permanently preserve 500 acres of land adjacent to a housing development. To honor this meaningful collaboration and conservation effort, the City produced a video highlighting the partnership, remarkable history, ecological importance and the unified effort to safeguard the land’s future.
“The preservation of this land has been a top priority for the City, as it stands not only as a landmark for our community but also as a symbol of global ecological and cultural significance,” said Mike Flad, Assistant City Manager for the City of Jurupa Valley. “Tripepi Smith beautifully captured the spirit of the land and effectively conveyed the importance of this effort in the Rio Vista Preservation Development video. CAPIO’s recognition highlights the meaningful impact of telling stories that honor our past and protect our future.”
Several additional Tripepi Smith client partnerships earned a new CAPIO award this year – the Certificate of Excellence. The Certificate of Excellence recognized projects that scored at least 90 out of 100 points. The City of Yorba Linda Measure JJ ballot measure outreach campaign was recognized for its excellence in community engagement and education resulting in a 91% support rate at the ballot box. In the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, their long-term crisis communications campaign about land movement and displaced residents was also awarded a certificate. The City of Malibu’s Community Lands Outreach Campaign (supported by Tripepi Smith) was recognized for its stellar engagement strategies and extensive community feedback. Additionally, the City of Pinole’s citywide rebrand with the help of Tripepi Smith and was awarded a certificate for its efforts to engage the community to create updated branding, including a new logo and city seal. In total, six Tripepi Smith-supported projects were recognized by CAPIO for 2025.
“It’s an honor to support Tripepi Smith clients in their efforts to implement effective civic engagement with their residents and businesses. I don’t take their trust in us lightly,” said Ryder Todd Smith, President of Tripepi Smith. “The CAPIO EPIC awards are recognition that our partnerships created outstanding results that moved the needle and stood apart in a sea of engagement. Working with the teams in Palmdale, Jurupa Valley, Malibu, Rancho Palos Verdes, Pinole and Yorba Linda brings purpose and joy to our efforts, and I look forward to learning from these wins and doing even more great work in the decades to come.”
To learn more about Tripepi Smith’s award-winning partnerships, please visit TripepiSmith.com/work.
About the California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO)
CAPIO is a membership organization serving more than 700 professionals throughout the public sector who engage communities through honest and transparent communication. CAPIO provides education and networking that helps its members and their agencies develop and advance. CAPIO is the leading professional organization dedicated to advancing public communicators through training, resources and networking to strengthen and engage communities—a fundamental piece of good government.
About Tripepi Smith
Tripepi Smith is a California-based marketing, technology and public affairs firm that serves for-profit, nonprofit and public agencies. Its unique mix of marketing and technology prowess provides a competitive advantage to agencies seeking to leverage the internet to achieve their communication goals. The firm provides full content creation services, including: ghost writing, collateral development, photography, video production, aerial imagery, search engine optimization, email marketing campaigns and website design and execution. Tripepi Smith’s diverse clients include: City of American Canyon, City of Calabasas, City of Culver City, City of Cupertino, City of Daly City, City of Duarte, City of Grover Beach, City of Indian Wells, City of La Cañada Flintridge, City of Lake Forest, City of Livermore, City of Malibu, City of Napa, City of Palmdale, City of Paramount, City of Tracy, CalChoice Energy Authority, California Joint Powers Insurance Authority, Santa Clara County Fire Department, Costa Mesa Sanitary District, Rowland Water District, California City Management Foundation, Renne Public Law Group, West Coast Arborists, Scripps College, Blind Children’s Center and Climatec.