Celebrating Regional and National Recognition for Compass Health’s Internal Communications

At Compass Health, our more than 600 team members are the heart of everything we do. Every day, they show up for community members across Snohomish, Skagit, Island, San Juan and Whatcom counties. Supporting them well starts with making sure they feel informed, connected and heard.

That belief is behind our approach to internal communications and team member engagement. This year, our commitment to staff outreach earned recognition from two leading communications organizations: PR Daily and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Puget Sound Chapter.

“Our work is centered on ensuring our team members have the knowledge, support and tools they need to deliver caring, compassionate, high-quality behavioral health services across Northwest Washington,” said Missy Judd, Compass Health’s chief of staff, who leads internal communications along with Will Brown, executive assistant, in collaboration with a cross-departmental team. “We’re fortunate to work alongside professionals who appreciate celebrating our colleagues and our culture of service, and this recognition goes to every single member of the Compass Health team.”

A regional honor and a national spotlight

Compass Health’s internal programs, including the introduction of a robust intranet and content ecosystem called the HUB, received a 2026 Summit Award in the Internal Communications category from the Public Relations Society of America Puget Sound Chapter. The Summit Awards have recognized the best communications work in the Pacific Northwest since 1978.

Our organization was also named a national finalist in the Employee Communications category of PR Daily’s 2026 Nonprofit Communications Awards, presented by Ragan Communications, standing alongside nonprofit organizations from across the country.

Engaging our behavioral health workforce

Our journey to implement the HUB began with a look at where we might improve our internal communications, and how a broader strategy could better meet employee needs and advance organizational goals.

In 2024, staff told us they wanted to know more about the people and programs across our organization. They wanted communication that was clear, direct and honest, especially through ongoing changes in community behavioral health systems.

Creating a new internal online platform gave us a foundation for building connection through thoughtful content, in-person events and culture-focused initiatives. Today, it is where staff find organizational updates, program news, leadership messages and stories that spotlight one another’s work.

The HUB works because it is part of a bigger commitment to our people — and serves as the jumping-off point for broader engagement through:

• Quarterly executive briefings and other organizational and industry insights;
• Creating platforms for clinical professionals to share their learnings and experiences, and recognize the work of their teammates; and
• Team building through a range of digital and in-person outreach, from sharing weekly personal reflections on our cultural fundamentals to gathering with colleagues at food truck events.

Why it matters

Behavioral healthcare is demanding work. When our team members feel informed and valued, they are better supported to do what they do best: care for our communities. That is what advancing whole person health looks like from the inside out.

“Our people are the reason Compass Health can show up for our communities every day, said Tom Sebastian, president and CEO. “When we invest in how our team connects, listens and grows together, that investment reaches every client we serve. This recognition belongs to every team member who helps make Compass Health a place where people feel informed, valued and part of something bigger.”

We are grateful to PRSA Puget Sound and PR Daily for this recognition, and most of all, we are thankful to all our team members at Compass Health.

For more information about joining the Compass Health team, please visit https://www.compasshealth.org/careers/