The annual award recognizes a practicing or retired school public relations professional for outstanding leadership in school public relations and communications. In her previous position, Hoke worked for 22 years as the public information officer for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. Prior to that she worked for ten years in Granville County Schools.
The award is named for Barry Gaskins, who passed away unexpectedly in 2003 at the age of 49. During his 24-year career as the first and only public information officer for Pitt County Schools in Greenville, Gaskins gained a national reputation for his skill as a public relations professional and his ability to engage diverse publics in support of public education.