Our Judges
Tom Hallman Jr.
Tom Hallman Jr. is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author. He's been on staff at The Oregonian for more than 35 years where he is now a senior reporter. Hallman has written numerous stories for Reader's Digest, and won every major feature writing award, some multiple times. He was twice a Pulitzer Prize Finalist, and won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing. Hallman has published several books. His journalism and nonfiction narrative stories explore the significance of big moments and small and their impact on a life. Fun fact, Hallman was once an answer to a question on the television show Jeopardy.
Christopher Elliott
Christopher Elliott is an award-winning author, consumer advocate and journalist. His investigative reporting on behalf of readers, often against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, has earned him a reputation as “every consumer’s best friend.”
He also writes The Travel Troubleshooter, which is syndicated by King Features. You can find it in newspapers across the country, from the San Francisco Chronicle to the Boston Globe. He pens a weekly column for the Washington Post called The Navigator, which focuses on being a smarter, more informed traveler, with a special emphasis on transportation policy. He also writes USA Today’s weekly On Travel column. The feature helps travelers understand the inner workings of the travel industry, and how to make the most of their next trip. Christopher is Money Magazine’s reader advocate, helping readers resolve everyday conflicts with companies and organizations and helping them to avoid future problems.
Jake Goodrick
Jake Goodrick is the editor of the Gillette News Record in Wyoming, where he’s won a number of awards for feature, news and editorial writing. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, he moved out West and earned a graduate degree from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Mass Communication and Journalism. His reporting has ranged from captivating investigative deep-dives on the fraud that follows natural disaster recovery dollars to all facets of local community and government news. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, Slate, Seattle Times, Golfweek, The Arizona Republic, and more.
Richard Carufel
Richard Carufel is editor of Bulldog Reporter and the Daily ’Dog, one of the web’s leading sources of PR and marketing communications news and opinions. He has been reporting on the PR and communications industry for over 12 years, and has interviewed hundreds of journalists and PR industry leaders.
Gregory Hasman
Gregory Hasman is a journalist and freelance writer. He is a staff writer for the Albuquerque Journal where he covers night cops, breaking news and general assignment. Before that, he was a general assignment reporter for the Gillette News Record and Rock Springs Rocket Miner in Wyoming. Hasman has also been published in New Mexico Magazine and ROUTE Magazine. He enjoys traveling and photographing places down two-lane highways.
Craig Richards
Craig Richards serves as the publisher of the Hammonton Gazette in New Jersey, drawing upon more than 35 years of experience in the media sector. Over the course of his career, he has cultivated and led teams across various platforms including newspapers, magazines, digital media, podcasts, and radio. Richards has a successful history of publishing for major corporate media firms, smaller family-owned enterprises, as well as launching and developing independent media ventures, earning awards from press associations in numerous states. In addition to his role as publisher, Richards remains actively involved in writing investigative reports, editorials, and feature articles.
