Tripepi Smith is proud to celebrate the achievements of its clients who were recognized with prestigious honors at the 2026 California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) Annual Conference. Held in San Diego from May 11-14, this year’s conference was centered around the theme “Make Waves” and spotlighted exceptional public communication efforts across a range of digital media, marketing and community engagement categories. The EPIC Awards honor excellence in public sector communications and are categorized by agency size and budget.
The City of Palmdale was honored with an EPIC Award in the category of Video Production – Marketing Video – Consultant Supported for its American Film Market promotional video. Leveraging its unique geography as a premier filming hub just north of the Los Angeles basin, the City partnered with Tripepi Smith to produce a high-impact video.
Two additional Tripepi Smith clients, the cities of Orinda and Suisun City, earned a Certificate of Excellence, which recognizes public outreach projects that scored at least 90 out of 100 points.
The City of Orinda was recognized for its Downtown Orinda Economic Development campaign. This multi-channel initiative focused on revitalizing the local business corridor through a fresh brand identity, a centralized digital hub, targeted advertising efforts and strategic marketing materials.
“The Downtown Orinda initiative is all about building strong connections between our community, our civic spaces and our local economy,” said Orinda City Manager Linda Smith. “Partnering with Tripepi Smith allowed us to deliver visually engaging, high-impact outreach that truly moved the needle for our local businesses. We are incredibly proud to receive this CAPIO recognition for our Downtown Orinda economic development efforts.”
The City of Suisun City earned its certificate for the Exploring Expansion campaign. The public education initiative successfully translated complex regional planning and economic growth concepts into accessible, clear and engaging messaging for residents.
“As we explore expanding Suisun City’s borders, ensuring our community is informed and engaged every step of the way is our top priority,” said Suisun City City Manager Bret Prebula. “Tripepi Smith acted as a brilliant extension of our team, helping us translate intricate planning concepts into accessible messaging for our residents. This CAPIO recognition is a testament to our shared commitment to transparent public education as we shape the future of Suisun City.”
“It is a privilege to stand alongside our clients as they are recognized by their peers for doing stellar work that moves the needle,” said Tripepi Smith President Ryder Todd Smith. “The CAPIO awards show that our collaborations with public agencies are truly ‘making waves’ across California. Helping the teams in Palmdale, Orinda and Suisun City connect meaningfully with their residents and stakeholders brings immense purpose to our Tripepi Smith, and we are excited to help keep pushing the boundaries of public sector communication.”
To learn more about Tripepi Smith’s award-winning partnerships, please visit TripepiSmith.com/Awards/.
About 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 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.
