2026 PRSA Strategies & Tactics
Women of Impact Summit & Awards
2026 Program
2026 Women of Impact Summit & Awards
Program Overview
The PRSA Women of Impact Summit & Awards is a one-day experience designed for all in the public relations and communications profession. Bringing together industry leaders and this year’s distinguished award nominees, the program offers a unique blend of learning, connection, and recognition.
The day features engaging morning sessions that offer actionable insights on the challenges and opportunities shaping the field, followed by an inspiring awards luncheon honoring outstanding women whose leadership and impact have advanced the profession.
Together, the Summit & Awards create a powerful platform to connect, learn, and celebrate the impact of women in PR and communications.
2026 Women of Impact Summit & Awards
Aug. 6, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Union League Club of Chicago
65 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago
| Registration Type | Saver Rate Ends July 17 | Standard Rate After July 17 |
|---|---|---|
| PRSA Member | $450 | $550 |
| Nonmember | $595 | $695 |
Agenda
Agenda
August 6, 2026
| 8:30–9:15 a.m. | Registration and Continental Breakfast |
| 9:15–10:15 a.m. | Welcome Remarks & Keynote Address Welcome to the Women of Impact Summit & Awards Matthew Marcial, CAE, APR, Chief Executive Officer, PRSA Keynote Address: Beyond the Title: Expanding Your Influence, Impact and Legacy Cheryl Procter-Rogers, APR, Fellow PRSA, MCC President and CEO, A Step Ahead Consulting and Coaching For today's communications professional, leadership is no longer defined by title, scope of responsibility or organizational hierarchy. It is defined by the ability to influence decisions, shape outcomes, build trust and leave a lasting legacy. As women continue to ascend to senior leadership roles, the challenge shifts from earning a seat at the table to helping shape the conversations, decisions and strategies that drive organizational success. In an environment marked by complexity, constant change and heightened stakeholder expectations, influence has become one of the most important leadership competencies. Drawing from experiences in the boardroom, the C-suite and executive coaching conversations with senior leaders, this keynote explores how communications professionals can expand their influence, strengthen their strategic voice, navigate competing priorities and create impact that extends well beyond their formal role. Attendees will be inspired to elevate their leadership, advance their organizations and build a legacy that endures. |
| 10:15–11 a.m. | General Session AI Visibility: How To Get Your Brand Named in AI Answers Dave Burnett, Founder, AOKMarketing.com This session will explore the connection between media placements and AI visibility—specifically how getting your clients “named in AI answers” can drive new business and support greater investment in PR while gaining insight into how AI models like ChatGPT learn, operate and surface answers, why the intersection of PR and SEO is evolving into AEO/GEO and what that means for your strategy. You’ll also discover practical ways to get your clients found in AI outputs and “named in the answer,” understand how media coverage becomes training data for AI, how to influence the responses AI generates and how to navigate crises that appear in AI results—all while learning how to connect media placements to AI visibility and ultimately to measurable business outcomes. |
| 11–11:15 a.m. | Break |
| 11:15 a.m.–Noon | General Session Women Calling the Plays: Leading Communications in Sports and Entertainment Hosted by: PRSA Entertainment and Sports Section Women are shaping the narratives that drive sports, entertainment and culture, but their influence extends far beyond the spotlight. Join an accomplished panel of communications leaders as they share how they navigate high-stakes moments, build powerful brands, lead teams and create impact across some of the world's most visible industries. From major sporting events and entertainment properties to agency leadership and emerging technologies, this conversation will explore what it takes to lead with confidence, adaptability and purpose in today's communications landscape. |
| Noon–12:45 p.m. | General Session Making Communications Count: Using AI to Measure & Merchandise Your Business Impact Whether you're early in your career or an experienced leader, you've sat through the same conversation: skip the vanity metrics, report what matters to the business. Yet after all the spirited debates, the do-this-not-that directives, and more than a dozen competing tools, most practitioners still can't answer one deceptively simple question: what should we actually measure and report? The right AI tools, paired with a clear measurement strategy, can change that. During this panel conversation, we will discuss how to prove the value of Communications in terms your C-suite already cares about and share the latest benchmarks so you can gauge whether you're keeping pace or falling behind. You'll leave with concrete actions you can take right away using AI to plan and sharpen your measurement, improve your influence on your stakeholders' perceptions and behaviors, and merchandise your work to the leaders within your organization who control budgets and opportunities. |
| 1–3 p.m. | Awards Luncheon & Closing Remarks Awards Ceremony Presentation Hosted by: Heide Harrell, M.A., APR 2026 Chair, PRSA Director of Communications, Central Arkansas Water |
Finalists
Finalists
Good luck to all finalists!
| Finalist | Title | Company |
|---|---|---|
| Lyndsey Akers | Founder & CEO | Akers&Co |
| Mary Deming Barber, APR, Fellow PRSA | Mayor | City of Gig Harbor |
| Ashley Bernardi | CEO & Founder | Nardi Media, LLC |
| Courtney Callaghan, APR+M | Public Affairs Officer | U.S. Navy |
| Tanvi Kamlesh Chauhan | Communications Manager | Visit Savannah |
| Kara Christ | SVP, Head of Marketing | CCS Fundraising |
| Supriya Christopher | Director of Public Relations | Visit Savannah |
| Brenda Duran | Director of External Affairs | Los Angeles County Justice, Care and Opportunities Department |
| Kimberly Eberl | CEO | The Motion Agency |
| Monique Farmer, APR | President/CEO | Avant Solutions |
| Alice Ferreira | Senior Managing Director | Webster Bank |
| Abbie S. Fink | President | HMA Public Relatioins |
| Rosanna Fiske, APR, Fellow PRSA | Global Head of Corporate Affairs | Signature Aviation |
| Leah Gladu | CEO | KWI Communications |
| Jennifer Hawton, APR | Public Relations Manager | PEMCO Mutual Insurance |
| Natasha Hill, MBA | Director of Communications and Outreach | Tarrant Regional Water District |
| Cassie Ann Kiggen | Chief Communications Officer | University of Georgia's College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences |
| Tina Kozak | CEO | Franco |
| Keagan Lenihan | Chief External Affairs Officer | PMI U.S. |
| Haiwen Lu Langworth | Vice President of Global Communications and Marketing | Tent Partnership for Refugees |
| Stacey McCray | Vice President of Communications | Bojangles |
| Tara McDonagh | CEO & Chief Communications Strategist | Tara McDonagh Communicaitons Inc. |
| Katherine McLane | Founder & Chief Executive Officer | The MACH 1 Group |
| Elizabeth Neiman | Managing Director, Strategic Engagement | International Society of Automation (ISA) |
| Kristen Nicholson, APR | Vice President of Strategic Communications | mhp.si |
| Jess Overbeck | Vice President, Communications and Marketing | Artemis ARC |
| Teresa Valerio Parrot, Ed.D., APR | Principal | TVP Communications |
| Felicia Perez, APR | Principal | FAR Public Relations |
| Kristi Piehl | Founder + CEO | Media Minefield |
| Kari Porter | Account Director | Scout Lab |
| Amber Roberts | US CEO | Vested |
| Genna Rosenberg | Changemaker CEO | GennComm |
| Rachel Rosenblatt | Senior Managing Director and Americas Head of Consumer & Retail Sector | FTI Consulting |
| Sheerin Salimi | Vice President, Communications | Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment |
| Marian Salzman | Senior Vice President, Corporate Development & Senior Advisor to the U.S. CEO | PMI U.S. |
| Jessica Schaefer | Founder/CEO | Capital V Strategies |
| Elexis Schroder | Founder, Head of the Haus | SchroderHaus Marketing Communications |
| Diane Schwartz | CEO | Ragan Communications |
| Sarah Segal | Founder & CEO | Segal Communications |
| Brandi Smith | Manager Corporate Communications | Avista |
Judges
Judges
PRSA thanks its volunteer judges for their service to this program.
| Judge | Company |
|---|---|
| Kelliann Amico, APR, Fellow PRSA | Amico |
| Katie Archer | Ascensus |
| Avita Bansee | The Boys’ Club of New York |
| Georgia Barrett | Bowen Craggs |
| Kia Bell | Walk West |
| Linda Beltran, APR | PRSA |
| Morgan Biggs | CareerSource Palm Beach County |
| Briana Bryant, MPA, APR | Sikora Law |
| Crystal Campos-Rosales | Lone Star Rose Communications |
| John Elsasser | PRSA |
| Red Gamso | SWFL Events |
| Nealy Gihan, APR | On Point Communications |
| Kellie Harris | KH Communications Partners |
| Jillian Henze, APR | City of Kennewick |
| David Honchul, APR, Fellow PRSA | Private Consultant |
| Olivia Kays | Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield |
| Moon Kim | M Booth |
| Wendi Koziol, APR | Public Communications Inc. |
| Grete Lavrenz, APR | |
| Heather Lawrence, APR | RTX |
| Buffy Lockette, APR | Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED |
| Kimberly MacLeod, APR | |
| Lisa Malo | Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District |
| Nicole Maul, APR | American Red Cross |
| Janice Miller | Highwire PR |
| Tara Naughton | Storyful |
| Sherry Parfait | Parfait Media |
| Courtney Pulitzer | Sandoval Creative |
| Gina Ray, APR | ABBYY |
| Carly Rogers | C Street Advisory Group |
| Lauren Scully | Pennsylvania Horticultural Society |
| Stephanie Smith, APR | Virginia Tech |
| Jennifer Strohm, APR | Fors Marsh |
| Emily Tackaberry, APR | Boston Scientific |
| Rainey Talbot, APR | CAP Tulsa |
| Katie Thomas, APR | Nationwide Children's Hospital |
| Renee Waller | Naples Botanical Garden |
| Kelli West, APR | The Chickasaw Nation / Chickasaw Country Tourism |
| Marc Whitt | University of Kentucky |
| Chris Yandle, Ph.D., APR | Louisiana Board of Regents |
Award Categories
Award Categories
Sector Impact Categories
- Agency Excellence — Honors those working in agencies who drive remarkable client outcomes, foster culture and shape the future of consultancy.
- Association/Nonprofit — For communicators advancing mission-driven impact in associations and nonprofits.
- Corporate Communications — Celebrates leaders who serve as the organizational voice across corporate reputation, executive visibility and issues.
- Counselors to Higher Education — For senior communicators in colleges and universities advancing institutional reputation and stakeholder trust.
- Education — Honors educators shaping the next generation of communicators through teaching, research and mentorship.
- Entertainment — For excellence in entertainment communications, partnerships and audience engagement.
- Fashion — For excellence in fashion communications, partnerships, engagement.
- Financial Communications — Honors experts guiding communications in financial services, investor relations and fintech.
- Health & Life Sciences — Honors communicators bringing clarity, compassion and compliance to health, pharma and life sciences.
- Independent Practitioners — Celebrates solo and boutique practitioners delivering outsized impact for clients.
- Internal Communications — Recognizes leaders engaging employees, strengthening culture and driving change through internal comms.
- Public Affairs & Government — For communicators influencing public policy, civic engagement and military/government stakeholder relations.
- Sports — For excellence in sports communications, partnerships and fan engagement.
- Technology — Honors leaders advancing communications for technology companies, platforms and innovations.
- Travel & Tourism — Recognizes excellence in destination, hospitality and travel brand communications.
- Agency Leader — Recognizes agency owners and senior agency executives for excellence in firm leadership and client service.
- Brand Storyteller — Honors compelling, consistent narratives that elevate brand meaning and drive engagement.
- Crisis & Issues Navigator — Honors poise under pressure and decisive, ethical leadership in crises or complex issues.
- Data & Insights Leader — Recognizes mastery of research, analytics and measurement to inform strategy and prove impact.
- DEI Champion — For sustained, measurable progress advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in communications.
- Global Communications Leader — For professionals executing cross-border strategies with cultural fluency and measurable international impact.
- Industry Champion / Thought Leader — For influential voices elevating the profession through speaking, writing, standards and community impact.
- Innovation Use of AI & Comms Tech — Recognizes smart, responsible integration of AI or communications technology to improve performance.
- Media Relations & Reputation Builder — Recognizes exceptional earned media strategy, reporter relationships and reputation outcomes.
- Mentor & Coach — Celebrates women who invest deeply in developing talent and building teams.
- Purpose & Community Impact — Honors leadership in delivering impactful social, sustainability or community outcomes.
- Rising Star — Spotlights rising talent (≤5 years experience) demonstrating leadership, craft excellence and results.
- Social Influencer — Honors those who have leveraged social media channels to amplify campaigns, engage audiences and deliver outcomes.
Leadership & Expertise Impact Categories
Guidelines & Tips
Guidelines & Tips
How to Enter
Note: Submissions are now closed.
- Upload a nomination narrative (750 words or less) telling why the nominee deserves recognition, along with supporting materials. Peer and self-nominations are welcome.
- Nominee bio (up to 200 words).
- Nominee headshot for use if nominee is selected as a winner (JPEG or PNG).
- Up to 3 supporting items (links or PDFs), e.g., coverage highlights, dashboards, sample content, testimonials or letters of support, short video (max 90 seconds) summarizing the nominee’s impact.
Eligibility
- Open to individuals who identify as women and work in communications/public relations, marketing communications, public affairs or related disciplines.
- Work must be primarily conducted in the past 24 months; career-long impact may be considered for lifetime recognition categories.
- Nominees may be from any industry sector (e.g., agencies, brands, nonprofits, academia, government or independent practices).
- There is no limit to the number of nominations one may submit; separate entries and fees are required per category. People may be nominated in multiple categories where appropriate. PRSA Strategies & Tactics reserves the right to re-assign entries into new categories when appropriate.
QUESTIONS ABOUT WOMEN OF IMPACT?
awards@prsa.org
Sponsorship opportunities are available. Please contact awards@prsa.org for more details.