PRWeek Women of Distinction

2026 WOMEN OF DISTINCTION AWARDS

PRWeek’s Women of Distinction program celebrates the achievements of the PR industry’s top women leaders, whose leadership, creativity and insight continue to inspire everyone who encounters them. Alongside PRWeek’s Women to Watch, these stellar individuals in both groups set the bar high, both for their peers and generations to follow.

"Women are the beating heart of PR and PRWeek’s annual Women of Distinction program celebrates the achievements of the top female leaders in the industry, who continually demonstrate strong and empathetic leadership, indepth strategy and insights, and groundbreaking creativity. Alongside PRWeek’s Women to Watch, the inspiring PR pros in both groups set the bar high for their peers and the generations of professionals that will follow," said Steve Barrett, VP, editorial director of PRWeek.

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Event + ENTRY Information

EVENT DETAILS

Date: May 19, 2026

Location: The Lighthouse

Pier 61, Chelsea Piers New York, NY 10011

Time: 9:30 am - 4:00 pm EST

Attire: Business Casual/ Daytime Cocktail

TICKET RATES

Individual Rate - Forum & Awards: $899

Half Table of 5 - Forum & Awards: $4,496

Table of 10 - Forum & Awards: $8,990

ENTRY DEADLINES + FEES

Standard Nomination Deadline: January 16, 2026

Late Nomination Deadline: January 30, 2026

Standard Nomination Fee: $395

Late Nomination Fee: $495

NOMINATION DETAILS

NOMINEE CRITERIA

Organizations can nominate women from their comms team who consistently bring their A game to the table and inspire those around them to do the same.

To be considered as part of the Women of Distinction class of 2026, candidates would typically be an in-house SVP or EVP at a brand or nonprofit or an agency MD, president, CEO or chair. Women to Watch would typically be a VP, senior account director, account executive, account director and below.

Job titles and their seniority vary from company to company, so please inquire if you are unsure which category to enter. For example, in some organizations VP describes the top comms role and would be more suitable for Women of Distinction consideration than Women to Watch.

NOMINATION RULES

Women of Distinction and Women to Watch nominees must work in North America.
Women honored in prior years are not eligible for nomination in the same category.
Any person who identifies as a woman is eligible to be nominated.
Self-nominations are not permitted for Women of Distinction or Women to Watch.
All entries must be submitted and paid for online by January 16, 2026 at 11:59pm ET. Entries will be accepted until January 30, however entries submitted after January 16 will incur a late fee per entry.
All information shared with PRWeek as part of the nomination process will be considered part of the public domain and potentially be included in the honoree’s profile and/or a program for the event celebrating the honorees.

Note:

Previous “Hall of Femme” honorees are not eligible for the Women of Distinction category.
Previous submissions that were not selected are able to submit again.
Previous honorees are not eligible to be honored in the same category, however, a previous Woman to Watch IS eligible to be a Woman of Distinction.

NOMINATION QUESTIONS

It is important to provide specific measures about how your nominee's efforts have helped her organization set itself apart in the marketplace. Be sure to include details about your nominee’s efforts to elevate the role of women in society or business and any philanthropic efforts they are involved in.

Nominee job history [300 words max]
Nominee career accomplishments [300 words max]
Nominee outside activities and accomplishments unrelated to the PR industry (i.e.charitable groups, personal interests, academic accomplishments, family life, etc.) [300 words max]
Nominee industry contributions (i.e. professional trade group involvement, adjunct professorships, etc.) [300 words max]
Nominee efforts to promote inclusivity and accessibility at their organization? [300 words max]
Why should PRWeek consider this nominee? [300 words max]