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26th Annual Women in Technology Leadership Awards

The annual WIT Leadership Awards program honors highly successful women who have made mentoring the next generation of leaders in technology a significant component of their own success. The Annual Leadership Awards Gala, honoring the finalists and naming the winners, is a highlight for WIT members and the Washington, DC area technology community.

Deadline for Submission is 11:59 pm ET on Friday, November 15th!

OVERALL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Nominees must be women who work in or support the technology industry.
  • Nominees must live and work in Northern Virginia, Maryland or Washington, D.C.
  • Nominees must be amenable to press coverage.
  • If selected as finalists, we ask that all nominees attend the following events:
    • Finalist Video Shoot: 20-minute slot of your choosing in February 2025 (dates TBD)
    • Finalist Appreciation Event on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 in Reston, VA
    • Leadership Awards Banquet, which is being held Thursday, May 15, 2025 in Reston, VA

The finalists will be announced in late January 2025, and every nominee will be informed if she has been selected as a finalist. One award will be made in each category.

NOMINATION PROCESS AND SELECTION CRITERIA

Nomination Process

In the automated nomination process you will be asked to provide basic identifying information about the nominee and yourself as her nominator (organization, title, etc.). You will then be prompted to provide evidence for each of the criterion listed below. You are given up to 200 words to describe how your nominee meets or exceeds each criterion. You improve your nominee’s chances of selection for the award if you provide specific examples of the ways in which your nominee has met this criteria rather than making generalized statements. Remember this is an award with a particular focus on how women of achievement have led and mentored others to be successful in their careers. Both aspects must be addressed. You should include evidence to support each of the criterion in the appropriate category. You will also have an opportunity to attach the nominee's resume or bio if available to you.

Selection Criteria

Nominees will be judged based on the specific evidence provided within the nomination form that demonstrates their embodiment of WIT values. You will be asked to provide discrete, specific examples of what your nominee has achieved and how your nominee has demonstrated that she is an example of these values:

  1. Leadership
  2. Achievement
  3. Mentorship & Community Engagement

AWARD CATEGORIES

Corporate Large-Market Sector

  • Purpose: To honor a woman who demonstrates exemplary leadership traits and has achieved success at a business entity with annual revenue of greater than $750 million serving customers in a commercial, government or non-profit space.
  • Eligibility: A woman who works in a business entity with greater than $750 million in revenue.  She does not need to be a WIT member.
  • Ideal Candidate: A woman who has accelerated and advanced her career beyond typical performance expectations while providing exceptional leadership and mentorship, who contributes to the community, and who satisfies all selection criteria.

Corporate Mid-Market Sector

  • Purpose: To honor a woman who demonstrates exemplary leadership traits and has achieved success at a business entity with annual revenue between $50 and $750 million serving customers in a commercial, government or non-profit space.
  • Eligibility: A woman who works in a business entity between $50 and $750 million in revenue.  She does not need to be a WIT member.
  • Ideal Candidate: A woman who has accelerated and advanced her career beyond typical performance expectations while providing exceptional leadership and mentorship, who contributes to the community, and who satisfies all selection criteria.

Corporate Small-Market Sector

  • Purpose: To honor a woman who demonstrates exemplary leadership traits and has achieved success at a business entity with annual revenue of less than $50 million serving customers in a commercial, government or non-profit space.
  • Eligibility: A woman who works in a business entity with less than $50 million in revenue.  She does not need to be a WIT member.
  • Ideal Candidate: A woman who has accelerated and advanced her career beyond typical performance expectations while providing exceptional leadership and mentorship, who contributes to the community, and who satisfies all selection criteria.

Government and Defense

  • Purpose: To honor a woman who demonstrates exemplary leadership traits and has achieved success working for a government or U.S. Armed Forces entity.
  • Eligibility:  A woman who works in either:
    • Federal, state or local government, including a civilian working for the Department of Defense or one of the military services.  She does not need to be a WIT member.
    • Active military, military reserve or recent military service within the last 8 years. She does not need to be a WIT member.
  • Ideal Candidate: A woman who has accelerated and advanced her career beyond typical performance expectations while providing exceptional leadership and mentorship, who contributes to the community, and who satisfies all selection criteria.

Founders / Entrepreneur

  • Purpose: To honor a woman who has demonstrated exemplary leadership traits and has founded a small business. 
  • Eligibility: A woman who founded a business entity in the technology industry. The business headquarters must be located in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. She does not need to be a WIT member.
  • Ideal Candidate: A woman who has both founded her business and has accelerated and advanced her career beyond typical performance expectations while providing exceptional leadership and mentorship, who contributes to the community, and who satisfies all selection criteria.

STEM Leadership

  • Purpose: To honor a woman who demonstrates great leadership and exemplary technical abilities in a STEM role.
  • Eligibility: A woman who works for any public-sector, private-sector or non-profit organization in a STEM leadership role, including a teaching or administrative position in an educational institution. She does not need to be a WIT member.
  • Ideal Candidate: A woman who has accelerated and advanced her career beyond typical performance expectations in her area of expertise while providing exceptional leadership and mentorship, who has earned the respect of acknowledged experts in her field, who contributes to the community, and who satisfies all selection criteria.

Unsung Hero

  • Purpose: To honor a woman who is managing technology innovation projects at the project manager level, working in the trenches daily, and making a major impact on technology.
  • Eligibility: A woman who works in the technology industry at the project manager level or below.  She does not need to be a WIT member.
  • Ideal Candidate: A woman who has accelerated and advanced her career beyond typical performance expectations while providing exceptional leadership and mentorship, who contributes to the community, and who satisfies all selection criteria.

Rising Star

  • Purpose: To honor a woman in the beginning stages of her career who has demonstrated exemplary leadership traits.
  • Eligibility: A woman with 10 years or less experience in a technology-related field, who works for any public-sector, private-sector or non-profit organization, including a teaching or administrative position in an educational institution.  She does not need to be a WIT member.
  • Ideal Candidate: A woman who is a rising star with high potential for future advancement. She has distinguished herself from her peers, consistently exceeding performance expectations for her level. She contributes to the community and satisfies all selection criteria.

Non-Profit and Academia

  • Purpose: To honor a woman who demonstrates exemplary leadership traits and has achieved success in a non-profit organization or educational institution.
  • Eligibility: A woman who works for a non-profit organization or higher education institution in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.  She does not need to be a WIT member.
  • Ideal Candidate: A woman who has accelerated and advanced her career beyond typical performance expectations while providing exceptional leadership and mentorship, who contributes to the community, and who satisfies all selection criteria.

 

 

 

 

 

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