28th 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.

Submission deadline is 11:59 pm ET on Friday, November 6th!

OVERALL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Nominees must be women who work in or support the technology industry.
  • Nominees must live and work in a 60-mile radius of the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area (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/March 2027 (dates TBD)
    • Finalist Appreciation Event in on Wednesday, April 7, 2027 at Carahsoft in Reston, VA
    • Leadership Awards Luncheon on Thursday, May 13, 2027 at Carahsoft in Reston, VA

The finalists will be announced in late January 2027, 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

You are given up to 200 words to describe how your candidate 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 these criteria rather than making generalized statements. 

Remember these are awards 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.

Note: Please submit for ONE category and only select the one that best fits the nominee. We will only accept ONE nomination per person across all categories per year.

  • If multiple submissions for one person in the same category are submitted, the nominators must decide amongst themselves which nomination should be the one submitted for judging, or the WIT Leadership Awards Judging Committee reserves the right to make the determination on their own.
  • If someone is submitted for multiple categories or into a category they are not eligible for, the WIT Leadership Awards Judging Committee reserves the right to move a nominee to a different category if deemed appropriate.

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 $25 and $750 million serving customers in a commercial, government or non-profit space.
  • Eligibility: A woman who works in a business entity between $25 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.

Entrepreneur & Corporate Small-Market Sector

  • Purpose: To honor a woman who demonstrates exemplary leadership and has achieved significant professional or entrepreneurial success as a founder, owner, entrepreneur, or leader within a business entity with annual revenue of less than $25 million serving customers in a commercial, government or non-profit space.
  • Eligibility: A woman who is a founder, owner, entrepreneur, or employee of a business entity with annual revenue of less than $25 million.   She does not need to be a WIT member.
  • Ideal Candidate: A woman who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, initiative, and professional or entrepreneurial achievement. She has accelerated and advanced her career and/or business beyond typical performance expectations, provides leadership and mentorship to others, contributes to her community, and demonstrates a record of impact consistent with the Leadership Awards selection criteria.

Public Sector

  • Purpose: To honor a woman who demonstrates exemplary leadership traits and has achieved success working within federal, state, or local government; the U.S. Armed Forces; a non-profit organization; or academia.
  • Eligibility:  A woman who works in falls within one of the following categories. She does not need to be a WIT member.
    • Government: Employed by a federal, state, or local government entity, including civilians working for the Department of Defense or one of the military services.
    • U.S. Armed Forces: Currently serving on active duty or in the military reserves or having completed military service within the last eight years.
    • Non-profit: Employed by a non-profit organization.
    • Academia/Education: Employed by an academic institution or an organization primarily focused on education.
  • Ideal Candidate: A woman who has accelerated and advanced her career beyond typical performance expectations in one of these categories while providing exceptional leadership and mentorship, who contributes to the community, and who satisfies all selection criteria. 

Trailblazer in Tech Innovation

  • Purpose: To honor a visionary woman whose technological breakthroughs are shaping the future.
  • Eligibility: A woman who has driven measurable, transformative innovation through technology. Whether through developing groundbreaking products, spearheading digital transformation initiatives, or advancing data-driven solutions, this leader’s work demonstrates tangible outcomes—improving efficiency, accessibility, and impact across industries. 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 fewer than 5 years 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.

Emerging Leader

  • Purpose: To honor a woman in the early stages of her career who has demonstrated exemplary leadership traits.
  • Eligibility: A woman with 5-10 years’ 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 has moved from individual contributor into leading people, programs, or strategy. She has distinguished herself from her peers, consistently exceeding performance expectations for her level. She contributes to the community and satisfies all selection criteria. 

Executive Ally (New for 2027)

  • Purpose: To honor an executive male leader who has significantly impacted opportunities for women in technology through active leadership programs, allyship and support.
  • Eligibility: A male executive (working in a C-Suite/ VP or comparable role) with experience in a technology-related field, who works for any public-sector, private-sector or non-profit organization, including a senior administrative position in an educational institution.  He does not need to be a WIT member.
  • Ideal Candidate: A male executive who has distinguished himself from his peers, consistently exceeding industry norms in hiring, supporting, recognizing, promoting, mentoring and/or educating women within his organization and across the greater community at large. He contributes to the community and satisfies all selection criteria including living and working in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area (Northern Virginia, Maryland, or Washington, D.C.) area.

 

 

 

 

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