Inspire Awards

Last year, we congratulated the 2022 Inspire Award recipients for their extraordinary achievements in categories for which they are being honored. Our honorees exemplify The WICT Network’s Touchstones of Leadership and they actively influence and champion those around them through their community service and professional involvement.

Our annual Gala will be held in person at 6 p.m. on Thursday, October 26, at the Georgia Aquarium, where we will honor our 2023 Inspire Nominees – stay tuned!

Be Fearless Award for Allyship

Lynnette Smith Advertising Operations, Manager – The Weather Channel

Rising Star Award for Emerging Leaders

Lisa Conklin Sr. Manager, Internal Communications – Cox Communications

Rising Star Award for Emerging Leaders

Kerri A. Hayes Sr. Manager, Brand & Distribution Marketing – UP Faith & Family

Mentor Award

Kay Allen-Brownlee Sr. Director, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging – Comcast

Catalyst Award for Woman in Technology

Lisa Pinkey-Coleman AVP, Business Solutions & Automation - Outside Plant Engineering & Construction – Cox Communications

Horizon Award for Woman to Watch

Twuanna Munroe Ward Vice President, Distribution Revenue Accounting – Warner Brothers Discovery

Inspiration Award for Woman of the Year

Pola Changnon General Manager – Turner Classic Movies (TCM)

2022 Lifetime Achievement Award

Jill Campbell President and Chief People and Operations Officer – Cox Enterprises

Please be on the lookout soon for ticket sales to this amazing event.

2023 INSPIRE AWARDS 

The WICT Network: Southeast announces the call for nominations for the 2022 Inspire Awards. Honoring outstanding achievement and leadership, ideal nominees personify The WICT Network Touchstones of Leadership and actively enhance the perception of the media, entertainment and technology industry through their community and professional involvement.

Deadlines: All nominations must be received by 5 p.m. ET on May 26th, 2023.
If you have any questions regarding the Nomination process, contact Jay Brown at jayabrown1974@gmail.com.

The Awards:

The Rising Star Award for Emerging Leaders recognizes a man or woman who shows potential to be an influential leader within their organization and the cable telecommunications industry. This award is presented to an individual who has established competency and success in their area of expertise and is moving into formal or informal leadership roles. This award is presented to director or manager level.

The Mentor Award recognizes a man or woman who has a history of investing in the personal and professional development of individuals within the cable telecommunications industry. This award can also be presented to an individual who has championed developmental issues in the workplace, advanced mentoring initiatives and/or consistently supported company or industry mentoring programs. This award is presented to director level or above.

The Catalyst Award for Woman in Technology recognizes a man or woman in a technology position within the cable telecommunications industry. The award identifies and acknowledges the achievements of one who has demonstrated outstanding personal and professional growth and has contributed significantly to his/her organization and/or the industry. This award is presented to director level or above.

The Horizon Award for Woman to Watch recognizes a woman with a consistent record of professional success and job excellence. She is a strong strategic leader, a role model and significant contributor to the growth of her organization. This award is presented to an individual who has been in the industry for at least five years and who is at the VP level or above.

The Inspiration Award for Woman of the Year recognizes a woman who has had a milestone year and has contributed to the evolution of the cable telecommunications industry over the course of her career. She is a visionary leader who is highly regarded by her employees, clients and peers for career achievement, a dedication to excellence and quality work-life balance. This honor is typically awarded to a woman at the senior executive level or c-suite level.

The Be Fearless Award for Allyship recognizes an individual in the media, entertainment, and technology industry who has consistently championed diversity, allyship and/or advocacy for others. This award is presented to an individual at any level.

Nomination Criteria:

Nominations are encouraged of those who significantly contribute to The WICT Network’s mission of developing leaders in particular empowering women leaders and exemplify this year’s Touchstone theme, “KNOW YOURSELF and what you stand for and where you are headed.”

Award Qualifications & Requirements:
The Nominee

• Personifies all of The WICT Network Touchstones of Leadership, in particular “Know yourself and what you stand for and where you are headed.”
• Exemplifies the specific award attributes;
• Meets the award Title level requirements;
• Actively participates in community and industry organizations;
• Is a member of The WICT Network: Southeast, and ideally actively participates in The WICT Network by attending and/or participating in events, helping to secure resources, mentoring, and/or participating in local and/or national leadership.

• Confirm the Nominee is a current member of The WICT Network: Southeast.
• Confirm the Nominee’s manager and HR manager approve of your submission.

We will be asking for:

1. Your contact info including title and company address
2. Nominee’s contact info including title and company address
3. Answers to these questions:

• Confirm the nominee is a current member of The WICT Network: Southeast.
• Confirm the nominee’s manager and HR manager approve of your submission.
• Confirm the number of years the nominee has been in the media, entertainment and technology industry, and a brief recap of their career path.
• Describe how the Nominee uniquely meets the award description you are nominating them for. In no more than 500 words, list key attributes and provide quantitative/qualitative results where applicable.
• Describe how the Nominee personifies The WICT Network Touchstone “Know yourself.” List how this nominee exemplifies The WICT Network Touchstone “know yourself” at the company, industry or community level that you have not included in Section 1 of the nomination using 500 words or less.
• (Optional) Share if the Nominee has made an impact on you personally, especially in considering the Touchstone “Know yourself.” In no more than 500 words, elaborate on the personal impact you have experienced.

Tip: Draft in advance and then copy and paste into the application form.

Each nomination should include detailed information regarding the nominee’s qualifications and accomplishments.

Writing Tips

Since 2004, The WICT Network: Southeast has honored members who personify The WICT Network Touchstones of Leadership and demonstrate outstanding achievement and leadership. These individuals actively enhance the perception of the cable and telecommunications industry through their community and professional involvement. Presenting a nominee in the best light is essential to submitting an eye-catching and appealing nomination. To grab the attention of the judges, the following tips are recommended:

• Follow the Rules: Read the instructions and award descriptions carefully. The information requested provides guidance to the judges and allows them to better understand each nominee. Make sure to submit the nomination by the stated deadline, keep each answer within the 500-word limit, and verify the nominee is an active member of The WICT Network: Southeast in good standing who personifies The WICT Network Touchstones.
• Interview the Nominee: Gather more details for the nomination by asking the nominee how they characterize their greatest accomplishments or unique ways they contribute to the company, industry or community. Ask questions noted in the award description and listen for responses to support your ideas.
• Be Organized & Thorough: Judges are reviewing multiple entries, so make their job easier by being clear and thoughtful in your choice of wording. Remember to focus on key aspects of the award category and describe the nominee’s leadership abilities and contributions to their organization, community and industry. Only information included in the nomination will be considered throughout the judging process. A well-written nomination that meets the award criteria helps the judges to know each nominee and why they may be the best candidate for the award.
• State the Extraordinary: Does your nominee stand out? What makes them exceptional? The judges need to understand how the nominee went above and beyond the daily responsibilities of the job. Be sure to include more than one example.
• Show Meaningful Results: Be sure to measure your results against your stated objectives and include measurable results to document improvement or change, such as revenue generation, cost reduction or number of clients served. For instance, rather than stating “we gained 1,000 customers” replace it with “we gained 1,000 customers, a 50 percent improvement over last year’s campaign.”
• Think Diversity: When selecting a nominee, consider those throughout all areas of your organization. These are individuals who had an exceptional year or stepped into greater responsibility and created value for the organization.
• Consult Public Relations: Your media relations, corporate communications and public affairs departments are very familiar with submitting award nominations. They communicate on behalf of your company on a daily basis, so if you have never written an award nomination, consider asking for advice and help with the submission.