Announcing the AWNewYork 2026 Future is Female Judges!

Future is Female Judges Are Here—And They’re Absolutely Incredible!
Great ideas deserve great judges, and this year’s Future Is Female Awards panel doesn’t disappoint.
We’re thrilled to introduce the 2026 Advertising Week Future Is Female Award Judges: a remarkable group of women leaders, founders, CEOs and senior executives who are paving the way for the future of our industry and the generations coming up behind them.
Their job isn’t small. This panel will review the nominations, narrow the shortlist and ultimately choose the winners of this year’s FIF Awards.
Meet the judges:
Ashley Cooksley, CEO, Social Element
Ashley-Lauren Elrod, Social Impact Founder & CEO, Visionary Woman Productions
Britt Messing & Tess Scholten, Founders, For You Agency
Cathy Csukas, CEO, AdLarge & the fwd. network
Che-Na Stephenson, Group Creative Director, Venables Bell and Partners
Fatou Barry, Founder & CEO, PR Girl Manifesto
Gabrielle Campagnano, Executive Director of Content, Article Group
Janelle James, SVP, US Head of Cultural Intelligence, Ipsos
Jenny Penich, Global Chief Revenue Officer, Influencer
Joyce Leveston, President & CEO, Javits Center
Justine Frostad, CMO, Cognitiv
Kat Logan, Head of Strategy, Art of Something
Katie Kempner, Founder, Kempner Communications
Kelly Higgins, Head of Growth, Johannes Leonardo
Laura Carrick, Growth Director, Koto New York
Lindsay Boesen, SVP, Marketing, KERV.ai
Linn Frost, Co-Founder Creative New Thinking
Mack McKelvey, CEO & Founder, SalientMG
Madelaine D’Angelo, CEO, Lucky Hand Capital
Marcy Samet, Founder & CEO, LBRB COLLECTIVE
MB Gambke, SVP, Partnerships & Marketing, Barstool Sports
Miranda McWeeney, Advisory Board, Listen First
Neda Whitney, President & Managing Director, MATTE Projects
Nikols LaTuff, Chief Growth Officer, Zeno Media
Sabrina Browne, SVP, U.S Consumer Cards Communications, Citi
Schantelle Henry, Associate Director, Inclusion & Impact, Burson
Sierra Dennis Ripoly, Vice President of Marketing, PATTERN beauty
Stay tuned for updates on the Awards, including the shortlist and the winners, to be announced on October 5.
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