Announcing the AWNewYork 2026 Future is Female Judges!

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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.