#empowHERaccess Global Prestige Awards 2026

Welcome to Women In Cloud #empowHERaccess Global Prestige Awards 2026

The #empowHERaccess Global Prestige Awards 2026 (US & India Edition) returns for its sixth annual celebration as a premier global platform designed to unlock visibility, distribution, partnerships, and ecosystem access for leaders shaping the AI economy worldwide. Anchored in the United States and India two of the most influential innovation ecosystems, this initiative extends its reach to recognize and elevate leaders across the globe.

In collaboration with leading partners including Ntegral, Adaptiva, Boeing, Accenture, EY, Microsoft, and many others, this initiative recognizes innovators, executives, podcasters, entrepreneurs, and allies who are expanding economic access through iconic leadership, community building, and transformative innovation. Through awards, venture summits, and leadership immersions, the campaign creates scalable pathways for global reach, market expansion, and ecosystem integration, driving inclusive growth and unlocking economic opportunities at scale.

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Proudly Presented By Kyndryl

“Kyndryl’s commitment to being a “partner of choice” for our Alliance partners leads us to collaborate with mission-critical communities that foster innovation and growth. Our three-year partnership with Women in Cloud reflects this commitment, strengthening our presence in the cloud and technology ecosystem while creating meaningful opportunities to elevate talent and accelerate progress. The prestigious #empowHERaccess Awards further reinforce our focus on leadership in talent, technology, and world-class IT infrastructure services.” –

Sunil Bhargava, Senior Vice President, Global Cloud Practice Azure Leader, Kyndryl

READ PRESS RELEASE WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENT

Why Nominate?

Worldwide Recognition & Seal of Excellence

Winning an industry award can help you gain more visibility and recognition in your industry or community. This can lead to new opportunities, partnerships, and collaborations.

Visibility & Media Exposure

Be featured in the July issue of WIC Newsletter, get a dedicated profile on WICxWallofFame, and receive national and local PR coverage.

Credibility and Validation

Awards are often given based on specific criteria and judged by experts in the field. Winning an award can validate your work and provide credibility to your brand or organization.

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2026 Awards Categories

Trailblazer Leadership Award

Recognizing Women Accelerating AI, Workforce Innovation, and Executive Leadership Pathways

Technologist Visionary Award

Honoring women Driving Innovation, Growth, and Digital Transformation

Women Tech Entrepreneur of the Year Award

Honoring a visionary founder who is building, scaling, and transforming industries through bold technology innovation and measurable economic impact.

Mentor of the Year Award

Recognizing a leader who turns experience into access, guidance into action, and potential into measurable progress.

Ally of the Year Award

Honoring male leaders who use their influence, resources, and platforms to expand access, accelerate opportunity, and create measurable pathways to advancement.

Marketplace Partner of the Year

Recognizing a high-performing partner who leverages Microsoft, Google, and AWS marketplaces to accelerate customer acquisition, expand market reach, and deliver measurable revenue impact.

Corporate Impact Champion Award

Celebrating a leader who transforms corporate influence into action creating scalable pathways for talent advancement and economic opportunity.

Wellness Innovation of the Year

Celebrating high-impact FemTech ventures that combine science, technology, and scalable models to drive measurable improvements in women’s health and performance.

Ecosystem Builder Award

Celebrating leaders who connect talent, capital, and innovation across industries.

Podcast of the Year

Leadership & Innovation – Celebrating a platform that amplifies visionary voices, challenges conventional thinking, and inspires leaders to act with clarity and courage.

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What will you win?

Award Winners will receive:

Invitation to join the prestigious WIC Awards Hall of Fame.
Visibility package includes: Press Coverage, Social Media spotlight, VIP Speaking opportunity, Professional video interview, feature in a high traffic newsletter. ($5,000 value).
Receive Two (2) tickets to awards gala in US or India ($1000 value).
Invitation to exclusive networking dinners and opportunities.

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Awards Gala Celebration Dinner

The #empowHERaccess Global Prestige Awards 2026 US Edition will feature a dynamic lineup of events and recognitions year-round

#empowHERaccess Global Prestige Awards Gala: Honoring over 100 changemakers, role models, trailblazers, and emerging women leaders driving impactful change.
Celebration Dinner date: Friday, July 17th, 2026. Doors open at 5:00 PM PST

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2025 #empowHERaccess Awards Judging Panel

Anne Baker
Chief Marketing Officer | Adaptiva

Lisa Ann Edwards
CEO| Excelia

Manuela Papadopol
Executive Director | Microsoft Alumni Network

Tameka McNair
Director | Microsoft

Dat Tran
Founder & Stress Mastery Coach | Dat Purpose LLC

Jennifer Davis
Executive Director IT Engineering | Boeing

Kate Becker
Creative Economy Director | King County

Ram Dutt
Co-Founder & CEO| Meylah

Monika Gupta
Partner GM, Engineering| Microsoft

David Pryor
Chief Engagement Officer | Pryor Strategy Group

Christine Landry
Global Head Healthcare | Kyndryl Consult

#empowHERaccess 2025 Awards Finalists

#empowheraccess 2025 Global Prestige Awards Winners!

#empowHERaccess 2025 Awards Winners

Congratulations to the Winners of the #empowheraccess 2025!

Barbara Clarke, Board Chair/Founder, The Impact Seat Foundation & Julie Gottman, Founder, The Gottman Institute – Trailblazer Leadership Award
Kathy Tira(Givan) – SVP, Experian Digital Workplace (EDW), Experian, Technologist Visionary Award
Mariam Amaka Eluma – Founder/Product Manager, HoBeei, B2B Women Tech Entrepreneur of the Year
Sangame Krishnamani – Director of Software Engineering, Capital One Mentor of the Year Award
Pat Sullivan – Global Digital Engineering Lead, EY , Ally of the Year Award.
Rebekah Skeete – Chief Operating Office, BlackGirlsHack / BGH Foundation, Community Leadership Award
Sophia (Saeyoon) Baik – COO & Co-founder, CodeSignal, Generative AI Innovation Award
Stav Elbar – Software Engineer & Lecturer, Google, Corporate Impact Champion Award
April Haberman WHC – CEO & Co-Founder, MiDOViA, Wellness Champion Award
Priya Samant – CEO, Abris, Impact Film Award

Media

Women in Cloud: The World Needs to Know Your Story

How the #EmpowHERaccess Awards are recognizing women in Cloud, AI, and Cyber.

For the past four years, Women in Cloud has championed diversity in Technology, Cloud, AI, and Cyber. Their #EmpowHERaccess awards have impacted and empowered over 2500 individuals globally. The prestigious awards spotlight exceptional women and allies driving positive change in their communities.

FINALISTS - Trailblazer Leadership Award

Trailblazer Leadership Award Finalist

This accolade not only recognizes our innovative approach to making a significant impact at Riess Consulting but also inspires me to push the boundaries for Women in Cloud further.

What a Trailblazer Leader Can Teach Us About Gender Equity in Technology and Cloud

Women in Technology is proud to partner with Women in Cloud and is happy to promote and raise the voices of these trailblazers!

On July 29, 2024, Women In Cloud announced the IT Leaders disrupting the cloud, AI, and cyber industries. Through their leadership, initiatives, and commitment to a more equitable workforce, nine professionals worldwide were recognized in a prestigious ceremony in Bellevue, Washington.

Partnerships

Interested to Sponsor?

Sponsorship Opportunities for the #empowHERaccess Global Prestige Awards 2026

ANNUAL COMMUNITY MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS ($2500)

Reserved table for 8 guests at our signature events such as awards, launches, etc.
On-stage brand visibility.
Logo featured across digital + media campaigns to 120,000+ members in 80 countries.
VIP networking with cloud, Al, and sustainability industry leaders.
Opportunity to gift seats to rising stars, customers, or partners.
Annual community benefits, including invitations to quarterly meetups, bimonthly access digests, and visibility through the Women in Cloud event ecosystem.

REQUEST MEETING SPONSORSHIP PACKET

FAQs

Who can nominate for these Awards?

#empowHERaccess Global Prestige Award nominations are open to all women and allies. You can nominate yourself or your colleagues/peers. We are inviting people across 100+ countries to participate in this campaign.

Rules of Entry

Any entry may be withdrawn for any reason up until the shortlist is released upon written request to the organizers.
By entering the #empowHERaccess Global Prestige Award, you agree that we may contact you to verify nomination information.
Winners will be announced at the event ceremony and further communicated via social media once the announcement has been made on the evening of July 17th, 2026

Nomination Deadline.

US June 30, 2026
India October 30, 2026

What is the involved cost?

There is no cost to enter a submission for the awards.

If you are shortlisted, there is a cost to attend the live #empowHERaccess Global Prestige Award Ceremony on July 17th, 2026 in Bellevue, WA. The Women in Cloud will be in touch to help book your place.

Who judges the submissions?

An independent panel of industry judges who are Women in Cloud Board of Advisors will vote on the winners for each category.

The judges reserve the right to re-categorize entries if they think another category would be more suitable. However, they cannot be expected to routinely re-categorize incorrectly entered projects. The judges’ decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding them.

Who shall I contact if I have any more questions?

If you need any further assistance, please contact us via email: community@womenincloud.com

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Welcome to Women In Cloud #empowHERaccess Global Prestige Awards 2026

Proudly Presented By Kyndryl

Why Nominate?

2026 Awards Categories

What will you win?

Awards Gala Celebration Dinner

2025 #empowHERaccess Awards Judging Panel

#empowHERaccess 2025 Awards Finalists

#empowheraccess 2025 Global Prestige Awards Winners!

#empowHERaccess 2025 Awards Winners

Congratulations to the Winners of the #empowheraccess 2025!

Media

Women in Cloud: The World Needs to Know Your Story

Trailblazer Leadership Award Finalist

What a Trailblazer Leader Can Teach Us About Gender Equity in Technology and Cloud

Partnerships

Interested to Sponsor?

FAQs

Quick Links

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Categories

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

#empowHERaccess Global Prestige Awards 2026

Welcome to Women In Cloud #empowHERaccess Global Prestige Awards 2026

Proudly Presented By Kyndryl

Why Nominate?

2026 Awards Categories

What will you win?

Awards Gala Celebration Dinner

2025 #empowHERaccess Awards Judging Panel

#empowHERaccess 2025 Awards Finalists

#empowheraccess 2025 Global Prestige Awards Winners!

#empowHERaccess 2025 Awards Winners

Congratulations to the Winners of the #empowheraccess 2025!

Media

Women in Cloud: The World Needs to Know Your Story

Trailblazer Leadership Award Finalist

What a Trailblazer Leader Can Teach Us About Gender Equity in Technology and Cloud

Partnerships

Interested to Sponsor?

FAQs

Quick Links

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Categories

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

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