2026 WIT Awards: Nominations Are Now Open

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The WIT Awards recognize the remarkable women who explore, pursue, persist, and lead in technology — and the organizations making that possible. Nominations are open now. Nominations close May 29, 2026. Awards Night: October 22, 2026.

What’s New in 2026

After hearing from people across the WIT community, we’ve redesigned our awards framework around one core idea: Recognize the individual leader, not the company on her business card. Key changes from 2025 include: no 1-year tenure requirement for Woman of the Year nominees; “Single Mother of the Year” renamed to “SMP Success Award”; company-size categories replaced with impact-based subcategories (Enterprise, Organizational, Emerging Executive); and clearer eligibility criteria throughout.

Award Categories

Early Career Excellence Award

Recognizes an early-career professional in technology whose initiative, creativity, and investment in others significantly exceed what is typical at her stage.

Woman to Watch

Recognizes a mid-career leader in technology who has already delivered measurable results beyond her formal role, expanded her scope of influence over time, and made a deliberate, visible investment in advancing others.

Woman of the Year

WIT’s highest honor. Recognizes executive-level leaders who are accountable for significant, measurable outcomes, and whose leadership has created change that extends well beyond themselves. Subcategories: Enterprise Executive, Organizational Executive, and Emerging Executive.

Girl of the Year

Recognizes a high school student who demonstrates genuine curiosity, initiative, and growing confidence in exploring technology, and who lifts others around her in the process.

Campus Club of the Year

Recognizes an official WIT Campus Club that has created meaningful opportunities for students to connect, develop skills, and build confidence and community in technology.

SMP Excellence

Recognizes a graduate of WIT’s Single Mothers’ Program who is thriving in her technology career, growing her skills, delivering real results, and showing what is possible when determination meets opportunity.

Key Dates

  • Nominations Close: May 29, 2026
  • Nominee Applications Close: June 12, 2026
  • Honoree Announcement: First week of July
  • Finalist Announcement: Mid-August
  • Finalist In-Person Interviews: September 18, 2026
  • Awards Ceremony: October 22, 2026

AI and Your Career: Key Takeaways from a Recent WIT Forum

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The conversation about artificial intelligence and career development is no longer hypothetical. It is happening right now, in boardrooms, on factory floors, and in every corner of the technology workforce. At a recent WIT forum, a panel of senior technology leaders came together to share candid perspectives on what the AI moment means for women in tech.

AI Is No Longer Experimental — It Is a Competitive Requirement

When attendees were asked how AI feels in relation to their careers, the most common responses were “competitive advantage” and “skill requirement.” The panelists agreed: this is not hype, and it is not coming someday. AI is already reshaping knowledge work in ways we have not seen before. Those who adopt early will have a distinct edge. Those who wait may find themselves left behind.

Gender Gaps in AI Adoption Are Real — and Worth Naming

Research suggests that women are less likely than men to self-start their AI learning journeys. Imposter syndrome, experienced by a significant majority of women at some point in their careers, plays a real role. The takeaway: culture matters enormously, and not everyone is working in a supportive one.

If Your Organization Is Not Giving You Time, Find It Yourself

The companies leading on AI are intentionally carving out time for their teams to learn, experiment, and fail safely. But for those without that support: do not let your company’s priorities determine your learning. Start small. A ten-minute YouTube video. A podcast on your commute. A few questions typed into a free AI tool on your own time.

Diversity Is Not Separate from AI — It Is Essential to It

Generative AI models are built on data, and that data carries bias. Diverse teams are not just a values-driven priority in the AI era; they are a technical and strategic necessity. Women who step into AI roles are helping to shape technology that will affect everyone.

The Bottom Line: Start Somewhere

AI may not replace your job. But people who understand AI will be more competitive for it. The skill gap is real, the opportunity is real, and the moment to begin is now.

Working Hard is Not a Promotional Strategy

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If you’re the “reliable doer” on your team – the one who always delivers, works late, and gets it done – you’re valuable. But that alone won’t get you promoted. In a recent session of WIT Technology Uncorked, one message was clear: Performance builds trust. Visibility builds opportunity.

Many women hit a point where they realize: others are getting promoted, their work is being credited to someone else, or they’re praised but not advanced. Why? Because promotions aren’t based solely on effort. They’re also based on perceived impact. Research shows that women are promoted at lower rates at the first step to manager, even when performance is strong.

What Actually Moves You Forward

  • Build advocates. Promotions are often decided in rooms you’re not in. If no one there understands your impact, your name won’t come up.
  • Learn the business. Technical skill is expected. Business fluency is differentiating. Talk about outcomes (revenue, risk reduction, efficiency) not tasks.
  • Communicate in benefits, not busyness. Saying “I worked all weekend” doesn’t land. Saying “This reduced processing time by 30%” does.
  • Create opportunities. If the next role doesn’t exist, build a case for it. Line up support before the big meeting.

Hard work makes you dependable. Strategic visibility makes you promotable. If you feel stuck, the answer isn’t to work harder. It’s to make sure the right people see your impact.