Women & Leadership Outstanding Scholarship and Practice Awards

As a community focused on advancing women and leadership, the ILA Women and Leadership member community believes it is important to recognize and celebrate people who are contributing excellent work toward our goal. 

Winners of the 2017 Women and Leadership Awards

In 2014 the Women and Leadership member community began bestowing awards for outstanding scholarship and practice in the area of women and leadership. The award has been presented at the community’s annual networking luncheon at the ILA global conference and also at the Women and Leadership conference.

About the Awards

The Outstanding Scholarship for Established Scholars award recognizes excellence in the scholarship of a seasoned scholar whose published work (theoretical, empirical, or applied) has advanced the understanding of women in leadership in a significant way.

The Outstanding Scholarship for Emerging Scholars award recognizes excellence in the scholarship of a graduate student or early career scholar whose presentations, dissertation, and/or published work (theoretical, empirical, or applied) has the potential to advance or already has advanced the understanding of women in leadership in a significant way.

The Outstanding Practice With Broad Impact award recognizes excellence in the practice of an individual whose advocacy, commitment, or actions in support of women in leadership has influenced individuals, audiences, organizations, or broad communities. The award recipient is someone who practices leadership — from outside or from within the academic arena — with a focus on women and leadership and has benefited women in a variety of areas and arenas beyond the recipient’s local sphere, resulting in broad impact.

The Outstanding Practice With Local Impact award recognizes excellence in the practice of an individual whose advocacy, commitment, or actions in support of women in leadership has influenced individuals and audiences within their organization or community. The award recipient is someone who practices leadership — from outside or from within the academic arena — with a focus on women and leadership and has implemented a substantial change, policy, or event that has benefited women within a local sphere.

Winners of the Women & Leadership Outstanding Scholarship and Practice Awards

Outstanding Scholarship for Established Scholars

2022: Marlene Janzen Le Ber, Ph.D., Professor, Leadership Studies Distinguished Chair, Centre for Leadership Brescia University College, Western University

2022: Sherylle J. Tan, Ph.D., Director of Internships and KLI Research, Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology Kravis Leadership Institute, Claremont McKenna College

2022: Lisa DeFrank-Cole, Ph.D., Endowed Harriet E. Lyon Professor of Women and Gender Studies and the Director of Leadership Studies and Clinical Professor of Leadership at West Virginia University

2021: Dionne Rosser-Mims, Ph.D., Campus Vice Chancellor, Troy University 

2019: Karen Longman, Professor & PhD Program Director, Higher Education, Azusa Pacific University

2017: Faith Wambura Ngunjiri, Associate Professor, Concordia College

Outstanding Scholarship for Emerging Scholars

2022: Candace Brunette-Debassige, Ph.D., Assistant Tenure-Track Professor, Western University

2021: Sherry A. Maykrantz, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Public Health, College of Health and Human Services, Salisbury University

2021: Carla Penha-Vasconcelos, Ph.D. – Independent Scholar

2019: Wendy Fox-Kirk, Department Chair, Business Administration & Marketing, Goddard School of Business, Weber State University

2017: Paige Haber-Curran, Associate Professor, Texas State University

Outstanding Practice With Broad Impact

2022: Éliane Ubalijoro, Ph.D., Executive Director, Sustainability in the Digital Age

2021: Denise Thomson, EdD, Executive Coach & Consultant, DeWitt-Thomson, LLC

2020: Yolanda Caldwell, Director, The Women’s Leadership Institute and BOLD Women’s Leadership Network, The College of Saint Rose

2019: Susan Madsen, Karen Haight Huntsman Endowed Professor of Leadership, Jon M Huntsman School of Business, Utah State University

2017: Sara Safari, Author & Board Member, Empower Nepali Girls

Outstanding Practice With Local Impact

2022: Ann Marie Berghout Austin, Ph.D., Retired Professor of Child Development Department of Family, Consumer, and Human Development Utah State University

2021: Chrys Egan, Ph.D. Communication Professor and Associate Dean of the Fulton School of Liberal Arts, Salisbury University

2021: Kathleen S. Grove, MA, JD, Director, Office for Women, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis

2020: Carol Clyde Gallagher, Assistant Professor, Organizational Leadership, Cottey College; Mayor Pro Tem, Nevada, MO

2019: Janice Cardwell, CEO and Executive Coach, Conceivers Leadership Development Group; Dissertation Chair, College of Doctoral Studies, University of Phoenix

2017: Geneva Murray, Director, Women’s Center, Ohio University