Academy of Women Achievers

The Academy of Women Achievers celebrates Boston’s boldest, bravest, and most influential women. Each year, YW Boston honors women who demonstrate exceptional leadership and impact across their professions and communities. We’re calling on you, our supporters and partners, to nominate women who are breaking barriers, shaping their fields, and championing equity in Boston and beyond.

Awardees will be honored at our annual celebration on Thursday, June 4, 2026.

Sponsorship Details:

When you sponsor the Academy of Women Achievers (AWA) Celebration, you help to uplift women in Boston while sustaining YW Boston’s essential programs that make our city more equitable for everyone.

Individual tickets will go on sale in the spring. To secure your seats today, consider becoming a sponsor.

2026 Awardees

Lauren Cook
Chief Executive Officer, Ellis Early Learning

Nathalie Gauthier
Vice President of Internal Communications, State Street

Sandra McCroom
President & CEO, Children’s Services of Roxbury

Yves Salomon-Fernández
President, Urban College of Boston

Sylvia Ferrell-Jones Awardee:
Shavel’le Olivier
Executive Director, Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition

Help us create a more equitable city

YW Boston addresses individual, interpersonal, and structural barriers in order to create more equitable spaces for women, people of color, and especially women of color.