Recipients of the 2026 Association for Women in Communications of Lubbock (AWC) Celebrity Luncheon awards were honored at the annual event April 21, at the Overton Hotel & Conference Center.
For 41 years, AWC Lubbock has honored local people and entities whose accomplishments have made Lubbock and the surrounding area a great place to live and work.
The George Mahon Award for Extraordinary Public Service is presented to a person who has dedicated their adult life to a broad array of public service efforts that result in accomplishments. This year’s honoree is Robert Taylor. With his deep involvement in the Community Foundation of West Texas and numerous civic boards, Taylor is widely known as someone who consistently supports projects related to education, economic development and philanthropy.
The Beth Pratt Communicator of the Year Award recognizes an AWC member who has demonstrated excellence in the profession, positive support of the chapter and a commitment to the purpose of AWC. It was given to Michelle Stephens.
Headliner Awards were presented to: Texas Tech Athletics; the Lubbock Measles Response Team, which includes the City of Lubbock, Covenant Health, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and UMC Health System; CottonFest; and Allison Childress and Michelle Alcorn, creators of the app Sam. Headliner Awards are presented to people whose achievements or contributions have received widespread positive recognition through the media.
Gold Medals were presented to: Beth Bridges, Pam Alexander-Schneider, Jay and Judy Tarwater, Kristin Murray and Jenny Reeger. This award is presented to people who, over an extended period of time, have worked to improve the quality of life for a broad spectrum of those living in the Lubbock area.
Lubbock National Bank received the Louise Allen Award for Outstanding Corporate Community Service. Douglas Hensley was honored with the Mary Ann Edwards Professional Communicator Award, which acknowledges an individual working in the communications industry whose attention to the creation, management, distribution and consumption of ideas and information has made significant contributions to their discipline and positively impacted the community.
The Rising Star Award went to Danielle East, executive director of East Lubbock Art House. The award honors a member of the Lubbock community younger than 40 who has made an impact on a significant portion of the Lubbock community through charitable, economic or educational means.
The yearly event is sponsored by the Association for Women in Communications of Lubbock. Proceeds help fund scholarships for students in the Texas Tech College of Media & Communication and the professional development of AWC members.
The Association for Women in Communications of Lubbock champions the advancement of women across all communications disciplines by recognizing excellence, promoting leadership and positioning its members at the forefront of the evolving communications era. For more information on AWC, visit our website.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Association for Women in Communications of Lubbock hosts Celebrity Luncheon
Reporting by Special for the Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
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