Stevie-winner Dr. Sonia Selwin brings a holistic approach to empowerment, working across India, the U.S., and Bahrain to support marginalized women, immigrant communities, and aspiring entrepreneurs. Her impact is rooted not just in vision, but in action—whether that’s supporting a single woman struggling with language barriers and mental health, or developing scalable education and business programs that reach hundreds.

A Dual Role: Academic Leader and Community Organizer
Dr. Selwin’s academic background spans 16 years as a lecturer, professor, and program manager in business education. With a PhD in Management and current postdoctoral research in Leadership at Andrews University, she brings scholarly rigor to her work. But she doesn’t stop at theory.

Her nonprofit work—especially through HopeSide Ministries and as founder of the People Empowerment Alliance for Creativity and Education (PEACE)—takes that expertise directly to the communities that need it most. She mentors immigrant women in employability skills, guides entrepreneurs in launching small businesses, and leads weekly Bible study and support sessions focused on healing and empowerment.

At HopeSide, she’s helped dozens of women start businesses, complete degrees, and navigate personal hardships. Her leadership spans from organizing church retreats and fundraising events to developing grant proposals and securing financial support for community programs.

Focus on Women’s Empowerment and Entrepreneurship
Through PEACE, Dr. Selwin is actively supporting more than 350 women in India—many of them first-time entrepreneurs—with training, funding, and mentorship. She led the effort to award seed funds to women facing growth constraints in businesses like tailoring, jewelry-making, and jute product manufacturing. Her focus is not just on financial aid, but sustainable business growth through marketing, digital skills, and community collaboration.

In one case, she helped an immigrant woman in the U.S. launch a sewing business by offering English language instruction, digital literacy, and equipment—all while juggling childcare and integration challenges. In another, she guided a woman from depression and isolation to confidence and purpose through mentoring and prayer. Her ability to meet people where they are, while also building broader systems for advancement, defines her leadership style.

A Global Voice for Practical Solutions
In 2023, Dr. Selwin was recognized at the British Parliament with the Award for Excellence in Global Education, Business, and Advancement, standing out among applicants from across India. Her work blends academic innovation with hands-on implementation; she’s equally at home writing research papers as she is leading food coordination for a community retreat or coaching a young nonprofit founder on mission statements and grant writing.

She is also passionate about forming partnerships between universities and grassroots entrepreneurs. Her work with students and rural women in India has inspired a mutual exchange of knowledge, connecting theory with lived experience, and inspiring a new generation of leaders.

Dr. Sonia Selwin’s work demonstrates that educational leadership can extend far beyond the classroom. It’s about mentorship, practical support, community development, and meeting real needs with compassion and structure.

Dr. Selwin won a Bronze Stevie® Award for Woman of the Year in the Government or Non-Profit sector in the 2024 Stevie Awards for Women in Business. 

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Too often, older struggling readers are left with few resources that meet their unique needs—books that are either too simple for their age or too complex for their reading level. Storyshares is tackling that challenge head-on.

Founded by former educator Louise Baigelman, Storyshares is a nonprofit literacy organization focused on adolescents who have slipped through the cracks of reading instruction. Baigelman, who began her career in classrooms through Teach For America, saw firsthand how a lack of engaging, accessible reading materials held students back. Her solution: build a new kind of library.

That library now includes more than 500 original, age-appropriate titles written at a wide range of reading levels. These books have reached readers in 180 countries and have been read for over 1 million hours, helping teens and adults build confidence and fluency. Educators report that more than 90% of students using Storyshares titles show improved reading attitudes and behaviors.

Over the past year, Storyshares has continued to break new ground. In response to feedback from educators and families, Baigelman’s team created “Remix Decodables”—the first-ever decodable chapter books for teens. These books, released between late 2023 and early 2024, offer structured support for older readers who are still mastering foundational literacy skills, providing content that respects both their age and their learning needs. Each eight-book set in the series is tailored for students beyond third grade and comes with companion guides for educators to support instruction.

This bold innovation aligns with the growing movement around the Science of Reading and fills a long-overlooked gap in literacy education. It also complements Storyshares’ growing library by offering even more tools for teachers working with readers who have historically lacked effective resources.

Beyond publishing, Storyshares is scaling its impact through strategic collaborations. In 2024, the organization partnered with the 95 Percent Group to co-create 95 Readables™, a collection of decodable chapter books designed for students in grades 2–8. This partnership extends the reach of high-quality, structured literacy tools and highlights Baigelman’s commitment to evidence-based solutions. At the same time, the organization continues to fuel its library through its annual Story of the Year writing contest, which has become a cornerstone for sourcing diverse and engaging content.

Louise Baigelman’s leadership reflects a rare combination of educational insight, entrepreneurial vision, and measurable impact. Through Storyshares, she is redefining what’s possible for struggling readers around the world—empowering students, supporting teachers, and shaping the future of literacy.

Storyshares Founder and CEO Louise Baigelman won a Bronze Stevie® Award for Best Female Entrepreneur – Business Products –10 or Less Employees in the 2024 Stevie Awards for Women in Business.

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When Cathy Yang joined the PLDT Group—the Philippines’ largest integrated telecommunications firm—in July 2020, it was at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Connectivity was no longer a luxury but a lifeline. Yang was brought on to modernize PLDT’s communications strategy and lead a shift toward more purpose-driven, digitally focused storytelling.

Over the past four years, Yang has guided PLDT Group’s Corporate Communications team in aligning business goals with meaningful social impact, particularly in the areas of child protection, online safety, education, and digital inclusion. Under her leadership, the company’s communication strategies have elevated both internal engagement and public perception, while helping the company earn sustained recognition across multiple industries and platforms.

Using Communications to Drive Measurable Change
One of Yang’s most impactful contributions has been integrating child rights into PLDT’s corporate communications and business practices. Working with international organizations such as UNICEF, the Internet Watch Foundation, and International Justice Mission, PLDT Group developed strategies to address the growing issue of online child exploitation.

In 2023, PLDT was named a Leader in the Global Child Forum’s Business Benchmark on Children’s Rights—the only company in the Philippines to earn that distinction. The recognition came after Yang was invited in 2022 to represent both PLDT and the Philippines at the Global Child Forum in Stockholm, hosted by the King and Queen of Sweden. She remains the sole Southeast Asian representative included in the forum’s testimonial campaign.

Connecting Social Purpose with Brand and Business Value
PLDT’s corporate communications under Yang’s leadership has supported a wide range of business-aligned social initiatives. These include the expansion of the School-in-a-Bag digital classroom program, support for disaster resilience and livelihood initiatives, and digital literacy campaigns such as TNT SIM Registration.

The group also led #FarmSmart, a public relations program that used partnerships to help modernize agriculture and support farmers through tech solutions. These campaigns reflect a broader strategy that links PLDT’s business strengths (connectivity, technology) with its broader social commitments.

Yang and her team have maintained this focus even during periods of corporate challenge, including financial constraints and regulatory obligations. Notably, her team played a key role in coordinating public disclosures to the Philippine Stock Exchange while continuing to promote the company’s social impact initiatives.

A Winning Communications Strategy
Since 2021, PLDT Group has consistently earned top industry honors for communications and public relations, including four consecutive “Company of the Year” awards at both the Anvil and Quill Awards—prestigious recognitions in the Philippines' PR and communications sectors. Under Yang’s leadership, award submissions have expanded beyond her own team to include other divisions, demonstrating how strategic communications has become embedded throughout the company.

Yang’s communications work has also gained international recognition. During the pandemic, her team launched Realizations, a storytelling campaign that highlighted how PLDT’s connectivity solutions helped people navigate lockdowns and life changes. The campaign earned a Gold Stevie® Award for Innovation in Public Relations Videos at the 2021 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

Cathy Yang was honored with a Bronze Stevie Award for Communications, Investor Relations or PR Executive of the Year in the 2024 Stevie® Awards for Technology Excellence.

Interested in entering the 2025 program?

Stevie-winner AAA Mountain West Group (AAA MWG) is one of the largest regional branches in the AAA federation, serving more than 6.7 million Members across Northern California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska. With over 5,000 employees, the organization provides a wide array of services—roadside assistance, insurance, financial tools, auto repair, EV resources, and leisure travel planning.

As consumer habits shift toward digital and mobile experiences, AAA MWG has expanded its outreach through various content channels. One of the most visible is Via, the group’s travel and lifestyle publication. With a print and digital audience spanning 22 major media markets and a readership of over 7 million, Via has become a valuable engagement tool. Reader behavior data has shown that audiences not only read Via, but take action—such as visiting AAA offices or exploring products—after engaging with its content.

In late 2023, AAA MWG began exploring how to extend the Via experience beyond the page. The result was the "Via Podcast," a new content initiative designed to meet audiences where they already are: in their earbuds during commutes, workouts, or weekend travel planning.

Creating a New Kind of Member Connection
Launched in March 2024, the Via Podcast was developed by a team of women already deeply involved in Via’s editorial success. The podcast is hosted by Michelle Donati, a long-time AAA spokesperson and Arizona native, alongside travel journalist Mitti Hicks. Behind the scenes are Editor-in-Chief Whitney Phaneuf, Managing Editor Katie Henry, and editorial consultant April Kilcrease.

The team’s goal was to create a series that captures the same tone and values of the magazine, while taking advantage of the intimacy and flexibility of audio. New episodes drop twice a month and are available on major podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

The podcast focuses on travel across the American West—sharing personal stories, expert recommendations, and unexpected destinations. Themes range from hidden road trip gems to interviews with AAA Members and travel experts who offer firsthand insights.

Part of a Broader Strategy
The "Via Podcast" was not a standalone project but part of a larger content strategy aimed at increasing Member engagement and brand affinity. Internally, the team viewed it as an opportunity to humanize the AAA brand and strengthen relationships with Members through storytelling.

The rise of branded podcasts across industries helped validate the format as a business tool. Audio has become one of the fastest-growing forms of media consumption, with US adults spending nearly two hours a day listening. AAA MWG saw this shift not as a trend to chase, but as a channel that could support long-term communication goals.

Each episode of the Via Podcast is designed with AAA’s values in mind—trust, exploration, and Member-first service. The editorial team also uses performance data from *Via*’s digital content, email campaigns, and social platforms to inform guest selection and episode topics. By including AAA Member voices and stories in each episode, the team has created a sense of community among listeners. The podcast has also given the organization a way to stay relevant in a crowded media landscape—without abandoning the brand’s legacy of reliability and service.

For AAA MWG, the podcast serves both as a communication tool and as a reflection of how the organization continues to evolve. As the Via Podcast grows its listenership, AAA Mountain West Group is continuing to find new ways to deliver value—whether it’s through a map, a membership card, or a story told through headphones.

AAA Mountain West Group won a Bronze Stevie Award for Marketing Campaign of the Year - Entertainment & Sports in the 2024 Stevie Awards for Women in Business.

Interested in entering for 2025?