The Women to Watch Awards, held each spring in Washington, DC, celebrates Running Start’s efforts to inspire young women to run for public office. The annual event honors some of the most impressive young women in the country, including some of the youngest women in Congress and other young women leaders who represent the best of their respective professions. By honoring these young women, Running Start hopes to inspire them–and others like them–to take their leadership to another level. This year, Running Start will present our First Annual Trailblazer Award. It is given to a woman who has worked throughout her life to empower women and girls. We look to these trailblazers as strong mentors for women and girls and thank them for teaching the next generation of women how to step forward and lead. To inquire about corporate and personal sponsorship opportunities, please contact Jessica Grounds at jessica@runningstartonline.org.

This year, Running Start will honor:

• Councilmember Muriel Bowser, DC City Council
• Anne Kornblut, Author & Journalist, The Washington Post
• Malika Saada Saar, Founder of the Rebecca Project for Human Rights
• Kellyanne Conway, President & CEO, the polling company inc./WomenTrend
• Sheila C. Johnson, Team President, Managing Partner & Governor of the WNBA’s Washington Mystics & Running Start’s First Trailblazer Honoree

2009 Honorees:

• Erin Burnett, CNBC Television Anchor
• Julie Gilbert, Founder & CEO, WOLF Means Business
• Tammy Duckworth, Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs
• Betsy Fischer, Executive Producer, Meet the Press
• Mona Sutphen, Deputy Chief of Staff for the Obama Administration

2008 Honorees:

• Nicole Lee, Executive Director, Transafrica Forum
• Dana Perino, White House Press Secretary
• Cathy Lanier, DC Chief of Police
• Michelle Rhee, DC Schools Chancellor
• Linda Rottenberg, CEO and Founder, Endeavor

2007 Honorees:

• Rep. Kathy Castor
• Rep. Gabrielle Giffords
• Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand
• Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin
• Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers
• Rep. Linda Sanchez
• Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz

• Mishonda Baldwin, decorated war veteran and former congressional candidate
• Dana Bash, Congressional Correspondent, CNN
• Jamie E. Brown, Federal Relations Counsel, Google
• Katherine Chon, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Polaris Project
• Dina Habib Powell, Assistant Secretary, U.S. State Department
• Kim Rappaport, attorney and pro bono advocate, Arnold & Porter
• Ashley R. Riveira, attorney and author, Crowell & Moring
• Maya Rockeymoore, Founder and President, Global Policy Solutions
• Amy Walter, Senior Editor, Cook Political Report
• Diana Wells, Co-President, Ashoka