Chair:
Ronjini Joshua, Chief Executive Officer & Founder
The Silver Telegram, Makawao, Hawaii, United States

Ronjini Joshua is the CEO and founder of The Silver Telegram, a boutique PR agency focused on tech and consumer lifestyle brands with a focus on media relations. With 20 years of experience in tech PR, Ronjini’s background is vested in media relations strategy, product launches and storytelling, working with dozens of startup brands over the years. Her agency work in Silicon Valley, led her to work with many exciting startups across both the enterprise and B2C sectors. Joshua is the podcast host of The PR Playbook Podcast and The Green Room Podcast, as well as a frequent guest on other podcasts. She is also an experienced speaker, published author and contributor to Forbes as well as other published articles around the practice of PR, Marketing and Communications.

Ronjini has worked with more than 100 tech startups including companies like CCP Games, Aftershokz Mozilla, Gecko Robotics, Hyrecar, T-Mobile, Prenav, Soundboks, Netezza, Nokia, and more. For those companies she has secured placements in vertical, industry, business and consumer publications.

The Silver Telegram, delivers an integrated communications approach that includes traditional PR, digital marketing and advertising and works to maintain unified brand messaging across those spaces. Ronjini creates curated media plans that map directly to client ROI. In 2011 the agency fine-tuned their capabilities as one of the first PR agencies to serve the crowdfunding industry.  Ronjini commented: “While PR can be very exciting when you get quick wins, building a reputation is a marathon, not a sprint. PR can be a very powerful tool if you understand the media landscape and the interests of your target audience.” 

On being invited to Chair this year’s committee, Ronjini told us: “For decades, The Stevie Awards have always been an esteemed organization that has uncovered and showcased the best in business. I am honored to be a part of the selection committee for this year’s award to honor my peers with their greatest professional contributions and achievements.”

Committee:
 

Oluwatobiloba Akerele, Communications Advisor  
Management Sciences for Health, Calabar, Cross River, Nigeria
Oluwatobiloba is a strategic communication leader with over a decade of experience in driving impactful communications solutions across sectors. She earned advanced degrees in Communications with certifications in Public Relations, Public Policy, Public Administration, Sustainable Development, and Management Consulting. She leads winning strategies that enable success across corporate indicators.

Pinar E. Çelikörslü, Consultant
Freelance, Kadikoy, Istanbul, Turkey
An experienced communications professional with over 30 years of experience in diverse sectors. She has provided executive support in global project management and led communication and alumni relations for educational institutions. Pınar builds relationships, develops communication strategies, and executes high-impact projects using an integrated approach that blends traditional PR with strong communication skills.

Shimona Chadha, VP Marketing
HCLTec, Scotch Plains, New Jersey, United States
Shimona Chadha is a transformative marketing leader with over 20 years of experience. She drives revenue marketing strategies, managing an $8B portfolio across 60+ countries. As a former IAOP co-chair, she advocates for diversity and inclusion, delivering measurable business outcomes through AI and innovation.

Winnie Chan, Creative Director   
heydaysss limited, Hong Kong, China
Winnie Chan is a creative leader with over two decades shaping the digital landscape. With a strong foundation in design and marketing, she founded heydaysss to deliver innovative, client-centric solutions. Her team of creative experts consistently delivers impactful digital experiences, earning industry accolades like the prestigious Digiz Award.
 

Sevda Demir, Marketing Director
Bim, Istanbul, Turkey
Sevda has been working in marketing for 21 years, including 10 years in FMCG and 11 years in retail. She is currently the Customer Insight and Advertising Director at Bim. Sevda is a results-driven marketer with a proven track record in delivering sustainable business growth. She holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration.

Linda Descano, Executive Vice President
HAVAS, New York, New York, United States
Linda Descano, CFA, serves as Global Chief Integration & Marketing Officer of HAVAS Red, a global merged media agency micronetwork. An award-winning executive with 20+ years’ experience in marketing and communications, Linda previously served as Citi’s Chief Administrative Officer of Global Marketing & Public Affairs, among other roles.

Sruthi Dhulipala, Senior PR Manager
The Right Now, Los Angeles, California, United States
Sruthi is an award-winning entertainment publicist and Senior PR Manager at The Right Now based in Los Angeles. With a track record of promoting entertainment and technology studios, brands, and titles. Sruthi has extensive experience in the film and TV industry, launching multi-dimensional publicity and social media campaigns for 22+ critically acclaimed films and series.
 

Mary DiMaggio-Finley, CEO/President      
Legato Communications Etc., Inc., Columbia, Maryland, United States
Ms. DiMaggio-Finley has more than 25 years of experience in strategic multi-media corporate and health communications for consumer products, social marketing, Federal Government health, and brand management. She also has extensive experience managing cross-functional communications and publication teams for implementation, organization, and supervision of building client core branding needs and public relations plans.
 

Katherine Goldman, Owner
The Very Thing, Montclair, New Jersey, United States
Katherine has led strategy development and creative solutions for major B2B clients, with a range of work that includes customer conferences and events of all sizes, internal communications campaigns, rebranding messaging, and B2B advertising. She became a premier expert in experiential strategies after joining Jack Morton Worldwide and now leads The Very Thing.
 

Beáta Híves, CEO & Founder
Next9 Communications, Budapest, Pest County, Hungary
With over 20 years of marketing and communication experience, Beata co-founded and led a top-ranked PR agency, delivering innovative strategies for global brands like Nestlé and Telekom. Ranked among Hungary’s Top 50 PR professionals, Beata is also a guest lecturer and Stevie Awards judge, committed to driving brand success and industry excellence.

Robyn Hobson, Head of Sales & Marketing
Mobile Guardian, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Robyn has 12+ years experience working as a marketer for industries including technology, SaaS, FMCG, and retail, and holds an MBA from the Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town. She leads the global sales and marketing efforts at Mobile Guardian, and has crafted marketing campaigns that have gained regional and international acclaim.

Robert Howells, Principal
Howells Marketing Consultants, Wyckoff, New Jersey, United States
Robert is the Principal of his marketing consultancy and also serves as the COO of a demand generation agency and is on the advisory board of a legal tech company. He has experience in all aspects of b2b, digital marketing and global business development.



Tiffany Hu, Managing Partner
Ogilvy PR Shanghai, Huangpu District, Shanghai, China
Tiffany Hu has been managing partner of Ogilvy PR since 2021. She has more than 20 years of experience in marketing and communications and holds an MBA from the University of Cambridge. She has also been a jury member of key industry awards.

Shivangi Khurania, Founder & CEO
Udeso, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Shivangi Khuraina is the Founder and CEO of Udeso, which automates compliance filings to help businesses avoid risks. Udeso has assisted hundreds of businesses and received government recognition in California and Nevada. Shivangi holds dual master's degrees in Information Systems and Hospitality.

Chris Leung, Adjunct Lecturer
HKUSPACE, Hong Kong SAR, China
Chris served as the Regional Sales Manager for a leading Turkish-based Airline Company in Hong Kong and Macau for over ten years. Concurrently, he holds an Adjunct Lecturer position at HKUSPACE, where he instructs the Master's Degree Programme in Marketing. His research interests span the disciplines of Consumer Behaviour, Cognitive Psychology, and Marketing Communications. 
 

Manasa Mantha, Head of Engagement  
Opella GBS, Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States
Manasa is the Opella GBS Head of Engagement & Chattanooga Hub, leads strategic Culture & Engagement initiatives, and leads the Americas Hubs. With 14 years in Marketing and Communications. She has worked with agencies and brands in Asia and the US, excelling in Leadership Training, GTM strategy, and Crisis Communications and holds 3 Masters degrees.

Andreina Martinez, Specialist
University of Leeds, Leeds, Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Andreina is an award-winning Corporate Communications and Public Relations Specialist with a proven ability to craft human-centric narratives and strategies that foster stakeholder engagement. With expertise in rebranding, communication strategy, and visual storytelling, she has achieved 90% client satisfaction and 80% engagement growth. A multifaceted communicator and mentor, Andreina creates experiences that build meaningful connections.

Susan Morrow, Principal
Morrow & Associates, Dallas, Texas, United States

Karen Ng, General Manager, Corporate Branding & Marketing
Airport Authority Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Karen Ng is an accomplished marketing and branding professional with a track record of delivering results. As the General Manager for Corporate Branding & Marketing, she leads campaigns to promote Hong Kong International Airport as a key regional hub with excellent services and experiences that amaze travelers worldwide.

Laura Osburnsen, VP Global Marketing
FIS, Washing DC Metro, Maryland, United States
Laura is a high-impact transformative leader with a dynamic 20+ year career as a marketing executive working with professional services, financial services, and technology companies. She demonstrates a capacity to turn a vision from concept into reality by aligning needs with solutions to complex business challenges and driving value-based interactions across the buyers' journey.

Gunjan Paliwal, Product Marketing Lead        
Meta, Seattle, Washington, United States
Gunjan Paliwal is a seasoned tech professional with extensive expertise in product marketing, development, and strategy, with over a decade of experience at industry leaders like Meta, Newell, Sears, and Microsoft. Gunjan is passionate about creating customer-centric products and solutions. She specializes in Building and Launching ML/AI-based products in AdTech and eCommerce Marketplace.
 

Dr. Garima Pandey, Head of Digital Marketing
Sumitomo Chemical India Limited, New Delhi, Delhi, India
With over 16 years of expertise in digital strategy and project management, Garima has consistently driven substantial sales growth through successful digital demand generation campaigns. Garima’s experience spans executing high-impact marketing strategies, leading cross-functional teams, and consistently delivering outstanding results, highlighted by the successful implementation of numerous Digital Transformation and Demand Generation initiatives.

Galina Pauncheva , CEO
D:istinkt, Sofia, Bulgaria
Galina Pauncheva is a seasoned PR, brand strategy, and marketing consultant. She has been CEO at D:istinkt since 2023. With over 19 years of experience in Public Relations and Corporate Communications, she is also the author of “How to Launch a Successful Brand: A Step-by-Step Guide for Building a Powerful Brand.”

Gairik Ray, Senior Consultant, Strategy & Analytics
Deloitte Consulting LLP, Plano, Texas, United States
Gairik has established himself as a dynamic and accomplished leader in technology and strategy consulting with 7+ years of cross-industry experience in Data Analytics and AI, business development and innovation, product management & customer strategy. With an impressive educational background, Gairik graduated from Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, where he earned a Master's degree in Information Systems majoring in Business analytics.

Catalina Rousseau, President & CEO
BDR Associates, Bucharest, Romania
Catalina is President & CEO of BDR Associates Communication Group (founded in 1995), and is a senior strategic advisor in communication strategies for national/multinational companies. Awarded "Women who change Romania," featured in Top 100 Businesswomen and Forbes 50 most influential in communication, she was also decorated by the Custodian of the Romanian Crown in 2023.

Deepthi Shankar, Senior Staff PMM
Deepthi Shankar, San Bruno, California, United States
Deepthi is a Senior Staff Product Marketing Manager for software analytics products at Illumina. She collaborates across the organization to bring innovative genomic analysis software to market. Deepthi has over 14 years of experience marketing technology products and services, is an MBA in Strategy and an undergrad in Electronics and Communications Engineering.

Tânia Tomé, President 
Womenice.Org, New York, Brazil & Africa, Global
Tania is a trailblazing entrepreneur, economist, international speaker, and tech advocate known for her innovative approach to leadership and empowerment. As the CEO of Ecokaya, she pioneers cutting-edge solutions in entrepreneurship and innovation, transforming industries and inspiring global change. Her influence extends across continents through her roles as an executive coach and international speaker.

Veronique Topping, Web Technology Specialist         
Cablevision, New York City, New York, United States

Abhishek Upadhyay, Communications Specialist
IntouchCX, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Abhishek Upadhyay is a Communications Specialist at IntouchCX with over ten years of experience in content creation, SEO, and digital marketing. He has worked across multiple industries, authored hundreds of articles, and managed branding, social media, and public relations. Abhi is passionate about driving, video games, and cricket.

Fransiska Weckesser, CEO        
The very creative firm, Los Angeles, California, United States
Fransiska, the co-founder and CEO of The very creative firm, hails from Holland but made her mark in Shanghai and Los Angeles. Her enterprise, The very creative firm, specializes in large-scale shows, events, and video productions, boasting clients from Louis Vuitton to Hilton and BMW. After doing projects all over the world.

Melissa Kohler Wheeler, Chief People Officer
Luckie & Company, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Melissa Kohler Wheeler is a Chief People Officer with 25 plus years of experience building teams and developing leaders. With a Bachelor's and Masters in Communications and HR Certification, she champions women in leadership. A former Stevie winner and judge, Melissa is a frequent business speaker.

Audrey Yacou, PR & Marketing Executive
Guadeloupe Islands Tourism, New York City, New York, United States
Audrey, a communications and marketing expert from Guadeloupe, has built her career in Paris and New York, earning advanced degrees and diverse experience. As the USA PR and Marketing Executive for the Guadeloupe Islands Tourism Board, she successfully promotes the French Caribbean to American travelers and drives impactful campaigns.

Nicole Yelland, Head of External Communication
Flagstar Bank, Detroit, Michigan, United States
Visionary communications leader with expertise in global storytelling, brand management, and strategic planning. Demonstrates a proven track record of strong interpersonal skills, media relations, relationship-building, flexibility, creativity, and brand management.