All Women Leadership -- AWL Strategies

Join us #TOMORROW. Friends, much has changed in the last week. We are still in, and hope you are too. The way we get through this change is together. Come take a time out for community, networking, food, an open bar - and to toast this amazing person. All are welcome: Wednesday, March 12th, 5 - 7:30 pm Lulu's Wine Garden 1940 11th St NW, Washington, DC (Note: Our government colleagues are warmly invited to attend, government gift guidelines will be observed.) Holly Sydnor #WBJ40under40 I Sara Thomas

The AWL team is losing the amazing, award-winning Rachael Pinkney, CSM?, CCMP?, CAF?. Rachael led AWL's work at Veterans Benefits Administration, on a contract that was terminated last week along with so many others at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Rachael is an asute and accomplished leader, with experience in both #corporate and #publicsector #projectmanagement, #events, #strategy, #facilitation, #executivecommunications, #speechwriting, #sharepoint, evidence based decision-making #dashboards, #design and #video. Her products are first rate, beautiful, and highly impactful for executive teams. Her leadership is thoughtful, creative, and incisive, based on years in her field supporting executives and cross-functional teams. She is a certified Agile Scrum Master, Agile Facilitator, and Change Management Practitioner. Rachael is a Ragan Communications and PR Daily Top Women in Communications 2025 Awardee, and an essential contributor to AWL's 2024 and 2025 #Elev8GovCon awards. She is a go getter, always the first to raise a hand to go the extra mile for her clients, bring people to the table to accelerate decisions, solve challenging problems, and deliver great work. Rachael made us think and laugh, and supported her team to do better, and be better, lifting us, our clients and partners every day. We are grateful for her in our work and lives and will miss her terribly. It is our hope that our loss will be another team's gain. Anyone who hires her would be incredibly lucky to have her. Please reach out to AWL Founders Holly Sydnor and Sara Thomas for an excellent recommendation, and to Rachael directly for details on her work and career. #ThankYou #KeepGoing #OpenToWork

Our COO Holly Sydnor picked up her Washington Business Journal #40Under40 award last week! Now we'd like to celebrate with all of you! Join us as we toast Holly's award and raise our glasses to a bright future with the wonderful people who have supported us over the years. We hope to see you there! March 12 5 - 7:30 pm AWL 40 Under 40 Party Lulu's Wine Garden 1940 11th St NW Washington, DC https://lnkd.in/eriuRR8r #keepgoing #celebrate #community #grateful

Headed to Austin for the What's Next Roadshow? Grab some time with AWL CEO Sara Thomas to talk about streamlined aquisition options to shorten the procurement timeline and boost flexibility, efficiency and speed as we work together to serve our Veterans in 2025. Sara will be attending the: What's Next Happy Hour, Wednesday 2/19 What's Next Roadshow, Thursday 2/20 Austin LINKS Happy Hour, Thursday 2/20 Reach out and connect! Jill Jakober Carney | David Maskeroni | Kalid Tarapolsi | Lloyd Evans ??Melinda Pitchford | Eric Gonzales | Susan Sharer | GOVTECH CONNECTS

Change is an opportunity to bring our best ideas to a challenge. By following this communications playbook, federal leaders at every level can address the "Return to In-Person Work" EO effectively, with planned, proactive step-by-step communications approaches for interacting with legal and union stakeholders, equipping managers, and engaging employees. We also cover key considerations and questions for leaders, leadership communication approaches, and crisis communications planning, tools and actions. We kept this first release clear, concise, and direct to speed it to our clients ASAP. You can download it at https://lnkd.in/d_fjCffZ. We will continue to work on an extended version, if you would like to receive updates please email us at [email protected]. And, as always, we are here to help. Reach out. #stratcomms #OCM #RTO #People #Productivity #Preparedness Sara Thomas I Holly Sydnor

We are thrilled to celebrate Holly Sydnor, AWL COO, for being named to the Washington Business Journal's #40under40 Class of 2025! This annual signature award program honors leading young executives behind the region's top dollars, deals, people and places. Holly, thank you for your deep dedication to the growth of AWL, every teammate, our clients, partners, and community. Through your award-winning work and career in #FederalHealth, your management of AWL’s yearly 5% donation of profits to support women’s ascent to leadership, personally mentoring countless veterans and professionals, and your work on the Digital Services Coalition Board you have changed the strategies and trajectories of so many, for the better. We are so proud of you, Holly, and grateful for your remarkable leadership, innovation, and the impact you make every day. To our partners, clients, friends, family and team, we hope you will join us in celebrating this well-deserved honor – a fitting celebration is in the works for February, more news soon! Read more about the WBJ 40 under 40 at https://lnkd.in/eqnnzxBR #40Under40 #Leadership #Gratitude #Innovation #Congratulations

BIG CONGRATS to AWL's very own Rachael Pinkney, CSM?, CCMP?, CAF?, for being an honoree in Ragan’s Top Women in Communications Awards, Class of 2025! Rachael, we didn't need an award to tell us that you are a Dynamic Doer but it is pretty darn wonderful to see you recognized for your amazing work! This award shines a bright light on your dedication, creativity, and unwavering commitment to service. Thank you for exemplifying AWL values in everything you do, every day, for your clients, partners, and our team. We are incredibly proud to see you join this prestigious group of women shaping the future of communications! Rachael's recognition marks the fourth consecutive year that an AWL team member has earned this prestigious award. Read more about this honor here: Ragan’s Top Women in Communications Awards https://lnkd.in/eAXvfnjR #DynamicDoer #TopWomeninCommunications #Award Ragan Communications and PR Daily Holly Sydnor Amanda Marotti Sara Thomas

It's a funny thing about community: Sometimes, you build it, sometimes, you find it, and sometimes, it finds you. Last night, we celebrated all three with gratitude at the Warrior Rising?"Saluting Her Service" gala. An event like no other, this night honors women Veteran entrepreneurs who are out there every day, working hard to build successful businesses. As we venture into a new year, it was a great reminder that we are surrounded by purpose-driven leaders and teams, that hard work and lifting others is a winning strategy, and that opportunity is made, not won. Thank you to Dawn Halfaker and the team Warrior Rising, and to all the women Veterans who gave us a glimpse of their amazing businesses (BTW y'AWL need to check out SickFit? socks immediately, they are going to be huge. I would've traded my high heels for a pair in a second), my wing-women for the evening Danielle Krakora and Sharon Hinde-Grimm, and everybody who came out to celebrate and give back. Tamar Mintz Rish Patel Michael Harry Anderson von Eschen Halai Shukran Jessica Morris Julie Meloni Kai Miller, CSA Nicole Mayerhauser

When navigating an uncertain landscape, staying connected to what truly matters—your customers and employees, is important. Our latest blog explores why Net Promoter Score (NPS) is more than just a metric—it’s a game-changer for building trust, loyalty, and resilience. Discover how fast, modern feedback strategies can help you transform CX and EX to thrive through change. Don’t just adapt—lead the way. Read more at: https://lnkd.in/dG2v_TK4 #CustomerExperience #EmployeeExperience #NPS #FeedbackMatters #LeadThroughChange

To our clients, partners, team, families, and community near and far: Today and every day we are grateful for you. AWL is now closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday. We'll be back next week. Until then, we hope you will remember to put your own oxygen mask on first, grab some rest & relaxation, and in the words of the author Kurt Vonnegut: "I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, 'If this isn't nice, I don't know what is.'" Be safe and well, friends. #GratitudeIsTheAttitude #GiveThanks