This award goes to a woman who has been a leader and a pioneer in the sport and has served the sport with distinction.
2024 Michelle La Sala, Founder and President, Blistering Pace Race Management
2023 Heidi Swartz, Executive Director of The Cowtown
2022 Jan Seeley, Race Director of Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon
2021 event was not held
2020 Kara Goucher, 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympian
2019 Amy Frostick, Co-owner of J&A Racing
2018 Patrice Matamoros, CEO of P3R (Pittsburgh Three Rivers Marathon)
2017 Virginia Brophy Achman, Executive Director of Twin Cities in Motion
2016 Sally Bergesen, Founder of Oiselle
2015 Kathy Kinane, Race director/Founder of Kinane Events, collegiate and youth coach, elite advocate and runner
2014 Jacqueline Hansen, former world record holder in the marathon 1974 & 1975 (first woman sub-2:40)
2013 Dawna Stone, Women’s Running Magazine founder & publisher and Women’s Running Half-Marathon Series founder
2012 Nancy Hobbs, USA Mountain and Trail Running leader
2011 Beth Shluger, Hartford Marathon Foundation executive director
2010 Tracey Russell, Atlanta Track Club executive director
2009 Nancy Lieberman, GO! St. Louis Marathon president and founder
2008 Sharon Barbano, Saucony, Senior Director, Public Relations
2007 Carol Lasseter-Rice, Running Times Magazine publisher
2006 Mary Wittenberg, ING New York City Marathon race director / New York Road Runners president & CEO
2005 Elizabeth Phillips, USATF LDR chair / Avon Running
