MATRIX HALL OF FAME
Every year since 1970, NYWICI has awarded outstanding women in communications the prestigious Matrix Awards. The long list of past winners reads like a who-is-who of exceptional women in the fields of advertising, books, broadcasting, film, magazines, new media, newspapers and public relations and is a true reflection of achievements by women in communications.
Past winners have included Gloria Steinem, Toni Morrison, Meryl Streep, Anna Wintour, Nora Ephron, Halle Berry, Geena Davis and Padma Lakshmi to name just a few.
PAST HONOREES BY YEAR
2024
Kristin Chenoweth | Jill Cress | Nina Garcia | Meredith Kopit Levien | Jennifer Lowney | Nancy Reyes | Rakia Reynolds
2023
Esi Eggleston Bracey | Christine Elliott | Moira Forbes | Maureen J. Reidy | Donna Speciale | Clarissa Ward
2022
Devika Bulchandani | Rita Ferro | Marlee Matlin | Stephanie Mehta | Elizabeth Rutledge | Gwen Stefani | Tiffany R. Warren | Judy Woodruff
2021
Yamiche Alcindor | Awkwafina | Maggie Haberman | Judith Harrison | Hoda Kotb | Dawn Ostroff | Amanda Richman | Marisa Thalberg
2020
Carla Hassan | Ann Lewnes | Barri Rafferty | Carol H. Williams | Linda Yaccarino | Susan Zirinsky | Tina Tchen*
2019
Padma Lakshmi | Kate Lewis | Jeanine D. Liburd | Susan Magrino | Norah O’Donnell | Kathy Ring | Lisa Sherman | Sally Susman
2018
Halle Berry | Mika Brzezinski | Kim Kelleher | Betsy Kenny Lack | Dia Simms | Alexandra Trower | Shelley Zalis | Jodi Kantor* | Emily Steel* | Megan Twohey*
2017
Rukmini Callimachi | Gretchen Carlson | Susan Credle | Savannah Guthrie | Kristin Lemkau | Judy Smith | Nancy Weber
2016
Linda Boff | Nancy Dubuc | Lena Dunham | Nancy Gibbs | Carol Hamilton | Mellody Hobson | Liz Kaplow | Janice Min
2015
Kirsten Gillibrand | Debra L. Lee | Andrea Mitchell | Robbie Myers | Martine Reardon | Megan Smith
2014
Wendy Clark | Queen Latifah | Jane Mayer | Cynthia McFadden | Dyllan McGee | Eileen Naughton | Jonelle Procope
2013
Joanna Coles | Anne Finucane | Mindy Grossman | Bonnie Hammer | Jacki Kelley | Audra McDonald | Kara Swisher
2012
Tyra Banks | Gayle Butler | Glenn Close | Maria Cuomo Cole | Ann Curry | Laura Desmond | Zenia Mucha | Peggy Noonan
2011
Cindi Berger | Gwen Ifill | Robin Koval | Idina Menzel | Abbe Raven | Sheryl Sandberg | Gina Sanders | Betty White
2010
Susan Chira | Sheryl Crow | Tina Fey | Ina Garten | Doris Kearns Goodwin | Anne Keating | Gayle King | Marissa Mayer
2009
Campbell Brown | Leslee Dart | Monica Langley | Dany Levy | S. Epatha Merkerson | Sherrie Rollins Westin | Linda Sawyer | Linda Wells
2008
Joannie C. Danielides | Diane von Furstenberg* | Susan Gianinno | Linda Greenhouse | Ruth Reichl | Robin Roberts | Anna Deavere Smith | Anne Sweeney
2007
Cindy Adams | Lisa Caputo | Joan Didion | Pamela Fiori | Thelma Golden | Arianna Huffington | Susan Lyne | Meredith Vieira
2006
Jill Abramson | Candace Bushnell | Beth Comstock | Geena Davis | Ellen Degeneres* | Joan Hamburg | Cynthia Leive | Renetta McCann | Katherine Oliver
2005
Christiane Amanpour | Nina DiSesa | Linda Fairstein | Edie Falco | Amy Gross | Wenda Harris Millard | Charlotte Otto | Marjorie Scardino
2004
Alix M. Freedman | Ann Fudge | Susan Peterson Kennedy | Nell Merlino | Martha Nelson | Bernadette Peters | Debra Shriver | Paula Zahn
2003
Christy A. Ferer* | Gretchen C. Morgenson | Sheila Nevins | Maurie Perl | Carolyn K. Reidy | Jane Rosenthal | Daisy Expósito-Ulla | Kate White
2002
Carole Black | Peggy Conlon | Eve Ensler | Madeline de Vries | Kati Marton | Helen Thomas | Meg Whitman | Anna Wintour
2001
Andrea Alstrup | Judy Corman | Jane Friedman | Joanne Lipman | Judy McGrath | Valerie Salembier | Lois Smith | Pamela Thomas-Graham
2000
Candice Carpenter | Ranny Cooper | Patricia Cornwell | Patricia D. Fili-Krushel | Katharine Graham | Judith Jamison | Ann Jackson | Linda Kaplan Thaler
1999
Katie Couric | Esther Dyson | Joyce Hergenhan | Dorothy Kalins | Debbie A. Krenek | Linda Srere | Meryl Streep | Nan Talese
1998
Pilar Crespi | Anthea Disney | Phyllis McGrady | Bette Midler | Sally Minard | Janet Robinson | Rochelle Udell
1997
Red Burns | Nora Ephron | Anne Sutherland Fuchs | Betty Hudson | Laura Landro | Esther R. Newberg | Rosie O’Donnell | Mary Lou Quinlan
1996
Charlotte Beers | Whoopi Goldberg | Geraldine Laybourne | Liz Smith | Martha Stewart | Amy Tan | Patrice Tanaka
1995
Shelly Lazarus | Carolyn Lee | Patricia Matson | Toni Morrison | Cokie Roberts | Elizabeth Tilberis
1994
Gail Blanke | Maureen Dowd | Sarah Frank | Mary Ellen Mark | Ann S. Moore | Naomi Wolf | Ruth A. Wooden
1993
Jean L. Farinelli | Paula Forman | Jacqueline McCord Leo | Penny Marshall | Terry McMillan | Lesley Stahl | Alessandra Stanley
1992
Sylvia Chase | Fredrica S. Friedman | Lou Rena Hammond | Callie Khourie | Elizabeth Valk Long | Aileen Mehle | Helayne Spivak
1991
Penny Hawkey | Karen Elliott House | Annie Leibovitz | Joan Lunden | Grace Mirabella | Lynn Nesbit | Terrie Williams
1990
Tina Brown | Marian Burros | Phyllis E. Grann | Michelle H. Jordan | Louise McNamee | Lynn Sherr
1989
Kim Armstrong | Gail Collins | Nancy Evans | Frances Friedman | Ellen Levine | Betty Rollin
1988
Myrna Blyth | Carolyn Carter | Marilyn Laurie | Anna Quindlen | Carolyn Wall | Genevieve Young
1987
Margaret Booth | Jane Pauley | Elaine S. Reiss | Beverly Stephen | Susan L. Taylor | Wendy Weil
1986
Dorothea M. Brooks | Meredith Fernstrom | Charlayne Hunter-Gault | Kate Rand Lloyd | Marcella Rosen | Alice Walker
1985
Barbara Taylor Bradford | Laurel Cutler | Helen Gurley Brown | Eleanor Lambert | Flora Lewis | Mary Alice Williams
1984
Susan Brownmiller | Tamara K. Homer | Judy Lynn Prince | Enid Nemy | Patricia Ryan | Diane Sawyer
1983
Maya Angelou | Kay Koplovitz | Patricia Martin | Mary McGrory | Jane Bryant Quinn | Charlotte Kelly Veal
1982
Karen W. Arenson | Cathleen P. Black | Caroline R. Jones | Joyce Carol Oates | Jeannette E. Paladino | Kay J. Wight
1981
Letitia Baldrige | Judith Daniels | Beth Fallon | Pegeen Fitzgerald | Jane Brown Maas | Letty Cottin Pogrebin
1980
Franchellie Cadwell | Suzanne Garment | Frances Fitz Gerald | Barbara Hunter | Pamela Hill | Ruth Whitney
1979
Betty Furness | Marcia Ann Gillespie | Joan Lipton | Elaine R. Pitts | Harriet Rabb | Barbara Tuchman | Barbara Yuncker
1978
Rena R. Bartos | Jane E. Brody | Patricia Carbine | Dr. Dorothy Gregg | Barbara Seaman | Barbara Walters
1977
Ann Berk | Beatrice Buckler | Gloria Emerson | Muriel Fox | Ada Louise Huxtable | Nadeen Peterson
1976
Gay Pauley | Sylvia Porter | Lynn Povich | Marlene Sanders | Jean Schoonover | June Thursh
1975
Madeline Amgott | Aileen Corbett | Elizabeth Janeway | Charlotte Klein | Judy Klemesrud | Shirley Polykoff | Geraldine Rhoads
1974
Shana Alexander | Charlotte Curtis | Susanne Loeb | Joan Murray | Rita Sands
1973
Jo Foxworth | Sondra Gorney | Lucy Jarvis | Eileen Shanahan | Gail Sheehy
1972
Mary Andrews Ayres | Marylin Bender | Pat Coffin | Melba Toliver
1971
Gloria Steinem | Theo Wilson
*Indicates Special Awards
PAST HONOREES BY CATEGORY
*Due to overlapping and merging, categories were eliminated in 2010
| Advertising | Broadcasting |
| 2009 Linda Sawyer | 2009 Campbell Brown |
| 2008 Susan Gianinno | 2008 Robin Roberts |
| 2006 Renetta McCann | 2007 Meredith Vieira |
| 2005 Nina DiSesa | 2005 Christiane Amanpour |
| 2004 Ann Fudge | 2004 Paula Zahn |
| 2003 Daisy Exposito-Ulla | 2003 Sheila Nevins |
| 2002 Peggy Conlon | 2002 Carole Black |
| 2001 Andrea Alstrup | 2001 Judy McGrath |
| 2000 Linda Kaplan Thaler | 2000 Patricia Fili-Krushel |
| 1999 Linda Srere | 1999 Katie Couric |
| 1998 Sally Minard | 1998 Phyllis McGrady |
| 1997 Mary Lou Quinlan | 1997 Rosie O’Donnell |
| 1996 Charlotte Beers | 1996 Geraldine Laybourne |
| 1995 Shelly Lazarus | 1995 Cokie Roberts |
| 1994 Ruth A. Wooden | 1994 Sarah Frank |
| 1993 Paula Forman | 1993 Lesley Stahl |
| 1992 Helayne Spivak | 1992 Sylvia Chase |
| 1991 Penny Hawkey | 1991 Joan Lunden |
| 1990 Louise McNamee | 1990 Lynn Sherr |
| 1989 Kim Armstrong | 1989 Betty Rollin |
| 1988 Carolyn Carter | 1988 Carolyn Wall |
| 1987 Elaine S. Reiss | 1987 Jane Pauley |
| 1986 Marcella Rosen | 1986 Charlayne Hunter-Gault |
| 1985 Laurel Cutler | 1985 Mary Alice Williams |
| 1984 Tamara K. Homer | 1984 Diane Sawyer |
| 1983 Patricia Martin | 1983 Kay Koplovitz |
| 1982 Caroline R. Jones | 1982 Kay J. Wight |
| 1981 Jane Brown Maas | 1981 Pegeen Fitzgerald |
| 1980 Franchellie Cadwell | 1980 Pamela Hill |
| 1979 Joan Lipton | 1979 Betty Furness |
| 1978 Rena R. Bartos | 1978 Barbara Walters |
| 1977 Nadeen Peterson | 1977 Ann Berk |
| 1976 June Thursh | 1976 Marlene Sanders |
| 1975 Shirley Polykoff | 1975 Madeline Amgott |
| 1974 Joan Murray | 1974 Rita Sands |
| 1973 Jo Foxworth | 1973 Lucy Jarvis |
| 1972 Mary Andrews Ayres | 1972 Melba Toliver |
| 1971 Jane Trahey | 1971 Aline Saarinen |
| Arts & Entertainment | Film/Photography |
| 2009 S. Epatha Merkerson | 2006 Katherine Oliver |
| 2008 Anna Deavere Smith | 1999 Meryl Streep |
| 2007 Thelma Golden | 1998 Bette Midler |
| 2006 Geena Davis | 1997 Nora Ephron |
| 2005 Edie Falco | 1996 Whoopi Goldberg |
| 2004 Bernadette Peters | 1994 Mary Ellen Mark |
| 2003 Jane Rosenthal | 1993 Penny Marshall |
| 2002 Eve Ensler | 1992 Callie Khourie |
| 2001 Lois Smith | 1991 Annie Leibovitz |
| 2000 Judith Jamison | 1979 Harriet Rabb |
| 1975 Aileen Corbett | |
| Online Media | |
| 2005 Wenda Harris Millard | Marketing |
| 2004 Nell Merlino | 2009 Sherrie Rollins Westin |
| 2002 Meg Whitman | 2007 Lisa Caputo |
| 2001 Pamela Thomas-Graham | |
| 2000 Candice Carpenter | Radio |
| 1999 Esther Dyson | 2006 Joan Hamburg |
| 1997 Red Burns | |
| Television | |
| Digital Media | 2008 Anne Sweeney |
| 2009 Dany Levy | |
| 2007 Arianna Huffington | Corporate Communications |
| 2007 Susan Lyne | |
| Books | 2006 Beth Comstock |
| 2007 Joan Didion | |
| 2006 Candace Bushnell | Magazines |
| 2005 Linda Fairstein | 2009 Linda Wells |
| 2004 Susan Petersen Kennedy | 2008 Ruth Reichl |
| 2003 Carolyn K. Reidy | 2007 Pamela Fiori |
| 2002 Kati Marton | 2006 Cynthia Leive |
| 2001 Jane Friedman | 2005 Amy Gross |
| 2000 Patricia Cornwell | 2004 Martha Nelson |
| 1999 Nan Talese | 2003 Kate White |
| 1998 Anthea Disney | 2002 Anna Wintour |
| 1997 Esther R. Newberg | 2001 Valerie Salembier |
| 1996 Amy Tan | 2000 Ann Jackson |
| 1995 Toni Morrison | 1999 Dorothy Kalins |
| 1994 Naomi Wolf | 1998 Rochelle Udell |
| 1993 Terry McMillan | 1997 Anne Sutherland Fuchs |
| 1992 Frederica S. Friedman | 1996 Martha Stewart |
| 1991 Lynn Nesbit | 1995 Elizabeth Tilberis |
| 1990 Phyllis E. Grann | 1994 Ann S. Moore |
| 1989 Nancy Evans | 1993 Jaqueline McCord Leo |
| 1988 Genevieve Young | 1992 Elizabeth Valk Long |
| 1987 Wendy Weil | 1991 Grace Mirabella |
| 1986 Alice Walker | 1990 Tina Brown |
| 1985 Barbara Taylor Bradford | 1989 Ellen Levine |
| 1984 Susan Brownmiller | 1988 Myrna Blyth |
| 1983 Maya Angelou | 1987 Susan L. Taylor |
| 1982 Joyce Carol Oates | 1986 Kate Rand Lloyd |
| 1981 Letty Cottin Pogrebin | 1985 Helen Gurley Brown |
| 1980 Frances Fitzgerald | 1984 Patricia Ryan |
| 1979 Barbara Tuchman | 1983 Jane Bryant Quinn |
| 1978 Barbara Seaman | 1982 Cathleen P. Black |
| 1977 Gloria Emerson | 1981 Judith Daniels |
| 1976 Sylvia Porter | 1980 Ruth Whitney |
| 1975 Elizabeth Janeway | 1979 Marcia Ann Gillespie |
| 1974 Marya Mannes | 1978 Patricia Carbine |
| 1977 Beatrice Buckler | |
| Newspapers | 1976 Lynn Povich |
| 2009 Monica Langley | 1975 Geraldine Rhoads |
| 2008 Linda Greenhouse | 1974 Shana Alexander |
| 2007 Cindy Adams | 1973 Gail Sheehy |
| 2006 Jill Abramson | 1972 Pat Coffin |
| 2005 Marjorie M. Scardino | 1971 Gloria Steinem |
| 2004 Alix M. Freedman | |
| 2003 Gretchen Morgenson | Public Relations |
| 2002 Helen Thomas | 2009 Leslee Dart |
| 2001 Joanne Lipman | 2008 Joannie C. Danielides |
| 2000 Katharine Graham | 2005 Charlotte R. Otto |
| 1999 Debby A. Krenek | 2004 Debra Shriver |
| 1998 Janet Robinson | 2003 Maurie Perl |
| 1997 Laura Landro | 2002 Madeline de Vries |
| 1996 Liz Smith | 2001 Judy Corman |
| 1995 Carolyn Lee | 2000 Ranny Cooper |
| 1994 Maureen Dowd | 1999 Joyce Hergenhan |
| 1993 Alessandra Stanley | 1998 Pilar Crespi |
| 1992 Aileen Mehle | 1997 Betty Hudson |
| 1991 Karen Elliott House | 1996 Patrice Tanaka |
| 1990 Marian Burros | 1995 Patricia Matson |
| 1989 Gail Collins | 1994 Gail Blanke |
| 1988 Anna Quindlen | 1993 Jean L. Farinelli |
| 1987 Beverley Stephen | 1992 Lou Rena Hammond |
| 1986 Dorothea M. Brooks | 1991 Terrie Williams |
| 1985 Flora Lewis | 1990 Michelle H. Jordan |
| 1984 Enid Nemy | 1989 Frances Friedman |
| 1983 Mary McGrory | 1988 Marilyn Laurie |
| 1982 Karen W. Arenson | 1987 Margaret Booth |
| 1981 Beth Fallon | 1986 Meredith Fernstrom |
| 1980 Suzanne Garment | 1985 Eleanor Lambert |
| 1979 Barbara Yunker | 1984 Judy Lynn Prince |
| 1978 Jane E. Brody | 1983 Charlotte Kelly Veal |
| 1977 Ada Louis Huxtable | 1982 Jeannette E. Paladino |
| 1976 Gay Pauley | 1981 Letitia Baldridge |
| 1975 Judy Klemesrud | 1980 Barbara Hunter |
| 1974 Charlotte Curtis | 1979 Elaine R. Pitts |
| 1973 Ellen Shanahan | 1978 Dr. Dorothy Gregg |
| 1972 Marilyn Bender | 1977 Muriel Fox |
| 1971 Theo Wilson | 1976 Jean Schoonover |
| 1975 Charlotte Klein | |
| 1974 Susanne Loeb | |
| 1973 Sondra Gorney | |
| 1972 Caroline Hood | |
| 1971 Bess Myerson |
Special Awards
2008 Diane von Furstenberg – Lifetime Achievement Award
2006 Ellen DeGeneres – Humanitarian Award
2003 Christy Ferer – For Service Communications