Women in Planning Leadership Award

VIC

About the Award

This award is separate from the overall PIA Awards for Planning Excellence, and provides an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the important contribution that women planners in Victoria make to planning as a profession and to the outcomes of planning work.

We welcome nominations of candidates from all age groups and levels of experience.

The winner will be announced at the 2026 PIA VIC International Women's Day Breakfast on 12 March 2026. 

The winner will receive:

• a full registration to the State Conference
• a full-year PIA membership
• Free attendance to a WPN event in 2026

In addition, the winner’s profile will be featured in PIA’s Planning News magazine.

Please note: Committee members of the Women in Planning Network are ineligible while serving on the committee.

Key Dates

Award nominations open: Thursday, 4 December 2025
Award nominations close: Thursday, 19 February 2026 
IWD Breakfast: Thursday, 12 March 2026 

Submission Checklist

• Completed and signed online nomination form
• High-res jpeg/png image of nominee sent through to [email protected]
• Statements addressing each of the selection and judging criteria 
• Attachments/ supporting information (i.e. testimonials & referees) (no more than three)

Thank you to WIPLA Sponsor 

Past Recipients

View the outstanding woman who have won the Award in previous years

Link

Selection Criteria

We invite you to nominate a female colleague, friend or peer for the award for 2026 based on the following criteria:

• Criteria 1 - Impact the nominee has had on a project or organisational planning
• Criteria 2 - Contribution of the nominee regarding the planning profession in VIC
• Criteria 3 - How the nominee has supported women in the planning profession

Please include a description of the Nominee - role, career history, fun facts and hobbies (150 words max).

Supporting information (e.g. testimonial or references (no more than three) may be attached separately and are not counted in the word limit for each selection criteria.

If you have selected 'self-nomination', please provide at least 1 reference to contact. Include their name, title, email and telephone number.

Criteria 1 -  Impact the nominee has had on a project or organisational planning

Tell us about the impact the nominee has had on a project or organisational planning (400 words)

Describe how the nominee demonstrated their impact on, or achievement in, recent planning work within Victoria in the past two years.

Describe their contribution to project based or operation aspects of planning, how they worked towards achieving it, and the impact it had.

This may include any challenges the nominee has faced and how they were overcome. The nominee’s involvement could be at any level, and could include paid or volunteer work.

Include the role of the nominee, outcomes and benefits of the project.

Criteria 2 - Contribution of the nominee regarding the planning profession in VIC

Describe how the nominee has made an important recent contribution to planning in Victoria, including the:

• contribution or achievement
• role of the nominee
• initiatives or projects undertaken

• outcomes and benefits.

For example, the nominee’s contribution could be in leadership, operational improvements, mentoring, advocacy, and the nominee can be at any level of their career.

Criteria 3 -  How the nominee has supported women in the planning profession

Tell us how the nominee supports and inspires women in the planning profession (500 words)

Describe how the nominee has supported, championed and inspired women in the planning profession. This may relate to:

• improvements in diversity and inclusion
• encouraging and empowering women planners and students
• leading by example
• advocating for women.
• Describe how the nominee has made an impact supporting women in planning, including the:
• contribution or achievement
• role of the nominee
• initiatives or projects undertaken
• outcomes and benefits.

For example, the nominee’s contribution could formally or informally be as a mentor, influential voice for women’s issues and champion for workplace change to support women.