AWNY was founded in 1912 by journal editors Christine and J. George Frederick as a counter to the exclusive, all-male Advertising League. Designed to encourage and promote women’s role in the advertising industry, the club held classes and dinners with presentations on advertising best practices, and gave scholarships to encourage girls to pursue degrees in advertising during a time when women weren’t even allowed in many universities. Since then, our community has grown beyond advertising to all facets of marketing and media. We’ve also expanded beyond New York, first to Chicago with our eyes on national expansion.

When we first started, we wanted to give more women a seat at the table. Today, we want to see more women at the head of the table. We know women are proven leaders. They make their organizations profitable. They are socially responsible and innovative. At any level, they know how to achieve success.
That’s why we’re bringing together the women and men who want to help build a better marketing and media landscape. One where a woman runs her projects, runs her team, runs the department, runs the business, and runs her life. Together, we can create a world where no matter the task or ask – She Runs It.