Monique Farmer wins two PRSA Women of Impact Awards

Monique Farmer, APR, president and founder of Avant Solutions, won two inaugural PRSA Women of Impact Awards on Aug. 6 for Mentor & Coach of the Year and Industry Champion/Thought Leader. The dual recognition highlights her influence in both mentorship and communications leadership across the profession.

Why it matters: - The awards recognize women whose leadership, innovation and influence are strengthening organizations and expanding opportunity in communications. - Farmer was the only honoree recognized in two categories, setting her apart in the awards’ first year. - The honor underscores the growing value of mentorship and thought leadership in the public relations profession.

What happened: - Monique Farmer, APR, president and founder of Avant Solutions, received two Public Relations Society of America Women of Impact Awards on Aug. 6. - Farmer won in the Mentor & Coach of the Year category and the Industry Champion/Thought Leader category. - PRSA said the awards are being presented for the first time this year. - PRSA Chair Heide Harrell, MA, APR, said the honorees show leadership is measured by the people professionals inspire, mentor and empower.

The details: - Farmer has spent more than two decades contributing to the profession through writing, speaking, teaching, judging and building tools for communications professionals. - In 2024, Farmer published the Amazon bestseller and award-winning book "Chart Your Path: A 9-Step Method to Getting Unstuck." - Farmer has written for PRSA's Strategies & Tactics, and her work appears in the third edition of Tom Kelleher's public relations textbook. - Farmer currently teaches public relations at the University of Texas at Austin. - Farmer previously taught at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. - As faculty adviser for UNL's PRSSA Bateman Team, Farmer helped guide students to a second-place national finish in 2021, the highest in program history at the time. - In 2020, Farmer created Anvil Ready, an online strategic communication planning platform built around the Research, Planning, Implementation and Evaluation model. - Farmer has been a PRSA member for nearly 20 years. - Farmer served as president of PRSA Nebraska in 2023. - Farmer has also supported diversity initiatives as a PRSA Nebraska board member and volunteered at the national level. - Avant Solutions provides customized communications strategies, media training and relations, and executive communications support. - Avant Solutions serves federal and local government agencies, public agencies, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, small businesses and startups. - Avant Solutions is part of the Public Relations Consultants Group, a national network with reach across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. - Avant Solutions is also part of the Goldman Sachs 10KSB Small Businesses Alumni group. - Avant Solutions says it is the only Black woman-owned, WBENC and WOSB-certified PR and communication firm in Nebraska.

Between the lines: - The dual award suggests PRSA is elevating professionals whose impact extends beyond client work into talent development and industry leadership. - Farmer's profile combines scholarship, teaching, product development and association service, which can amplify influence across multiple parts of the communications field. - The recognition also gives added visibility to women and Black woman-owned firms in a profession where leadership pipelines remain a focus.

What's next: - Farmer is likely to continue her work in teaching, mentoring and building communications tools through Avant Solutions and her academic roles. - PRSA’s new Women of Impact program may become a recurring platform for recognizing emerging and established leaders across the profession. - Avant Solutions is positioned to use the visibility from the awards to strengthen its national profile and client reach.

The bottom line: - Farmer’s double win shows that in communications, the biggest influence often comes from helping others grow while shaping the profession itself.