Matrix Awards

The Matrix Awards is an awards ceremony held annually by the New York Women in Communications, Inc. The award was created in the 1930s by Theta Sigma Phi journalism honor society and professional fraternity, later called Women in Communications, Inc. The Matrix Awards recognize exceptional women in the communications industry.

Matrix Awards
Awarded for	Excellence in media achievements
Sponsored by	New York Women in Communications, Inc.
Country	United States
Established	1930s
Website	nywici.org/matrix

History

Theta Sigma Phi a national honor society and professional fraternity that was later called Women in Communications, Inc. (WICI) started the Matrix Awards in the 1920s to "emphasize throughout the country the achievements and of possibilities of women in journalism and authorship".^[1] Later, it purpose was expanded to recognize exceptional women in the communications industry, including advertising, the arts, books, broadcasting, entertainment, film, magazines, new media, newspapers, public relations, television, and theater.^[2][3][4] The name of the award comes from a matrix, the mold used to cast type, and represents the beginning of mass communication.^[5] The International Matrix Awards were presented by the national organization,^[6] The Matrix Awards were originally presented by Theta Sigma Phi chapters to individuals in their communities.^{[7][8][9][10][11][12][13]}

The New York chapter of WICI officially broke away from the national WICI organization in 1998 and became New York Women in Communications, Inc. (NYWICI) to provide its members with more localized benefits.^[4] At the time, both the WICI chapters and the NYWICI continued to present the award, with separate ceremonies that were chapter-based.^{[14][15][16][17]} The successor of WICI, the Association for Women in Communications (AWC), started the International Matrix Awards in 1998.^[18] After the dissolution of WICI national in 1996 and its successor, Association for Women in Communications, in 2023,^[19] NYWICI continues to present the Matrix Awards each year.^[20]

The awards are presented at the Matrix Awards luncheon, which also serves as a fundraiser for the New York Women in Communications Foundation to support college scholarships for communication students.^[3] In 2005, the Matrix Awards presenters included Tina Brown, Hillary Clinton, Allison Pearson, and Oprah Winfrey.^[3]

Awards

Historically, the Matrix Awards were presented in the categories of advertising, arts and entertainment, books, broadcasting, corporate communications, film/photography, magazines, marketing, newspapers, online media, public relations, radio, television, and special awards.^[21] In 2010, the categories were eliminated because they often overlapped and had been merged over time.^[21] The award now inducts women into the Matrix Awards Hall of Fame.^[21][22]

Some of the recipients of the Matrix Awards include the following, listed alphabetically by last name.

Recipient	Year	Category	Presenting organization	References
Jill Abramson	2006	Newspapers	NYWICI	[23]
Cindy Adams	2007	Newspapers	NYWICI	[21][24]
Yamiche Alcindor	2021		NYWICI	[21]
Christiane Amanpour	2005	Broadcasting	NYWICI	[3][21]
	2008	International Matrix Award	AWC	[18]
Madeline Amgott	1975	Broadcasting	WICI New York chapter	[4]
Maya Angelou	1983	Books	WICI New York chapter	[21][25]
Awkwafina	2021		NYWICI	[21]
Marvella Bayh			WICI Indianapolis chapter	[26]
Leslie Berland	2025		NYWICI	[27]
Halle Berry	2018		NYWICI	[21]
Pete Brewton	1989	Journalism – investigative/interpretive article	WICI Houston chapter	[28]
Mika Brzezinski	2018		NYWICI	[21]
Susan Brownmiller	1984	Books	WICI New York chapter	[5]
Devika Bulchandani	2022		NYWICI	[21]
Candace Bushnell	2006	Books	NYWICI	[23]
Rukmini Callimachi	2017		NYWICI	[2]
Gretchen Carlson	2017		NYWICI	[2]
Nkechi Okloro Carrol	2025		NYWICI	[27]
Kristin Chenoweth	2024		NYWICI	[29]
Joanna Coles	2013		NYWICI	[30]
Beth Comstock	2006	Corporate Communications	NYWICI	[23]
Judy Corman	2001	Public Relations	NYWICI	[21][31]
Katie Couric	2009	Broadcasting	NYWICI	[3][21][23]
Sheryl Crow	2010		NYWICI	[20][32]
Ann Curry	2009	International Matrix Award	AWC	[18]
Laurel Cutler	1985	Advertising	WICI New York chapter	[4]
Geena Davis	2006	Arts and Entertainment	NYWICI	[21][23]
Angie Debo	1942	Oklahoma Woman of the Year	Theta Sigma Phi Oklahoma chapter	[33]
Ellen DeGeneres	2006	Special Awards – Humanitarian Award	NYWICI	[21][23]
Joan Didion	2007	Books	NYWICI	[21][24]
Maureen Dowd	1994	Newspapers	WICI New York chapter	[3][21][34]
Nancy Dubuc	2016		NYWICI	[21]
Lena Dunham	2014		NYWICI	[21]
Eve Ensler	2002	Arts and Entertainment	NYWICI	[21]
Nora Ephron	1997	Film/Photography	WICI New York chapter	[21]
Gail Evans	2001	International Matrix Award	AWC	[18]
Linda Fairstein	2005	Books	NYWICI	[3][21]
Edie Falco	2005	Arts and Entertainment	NYWICI	[21]
Rita Ferro	2022		NYWICI	[21]
Tina Fey	2010		NYWICI	[32]
Anne Finucane	2013		NYWICI	[30]
Moira Forbes	2023		NYWICI	[21]
Alix M. Freedman	2004	Newspapers	NYWICI	[35]
Nina Garcia	2024		NYWICI	[29]
Nancy Gibbs	2014		NYWICI	[21]
Kirsten Gillibrand	2015		NYWICI	[21]
Ellen Goodman	1999	International Matrix Award	AWC	[18]
Linda Greenhouse	2008	Newspapers	NYWICI	[15][21][16]
Mindy Grossman	2013		NYWICI	[30]
Savannah Guthrie	2017		NYWICI	[2]
Maggie Haberman	2021		NYWICI	[21]
Joan Hamburg	2006	Radio	NYWICI	[23]
Bonnie Hammer	2013		NYWICI	[30]
Carla Hassan	2020		NYWICI	[21]
Mellody Hobson	2014		NYWICI	[21]
Karen Elliott House	2006	International Matrix Award	AWC	[18]
Arianna Huffington	2007		NYWICI	[24]
Lucy Jarvis	1978	Broadcasting	WICI New York chapter	[4]
Barbara Jordan	1970		WICI Houston chapter	[36]
Jodi Kantor	2018		NYWICI	[21]
Liz Kaplow	2014		NYWICI	[21]
Gayle King	2010		NYWICI	[20][21]
Hoda Kotb	2021		NYWICI	[21]
Padma Lakshmi	2019		NYWICI	[21]
Debra L. Lee	2015		NYWICI	[21]
Cynthia Leive	2006	Magazines	NYWICI	[23]
Billie Letts	2011	International Matrix Award	AWC	[18]
Meredith Kopit Levien	2024		NYWICI	[29]
Marlee Matlin	2022		NYWICI	[21]
Kati Marton	2002	Books	NYWICI	[3][21]
Renetta McCann	2006	Advertising	NYWICI	[23]
Cady McClain	2017	International Matrix Award	AWC	[18]
Audra McDonald	2013		NYWICI	[30]
Cynthia McFadden	2014		NYWICI	[21]
Dyllan McGee	2014		NYWICI	[21]
Mary McGrory	1983	Newspapers	WICI New York chapter	[21][25]
Idina Menzel	2011		NYWICI	[37]
Stephanie Mehta	2022		NYWICI	[21]
Jane Mayer	2014		NYWICI	[21]
Janice Min	2014		NYWICI	[21]
Andrea Mitchell	2015		NYWICI	[21]
Toni Morrison	1992	Books	WICI New York chapter	[21]
Roberta Myers	2015		NYWICI	[21]
Eileen S. Naughton	2014		NYWICI	[21]
Enid Nemy	1984	Newspapers	WICI New York chapter	[5][21]
Norah O’Donnell	2019		NYWICI	[21]
Rosie O'Donnell	2011	Broadcasting	NYWICI	[3][21][37]
Dawn Ostroff	2021		NYWICI	[21]
Jane Pauley	2008	International Matrix Award	AWC	[18]
Queen Latifah	2014		NYWICI	[21]
Anna Quindlen	1988	Newspapers	WICI New York chapter	[3][21]
Jane Bryant Quinn	1983	Magazines	WICI New York chapter	[21][25]
Ruth Reichl	2008	Magazines	NYWICI	[21][16]
Diane Rehm	2000	International Matrix Award	AWC	[18]
Robin Roberts	2008	Broadcasting	NYWICI	[15][21][16]
Bonnie St. John	2013	International Matrix Award	AWC	[18]
Sheryl Sandberg	2019		NYWICI	[22][20]
Diane Sawyer	2019	Broadcasting	NYWICI	[5][21]
Dia Simms	2018		NYWICI	[21]
Michelle Singletary	2009		AWC D.C. chapter	[14]
Anna Deavere Smith	2008	Arts and Entertainment	NYWICI	[21]
Judy Smith	2017		NYWICI	[2]
Megan Smith	2015		NYWICI	[21]
Emily Steel	2018		NYWICI	[21]
Gwen Stefani	2022		NYWICI	[21]
Martha Stewart	1996	Magazines	WICI New York chapter	[21][30]
Meryl Streep	1999	Film/Photography	NYWICI	[21]
Anne Sweeney	2008	Television	NYWICI	[15][21][16]
Kara Swisher	2013		NYWICI	[30]
Amy Tan	1996	Books	NYWICI	[21]
Tina Tchen	2020		NYWICI	[21]
Helen Thomas	2002	Newspapers	NYWICI	[3][21]
	2007	International Matrix Award	AWC	[18]
Megan Twohey	2018		NYWICI	[21]
Meredith Vieira	2007	Broadcasting	NYWICI	[21]
Diane von Furstenberg	2008	Special Award – Lifetime Achievement	NYWICI	[15][21]
Alice Walker	1986	Books	WICI New York chapter	[21]
Barbara Walters	1978	Broadcasting	WICI New York chapter	[21]
Clarissa Ward	2023		NYWICI	[21]
Nancy Weber	2017		NYWICI	[21]
Kristen Welker	2025		NYWICI	[27]
Betty White	2011	Special Award – Lifetime Achievement	NYWICI	[37]
Ruth Reinke Whitney	1983			[38]
Anna Wintour	2002	Magazines	NYWICI	[21]
Judy Woodruff	2003	International Matrix Award	AWC	[18]
	2022		NYWICI	[21]
Muriel Hazel Wright	1941	Oklahoma Woman Writer of the Year	Theta Sigma Psi Oklahoma chapter	[39]
Linda Yaccarino	2020		NYWICI	[21]
Bellamy Young	2025		NYWICI	[27]
Shelley Zalis	2018		NYWICI	[21]
Susan Zirinsky	2020		NYWICI	[21]

Popular culture

The fictional television character C. J. Cregg received a Matrix Award on an episode of The West Wing.^[3]

See also

• List of media awards honoring women