Recognition and Awards

As the premier advocacy group for women in restructuring, IWIRC recognizes the value in recruiting and promoting women throughout their careers. To that end, the IWIRC Board of Directors established its Founders Awards in recognition of members and networks which have made exceptional contributions to the organization, their clients, and profession overall.

View 2023 Awards Presentations

Melnik Award

The Melnik Award, named for IWIRC founding Chair Selinda Melnik, is awarded to a member whose contributions to IWIRC, over an extended period of time, have been exceptional.  By her efforts, she has made a lasting impact on the mission of IWIRC.

Click here for the nomination form.

Click here to view Q&A's with past award winners.

Past recipients Include:

Fetner Award

The Fetner Award, named in honor of our founding Vice Chair, Martha Fetner, is awarded to a member for exemplary service to IWIRC, through efforts over the past year or several years, specially aimed at bringing members together through regional and international conferences, efforts and relationships.  This award is given to a member whose contributions to IWIRC have helped to fuel growth and expansion of IWIRC’s mission globally.

Click here for the nomination form.

Click here to view Q&A's with past award winners.

Past recipients Include:

Ryan Award

The Ryan Award was founded in honor of IWIRC founding Secretary/Treasurer, Laureen Ryan. The Ryan is awarded to the IWIRC Network that best exemplified IWIRC in the past calendar year. All chartered IWIRC Networks are eligible. While each Network will be asked to submit a report to be considered for the award, we welcome nominations from members as well.

Click here for the nomination form.

Past recipients Include:

Woman of the Year in Restructuring Award (WOYR)

Each year, IWIRC honors a woman for her recent contributions (12-24 months) as part of the insolvency and restructuring industry with the Woman of the Year in Restructuring (WOYR) award. She may be an attorney, judge, banker, turnaround manager, academic or other restructuring industry professional. She is actively engaged or recently retired from the restructuring industry - and from anywhere in the world. IWIRC membership is not a requirement to make a nomination, nor to be honored.

Importantly, achievements do not have to be in nationally renowned cases or result in landmark decisions, only exceptional. IWIRC welcomes all entries and is not seeking the most senior woman or the most important case.

Past recipients Include:

E-mail your nomination to ccschnapp@iwirc.com.

• Send contact information including e-mail addresses for you and your nominee
• Tell us why your nominee fits this award, and why we should consider her.  Please be descriptive and include facts or examples that help exemplify why you nominated this woman.
• Contact Shari Bedker with questions or requests for assistance in framing a nomination (ccschnapp@iwirc.com or by phone at 404-689-5969).

The IWIRC Executive Committee ratifies all selections and its decisions are final.

Women of Restructuring Hall of Fame Award

Click here for the 2025 nomination form.

Beginning in 2022, IWIRC is honoring a woman for her career contributions to the insolvency and restructuring industry with the Women of Restructuring Hall of Fame award. She may be an attorney, judge, banker, turnaround manager, academic or other restructuring industry professional. She is actively engaged or recently retired from the restructuring industry - and from anywhere in the world. IWIRC membership is not a requirement to make a nomination, nor to be honored.

Importantly, achievements do not have to be in nationally renowned cases or result in landmark decisions, only exceptional. IWIRC welcomes all entries for women who have made a difference.

2024	Shari Bedker, Armstrong & Associates International, Inc., Stanardsville, VA, USA
2024	Frances Coulson, Wedlake Bell LLP, London, UK
2023	Heather Swanston, PwC, Tokyo, Japan
2022	Suzanne Koenig, SAK Healthcare, Riverwoods, IL, USA

Woman of the Year in Restructuring Award (Asia)

Visit this link for the  nomination form and a list of frequently asked questions.  

Nominations should be sent by email to woyrasia@iwirc.com to be received by 5pm Singapore/Hong Kong time, on 29 April 2025.

The Annual Asia Woman of the Year in Restructuring Award (WOYR Asia) honours a woman in Asia for her recent contributions to or lifetime achievements as part of the restructuring and insolvency industry.

The WOYR Asia complements the pre-existing award programme called “Woman of the Year in Restructuring Award (WOYR)” which has been administered by IWIRC internationally since 2006. Winners of that award are typically announced at one of the IWIRC conferences in the United States.  While the WOYR award is open to anyone across the globe, the WOYR Asia is designed specifically to recognise practitioners based in Asia.

The award is open to any female professional in the restructuring and insolvency industry based in Asia - including, lawyers, judges, bankers, accountants, turnaround managers, restructuring advisers and academician. She could be actively engaged in or recently retired from the restructuring and insolvency industry. IWIRC membership is neither a requirement to make a nomination, nor to be honoured. Self-nominations are permitted.

The WOYR Asia award for the years 2018 and 2019 were presented at the 2^nd IWIRC Asia Restructuring and Insolvency Conference (held in Hong Kong on 8 November 2018) and at the INSOL International Hong Kong One Day Seminar (held in Hong Kong on Friday 18 October 2019) respectively. The WOYR Asia award for the year 2020 was presented at an IWIRC-hosted virtual event on Tuesday, 20 October 2020. The WOYR Asia award for the year 2021 was presented at the 3^rd IWIRC Asia Restructuring and Insolvency Conference which was a hybrid event held on 15 September 2021 and was anchored by the IWIRC Singapore Network. The WOYR Asia award for the year 2022 was presented in Hong Kong as part of a hybrid panel event hosted by the IWIRC DIB Sub-Committee on the subject of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging on 15 November 2022. The WOYR Asia award for 2023 was presented at the IWIRC@INSOL 23 Tokyo conference (13 and 14 September 2023). The 2023 edition of the award was kindly sponsored by Redd Intelligence.

The 2024 edition of the award will be awarded at the annual IWIRC Leadership Summit in Singapore on 14 June 2024. We will communicate with the winner in advance of the presentation to ensure they can be appropriately represented and honoured. The 2024 edition of the award will be kindly sponsored once again by Redd Intelligence.

2018 marked the inaugural year for this award. Join us as we congratulate the award winners.

Rising Star Award

In furtherance of IWIRC’s mission, which is devoted to enhancing the professional status of women in the insolvency and restructuring profession, IWIRC has established an award for individuals who are the “Rising Stars” of IWIRC. IWIRC wants to recognize and honor the “Rising Stars” of the organization for their contributions to IWIRC. The Rising Star nominees may be attorneys, bankers, turnaround advisors, claims and noticing agents, academics or other restructuring industry professionals who are actively engaged in the restructuring industry, are located anywhere in the world, and who have shown dedication and commitment to IWIRC on the local, national and/or international level.

All nominees for the IWIRC Rising Star Award must be members of IWIRC. However, IWIRC membership is NOT a requirement to make a nomination. Nominations may be received from firms, companies, partners, associates, IWIRC Networks, IWIRC members, organizations or otherwise.

The IWIRC Rising Star Award will be presented to the woman who:

• Has eight years or less experience in the insolvency & restructuring industry
• Has been actively involved in promoting IWIRC – locally, nationally and/or internationally either through IWIRC Network or IWIRC Board leadership, committee participation, securing sponsors, planning programs, spearheading events, etc.
• Has inspired, created, led and/or served on a Board of an IWIRC Network or committee
• Has shown exceptional leadership
• Has made an extraordinary contribution to IWIRC and/or an IWIRC Network
• Has gone above and beyond ... and made a difference to the mission of IWIRC

We are looking for individuals that are relatively new to the restructuring industry who have made a marked difference with their involvement and achievements in IWIRC at the local, national and/or international level. Please feel free to think out of the box on this. We welcome all entries. Please consider those women who have consistently demonstrated a commitment to enhancing IWIRC and your local Network.

Five Finalists will be announced in early September of each year. All five Finalists will be invited to attend the Annual IWIRC Fall Conference where the winner of that year’s IWIRC Rising Star Award will be announced. The IWIRC Rising Star award recipient and all of the other Finalists (along with their supporting firms, companies, partners, organizations) will be recognized and presented with awards honoring their contributions and support of IWIRC.

Click here for the nomination form.

Rising Star History

2024 Rising Star
Kai Yun Tan, Wong Partnership, Singapore Network
2024 Rising Star Finalists
Irene Byela, B Riley Advisory Services, Georgia Network
Amita Chohan, Locke Lorde LLP, Europe Network
Yolanda Lau, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP, Hong Kong Network
Kasia Lorenc, Clifford Chance LLP, London Network

2023 Rising Star
Saneea Tanvir, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Ontario Network
2023 Rising Star Finalists
Leona Healey, Allen & Overy, Hong Kong Network
Martha Kallenou, Grant Thornton Specialist Services (Cayman) Limited, Cyprus Network
Lauren Michaels, PA Office of Attorney General, Western Pennsylvania Network
Angela Scott, Office of the Chapter 13 Trustee, Florida Network

2022 Rising Star
Sari Placona, McManimon, Scotland and Bauman, New Jersey Network
2022 Rising Star Finalists
Radha Gordon, Georgia Network
Brittany Michael, Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones, Minnesota Network
Annabel Philip, Alvarez and Marsal, London Network
Amelia Tan, Carey Olsen Singapore LLP, Singapore Network

2021 Rising Star
Veronica Chan, Tanner De Witt, Hong Kong Network

2021 Rising Star Semi-Finalists
Tayyibah Arif, Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London), London Network
Kelly McCauley, Whiteford Taylor and Preston, Western PA Network
Krystal Mikkileneni, Bradshaw, Fowler, Proctor & Fairgrave, P.C., Midwest Network
Rebecca Oliveira Pereira da Silva, Galdino e Coelho Advogados, Brazil

2020 Rising Star 
Nyana Abreu Miller, Sequor Law, Florida Network

2020 Rising Star Semi-Finalists
Isabel Arana de Uriarte, AlixPartners, New York Network
Veronica Chan, Tanner DeWitt, Hong Kong Network
Elizabeth Tramm Dechant, Roberts & Stevens, Carolinas Network
Beatriz Fanceca, Faneca Advogados, Brazil Network

2019 Rising Star
Lacey Rochester, Baker Donelson, Louisiana Network

2019 Rising Star Semi-Finalists
Rachel Biblo Block, Akin Gump, Dallas/Fort Worth Network
Stephanie Clark, AlixPartners, London Network
Alexis Leventhal, Reed Smith, Western Pennsylvania Network
Jo Tay, Allen & Gledhill LLP, Singapore Network

2018 Rising Star
Christina Sanfelippo, Fox Rothchild LLP, Chicago

2018 Rising Star Semi-Finalists
Corinne Adams, Yumpkas, Vidmar, Sweeney & Mulrenin, LLC, Maryland
Rachel Bengino, Thornton Grout Finnigan, LLP, Ontario
Veronica Brown-Moseley, The Boleman Law Firm, Virginia
Bodie Colwell, Preti Flaherty, Maine

2017 Rising Star
Camille Bent, BakerHostetler LLP, New York Network

2017 Semi-Finalists
Alexia Adda, Walkers, Singapore Network
Kimberly Brown, Landis Rath & Cobb LLP, Delaware Network
Jeannie Kim, Buchalter, Northern California Network
Helen Sevenoaks, CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP, Europe Network

2016 Rising Star
Eloise Fardon, Stephenson Harwood, Hong Kong Network

2016 Semi-Finalists
Valerie Bantner Peo, Buchalter Nemer P.C., Northern California Network
Cara M. Porter, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern California Network
Alexandra "CC" Schnapp, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Georgia Network
Amanda Steele, Richards, Layton & Finger, Delaware Network

2015 Rising Star
Jodi Daniel Dubose, Stichter Riedel Blain & Postler, PA, Alabama and Florida Networks

2015 Semi-Finalists
Camille Bent, Stevens and Lee, P.C., New York Network
Emily Ladky, Hahn Loser & Parks, Northeast Ohio Network
Catherine Read, Walkers, Hong Kong Network
Gillian Scarlett, Gowling Lafluer Henderson LLP, Western Canada Network

2014 Rising Star
Lauren McKelvey, Wiley Rein LLP Co-Chair Washington DC Network

2014 Semi-Finalists
Kathryn Harrison, Campbell & Levine, LLC, Co-Chair Western Pennsylvania Network
Rebecca Petereit, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Co-Chair Events/Fundraising Dallas-Fort Worth Network
Tara Schellhorn, Riker Danzig Scherer Hyland & Perretti LLP, Secretary New Jersey Network
Jennifer Taylor, O'Melveny & Myers LLP, Co-Chair Northern California Network

2013 Rising Star
Sarah Frankel, GCG, New York, Co-Chair New York Network

2013 Semi-Finalists
Kara Casteel, ASK LLP, Eagan, MN, Co-Chair Minneosta Network
Jodi Daniel Cooke, Beggs & Lane RLLP, Pensacola, FL, Co-Chair Florida Network
Leigh-Anne Raport, Ashby & Geddes, PA, Wilmington, DE, Vice-Chair Delaware Network
Charla Smith, Grant Thornton Limited, Calgary, Alberta, Western Canada Network

2012 Rising Star
Jennifer Kimble, Haskell Slaughter, Founder & Chair, Alabama IWIRC Network

2012 Semi-Finalists
Kimberly Bacher, Shaw Gussis Fishman Glantz Wolfson & Towbin LLC, Secretary, Chicago IWIRC Network
Rachel Lao, Hogan Lovells, Founder & Chair, Japan IWIRC Network
Christy Prince, Kegler, Brown, Hill & Ritter LPA, Former Chair, Central OH IWIRC Network
Sage Sigler, Alston & Bird LLP, Co-Chair, Georgia IWIRC Network

2011 Rising Star
Monique Hayes, Genovese Joblove & Battista, P.A. and Co-Chair of the Florida Network

2011 Semi-Finalists
Megan Adeyemo, Gordon & Rees LLP, Mountain Desert Network
Bess M. Parrish Creswell, Burr & Forman LLP, Gulf Coast Network
Alison Elko Franklin, McKenna Long & Aldridge, Georgia Network
Jennifer Kimble, Haskell Slaughter Young & Rediker, LLC, Gulf Coast Network
Joyce Ka Yee Lau, PricewaterhouseCoopers Business Recovery Services Group, Hong Kong Network