Weber Shandwick, one of the world’s leading global communications and engagement firms with offices in Washington, DC,  and Baltimore, was named 2017 Large Agency of the Year and PR Agency of the Year at the PRWeek U.S. Awards. According to a release, Dr. Leslie Gaines-Ross, Weber Shandwick’s chief reputation strategist, “was recognized as Outstanding Agency Professional, celebrated for her industry-leading thought leadership and expertise in corporate reputation. The firm was also honored across multiple campaign categories for its work with client partners.”

The PRWeek U.S. Awards, continued the release, “celebrate the very best corporate, agency, nonprofit, and education teams, and the work they produced in 2016. PRWeek pointed to several driving factors in presenting Weber Shandwick with these top honors, including the firm’s strong global growth, exceptional client work and the agency’s expanded role on key integrated accounts to lead not only PR, but also creative, social, digital and strategy. One PRWeek judge stated that the firm “leads the way across the board for excellence in the evolving world of PR.””

Gaines-Ross, named Outstanding Agency Professional, is one of the world’s most widely recognized experts on how organizations build, enhance and protect their reputations. The scope of her cutting-edge research captures the multidimensional challenges that executives and companies face as business environments transform. Recent thought leadership reports have identified a wide range of trends, from the rise of CEO activism to the implications that artificial intelligence could have on marketing and communications in the years ahead. PRWeek judges noted that Leslie “helps elevate the industry to a new seat at the table.”

The PRWeek Agency of the Year honors are among several recognitions earned by the agency in the past year, including being designated an Advertising Age Agency A-List Standout in 2017, The Holmes Report’s 2016 Digital Agency of the Year, as well as being the most awarded PR Firm at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in 2016.