Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR) named three young communications professionals as their 2015 Emerging Leaders Awards honorees: Sarah Coppersmith, Emily Rasowsky and Shannon Toher. The Emerging Leaders Awards, held June 16, is an annual awards and cocktail reception that recognizes leaders in public relations and communications, among young women (aged 23-30) who have significantly impacted the communications field and D.C. community.

The honorees were announced at a reception, pictured above, at Ketchum on June 16, and were selected from a group of finalists that also included Cecily Naron, account supervisor at Hager Sharp; Elaine Seward, video producer at the American Chemical Society, and Jamie Nolan, communications director at Stratacomm. The awards ceremony also featured keynote speaker Laura Howe, North America vice president of media and communities at Pearson Education.

Here’s background on the 2015 Emerging Leaders Awards honorees:

Sarah Coppersmith, vice president, Scott Circle Communications,  (right in photo) is an award-winning communications professional. She worked for the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), an independent non-profit created in conjunction with, but independent from, First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign. She also served as press secretary for Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-Ariz.) and assisted Women’s Campaign International with work in emerging democracies and post-conflict regions that advanced opportunities for women to actively participate in public advocacy and political processes.

Emily Rasowsky, managing strategist, Social Driver, (center in photo)is a leading presenter, digital strategist and trainer. She leads full-scale, integrated digital and social media campaigns for Fortune 100 companies, nonprofits and associations. She is also founder of the Women in Tech Campaign, which uses storytelling and community building events to expand the definition of women in tech to be more inclusive of all roles that make up the industry.

Shannon Toher, communications and digital strategist, The Yu Crew, LLC,  (left in photo) leads efforts on a global health awareness campaign involving more than 200 organizations in 60 countries. She also provides communications counsel for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Foundation, All Points North Foundation and the National Guard Youth Foundation’s ChalleNGe Program. She has participated in several award-winning campaigns and received several honors. The Public Relations Society of America selected her as a finalist for the Silver Anvil Award, and the American Society of Association Executives honored her with a Gold Circle Award.

“WWPR is proud to recognize the accomplishments of these extraordinary young women,” said Avelyn Austin, WWPR president. “Their excellent work within the communications industry and commitment to helping women truly reflects the goal of our organization, which is to inspire women to reach their full potential. These emerging young leaders are an inspiration to all of us.”

(Photos by Ruby Ella Photography)