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Nominations DeadlinePacific Northwest

Welcome to the third annual Pacific Northwest Admin Awards, a public celebration of Administrative excellence reserved for extraordinary Administrative Professionals serving as Executive Assistants, Administrative Assistants, Office Managers and any professional serving in an administrative capacity, a profession which is represented by over 100 job titles. Thanks to our Program Sponsors, there is no application fee. All nominations are submitted via our website (simply click the Nominate button) and includes the option of submitting nominations in one or more of the nine award individual award categories and the one company award category.

The Pacific Northwest Admin Awards recognizes Executive Assistants, Chiefs of Staff, Administrative Assistants, Office Managers, Coordinators, etc. throughout Washington, Oregon, Montana and Idaho in cities such as: Washington: Auburn, Bellevue, Bellingham, Bremerton, Camas, Everett, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Mead, Mountlake Terrace, Olympia, Redmond, Renton, SeaTac, Seattle Metro, Snohomish, Spokane, Spokane Valley, Tacoma, Vancouver, Yakima, Oregon: Bend, Beverton, Cedar Mill, Eugene, Gresham, Hilsborough, Medford, Portland, Salem, etc. Idaho: Boise, Boise City, Coeur d'alene, Meridian etc. Montana: Bozeman, Billings, Great Falls, Missoula etc.

Admin Awards Gala

The Admin Awards 'Good as Gold' Gala is a five-star, city-wide celebration of Administrative Excellence attended by Program Nominees, their Leaders, Coworkers, friends and family who gather to celebrate the extraordinary contributions of Administrative Professionals. All Nominees are celebrated with the iconic Admin Awards VIP treatment including a red carpet experience, curated high-value gifts for every attending Admin and the opportunity to win amazing Major Prizes exclusively for Admin attendees! During the Awards Gala the Finalists in each award category are revealed as well as the 9 Admin Award Winners. While the focus is on Administrative Professionals, Executives and Co-Workers alike enjoy this inspirational evening filled with quality food and beverage, the camaraderie of area Business Leaders and opportunities to get into a celebratory mood, with Good as Gold prizes for the best dressed and best team spirit. No wonder the Admin Awards is known nationally as the “Academy Awards for Admins!"
Grab your tickets
now and get ready for an evening you won’t ever forget!

About Colleen Barrett: Her Journey from Secretary to President of Southwest Airlines and the Award that Bears Her Name

The Colleen Barrett Award for Administrative Excellence is the most coveted and prestigious honor bestowed by The Admin Awards and is named after a legend in the administrative profession, a woman who first proved herself indispensable as corporate secretary to former Southwest Airlines CEO Herb Kelleher before ascending the ranks to President and COO of the Dallas-based company in 2001. Throughout her five-decade career at Southwest Colleen advanced from Legal Secretary to VP of Administration, to EVP of Customers to President and COO and President of one of the world’s most successful airlines. Since 2008 Colleen has served as President Emeritus of Southwest and is revered for her leadership and decision-making abilities, along with her dedication to ensuring the needs of customers, employees, and all other stakeholders are met. Colleen has won many business and industry awards including one of the most important, historic and visible aerospace awards in the world, the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy which reflects a timeline of the most innovative inventors, explorers, industrialists, and public servants in aeronautics and astronautics.  

Colleen Barrett and Herb Kelleher

Colleen is also a fierce advocate for the administrative profession and she understands first-hand the extraordinary impact that high performing Admins have on an organization’s success. The Colleen Barrett Award honors Administrative Professionals who are following in her hallowed footsteps. Barrett has long credited Kelleher with helping her to succeed: “If you have a boss who will let you stretch,” she said, then you have opportunities to learn. With the Colleen Barrett Award, bosses also have an opportunity to show superstar admins how much their dedication to excellence means — and how far they too can potentially rise. The award will be presented by Barrett to an Administrative Professional who best exhibits those traits that helped her have an extraordinary impact in her role as an Admin and include: high proficiency, shares the same values as their organization, is passionately committed to their organization’s purpose, demonstrates a legendary passion for customer service internally and externally, and has a heart for employee advocacy. Colleen Barrett, Servant Leader and Superstar

Colleen Barrett presents the Colleen Barrett Award at the 2015 Dallas Admin Awards

Wendy GoffSmartsheet
MistiLynn LokkenMicrosoft
Carole BarnesThe Boeing Company
Carrie BryantStarbucks
Leslie HallMicrosoft
Lan NguyenAmazon Web Services
Mitzy CordelBoeing Capital Corporation
Michelle MorfordCommunity Health Center of Snohomish County
Lindsey HansonWoodland Park Zoo
Alisa DuclosExpedia Group
Theresa RivasUmpqua Bank

Contribute A Major Prize and All Eyes will be on your Company at the Gala

The Admin Awards, referred to by many as “The Academy Awards for Admins” is accepting a limited number of Major Prize contributions which will be awarded during “Prize Breaks” throughout the awards ceremony. Past prizes have included all-expenses-paid vacations, electronics, spa packages, gift cards, airline tickets, designer purses and much, much more! Our Prize Breaks have become legendary and represent a potent way to endear your brand to these deserving and connected Administrative Professionals while also enjoying the captive audience of 450-650 executive and administrative attendees during the ceremony (size varies by market).

Here’s how our prize partnership program works:

  • 14 companies are showcased during three “Prize Breaks” which happen intermittently in between the nine award presentations to an audience of Administrative Professionals, their executive counterparts and coworkers.
  • Minimum prize value is $500, subject to review and approval
  • Prize Partners receive prominent display of their logo and giveaway on the big 16’ screens for about one minute while the prize contribution is drawn.
  • Every Admin that attends the Gala is automatically entered to win one of the 14 major prizes. An est. 250 – 350 admins attend each Gala.
  • Prize Partners are given the contact list of Admins including email addresses for future follow up.
  • Prize Partners will receive one ticket to attend the Gala.
  • While not all prizes are accepted, those that we believe would delight our community of Administrative Professionals and include a value of over $500 (although many are in the $1,000 – $2,500 range) are what gets us most excited.
There sometimes is a cost to participate in the Major Prize program depending on the prize, est. prize value and other factors. To view more details or to submit your major prize for consideration, click here.

The Admin Awards recognizes administrative excellence in nine individual award categories, which may vary slightly from market to market to reflect the leading industries in each program area. Below is a list of all existing award categories and their respective markets in addition to the Founders Award which is the only company award offered by the Admin Awards and is described below. Nominators do have the ability to nominate an Administrative Professional in more than one award category although an admin can only be declared a finalist in one award category (the award category with the highest score from the judges is retained).

2023

PSJH Board Committee LiaisonsThe Team Achiever Award
PSJH Board Committee LiaisonsThe Team Achiever Award
The Team Achiever AwardPSJH Board Committee Liaisons,
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Tara McFaddenAmazonColleen Barrett Award for Administrative Excellence
Tara McFaddenAmazonColleen Barrett Award for Administrative Excellence
Colleen Barrett Award for Administrative ExcellenceTara McFadden, Amazon
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Lori BylandIntel USAbove the Call Award
Lori BylandIntel USAbove the Call Award
Above the Call AwardLori Byland, Intel US
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Marjorie O'RourkePhysicians of Southwest WashingtonAchiever Award
Marjorie O'RourkePhysicians of Southwest WashingtonAchiever Award
Achiever AwardMarjorie O'Rourke, Physicians of Southwest Washington
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Renee CastillaCraft3Administrative Excellence in Public Service Award
Renee CastillaCraft3Administrative Excellence in Public Service Award
Administrative Excellence in Public Service AwardRenee Castilla, Craft3
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Tonia WisemanKampgrounds of America, Inc.Leadership Award
Tonia WisemanKampgrounds of America, Inc.Leadership Award
Leadership AwardTonia Wiseman, Kampgrounds of America, Inc.
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Shanan HoekstraMSNW Group, LLCLoyalty Award
Shanan HoekstraMSNW Group, LLCLoyalty Award
Loyalty AwardShanan Hoekstra, MSNW Group, LLC
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Wendy GoffSmartsheetSpirit Award
Wendy GoffSmartsheetSpirit Award
Spirit AwardWendy Goff, Smartsheet
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Jodi McKinneyThe Gunter GroupStrategic Partnership Award
Jodi McKinneyThe Gunter GroupStrategic Partnership Award
Strategic Partnership AwardJodi McKinney, The Gunter Group
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2022

Jaci SprossSynopsysColleen Barrett Award for Administrative Excellence
Jaci Spross
Jaci SprossSynopsysColleen Barrett Award for Administrative Excellence
Colleen Barrett Award for Administrative ExcellenceJaci Spross, Synopsys
View Bio
Maria PhillipsCommunity Medical CenterAbove the Call Award
Maria Phillips
Maria PhillipsCommunity Medical CenterAbove the Call Award
Above the Call AwardMaria Phillips, Community Medical Center
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Hillary KellyProductive Dentist AcademyAchiever Award
Hillary Kelly
Hillary KellyProductive Dentist AcademyAchiever Award
Achiever AwardHillary Kelly, Productive Dentist Academy
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Wendy RoullierSnohomish CountyAdministrative Excellence in Public Service Award
Wendy Roullier
Wendy RoullierSnohomish CountyAdministrative Excellence in Public Service Award
Administrative Excellence in Public Service AwardWendy Roullier, Snohomish County
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Tara KristensenCBH HomesLeadership Award
Tara Kristensen
Tara KristensenCBH HomesLeadership Award
Leadership AwardTara Kristensen, CBH Homes
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Evelyn WoodKing County Dept of Local ServicesLoyalty Award
Evelyn Wood
Evelyn WoodKing County Dept of Local ServicesLoyalty Award
Loyalty AwardEvelyn Wood, King County Dept of Local Services
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Melissa ParkerUmpqua BankRookie of the Year Award
Melissa Parker
Melissa ParkerUmpqua BankRookie of the Year Award
Rookie of the Year AwardMelissa Parker, Umpqua Bank
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Madeline HerzogVulcanSpirit Award
Madeline Herzog
Madeline HerzogVulcanSpirit Award
Spirit AwardMadeline Herzog, Vulcan
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Christina HolzhauserParker StaffingStrategic Business Partnership Award
Christina Holzhauser
Christina HolzhauserParker StaffingStrategic Business Partnership Award
Strategic Business Partnership AwardChristina Holzhauser, Parker Staffing
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2021

Missy JuddCompass HealthColleen Barrett Award for Administrative Excellence
Missy Judd
Missy JuddCompass HealthColleen Barrett Award for Administrative Excellence
Colleen Barrett Award for Administrative ExcellenceMissy Judd, Compass Health
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Akiko NettoNestle USA (Nestle Coffee Partners)Above the Call Award
Akiko Netto
Akiko NettoNestle USA (Nestle Coffee Partners)Above the Call Award
Above the Call AwardAkiko Netto, Nestle USA (Nestle Coffee Partners)
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Nicole DeCarioAllen Institute for AIAchiever Award
Nicole DeCario
Nicole DeCarioAllen Institute for AIAchiever Award
Achiever AwardNicole DeCario, Allen Institute for AI
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Jan OlsenVolunteers of America Western WashingtonAdministrative Excellence in Public Service Award
Jan Olsen
Jan OlsenVolunteers of America Western WashingtonAdministrative Excellence in Public Service Award
Administrative Excellence in Public Service AwardJan Olsen, Volunteers of America Western Washington
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Shannon FornelliUmpqua BankLeadership Award
Shannon Fornelli
Shannon FornelliUmpqua BankLeadership Award
Leadership AwardShannon Fornelli, Umpqua Bank
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Adina WilliamsCommunity Health Center of Snohomish CountyLoyalty Award
Adina Williams
Adina WilliamsCommunity Health Center of Snohomish CountyLoyalty Award
Loyalty AwardAdina Williams, Community Health Center of Snohomish County
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Melise AlcantarSynopsysRookie of the Year Award
Melise Alcantar
Melise AlcantarSynopsysRookie of the Year Award
Rookie of the Year AwardMelise Alcantar, Synopsys
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Monique ShieldsGreater Tacoma Community FoundationSpirit Award
Monique Shields
Monique ShieldsGreater Tacoma Community FoundationSpirit Award
Spirit AwardMonique Shields, Greater Tacoma Community Foundation
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Deanna ChaseExpedia GroupThe Strategic Partnership Award
Deanna Chase
Deanna ChaseExpedia GroupThe Strategic Partnership Award
The Strategic Partnership AwardDeanna Chase, Expedia Group
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Congratulations to the 2024 Pacific Northwest & Mountain West Region Finalists!

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