
VKTR IMPACT Awards
VKTR 2027 IMPACT Awards
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Great work
shouldn't go unrecognized.
The VKTR IMPACT Awards celebrate exceptional work in the field of enterprise artificial intelligence — not budgets, buzzwords or popularity. Technology alone is never the story; winning work pairs strategy and execution with outcomes that last.
Two tracks: Practitioners showcase what they built inside their organization. Vendors showcase what they delivered for a customer.
For Practitioners
For Vendors
Judged by peers
140+ vetted practitioners & experts who value evidence over buzzwords.
Self-nominate
Six years. Hundreds of winners.
The brands and teams recognized by the VKTR IMPACT Awards.







































Applying takes three steps
Most applications take 1.5–4 hours. Here’s the path from start to submitted.
1
Choose your category
Pick the categories that best fit your outcomes — practitioner or vendor.
2
Build your submission
Gather input from your stakeholders and craft your story. Judges appreciate details, clear metrics and results.
3
Submit & save
Finalize and pay for your application through our awards portal before the deadline. There’s no limit on entries. Submit more than 1 application for the biggest discount.
2027 Award Categories
Hover or tap any card to see what each award recognizes. Note: Not all categories are offered in all years.
For Practitioners
Leader of the Year: AI Champion for Business
Enterprise AI Technology Leader of the Year
For Vendors
Best AI App Builder for Business Users
Best AI Agent Development & Orchestration Platform
Best Digital Coworker Platform
Best AI Data Foundation & Governance Platform
Anatomy of a winning submission
Judges reward evidence over buzzwords. The strongest applications tell one clear, impactful story.
01
Situation
Set the
context
02
Challenge
Define the
problem
03
Strategy
Identify your approach
04
Execution
Describe what you did
05
Results
Before &
after
06
Summary
Summarize your story
Lead with metrics
Revenue, retention, adoption, CSAT/NPS, cost savings. Show the before and the after.
Skip the buzzwords
Generic AI claims and unsupported superlatives lose. Be specific and confident.
One clear story
Avoid a list of disconnected initiatives. Judges reward focus and clear ownership.
Meet the team behind the awards
Real people run this program. Have a question about applying? Start here.

Michelle Hawley
Editorial Director, VKTR
Leads VKTR editorial strategy and daily operations.

Tim Harnett
Awards Director, Simpler Media Group
Questions about categories, eligibility or your submission? Tim's your person.

Sarah Kimmel
VP of Research, Simpler Media Group
Leads the research and standards behind the IMPACT Awards program.
Have a specific question, or want to talk through how to submit?
Hall of impact
Meet the 2027 winners and finalists.
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Finalists
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Finalists
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Silver
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Silver
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Silver
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Judged by your peers
vetted practitioners, analysts and experts review every application — drawn from teams like these:
Amazon
Verizon
Accenture
Cloudera
Adp
Judging Panel View the 2026 judges Hide the 2026 judges
Akshay Sura
Composable Architect and Founding Partner, Konabos Inc.
Alan Pelz-Sharpe
Industry Analyst, Deep Analysis
Alejandra Aparicio
Partner – CMO, Melga Advisors
Aleksei Abdulin
Software Engineer & Head of Mobile Development, Kolos Studio
Alex Nejako
CMO, Nejako Solutions
Alison Sainsbury
Managing Director, Aline DX Pty Limited
Amanda Joyner
SVP of Sales, Anteriad
Amber Garrett
Senior Field Marketing Manager, SnapLogic
Amy Leyson-Cadiz
Director, Learning and Development Operations, Corporate Finance Institute (CFI)
Amy Sessions
Division Manager, Utility Customer Service, City of Clearwater
Angela Bandy
Director of Human Resources, Reconciled, Inc.
Ankit Agrawal
Associate Director – Business Strategy, Verizon
Annam Sreenivasan
Business Analyst, Axelerant Technologies Pvt Ltd
Annette Corbett
Business Change and Adoption Manager, NatWest
Anya Nelson
SVP, Public Relations Practice Lead, Scratch Marketing + Media
Artur Balabanskyy
CTO, Tapforce
Ashwin Thapliyal
Vice President Marketing, Exemplifi
Atasun Kasbas
Managing Partner & Consultant, Nord CX
Bayan Thomas
Marketing Specialist, ACRC Global
Beth Martin
Digital Services Expert, Federal Government
Bhavani Moodabagil
Insights Consultant, Independent Consulting
Brittany Barhite
Manager, Culture & Belonging, ITC
Bryant Duhon
Owner, Simply Useful Marketing
Carla Woodard
Executive Assistant to the CEO, Central Florida Community Action Agency, Inc.
Carolyn Duby
Field CTO, Cloudera
Cindy Brummer
CEO / Creative Director, Standard Beagle
Courtney Keating
CMO, Acxiom
Daipayan Das
CEO, Customer Echoes, Inc.
Dan Keldsen
Chief Innovation Officer, Infocap
Dave Seaton
Principal Consultant, Seaton CX
David Canfield
Chief Information Officer, Pacific Battleship Center
David Zimmerman
Director of Customer Experience & Performance Support, QVC Group
Deanna Fortson
HRIS & Benefits Manager, BST Global
Deepu Prakash
Senior Vice President, Technology Innovation, Fingent
Dennis Gershowitz
Principal, DG Associates
Denyse Drummond-Dunn
President, C3Centricity
Donna Roberts
VP, Human Resources, Citco (Canada) Inc.
Edwin Grogan
Founder, GroganStudios LLC
Fawaz Nizamdeen
AVP, Customer Experience & Interaction Channel Management, Dialog Business Services
Frank Esposito
Associate Director, Yale University
Hank Brigman
President, Chief Experience Officer, Customer Experience Strategies Inc.
Hanna Kuznietsova
Content Team Lead, Stripo.email
Heather Shankwiler
Director, Product Marketing, Smart Compliance Solutions, ADP
Heather Valeri
CEO & Founder, Meridian Business Advisors
Isaac Sacolick
CEO, CIO, Author, StarCIO LLC
Jacqueline Burandt
President, Award-winning Results
Jacqueline Burkitt
CX Manager, Cenitex
Jag Seth
VP, Customer Experience, Zip Co
Jamie Martin
Executive Coach, Jamie Martin Coaching
Jeannie Walters
CEO, Author, Speaker, Experience Investigators
Jeff Sheehan
CX Advisor and Customer Service Strategist, CX JS Consulting
Jennifer Gutman
Director of Customer Marketing, Oktopost
Jennifer Jones
Corporate Communications Principal, USAA
Jennifer Pineda
Director of Innovative Learning Systems, Advanced Learning Partnerships
Jiaxi Zhu
Head of Analytics, SMB Division, Google
Jo Anne Dimitriou
Owner/Founder, JMD Leadership LLC
Joe Karasin
Founder, Karasin PPC
Joel Goodman
Vice President, Growth Strategy, Squiz
Jon Knisley
Global Lead Process AI, ABBYY
Judy Bloch
VP, Industry Executive Advisory, Medallia
Karyn Furstman
Founder & CEO, CustomersFurst
Kathy Sobus
CEO, Sobus Consulting
Kautilya Prasad
Digital Experience Platforms Lead, XCentium
Kenneth C. C. Yang
Professor, University of Texas at El Paso
Kiran Varri
Director of Academics, Blue Ocean Corporation
Kristen Hayer
CEO, The Success League
Lanae d’Hulst
Customer Implementation Manager, YouScience
Linda Saindon
CEO, Aureavate
Lori Alcalá
Product Marketing Consultant, Lori Alcalá
Luke Ng, PhD
Former Chief Operating Officer, Microsoft Asia Pacific
Maggie Valo
Global Marketing & ABM Manager, Poppulo
Maria Scarangella
President, Scarangella Consulting, LLC
Mario Chatzidamianos
Director of Compliance, Communications and Business Development, Creators of Cosmos SMPC
Mark Ratekin
VP, CX Consulting, Press Ganey Forsta
Mars Sailors
Marketing and Communications Manager, The Source LGBT+ Center
Martyn Perks
Independent Business Consultant and Property Investment Broker, Exclusive Links / Self-employed
Mary Gotschall
Business Development Consultant, Strategic Results
Mary Long
Chief Ghost, Digital Media Ghost
McKenzie Peterman
Associate Director of Professional Development & Instruction, Georgia Southern University
Melanie Disse
CX Consultant & Tech Advisor, Melanie Disse Consulting
Melody Rawlings
Director, National University
Michelle Wicmandy
Global Marketing Campaigns Manager, KBC (a Yokogawa company)
Mike Goracke
Director, Media, Bain and Company
Milankumar Rana
Principal AI Architect, HeadstormAI
Mitchell Filby
Managing Director, First Rock Consulting
Mohamed Latib
Chief of CX, CX University
Mollie Holland
Corporate Vice President of Customer Experience, DevRev
Muhammad Uzzam Khan
Senior Enterprise Architect Manager, NEOM
Muhammed Sabeeh
Senior Accountant and Admin, Innovative Glass & Aluminium LLC
Mukesh Kumar
Co-founder & Head of CX, SeeResponse
Narendhira Chandraseharan
Product Lead, TikTok eCommerce, TikTok (ByteDance)
Navnish Bhardwaj
Head of Marketing, Manras Technologies
Nikki Gensmer
Senior Content and CX Manager, Titan Health Corp DBA The Learnery + Elemental Perspective
Nixalkumar Patel
Senior Product Manager, LG Electronics
Nyada Nyenke
Director, SEPCO
Nyree Williams
Executive Director, The Attitude 2 Empower
Olivier Bigirimana
Student, African Leadership University
Owen Chamberlain
Senior Education Alliance Manager, Trimble Inc.
Paromita Sarkar
VP, Product Development, PCS Technical Services Inc.
Patty Radford Henderson
Founder & CEO, Annum
Paul Smith
Principal, Quinn Growth Advisors
Piyush Shrivastava
VP, Product Management, Milestone Inc.
Prashant Dhume
Consultant, Freelancer (formerly Senior Managing Director, Accenture)
Praveen Satyanarayana
Senior Director, Tredence
Priya Dharshini Kalyanasundaram
Technical Program Manager, Amazon
Rashmi Bhambhani
Head of Product Marketing, SupportNinja
Richa Malhotra
Team & Executive Coach, The Ideas Team Inc.
Richard Butler
Principal, Technology Business Analysis, AT&T
Rick Miller
Director, Anchor Computer
Robert Jacobi
Founder and Strategist, Warbi, Inc.
Rohinee Mohindroo
Technology Advisor & Mentor, dyjit LLC
Rovena Aga
Professor, York University
Ryan Mayes
VP, Service Delivery and Operations, PDI Technologies
Saffy Johnson
Member Change Experience Strategist, Blue Shield of California
Sakti Mishra
Principal Data and AI Solutions Architect, Amazon Web Services
Sallie Oliver
Marketing Communications Coordinator, Technology Services Industry Association
Samuel Ojode
Teacher, Gagra
Sandra Thomas-Comenole
Fractional CMO, International Consulting Firm
Sara Hanley
SVP of Marketing, ASAPP
Sherin Sunny
Marketing Consultant, Shermain Jeremy Marketing Consulting
Stephan Sigaud
CMO, Phase 5
Steven Howard
Principal Director, Accenture Organizational Analytics
Steven Keller
Managing Partner, Keller C/X Partners
Steven Manifold
CMO & MD, Tayona Digital Ltd
Sue Duris
Principal Consultant, M4 Communications
Susan Flood
Consultant, Self
Suzanne Benjamin
Director, Marketing and Communications, Dwellworks
Suzie Dieth
Senior Director of Customer Experience, NRG Energy, Inc.
Tiffany Glass
Chief Digital & Technology Officer, 1-800-PACK-RAT | Zippy Shell
Tirumala Rao Chimpiri
Senior Programmer Analyst, Stony Brook University
Tom Spano
VP, Customer Experience, MNTN
Tracey Joseph
CEO & Executive HR Consulting, Executive HR Consulting Services
Trina Helm White
Business Information Security Officer, Ascensus LLC
Trish Wethman
Chief Experience Officer, Pontem Tech Partners
Uddhav Phondba
Director, EPAM Systems India Private Limited
Vaishali Dialani
Independent CX Strategist, Independent
Vien-An Friedel
Technical Services & Project Management Senior Manager, See’s Candies
Vigneshwaran Jagadeesan Pugazhenthi
Technology Architect, Cognizant Technology Solutions
Yurii Biriukov
Release Manager, Delivery Manager, Adonis AS
Open year-round
Become an IMPACT judge
Judging is a volunteer role for AI practitioners and experts. Lend your expertise, see the best work in the field, and join a peer network — applications accepted all year.
Frequently asked questions
The IMPACT Awards is a prestigious recognition program, celebrating exceptional work in the field of enterprise AI. Honors are bestowed on both exceptional individual practitioners and vendors.
Visit awards.simplermedia.com/ai to apply.
- Nominees for the AI Champion for Business award should be C-suite executives or business unit leaders who championed AI adoption across the organization, secured buy-in and created accountability for outcomes.
- Nominees for the Enterprise AI Technology Leader of the Year should be CIOs, AI architects, or IT leaders who build the platforms, infrastructure, and governance frameworks that bring AI from concept to deployment at scale.
- Individuals and vendors may self-nominate for any award.
- Nominees for the vendor awards should be vendors with AI products or solutions delivering technology or tools that solve key core business problems with artificial intelligence.
- If you want to showcase your company’s internal practices you should apply for the practitioner awards.
- Companies whose business model includes AI programs, platforms or solutions may not apply for the practitioner awards.
- If you want to showcase your product, solution or platform you should apply for the vendor awards.
Please scroll to the top of this page for the full list of awards categories.
You may apply to as many categories as you wish and it is possible to win or rank in multiple categories.
- There is no cost to apply for the Leader of the Year: AI Champion for Business or Enterprise AI Technology Leader of the Year awards.
- For all vendor awards, there is a $995 fee per application.
- A 30% discount will automatically apply as long as you register at the awards portal and create an application during the Early Bird period (August-September). This discount will apply even if you submit your application after September.
- If you plan to submit multiple applications, finalize and submit them at the same time for a discount. Use the code TWOORMORE at checkout for 40% off your total application fees.
- All application fees are payable by credit card prior to application submission. Applications are not considered final until fees are paid in full.
- If you are unable to pay by credit card, contact us.
Applications typically take 1.5-4 hours to complete.
- All application questions have maximum word counts. These vary and are listed on each question.
- Charts, photos and other attachments are not allowed.
Judges are volunteer practitioners, specialists, consultants and AI experts, recruited for their field expertise.
- Judges apply through the awards portal and are vetted by VKTR prior to reviewing applications.
- Judges receive detailed instructions and a scoring rubric to assist in the review process.
- Judges agree to keep all material confidential. Certain application fields with proprietary information are not shared with judges.
- All applications are reviewed by multiple judges to minimize bias. Judges are not assigned applications from participants in their own industry and judges can recuse themselves from any application to avoid direct or indirect conflicts of interest.
- Questions are weighted according to importance. Judge scores are aggregated to determine the final winners of each category.
- Judges only score the “category-specific questions” section of each application. Demographics information is not shared with judges and not scored.
Yes; there is no limit on the number of categories an applicant can win in any given year or across multiple years.
- Winners are notified through email once the judging period is over. The Awards Director will notify the main point of contact for each winner. Please provide alternate contact information if you are an agency or otherwise applying on behalf of an individual or company.
- Winners are announced in the spring.
Winners are publicly recognized in the following ways:
- Press release on VKTR, promoted through PR channels.
- As part of a longer awards article on VKTR.
- Mention on awards website.
- For Leaders of the Year, interview opportunity with VKTR managing editor.
- Gold award winners receive a physical trophy as well as a digital badge for social media promotion.
- One trophy is included in your win. It is possible to order additional trophies at your cost; contact us for details.
- Silver award winners receive a digital badge for social media promotion.
- It is possible to order a trophy or trophies at your cost; contact us for details.
- All awards participants (winners and nonwinners) receive a PDF scorecard with their score and judge comments.
By signing up for the IMPACT Awards, you agree to receive emails related to the awards program, including (but not limited to) reminder emails, open/close dates and finalist status. All finalists and winners will be contacted through email and may be contacted via phone for additional information. Winners’ contact information may be shared with our Events team for the purpose of coordinating your participation in our events. Winners’ addresses will be shared with our awards vendors for the purposes of awards delivery and digital badge distribution. Finalists’ and winners’ application data may be shared with our Editorial team for background information only.
Please send all questions to [email protected].
Questions? Ask away.
Send us a note and the awards team will get back to you — happy to help you pick the right category or talk through your submission.
Prefer email? [email protected] · +1-800-939-1913 x726