Rebecca South, Federal Compliance Associate at State and Federal Communications, has been selected by Women in Government Relations (WGR) as its ‘2016 Distinguished Member of the Year.’

Ms. South attended the recent award ceremony held at the Willard Hotel in Washington D.C., along with her family members, and President and CEO of State and Federal Communications, Ms. Elizabeth Z. Bartz. The ceremony was the annual WGR Spring Reception, the organization’s premier event of the year that brings together members of Congress, congressional staffers and the government relations community to honor women leaders who embody the vision of WGR.

In addition to Ms. South, other honorees included Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA), Congresswoman Barbara Comstock (R-VA), and Ms. Catherine Knowles, Office of Representative John Culberson, 2016 Congressional Staffer. Ms. Bass and Ms. Comstock were recognized as outstanding women in Congress who have shown true leadership by exhibiting resilience in the face of adversity and who have worked to make America stronger.

According to WGR President Ms. Meredith Shue, this event has brought together the women of Washington to celebrate 41 years of advancing and empowering women. “This year we celebrated our legacy of leadership and the wisdom of our nearly 1,200 members,” she said. “Our honorees are paving the way for generations of future female leaders through their important work, proving that the glass ceiling can be broken.”

This reception saw more than 500 attendees from all corners of the government relations profession. As was the intent of the founder many years ago, all proceeds raised at the event will now be used to advance, empower and educate young female professionals who seek leadership roles in the government relations industry. WGR is the sole non-profit organization dedicated to this cause, and its members include women and men at all professional levels representing corporations, trade associations and professional societies, law firms, lobbying firms, non-profit groups and federal, state and local governments.

Ms. Elizabeth Z. Bartz is proud of the work that Rebecca South has done for WGR and its committees, especially in helping to plan out the future of the organization for leadership opportunities, mentoring, partnerships, networking and educational programming. “We believe strongly in the mission of Women in Government Relations and the entire State and Federal Communications organization has been solidly behind Rebecca in receiving this prestigious honor,” she states.