Every year, The New York Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America hosts the Big Apple Awards, one of the highest honors bestowed in public relations. 
On Wednesday, October 30th, public relations innovators will gather in New York City to celebrate the 2024 Big Apple Awards, themed this year “Collaboration and Innovation.”
There will be awards and honors bestowed upon leaders in the industry, including former GLAAD staff member and devout activist for the LGBTQ community Cathy Renna.
Renna is set to receive the 2024 Barbara Way Hunter Trailblazer Award, an honor that recognizes the impact of female leadership and the individuals who have broken down barriers, earned the trust and respect of their clients, staff and peers, and helped pave the way for future generations of women to excel in their careers in the communications industry.
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Renna currently serves as principal of Target Cue and Communications Director at the National LGBTQ Task Force. In her 25+ years as a communications professional and advocate for change, Renna was instrumental in shaping public discourse on major LGBTQ issues, such as marriage equality and the repealing of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Renna also led in the media coverage and community response to the brutal death of Matthew Shepard who was killed in an anti-LGBTQ hate crime in 1998. She now works with the Matthew Shepard Foundation and countless other LGBTQ organizations.
Renna was quintessential in bringing awareness to events like WorldPride/Stonewall 50 and Global Pride, a virtual event viewed by 57 million people. Her work has appeared in outlets such as The New York Times and USA Today. Renna also teaches at Montclair State University and was featured in Forbes Women as a “Queer PR Icon.”
In a statement to GLAAD, Renna shared that, “GLAAD is where I learned the principles, values and skills that have carried me through 30+ years of activism and advocacy communications. Some of the most important work in my career – and my life -was during my tenure at GLAAD. From ‘don’t ask don’t tell to marriage equality to the aftermath of Matthew Shepard’s murder to combatting hate speech from the likes of Dr. Laura – being at the center of GLAAD’s work is something I look back on with pride. Finally, it was also the less visible but impactful work – media training community activists, working with journalists behind-the-scenes and more, that shaped my work to this day. I am forever grateful to GLAAD for being the place where I was able to find my professional purpose and a place to make a difference for LGBTQ communities.
“I could not be more humbled, thrilled or honored to be recognized this way by my peers at PRSA-NY, it means the world to me and I am looking forward to the event next week,” Renna stated on Instagram.
PRSA-NY Chapter President Matt Rizzetta said in a statement, “The individuals being honored at this year’s Big Apple Awards truly exemplify the highest caliber of talent and innovation across the public relations industry. Their dedication, creativity, and leadership continue to shape and elevate the profession, making them admirable and deserving of recognition. We are incredibly proud to celebrate these visionaries whose work reflects the power of collaboration and the impact of thoughtful, strategic communication.”
To learn more, click here or visit www.prsany.org.