Announcing the 2026 Top Women in Communications Hall of Fame honorees

Meet the women whose decades of impact continue to redefine what leadership in communications can achieve.

A career in communications isn’t built in a single campaign or a single moment — it’s built over decades of clarity, courage, mentorship and measurable impact.

Ragan’s Top Women in Communications Hall of Fame honorees, Class of 2026, represent the very best of what the profession can be: leaders who move institutions forward, strengthen trust in times of change and open doors for the next generation.

These remarkable women will be celebrated at the Top Women in Communications Awards Luncheon in New York City. Tune in next week as we share more about their stories, lessons and lasting influence.

Goldie Taylor

SVP and Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Goldie Taylor has spent more than three decades proving that honest, human-centered communication can improve lives and transform institutions. As the senior vice president and chief communications and marketing officer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, she leads strategy for one of the nation’s most trusted names in academic medicine.

Taylor is guiding communications for Dana-Farber’s defining new initiative: developing a 300-bed adult inpatient cancer hospital in Boston. Her leadership has strengthened national visibility, community trust and institutional alignment while helping stakeholders understand the hospital’s future impact on access, research and patient care.

Previously, she led national COVID-19 public health campaigns at Morehouse School of Medicine, increasing engagement and securing record philanthropic gifts to advance health equity.

Megan Noel

Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Covista

Megan Noel redefines what corporate affairs can accomplish when it becomes a true driver of mission, reputation and growth. As chief corporate affairs officer at Covista — the nation’s largest healthcare educator — she aligns communications, investor relations, government relations and impact, including the Covista Foundation, to help solve America’s urgent workforce shortages.

Her career has been marked by large-scale transformation: leading change management for 75,000 employees, helping drive a $3 billion digital upskilling initiative, and embracing AI-first approaches that boost efficiency and strategic focus.

Noel also co-created CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion, mobilizing more than 2,000 CEOs around the belief that inclusion strengthens business and society.

Grace Leong

CEO, HUNTER

For more than three decades, Grace Leong has shaped the communications profession through visionary agency leadership, award-winning campaigns and unwavering mentorship. As CEO of HUNTER, she has guided one of the nation’s top agencies through double-digit growth from 2019 to 2024 while expanding capabilities through the integration of KWT Global.

A founding member of the agency since 1989, Leong has helped transform HUNTER into a full-service powerhouse, earning top workplace and industry honors along the way.

Her influence extends beyond client work. She is a champion for inclusion, education and service, investing deeply in the next generation of communicators through professional organizations and teaching.

Dana Anderson

Chief Communications Officer, Avista

Dana Anderson has spent more than three decades leading communications with empathy, transparency and resilience. As chief communications officer at Avista, she has guided the 136-year-old utility through major crises — from outages and political challenges to merger efforts — while modernizing customer communications across four northwestern states.

Known for her steady leadership, Anderson has helped Avista strengthen trust with customers, employees, regulators and investors, including improvements in real-time outage updates and digital engagement.

Her mentorship and people-first approach have also inspired women leaders in a traditionally male-dominated industry, building teams rooted in collaboration and care.

These Hall of Fame honorees remind us that communications leadership is about far more than messaging — it’s about trust, purpose and progress.

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