Celebrating 12 years of supporting women in PR and communications across the industry to reach their full potential
20 June 2024: Today, Women in PR (WiPR), in partnership with PR Week, has launched the twelfth year of its flagship mentoring scheme. The programme is kicking off the open for application period which comes after the programme received a record number of applicants in 2024. The organisation aims to continue to expand the diversity of applicants from a range of backgrounds and expertise areas, across agency, in-house and freelance professionals as well as practitioners based both in and outside of London.
The 2025 scheme offers 22 spots to female communications professionals and aims to support rising stars from across the industry to reach senior leadership positions – pairing successful applicants with female and male industry leaders across a range of sectors. Successful applicants commit to at least six, one-to-one mentoring sessions across 12-months and will also be offered opportunities for both in-person and virtual connection both with their individual mentor and with the wider mentor and mentee cohorts.
For the second year, all mentees will get access to Clifton Strengths analysis in addition to existing programme interventions. The Clifton Strengths approach helps identify an individual’s natural talents and offers guidance on how to develop them into key leadership strengths and have been used in coaching for many years.
Programme mentors are all seasoned PR leaders who volunteer their time and share their insight and expertise. The scheme helps empower mentees to tackle key barriers women still face in the workplace – breaking barriers to promotion and helping build new mindsets, skills and capabilities, overcome personal or professional challenges and build confidence in their own leadership.
Jo Carr, President of WiPR, said: “In a year where we’ve been reminded by some pretty stark statistics just how bad our industry is at retaining and developing senior female talent, this programme feels more pertinent than ever. We’ve always believed experienced practitioners should lift as they rise so we’re hugely grateful to all our mentors – both male and female – for investing in this programme with us.”
Ishtar Schneider, WiPR Mentoring and Shadow Board co-lead added, “It is also fantastic to see we have a record number of previous mentees who have returned to give back to the programme themselves as a mentor – with six joining us for this cohort. Their career journeys have all been inspirational and many credit their Women in PR mentors in having empowered them to take those strides forward. If that doesn’t embody exactly what the programme is all about, I don’t know what does.”
Among the mentors are six former mentees – Addy Frederick, Laura Gillen, Lee’ann Kaufman, Lauren Pogson, Surinder Kaur and Clara Biu – who are paying it forward, having personally benefited from the programme.
Several previous Women in PR mentoring programme mentors and mentees shared their insight on the experience and encouraged others to take advantage of the opportunity.
“There are systemic issues within PR and communications that make it incredibly difficult for talented women to break in and progress. These barriers are even higher for women from ethnically diverse backgrounds, where the challenges of gender and race intersect in ways that are often overlooked. That’s why I’m proud to be part of the 2025–2026 Women in PR mentoring cohort. Mentoring is a powerful way to challenge inequality, share knowledge, and help create a more inclusive and representative industry.”
Koray Camgöz, Chief Executive Officer, Taylor Bennett Foundation
“I’m a big believer in mentorship. It has played such an important role in helping me grow in my career, both through formal schemes and those brilliant, unofficial moments of support. Sometimes, just having that outside perspective is what you need to push yourself and expand your comfort zone. I’m so excited to meet and learn from the future leaders in our industry.”
Sarah Henderson, Managing Director at PrettyGreen
“Mentorship has played a key role in my career, providing guidance that helped me develop and navigate new challenges. I’m proud to be involved in the Women in PR mentoring programme to support the next generation of talent and help build the kind of network that made a difference for me.”
Laura Gillen, UK MD, We. Communications
“I’m delighted to have been chosen as a Women in PR mentor. Having been fortunate to have had a number of brilliant mentors – of different genders, backgrounds and experience – over my career to date, I know the value mentorship can offer. A strong mentor / mentee relationship can be incredibly rewarding and enjoyable for both parties and I look forward to paying forward the experiences I have been afforded to the brilliant young women coming through the PR industry.”
Chris Allen, Managing Director, Pitch Marketing Group
“I have been lucky enough to have had the guidance, support and mentorship of some incredible leaders throughout my career. In an industry built on relationships, I know I wouldn’t be where I am without them and am fortunate to continue to benefit from those sounding boards today. I am so looking forward to paying forward that support through this scheme and am proud to be a 2025 mentor.” –
Orla Moran, Managing Director, Consumer & Brand, Burson
“It is a privilege to have been asked to be a Women in PR mentor, having been a mentee in 2017. My experience was incredible and made me reevaluate how I approached my career and opportunities. I believe that mentorship combined with sponsorship is key to empowering someone to fulfil their potential and can be incredibly rewarding for both parties. I’m really looking forward to working with my mentee, supporting them to take bold steps in their career, navigate challenges and discover new opportunities – and gaining fresh perspectives from them.” –
Addy Frederick, Group Head of Corporate Affairs, Admiral
“I’ve learned from so many inspiring men and women in my career who have each left their mark. I first heard of this programme a couple of years ago shortly after returning from maternity leave. Securing a place was a game changer for my career introducing me to the most inspiring mentor, with overnight access to a wide network of incredible female PR talent. Within 6 months I had secured a leadership PR role and the following year I returned as a mentor, a role which I have learned from and loved. I’m thrilled to be back again and can’t wait to meet and support my next mentee with their career journey in 2025/6.”
Lauren Pogson, Head of PR and Social, Evri
“I’m thrilled to be taking part in PR Week’s Women in PR mentoring programme for 2025-2026. Having worked within tech PR and Marketing for almost two decades, I’m only too aware of how challenging it can be for women to carve a space to shine in this industry. I’ve had some wonderful women support me on my own career journey and am committed to paying that forward and creating an opportunity for more talent to grow and progress to where it deserves to be.” –
Jenny Mowat, CEO Babel PR
“Did you know that the word Mentor originates from a character in The Odyssey, written approximately 2,700 years ago? When Odysseus leaves to fight in the Trojan War, he leaves his old friend Mentor to look after his son Telemachus. But the goddess Athena disguises herself as Mentor and approaches Telemachus to provide guidance, encouragement, and practical plans for dealing with personal dilemmas. We all need that in our lives.”
Surinder Kaur, Head of Corporate Media, BAE Systems
“I’m beyond buzzing to have been chosen as a mentor this year. I’m lucky enough to have had awesome women coach, develop and inspire me through my now 20-year long career and can’t wait to now pay forward all that invaluable support and guidance and do the same for those at the start of their careers in this amazing industry.”
Liz Treversh Managing Partner, Finn Partners Consumer
“I’m very glad I got to participate in the programme. Speaking to my mentor, Mary, on a regular basis helped me greatly whilst I was settling into a new role, in a new country. I’m sure we will stay in touch long after the mentorship programme has concluded and can only encourage others to apply for next year’s cohort!”
Kirstin MacLeod, Policy Communications Manager EMEA at Meta, and current mentee.
“The WiPR mentoring program and my mentor, Kath Martino, came into my life at a time when I was in a period of intense change and reflection – living with neurodivergence, perimenopause and queer identity – and I needed support to focus and redirect my career. Kath and I built an open, honest relationship where we could deep-dive into these influences – and I came out of the other side with a renewed focus. Thank you so much, Kath. I highly recommend the WiPR mentoring scheme – it’s an awesome initiative.”
Anna Saggerson, Communications and patient advocacy specialist, and current mentee.
Being part of the Women in PR and PR Week mentorship programme was incredibly enriching, despite seeming a daunting prospect at first. The guidance from my mentor provided fresh perspectives and a supportive space to discuss my career development. It’s also been invaluable to hear the experiences of my fellow mentees and openly share our stories. I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking to be empowered by the phenomenal women who work in our industry.
Sabrina Coogan, Senior Account Director, Hope & Glory, and current mentee.
“I was thrilled to be chosen for the mentoring programme, especially due to its strong emphasis on leadership. I had high hopes that the programme could help me unlock the leadership potential that I know I have, and it has not disappointed. My fantastic mentor Nicole Yost has been not only unfailingly generous, but inspiring and full of good sense in equal measure. I feel better equipped to take my career to the next level now and I cannot recommend the Women in PR mentoring scheme enough.”
Claire Munro, Chart.PR, CMktr, Senior PR & Communications Manager, GoFibre
Curious about the programme?
WiPR will host an in-person networking evening which will serve to kick-off the 2025 programme and officially farewell the 2024 cohort, on Tuesday 23rd September.
Following a rigorous judging process, conducted by the Mentoring Judging Panel (which includes Women in PR committee members, mentors, mentees, industry representatives and PRWeek), offers will be made in August.
To be eligible, potential mentees must:
- Have a minimum of five years of industry experience with leadership potential (demonstrable experience to date and signs of being a leader of the future).
- Have clarity of career objectives and how access to a mentor will help get you there, including overcoming perceived obstacles.
- Have demonstrated an interest in engaging in key issues and effect change – for example, being an active member of a trade body, or helping/driving new initiatives to improve our industry or organisational culture.
- Commit to actively engage in this highly sought-after programme, and to drive the scheduling of mentoring sessions.
- Currently a UK resident and planning to be for the 12-month duration of the programme
Applications can be made using this link and applications close on Friday 18 July
Mentors for the 2025-2026 programme include both returning* and new mentors:
- Addy Frederick, Group Head of Corporate Affairs, Admiral Group PLC
- Angela Balakrishnan, Executive Director of Strategic Communications and Public Affairs, Information Commissioner’s Office*
- Chris Allen, Managing Director, Pitch Marketing Group
- Clara Biu, Head of Consumer Communications, Allwyn UK*
- Doyel Maitra, Corporate Affairs Director, Retail Banking, NatWest*
- Effie Kanyua, Founder LILA Assistant and We Are Warriors PR*
- Emily Luscombe, Partner and EMEA communications agency lead, ERM*
- Jenny Mowat, CEO, Babel PR
- Jo Chappell, Executive Creative Director, Harvard*
- Koray Camgoz, CEO, Taylor Bennett Foundation
- Kirsty Leighton, Founder and Group CEO, Milk & Honey*
- Laura Gillen, UK Managing Director, WE Communications
- Lauren Pogson, Head of PR and Social, EVRI*
- Lee’Ann Kaufman, CEO and Founder, iSeePR
- Liz Treveresh, Managing Partner Global Consumer, Finn Partners
- Mary Hinks-Edwards, Communications & Government Affairs Director, EU Partnership Markets, GSK*
- Orla Moran, Managing Director, Consumer & Brand, Burson
- Rachel Roberts, CEO, Spottydog Communications*
- Sarah Henderson, Managing Director, PrettyGreen
- Shayoni Lynn, Founder, Lynn PR*
- Surinder Kaur, Head of Corporate Media, BAE Systems
- Vishnee Sauntoo, Freelance Practitioner, Mentor for Taylor Bennett Foundation Reverse Mentoring Programme, CharityComms and FemMentored
