Marquette Institute for Women’s Leadership announces 2026 Transformational Leaders awards; annual gala will be April 14

The Marquette University Institute for Women's Leadership will honor three community and campus leaders with its Transformational Leadership awards as part of the fourth annual IWL Gala on Tuesday, April 14, at 5 p.m. in the Alumni Memorial Union, 1442 W. Wisconsin Ave.

The IWL Transformational Leadership awards and recipients are:

• IWL Transform Award, which recognizes a community leader: Amada Morales, director of Welfare Warriors Inc.
• IWL Inspire Award, which recognizes a member of the Marquette campus community: Dr. Kati Tusinski Berg, professor of strategic communication and associate dean of academic affairs in the Diederich College of Communication
• IWL Engage Award, which recognizes a Marquette student: Loriann Chávez, a junior majoring in cognitive science with minors in Spanish, mental health applications and innovation leadership

Biographical information on award winners follows.

Media wishing to attend the IWL Gala or speak with event organizers should contact Melissa Barclay, senior communication specialist, at [email protected].

The Institute for Women's Leadership builds upon Marquette University's historic role as the first coeducational Catholic university in the world beginning in 1909. The mission of IWL is to advance women's leadership locally and globally through pioneering research, innovative programming and collaborative engagement.

More information on award honorees

For 16 years, Morales has helped impoverished families as a court support advocate through her work at Welfare Warriors and Casa Maria Catholic Worker Hospitality House. Both organizations connect moms and caregivers with essential services they have frequently been denied. As a college student, Morales decided to lean into her life's passion for human concerns and welfare rights after taking a theology course on Dorothy Day during her undergraduate studies at Marquette.

Tusinski Berg's research focuses on public relations ethics, lobbying as public relations advocacy and corporate social responsibility. She also serves as the faculty athletics representative for the university. She and her husband, Trent, live in Cedarburg with their three children, Emerson, Hadley and Graham, and their Irish doodle, Darby. She enjoys running, hiking, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Chávez has found a deep love for her work as a resident assistant at Marquette and is passionate about relationship-building and exploring ways to support the mental health of others. She is currently conducting research at Marquette on student and instructor perceptions of the grading system. Chávez interns at Project RETURN, where she has found a love for supporting justice-impacted individuals. She also enjoys spending time with her animals, reading and crafting.