PA Life Star Awards 2024 judges are announced

Our much-awaited annual PA awards – PA Life Star Awards 2024 judges are now announced. As with previous year, we have an impressive panel of external judges, all experts in the assistant training or recruitment field. The nominations opened on June 19th and will close at midnight on September 20th.

We encourage all amazing PAs, EAs, VAs and Office Managers to nominate themselves, a colleague or a friend.

The awards will be celebrated at PA Life’s Christmas party in London – venue and date will be confirmed shortly.

Here are the PA Life Star Awards 2024 judges

Suzy Sanders, Founder and Franchisor of Alchemy VA. Suzy has won awards for her noticeably different approach to running her successful VA business with collaboration and community as core. She has been featured on radio, TV and in leading industry publications, including the BBC, HuffPost and Go Daddy.

Kathy Soulsby, Founder and Director of Personally Virtual. After a varied career as a Restaurant Manager, in Customer Relations, Sales, and PA and EA roles in Management Consultancies, Recruitment and Executive Coaching Businesses Kathy set up Personally Virtual in 2014. Together with her team she provides services that you’d expect from a skilled Executive Assistant.

Emily Mills, currently serving as the Head of Growth & Initiatives at Lily Shippen

Emily is a distinguished leader with a wealth of experience in executive coaching and professional development (specifically for EA/PA professionals). Drawing from her extensive background as a C-Suite global Executive Assistant (EA) and EA Team Manager (for a Fortune 500 global IT services leader), Emily brings a unique perspective and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by strategic EAs.
Her expertise in team management, strategic planning, and executive support has made her a valuable
mentor for both aspiring leaders and EAs/PAs looking to enhance their careers.

Marianne Whitlock, co-founder of Strategic PA Recruitment and Strategic PA Network

Prior to co-Founding Strategic PA Recruitment in 2019, Marianne was previously in Sales at a luxury Canadian train company and worked in the travel industry for over 15 years, specialising in client relationships and networking. Marianne has a passion for bringing people together and recognising strengths. Using her many years of experience working in close partnerships with a range of different stake holders Marianne is able to quickly forge strong connections and support others wherever she can. More recently Marianne has led and project managed several charity fundraising events.

Marianne loves empowering people and helping them achieve their full potential. She believes the most fundamental building block for any business is the relationships we have with others. Marianne’s attention to detail is exceptional, and has built an extensive professional network. She is well known for her professional, honest but fun approach.”

Abigail Jones

Abigail Jones is a career Executive Assistant, currently working as an EA to a VP at Instagram. The winner of PA Life Club PA of the Year 2019 and Miss Jones PA of the Year 2018, shortlisted for Anderson Hoare PA of the Year 2019, Outstanding Achievement, EA of The Year 2018, London PA of the Year 2017, PA of the Year 2022 and 2016. She was featured on the cover of PA Life Magazine and is a regular contributor to it, and has also been featured on panel shows, key note speeches, articles, summits and workshops with the European Executive Assistant Conference, The Global PA Association, Practically Perfect, LCCI PA Club and SecsInTheCity. Abigail specialises in working at ‘C suite’ level, and is passionate about encouraging PA’s to get the most of out their careers, giving women and equal voice in the workplace, and developing skill sets to make the most of the role of Executive and Personal Assistant. She also provides professional coaching and mentoring to individual EAs and PAs and as well as corporate groups.

Marja-Leena Toseland, Editor, PA Life. PA Life is all about supporting the Professional Assistant community with the informative and inspiring content in both our print and digital platforms,  as well as through our vibrant PA Life Club community. The Assistants are at the core of everything we do and Marja-Leena recognises the talent, hard work and determination required for succeeding in the role.

Nominate yourself by September 20th

All the judges are very much looking part of  reading your nominations – so don’t delay, the process is quick and simple. You will need to email editorial@palife.co.uk  – with a subject line ‘PA Life Star Awards 2023’ – your career highlight or a career bio, include a short testimonial from your boss or a colleague + attach a recent photo.  But before you do that, please decide which category you are entering in and state that in your email.

For full details of how to enter see at the end of this article. Nominations close at midnight on September 20th 2024.

PA AWARDS: PA LIFE STAR AWARDS 2024 CATEGORIES AND CRITERIA

Here are the categories and the qualities, efforts and achievements our judges we are looking for.

Rising Star

This category celebrates outstanding Assistants who have been working in the sector for less than five years, but have demonstrated excellence in their approach to their role in supporting their executives and wider teams.

Virtual Assistant Star

As the name suggests, this accolade will be awarded to an individual who has shown exceptional applications of services to clients.

PA Life Club Member Star

Awarded to the member of the PA Life Club who has shown strong commitment to supporting the Club by attending events, and engaging with other Club initiatives.

PA Life Club Mentor Star – NEW

We are asking our PA Life Club mentees to nominate their mentors whose support and guidance has made a positive impact on the mentee.

Event Organiser Star – NEW

Is awarded for the Assistant who has shown to be an accomplished event professional behind successful events.

Project Ninja Star – NEW

Will be presented to the Assistant who has demonstrated strong project management skills within their organisation by undertaking a project on for instance sustainability, admin processes or charity work.

Commitment to Wellbeing Star

We’re looking for Assistants who have actively helped their execs, teams and organisations with wellbeing and wellness initiatives, either by introducing projects and programmes, or by managing them.

PA Star of the Year

The big one! This award will celebrate the work of one Assistant over the past year. We want to hear from PAs, EAs and VAs who have had an impact on their workplaces, going above and beyond duty to make processes smoother and their Execs’ lives easier.

HOW TO ENTER

Firstly, it’s free to enter the PA Life Star Awards! You’ll be pleased to know that there’s also not a lengthy submission process. Simply…

• Email Marja-Leena on editorial@palife.co.uk with the subject line ‘PA Life Star Awards 2024’ and the name of the category you’d like to enter
• Read the criteria/description of the category you’d like to enter, and tell us in no more than 400 words why you should be considered for this award
• Please also provide a brief testimonial from your boss or someone you work with closely  outlining why they think you should be considered for the award (testimonials are not counted within the 400 word main submission text). You can send more than one testimonial.

Good luck to all nominees!