Trailblazers Announces Winners of the 2026 Next Gen Trailblazer Award

Trailblazers is proud to announce the five winners of the 2026 Next Gen Trailblazer Awards. Presented in partnership with title sponsor Evanov Communications, these awards celebrate and support emerging talent with up to 10-15 years of experience in the Canadian broadcasting industry.

The accomplished winners of the 2026 Next Gen Trailblazer Award are:

Sarah Christie (Bell Media)

Ashleigh Harvey (Quinte Broadcasting)

Amanda Boland (Stingray)

Shannon Ella (Bell Media)

Katie Summers (Stingray)

"We were incredibly impressed with the calibre of nominations," said Nancy Brown-Dacko,

Trailblazers Chair. "Sarah, Ashleigh, Amanda, Shannon, and Katie represent the bright future of our industry, and we are thrilled to recognize their contributions and support their continued growth."

Each winner will receive a $1000 bursary from Orbyt Media and a $1000 prize from The Scotiabank

Women Initiative as well as the opportunity to attend the Trailblazers panel at Radio Days North America 2026. They will be celebrated at a private Trailblazers reception being held May 6th in the Tudor room at the Fairmont Royal York.

The Next Gen Trailblazer Awards are part of the Trailblazers' commitment to building the next generation of industry leaders. The Legacy Trailblazer Award will be presented at the Departure Honours event.

For more information, please visit womentrailblazers.ca.