College of Charleston Martin Center Announces Awards Recipients
The Martin Center for Mentorship in Communication at the College of Charleston is proud to announce the recipients of its 2026 Excellence in Mentoring Awards, which will be presented at the Celebration of Mentoring on March 12.
Above: The Martin Center for Mentoring in Communication’s 2025 Celebration of Mentoring (Photo by Kip Bulwinkle – Karson Photography)
The Martin Center for Mentorship in Communication at the College of Charleston is proud to announce the recipients of its 2026 Excellence in Mentoring Awards, honoring individuals and organizations whose commitment to mentorship has made a meaningful and lasting impact on students and the communication profession.
The awards will be presented during the Martin Center’s annual Celebration of Mentoring on Thursday, March 12, from 6-8:30 p.m., at the Francis Marion Hotel in downtown Charleston. Tickets to the event can be purchased online or by contacting the George Street Box Office: 843.953.4726 or [email protected].
The 2026 honorees are Kelli Parsons, recipient of the Distinguished Mentor Award; the ANA Educational Foundation, recipient of the Organizational Excellence in Mentoring Award; and Dakota Kate Isaacs ’15, recipient of the Emerging Mentor Award.
The Distinguished Mentor Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated sustained excellence in mentoring and made a long-term impact on the professional and personal development of others.
Kelli Parsons, CEO of Avoq, exemplifies this distinction through a career defined by leadership, service and a deep commitment to developing future leaders.
Parsons previously served as global CEO of Hill & Knowlton and has held senior communication and marketing leadership roles at multiple Fortune 50 companies. Throughout her career, she has guided organizations through moments of transformation while also mentoring teams and individuals navigating their own professional growth. Her leadership is widely recognized for pairing strategic rigor with empathy, trust and accountability.
Parsons is also deeply engaged in advancing the communications profession, serving as immediate past chair of the Page Society board of trustees and as a trustee of the Institute for Public Relations.
“I am so pleased to join in celebrating a longtime member of our National Advisory Council and a good friend, Kelli Parsons,” says Tom Martin, founder of the Martin Center. “Her life and career exemplify the ideals we are promoting, teaching and facilitating through the work of the Martin Center.”
The Emerging Mentor Award recognizes early-career professionals who demonstrate exceptional dedication to mentoring and leadership development.
Dakota Kate Isaacs ’15 embodies this spirit through both her professional achievements and her commitment to guiding the next generation.
“It’s also gratifying to recognize someone who was in my classroom just a few years ago,” says Martin of Isaacs, “and who is now a proven mentor herself.”
An award-winning brand builder and storyteller, Isaacs began her career as the first U.S. employee at DECIEM, later serving as director of DECIEM USA and helping scale the brand to more than 2,500 retail locations across North America. She is the executive producer of The Abnormal Beauty Company, a feature documentary chronicling DECIEM’s journey, set to premiere in 2026, and will soon join Quince as head of brand strategy and narrative.
In addition to her corporate work, Isaacs founded The Big Sister Playbook – a field guide for modern ambition – and its accompanying podcast, translating personal leadership experiences into practical guidance for emerging professionals.
The Organizational Excellence in Mentoring Award honors organizations that embed mentorship into their mission, culture and programming.
The ANA Educational Foundation (AEF) is being recognized for its national leadership in connecting students, educators and industry professionals through meaningful, mentorship-driven initiatives. The award will be accepted by Gord McLean, president and CEO of the AEF.
The AEF serves as the bridge between academia and the advertising and marketing community, offering students access to experiential learning opportunities, industry speakers, career guidance and professional networks. Through programs such as MADE Internships and Mentorships, the Visiting Professor Program, campus speaker initiatives, and partnerships, AEF has created inclusive pathways that prepare students for leadership and long-term success.
“The AEF has been a leader in mentoring young professionals for many years, and we hope to emulate its success through our own programs,” says Martin. By placing mentorship at the center of its work, AEF has helped shape a more accessible and connected future for the advertising and marketing professions.
Tickets to the Martin Center’s annual Celebration of Mentoring on March 12 can be purchased online or by contacting the George Street Box Office: 843.953.4726 or [email protected].
The Martin Center for Mentorship in Communication was founded in 2023 with a mission to inspire and develop a future generation of leaders and mentors among today’s outstanding communication students, and to foster more robust relationships between those who educate and those who practice in the communications field.
