Meredith Walker of Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls to Keynote 43rd Annual Banner Brunch

Women Communicators of Austin to honor Austin communications leaders, students at signature event

Meredith Walker, co-founder and executive director of Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls, will keynote the 43^rd annual Banner Brunch hosted by Women Communicators of Austin (WCA). Banner Brunch, WCA’s annual awards and scholarship gala, will be held on Saturday, April 16 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hotel Van Zandt. KUT’s Jennifer Stayton will emcee the event.

“Banner Brunch is the unofficial homecoming for Austin’s communications industry. Every spring, generations of women communicators gather together to celebrate our industry’s biggest change makers as well as the next generation of communications leaders,” said Lisa Elmore, 2015-2016 president of WCA. ‘We’re thrilled to have Meredith Walker, a champion for women and girls across the country, keynote Banner Brunch 2016.”

Dating back to 1973, Banner Brunch has become an annual tradition for the area’s top communications professionals honor both industry peers through the Banner Brunch Awards and outstanding communications students through the Jo Caldwell Meyer Scholarship Fund. This year, WCA will award $3,000 scholarships to two deserving communications students attending a Central Texas university.

“We believe that it is essential for women of all ages, backgrounds and vocations to have a place where they feel safe to be themselves,” said Walker. “Women Communicators of Austin and Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls are united in this mission ¾ to build environments for women where authentic connections can take place and where learning and fun are always at the core of our community.”

All proceeds from the 43^rd Annual Banner Brunch, including a silent auction, will go toward the Jo Caldwell Meyer Scholarship Fund as well as WCA’s other philanthropic activities. WCA has awarded more than $60,000 in scholarships since establishing the Jo Caldwell Meyer Scholarship in 2002.

Tickets for the 43^rd Annual Banner Brunch will go on sale on March 1. Nominations for the 2016 Banner Brunch Awards will be accepted through March 1 and applications for the Jo Caldwell Meyer Scholarship will be accepted through March 25. To learn more, register to attend, or submit an awards nomination or scholarship application, please visit www.bannerbrunch.com.

About Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls

Founded by actor and writer Amy Poehler and producer Meredith Walker, the Smart Girls organization is dedicated to helping young people cultivate their authentic selves. Our motto is: Change the World by Being Yourself. What began as an online show for young girls and an excuse to host spontaneous dance parties, has become a place for information, comedy and community. When we use the word “community” we take that very seriously. Therefore, our intention is to be a safe place where those who make up that community may be heard and offered a response. We are finding that Smart Girls is the first community where many young men and women are able to express their own concerns. Through our “Call to Action” campaigns we encourage smart girls to volunteer and to be more curious about the world they live in. Our goal is to provide a healthy alternative to so much that is being marketed to young people on the internet. We emphasize intelligence and imagination over “fitting in.” We celebrate curiosity over gossip. We are a place where people can truly be their weird and wonderful selves. http://amysmartgirls.com/ 

About Women Communicators of Austin

Dating back to 1929, Women Communicators of Austin (WCA) is one of the largest and most diverse professional communications organizations in Austin. Our membership includes nearly 300 women and men from across a broad spectrum of communication specialties including journalism, public relations, marketing, graphic design and corporate communications. WCA creates meaningful connections among communicators in Austin that accelerate careers, develop leaders and foster friendships. To learn more, go to www.wcaustin.org.