The women who opened the doors.
Every woman leading in high school sports today stands somewhere another woman made possible. The Global Community Awards exist to name those women — to make their leadership visible and to keep their contributions remembered.
These are our signature honors, given each year to women whose service, courage and influence have created opportunity for others.
Two awards. Two ways women change the game.
The Global Community Awards recognize two different kinds of impact. Neither outranks the other — they simply describe different ways a woman leaves high school sports better than she found it.
Leslie Moore Legacy Award
Body of work. Lasting influence.
For a woman whose sustained leadership, service and advocacy have shaped high school sports over time — whose influence reaches beyond any single program, season or accomplishment.
Peg Pennepacker Paving the Way Award
Advocacy. Action. Opportunity.
For a woman who sees where change is needed and acts — using her leadership, knowledge, voice and influence to create greater opportunity for women and girls in high school sports.
Leslie Moore Legacy Award
The Leslie Moore Legacy Award honors a woman whose career in high school sports reflects sustained leadership, service, advocacy and impact. It recognizes a woman whose body of work has created lasting impact — whose influence reaches beyond a single program, season or accomplishment, and who has strengthened high school sports and positively influenced the people who follow her.
Nominees typically demonstrate several of the following
- Sustained leadership and service in high school sports
- Significant impact over time
- Commitment to equity and opportunity
- Mentorship and investment in other leaders
- Contributions beyond their own school or organization
- A legacy of leadership whose influence extends to others
About Leslie Moore
Leslie Moore, CAA, gave 35 years to Denver Public Schools as a teacher, coach and athletic administrator, and became the first woman in more than 75 years elected president of the Colorado High School Activities Association Board of Directors. She spent her career widening access for girls and women, served as a Title IX officer, and mentored athletic administrators who went on to lead. The award carries her name because her legacy was never one achievement — it was a lifetime of them.
Peg Pennepacker Paving the Way Award
The Peg Pennepacker Paving the Way Award honors a woman who uses her leadership, knowledge, voice and influence to create greater opportunity for women and girls in high school sports. It recognizes a woman who sees where change is needed and takes action — who advocates, educates, mentors, addresses barriers, and creates opportunities for others to lead.
Nominees typically demonstrate several of the following
- Advocacy for women and girls in high school sports
- Courage to address inequity or challenge existing practices
- Leadership which creates access and opportunity for others
- Commitment to educating, mentoring, or supporting other women
- Meaningful impact within their school, community, state, or profession
- Demonstrated efforts to strengthen high school sports and advance equity
About Peg Pennepacker
Peg Pennepacker has spent decades advancing equity in education-based athletics. A nationally recognized Title IX expert, athletic administrator, educator and advocate, she has taught generations of athletic directors and school leaders what equitable opportunity actually requires of them — and has kept pressing when the answer was uncomfortable. The award carries her name because paving the way is exactly what she has done: not waiting for change, but teaching, challenging and opening doors so other women could walk through.
2026–2027
Nominations openClose November 8, 2026
Nominations are open for both Global Community Awards. If you know a woman whose leadership deserves to be recognized, this is the moment to say so.
- Who may nominate
- Anyone, including the nominee herself. Self-nominations are welcome.
- Who may be nominated
- Any woman working as an Athletic Director at a high school.
- The form
- One nomination form serves both awards — you choose which honor fits her.
- After you submit
- You receive an email acknowledgment.
- Who selects
- The GCWHSS Executive Board.
- Where the awards are presented
- The National Athletic Directors Conference — in Phoenix for 2026–2027.
- Attendance
- Recipients do not need to attend the conference to receive the award.
The nomination form opens in a new tab.
How nominations work
Nominating someone takes a few minutes. Here is what to expect.
Choose the award
Decide which honor best reflects her impact — a body of work built over time, or action that created opportunity for others.
Complete the nomination
Anyone may nominate an eligible woman, and self-nominations are welcome. You do not need to be a GCWHSS member, and you do not need to be an athletic director yourself.
Share her story
The form asks for her name, role and school, and for specific examples of how she leads, serves and makes a difference. No supporting documents are required.
Receive acknowledgment
You receive an email acknowledgment after you submit.
Executive Board selection
The GCWHSS Executive Board selects the recipients.
Who may nominate
Anyone, including the nominee herself.
Who may be nominated
Any woman working as an Athletic Director at a high school.
Honoring the women who came before
The Global Community Awards began in 2022–2023. These are the women who have carried them.
2025–2026
- Leslie Moore Legacy Award
- Molly Feesler
- Peg Pennepacker Paving the Way Award
- Lisa Langston
2024–2025
- Leslie Moore Legacy Award
- Jean Ashen
- Peg Pennepacker Paving the Way Award
- Rebecca Moe
2023–2024
- Leslie Moore Legacy Award
- Sr. Lynn Winsor
- Peg Pennepacker Paving the Way Award
- Sandra Mader
2022–2023
- Leslie Moore Legacy Award
- Annette Scogin
- Peg Pennepacker Paving the Way Award
- Meg Seng
Peg Pennepacker (left) with Meg Seng (right), the first recipient of the Peg Pennepacker Paving the Way Award.
No woman should have to navigate sports leadership alone.
Recognition is part of how this community keeps that promise. Women who open doors, serve others and strengthen high school athletics deserve to have their work seen — and remembered.
CONNECT · GROW · SUSTAIN