Announcing our 2026 Award Recipients

Global Ambassador Awards

The IACD Global Ambassador Award is presented to individuals who have provided an outstanding contribution to the work of IACD.

Dawn Brown Global Ambassador Award Recipient

This year we presented our outgoing Trustee and Treasurer Dawn Brown with a Global Ambassador Award.

Unlike most officers who ease into leadership roles, Dawn stepped directly into the demanding role of Treasurer from her very first day on the Board. Over the past two years, she has carried significant responsibility with extraordinary commitment and diligence.

So much of a Treasurer’s work is essential yet invisible. Dawn dedicated time every month beyond standard Trustee duties to ensure the smooth running of IACD’s financial and HR responsibilities. Though her time on the Board has been two years, her impact has had significant and of great benefit.

On learning of her Award, Dawn said: ‘I want to sincerely thank you for this unexpected and deeply appreciated honour. It has been my privilege to serve as Treasurer of IACD over the past two years and to contribute to the important work of strengthening community development globally. I have been fortunate to work alongside a committed Board, staff team and members whose passion and dedication continue to inspire me. I'm very proud to accept this award, and it will take pride of place on my desk. Keep up the good work, and the great connections!’

Sinéad Gormally - Global Ambassador Award Recipient

In recognition of her role as Chair of the very successful World Community Development Conference held earlier this year in partnership with the University of Glasgow we presented Sinéad Gormally with a Global Ambassador Award.

The role of Chair of a WCDC is a major undertaking which extends far beyond chairing the event itself and involves months of coordinating and planning of a large scale international conference. The success of the event itself is testimony to the work undertaken and coordinated by the Chair, and it is a contribution which is hugely valued and appreciated.

Outstanding Contribution Team Award - to the Community Development Team at the University of Glasgow, who worked with Sinéad in the planning and delivery of the WCDC.

Additionally, this year we wanted to acknowledge the contribution of the full Community Development team at the University of Glasgow who weighed in to support the conference, and did so much work, in many different ways – liaising with all the contributors, programme planning, planning other evening events, and the practice exchanges, not to mention the registration desk support, and so much more, all of which combined to ensure the success of the conference, the IACD Board presented the team at the University of Glasgow with an Outstanding Contribution Team Award. 

Speaking in response to the announcements Sinéad commented: ‘Thank you very much for this recognition. The conference was a massive success, but it genuinely couldn't have been done individually. I want to thank everybody at the University of Glasgow who really pulled it out, and to the volunteers and students. We're very fortunate in the University to have such a strong community development team, and I think it really was on show in terms of the conference. Thank you also to the team in IACD.’