Diane Devaney, president and founder of Devaney & Associates, is the 2023 recipient of the Katherine Mahool Iconoclast Award, presented by the American Advertising Association of Baltimore (AAF Baltimore). Diane accepted her award during the 2023 American Advertising Awards (ADDYs) ceremony held on March 9 at The Senator Theatre.

The Katherine Mahool Iconoclast Award recognizes women in advertising, marketing, business and design who have redefined industries, defied stereotypes and torn down barriers to success so that others may follow. The award is named for Katherine Mahool, the first president of the Women’s Advertising Club of Baltimore – the precursor to the current AAF Baltimore.

Diane launched Devaney & Associates in 1991 as a one-women advertising shop and has built the agency into an award-winning, full-service marketing, advertising, and public relations firm. She has created an environment where women are consistently elevated to leadership roles, and currently employs 13 people on her team.

“I am honored and humbled that my team nominated me for this award,” said Diane. “I did not intentionally create a place where women could grow, blossom and succeed, but maybe we all need to be more intentional in making our industry more diverse. Not just in our hiring practices, but by encouraging and mentoring young people and students by exposing them to the many creative and strategic facets of advertising marketing and PR.”