A director at a Richmondshire digital agency has scooped a national industry award.
Sarah Comerford, client services director at Purple Creative Studio, based on the Aske Stables Estate, near Richmond, beat off competition from fellow finalists employed by BBC and a corporate London-based tech firm, to win the Mentor of the Year category at the Women in Tech Series Awards.
The Women in Tech Series exists to celebrate the excellence and success of inspirational women within the tech industry, and the Mentor of Year Award “recognises an individual who has spent considerable time fostering young talent, either within their own organisation or through educational institutions”.
Sarah joined Purple Creative Studio seven years ago and has supported and trained many of her team members as well and delivered regular talks and workshops at nearby schools.
She said: “I was incredibly shocked to find out that I won my award. I could barely put one foot in front of the other and walk to the stage I was shaking so much. I had been told to prepare a small speech in case I won but forgot all of that in the moment.
“Purple is a wonderful company to work for, the team members are amazing and I’m so lucky to work with them all, they have never stopped encouraging me to grow.”
She added: “It was so inspiring to be in a room full of wonderful women in the tech industry as well as men who champion diversity in the tech sector, it was an honour to attend the ceremony and hear so many wonderful stories.”
Colleague Scarlett MacFarlane, who nominated Sarah for the award feels that Sarah has been a great role model for her.
She said: “Sarah has been a wonderful source of support, guidance and friendship both professionally and personally since I joined the Purple team.
“Sarah took me under her wing and helped my confidence to grow and has been a terrific example to model my working style and approach on”.
The Mentor of the Year category was judged by Madeline Bennett, Technology Journalist at The Telegraph and Diginomica, and Mamta Gera, CEO at The New Leadership UK, and the ceremony was hosted by Lucy Hedges co-presenter of the BBC Travel Show.
This news coincides with the digital agency’s ten year anniversary celebrations.
