The Christine Mowat Plain Language Achievement Award
We present this award to recognize an outstanding contribution to advancing plain language at the local, regional, national, or international level in any language.
A winner’s work can take many forms
| Significant research in the field of plain language |
| Extensive experience in developing and presenting plain language training |
| Extensive experience in writing or editing documents using plain language |
| A body of publications about plain language |
| Successful leadership in public plain language projects |
| Significant volunteer contribution to a plain language organisation |
Purpose
to recognize a significant contribution to advancing plain language at the local, regional, national, or international levels
to honor the outstanding contribution of Christine Mowat, a past president of PLAIN and winner of the PLAIN International Award
to recognize a significant contribution to advancing plain language at the local, regional, national, or international levels
to honor the outstanding contribution of Christine Mowat, a past president of PLAIN and winner of the PLAIN International Award
Criteria
The Christine Mowat Plain Language Achievement Award is presented to a person or organization who has significantly advanced plain language through their work and represented the profession of plain language with the highest integrity and skill.
A person’s plain language work can be in any language and take a variety of forms:
- Significant research in the field of plain language
- Extensive experience in developing and presenting plain language training
- Extensive experience in writing or editing documents using plain language
- A body of publications about plain language
- Successful leadership in public plain language projects
- Significant volunteer contribution to a plain language organization
Eligibility
To be considered, a person must be nominated by a PLAIN member. Their nomination must:
- be in writing (maximum of 5 pages total for nominating and supporting documents)
- document the nominee’s achievements, referring to the criteria shown above
- be supported by another member of PLAIN and at least one other person active in the plain language profession who doesn’t have to be a member of PLAIN.
To be eligible for the award, a recipient should (but doesn’t have to) be a PLAIN member. Serving PLAIN Board members are not eligible for the award.
2025 Winner
Heloisa Fischer
Brazil
Transformed public communication in Brazil through the Comunica Simples Method — the country’s first structured plain language teaching methodology.
Previous winners
| Ginny Redish · USA | 2023 |
| Enliven · Australia | 2021 |
| Neil James · Australia | 2019 |
| Deborah Bosley · USA | 2017 |
| Annetta Cheek · USA | 2015 |
| Martin Cutts · UK | 2013 |
The Cheryl Stephens Innovation Award
The Cheryl Stephens Innovation Award honours PLAIN co-founder Cheryl Stephens. This award recognises the intellectual contribution of the awardee as well as the gratitude from our plain language community.
Call for nominations
We notify members by email and through social media when nominations are open. You can nominate yourself (or your organization) or someone else (or their organization).
Selection process
We notify members by email and through social media when nominations are open. You can nominate yourself (or your organization) or someone else (or their organization).
01
The PLAIN Board establishes a selection committee chaired by a Board member to select the award winners.
02
Announcement of the winners
A member of the PLAIN Board advises successful nominees a few months before the conference.
03
The awards are presented to the winners at the PLAIN conference award ceremony.
Previous winners
2025
Heloisa Fischer
Brazil
Brussels, Belgium
2023
Ginny Redish
United States
Buenos Aires, Argentina
2021
Enliven Victoria
Australia
Online
2019
Neil James
Australia
Oslo, Norway
2017
Annetta Cheek
United States
Graz, Austria
2015
Lynda Harris
New Zealand
Dublin, Ireland
2013
Martin Cutts
United Kingdom
Vancouver, Canada
2011
Barbro Ehrenberg-Sundin
Sweden
Stockholm, Sweden
2009
Christine Mowat
Canada
Sydney, Australia
2009
Peter Butt
Australia
Sydney, Australia
2009
Robert Eagleson
Australia
Sydney, Australia
2007
Mark Adler
United Kingdom
Amsterdam, Netherlands
2007
Joe Kimble
United States
Amsterdam, Netherlands
