Tampa Bay Chamber Women of Influence 2026 | JW Marriott Water Street

Some events you photograph and some events you feel. The Tampa Bay Chamber's 20th Annual Women of Influence Luncheon is always the latter — and March 27, 2026 at the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street was one of the most powerful rooms I have had the privilege of standing in as a Tampa event photographer.

Over 700 women leaders from across Tampa Bay gathered for this milestone 20th anniversary celebration, and from the moment guests arrived at the Women of Influence sign in the pre-function space, the energy was electric.

The 20th Annual Women of Influence Luncheon — A Tampa Bay Institution

Since 2006, the Tampa Bay Chamber's Women of Influence Luncheon has brought together the most accomplished, passionate, and community-minded women in Tampa Bay. Now in its 20th year, this event has grown into one of the most anticipated dates on Tampa's corporate and civic calendar.

This year's luncheon was presented by Tampa General Hospital, with an incredible roster of sponsors including USAA, Buchanan, Encore, Visit Tampa Bay, Porter Wright, Shumaker, TECO, the University of Tampa, University of South Florida, Verizon, the Tampa Bay Times, and Delta — a testament to just how deeply the Tampa Bay business community invests in celebrating women's leadership.

The Women of Influence committee — a dedicated group of women who pour their hearts into making this event happen year after year — gathered for a group photo before the luncheon began, and I love having the chance to document the team behind the magic.

The Room Before the Room Fills Up

One of my favorite moments to photograph at any Tampa corporate event is the ballroom before guests arrive. The JW Marriott Tampa Water Street never disappoints — blush pink linens, warm ambient lighting, a beautifully designed stage with the signature geometric backdrop, and that quiet anticipation that hangs in the air before 700 people walk through the doors.

It is the calm before the most inspiring storm.

The Dottie Berger MacKinnon Award — The Moment That Stops the Room

Every single year, the presentation of the Dottie Berger MacKinnon Woman of Influence Award is the moment I prepare for most carefully. The winner does not know it is coming. The room does not know who it will be. And I only have one chance to capture the exact moment it all lands.

This year that moment belonged to Sandra Murman — the first Republican woman to serve as Speaker Pro-Tempore of the Florida House Chamber and a decades-long champion of women in leadership and children's advocacy in Tampa Bay.

She was totally shocked and happened to be sitting next to Bob Buckhorn, such a great reaction to her finding out she won!

9 of the past Dottie Berger MacKinnon Award recipients also gathered for a historic group photo — a stunning visual legacy of the women who have shaped this community over the past two decades.

Keynote: Judy Smith — The Real Life Olivia Pope

If you have ever watched Scandal on ABC, you know the character Olivia Pope — the unflappable crisis communications genius played by Kerry Washington. What most people don't know is that Olivia Pope is based on a real person: Judy Smith, one of the most accomplished crisis strategists in the world.

The 2026 Women of Influence keynote featured an intimate conversation with Judy Smith — and what made this year so special was the live audience Q&A portion. Judy moved through the room with a microphone, engaging directly with guests at their tables, and the energy was unlike anything I have photographed at this event before. Women were on the edge of their seats, hands raised, laughing, nodding, taking notes.

Capturing Judy mid-conversation in a packed room of 700 women who were hanging on her every word — that is the kind of Tampa corporate event photography moment that reminds me why I love this work.

We specialize in Tampa corporate event photography, nonprofit galas, fundraising luncheons, and conferences across the Tampa Bay area including St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Florida's Gulf Coast.

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