Submissions for M3AAWG’s JD Falk and Mary Litynski Awards are now open, offering an excellent opportunity to recognize individuals who are selflessly working to create a world free of online abuse.

Nominations for the J.D. Falk Award must be submitted by August 11, 2025. This award aims to recognize people fighting online abuse while also embodying J.D. Falk's spirit of volunteerism and community building. It will be presented at M3AAWG’s 65th General Meeting in Charlotte, NC, taking place October 13-16, 2025.

For those intending to submit a nomination for the Mary Litynski Award, the deadline is December 1, 2025. This lifetime achievement award seeks to honor individuals who operate out of the public’s limelight in their pursuit of a world free of online abuse. It will be presented at our 66th General Meeting, held February 16-19, 2026, in San Diego, CA.

“These awards recognize individuals who might otherwise not receive the accolades they deserve. In our industry, many prefer to focus on getting the job done without ever seeking the recognition they rightfully deserve. I highly encourage anyone who knows someone who fits the criteria for either of these awards to submit their nominations now,” said Amy Cadigan, M3AAWG Executive Director.

J.D. Falk Award

The J.D. Falk Award was last presented to Tom School for his work related to IP Spoofing Mitigation. It recognizes those who have helped honor the legacy of J.D. Falk and acknowledges a particularly strong achievement in fighting online abuse. J.D. was a deeply passionate and creative individual and served as a founding member of M3AAWG. Unlike the Mary Litynski Award, which is intended to honor a lifetime of achievement, this award focuses on a specific item of work. You can read about past recipients here.

Mary Litynski Award

In 2010, the cybersecurity community lost a titan with the passing of Mary Litynski. M3AAWG created this lifetime achievement award to honor her selfless contributions and the behind-the-scenes work she was instrumental in, which laid the foundation of M3AAWG. Most recently, in February 2025, the award was presented to Kevin A. McGrail (KAM). You can read about past recipients here.

Now is the time to recognize the unsung heroes in the community. Whether you're nominating someone for a specific contribution or a lifetime of behind-the-scenes impact, your submission helps highlight the people making a real difference in the fight against online abuse.