NEW YORK, May 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Each year, Choose Creativity, powered by the Lulu & Leo Fund, selects trailblazers who lead with creativity and inspire it within their respective industries and beyond for the 5th Annual Choose Creativity Awards. The 2026 honorees are Lina Polimeni, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer - Consumer, Eli Lilly and Company; Craig Thomas, novelist and co-creator of How I Met Your Mother; and Monica Lewinsky, activist, writer, producer, public speaker, and podcast host.

Polimeni, Thomas, and Lewinsky will be honored on June 2, 2026 at The Choose Creativity Awards (“CCAs”) in New York City, the proceeds of which fund the delivery of its flagship curriculum, Learn with Creative Confidence, to under-resourced schools across NYC Public Schools and beyond. The program is centered on the 10 Principles of Creativity, developed by Marina and Kevin Krim, to empower children to develop into confident, resilient learners. To date, Choose Creativity has reached over 1,800 educators and 30,000 children.

“The 2026 CCAs celebrate three extraordinary, diverse creative heroes, proving that creativity is a universal foundation for success, no matter the field or background,” said Marina Krim, co-founder, Creative Director, and board member. “We know from experience that supporting and promoting the power of creative confidence matters. Choose Creativity more than doubled its reach this school year, bringing our curriculum to twice as many schools. We train educators on how to spark creative confidence and resilience in their students while empowering families and the whole school community to champion kids’ innate creativity. And the measurable impact – from higher student attendance rates to fewer behavioral interventions and higher teacher morale – has ripple effects emanating far beyond these classrooms.”

Lina Polimeni will receive the Inspired Leadership Award. “Creativity has always been part of how I think. It's part of how I approach the world. I always tell my team, creativity doesn't happen at work. You don't get the good ideas from work. You get the good ideas in the moments in life,” said Lina in her profile video recorded for the event. Read Lina’s bio here.

Lina’s award will be presented by CEO and Founder of Thrive Global, Arianna Huffington.

Craig Thomas will receive the Intuitive Writer Award. “I have always defined myself as a creative person. I never knew any other way to exist. Every big decision in my life I've made has been out of creativity. And when I look back at it now, I'm so in awe of all of these really courageous leaps. I appreciate my past self for doing that. I can't believe I did, but all of it was always in pursuit of creativity,” said Craig in his profile video recorded for the event. Read Craig’s bio here.

Craig’s award will be presented by actor, writer, musician, and filmmaker Josh Radnor.

Monica Lewinsky will receive the Authentic Storyteller Award. "Storytelling has always been an act of survival for me. To be recognized for telling stories authentically, with all the complexity and humanity that requires, means more than I can express. I hope it encourages others to trust that their truth, however hard it was to live, is worth sharing”. Read Monica’s bio here.

Monica’s award will be presented by advisor, author, attorney, speaker, angel investor, and idea acupuncturist, Anjali Kumar.

“This year’s Choose Creativity Award recipients—Lina Polimeni, Craig Thomas, and Monica Lewinsky—are not just creative heroes to us and many others, they are relentless innovators in wildly different fields, united by a deep commitment to the principles of creativity that power our mission. It’s no surprise that the 5th Annual CCAs have attracted a record number of sponsors who care about supporting creativity in their communities. Every dollar raised at the CCAs allows us to expand our impact, bringing our Learn with Creative Confidence curriculum to even more under-resourced schools and their teachers, students, and families. We are honored to celebrate these transformative leaders and, through their support, continue building a movement that drives lasting, positive impact in our communities,” said co-founder and chairman Kevin Krim.

The Choose Creativity Awards are generously sponsored by ASCAP, Disney Advertising, TelevisaUnivision, Comcast Advertising, Google, Klick Health, Integral Ad Science, Mediamint, Paramount Advertising, NBCU Advertising & Partnerships, Tubi Media Group, Versant Media, Adweek, Alvarez & Marsal, Amazon Ads, DoubleVerify, EDO, FOX Advertising, LiveRamp, McDermott Will & Schulte, Netflix Ads, Nielsen, Paul Weiss, Shamrock Capital, Spectrum Reach, Taboola, and Warner Bros. Discovery.

For more information about the Choose Creativity Awards, visit: https://choosecreativity.org/choose-creativity-awards/

Press Contact:
Danielle DeVoren
ddevoren@kcsa.com