Mayo woman wins Judges’ Choice at National Tech Awards

BERNIE Murtagh, native of Falleighter, Aughamore, has been crowned the Judges’ Choice winner in the Digital & Tech category at the 2025 Women in Business Excellence Awards, held at Hotel Kilkenny yesterday.

The independent modern workplace consultant stood out among finalists from across Ireland for her innovative approach to employee engagement and digital community building.

“I was unable to attend the awards ceremony in person, so receiving the news that I had won Judges’ Choice was incredibly special,” Bernie said after receiving the award. “It proves that geography doesn’t limit impact - you can build a thriving digital consultancy from anywhere.

“It’s a great honour to be selected for this prestigious award, especially when up against such talented and diverse women in business across Ireland. Shout-out to the judges, who had the tough task of reviewing so many finalists’ nominations and selecting the winners in each category.

“It’s a proud day for the Aughamore parish, and for my parents, Paddy and Margaret, who have always been my biggest supporters. I’m delighted to celebrate this honour with them over a pot of tea and cake!”

Bernie’s win recognises her work transforming how organisations use platforms like Microsoft Viva Engage. As founder of Engage with Bernie, she has built a reputation for reviewing and deploying networks with recommendations that turn digital platforms into vibrant community spaces where employees genuinely want to connect, collaborate, and build a sense of belonging from anywhere.

Her philosophy is simple but powerful: “Platforms don’t build culture. People do.”

This recognition adds to an impressive list of accolades, including being named a Top 5 Global Viva Engage Expert, a LinkedIn Community Top Voice, and winner of a European Community Manager Award.

Bernie regularly shares her insights through business publications and works closely with the Microsoft Customer Connections community, helping both clients and the Microsoft Viva Engage team develop user-experience solutions for thriving digital communities.

Beyond her client work, Bernie is deeply involved in female-led business networks, where she both shares her experiences and learns from other women navigating the digital business landscape.

The Women in Business Excellence Awards (#IrishWIBN #WIBEAs), organised by the Irish Women in Business Network, celebrate innovation and success across six business sectors nationwide. Bernie was crowned Judges’ Choice in the Digital & Tech sector.