MONROVIA, Oct. 6 -- Liberian entrepreneur and media personality LeAnn Knowlden has earned recognition in three African countries this year, adding continental attention to a career that began with a student newspaper she launched as a teenager.

Knowlden, founder and CEO of Monrovia-based Top Agency, was named among Africa's Top 100 Female Leaders 2026 by the SOWA Awards in Zimbabwe. In Tanzania, Iconic Africa named her Iconic Woman of the Year 2026 in the Business Leadership and Social Impact category. In Ghana, she was listed among the 100 Most Influential Africans in Infrastructure 2026.

The three honors cover different areas: women's leadership, business and social impact, and infrastructure.

Early start in media

Knowlden's interes...