YWCA Lower Cape Fear's
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Congratulations 2022 Women of Achievement Nominees!
North Carolina Criminal Defense Attorney www.duhelaw.com | (910) 763-3442 Board Certified State Criminal Law Specialist proudly serving Brunswick, New Hanover, and Pender Counties.
The Women of Achievement Awards is the YWCA Lower Cape Fear's signature fundraiser to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of women and young leaders in our community. YWCA's Women of Achievement Awards serve as a building block for the YWCA to help raise funds necessary to support our mission-driven programs that work to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, dignity for all people, to strengthen programs, increase visibility, and expand outreach. Your support through sponsorships and donations all goes towards the sustainability of the organization.
Evelyn Bryant President
Susanne Adams
Poonam Kahlon
Wanda Coley
Lauren McConville
Donna Dawson
Joan McKillop
Meaghan Dennison
Rachel Nadeau
Lynne Jones
Sheri Shaw
Event Co-Chairs
Wanda Coley
Lauren McConville
Rachel Nadeau Grace D'Angelis
Velva Jenkins
Adrienne Moore
Ashley Lomboy
Lois Cook Steele
Amy Mangus
Katie Tate
Vanessa A. Gonzalez Vice President Ashley Lomboy Secretary Tammika Brown Treasurer Velva Jenkins CEO, YWCA Lower Cape Fear
Eileen McConville
The YWCA Lower Cape Fear is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. For 108 years, the YWCA Lower Cape Fear has been at the forefront of the most critical social movements, from women's empowerment and civil rights, to violence prevention, health care and equal pay. We are proud to be the oldest and largest women's movement, providing services for women and their families in the Cape Fear area. Since 1985 the YWCA has supported women in the Cape Fear area who are taking steps towards financial independence to actualize a new job, larger savings account, or a new business. YWCA works to empower women, eliminate barriers, and provide resources and support that allow women to become full participants in the economic mainstream of our community. Our mission-driven programs, services, and initiatives have evolved to include child care services, youth enrichment, multi-level aquatics programming, and racial equity and social justice education.
We have an opportunity in the Lower Cape Fear to adjust and create innovative ways to meet the needs of the community and propel us all forward to a more just and equitable future. Almost two years later, we are still living through a global pandemic that has unearthed social and economic inequities and was a breaking point for systems that have failed American women and people of color for generations. YWCA Lower Cape Fear continues to move our mission to eliminate racism and empower women forward through our wrap-around programs and services. YWCA provides resources, support, and hands-on training for people, particularly women, who are working towards self-sufficiency, as well as wrap-around services like accessible and affordable childcare, transportation, health literacy, and more. We cannot do this work alone. With the strength of people and the power of community we can endure. Your support of the 36th Annual Women of Achievement Awards will ensure that we continue to deliver life-changing services to those most in need.
Women of Achievement Nominees
Public Service Stefanie Adams has fifteen years of experience working in education and human resources. She has a master's in multicultural education and is a passionate advocate for public schools. In 2020, Stefanie founded the company WNY People Development, which provides leadership coaching and training for emerging leaders. In addition to running her company, Stefanie is a member of the New Hanover County School Board. In her role on the School Board, Stefanie guided the onboarding process of a new Superintendent while facilitating difficult conversations regarding school safety and reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Business Tanya Armour is a graduate of Kent State University and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. She currently serves as the Director of Philanthropy at Novant Health. In her role, Tanya secures funding for various special causes at the hospital. This year, she secured over $100,000 in donations to assist families going through breast cancer and cancer treatments at Novant Hospital. Her personal mission is to help Novant patients overcome social determinants of health by securing and maintaining funding to build strong relationships between the Hospital and community. Prior to her work at Novant, Tanya worked in fundraising with the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and the University of Cincinnati. She served as the Director of Development and major gifts at UNCW. Tanya is an active member of the community serving alongside her husband as he pastors St. Luke A.M.E. Zion Church. As a member of Delta Sigma Theta, she is committed to the empowerment of women. In addition to her service work, Tanya has completed multiple marathons and she supports and mentors women who want to create healthier lifestyle changes.
Trailblazer Sara Auld is creating affordability and accessibility to health and wellness across America. In 2017 she founded Health Possible, a nonprofit taking wellness into the HealthShare industry, providing people a true financial partner in holistic healthcare. Health Possible has helped people across all backgrounds afford health and wellness services and normalizing frequent year-round visits with holistic experts. Amid the pandemic, Sara started her second company, Upper, a wellness tech company that providers join to sell their appointments, services, memberships, and programs direct to consumers. Upper is a nationwide company designed to create access to wellness and grow all people — from the consumer to the professional. In addition to her businesses, Sara has been the Wilmington Marathon 5k Captain since 2017, as well as Head Coach of the New Hanover High School Girls Varsity Soccer. She’s served on boards and committees for the County, University, Hospital, & nonprofits over the years.
Public Service Marla Barthen is an experienced Registered Nurse and Board Certified Patient Advocate in the Wilmington, NC community. Throughout her professional and personal life, she has focused her efforts on humanitarian causes and social activism. A skilled nurse by trade, Marla served as a nursing director, patient advocate, and contract nurse. She worked with patients in a wide range of ways, from direct care to health education. Currently, Marla is the co-president of the League of Women Voters of the Lower Cape Fear and has dedicated her time to educate and enfranchise voters and to advocate for important social issues, such as Medicaid expansion, equity and inclusion and supporting the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment.
Health & Wellness Marianne Billeter is a graduate of Purdue Pharmacy School and currently serves as a Pharmacy Manager of Inpatient Care Services at Novant Health/New Hanover Regional Medical Center. Marianne was instrumental in starting the COVID-19 vaccine clinic for employees and the community at Novant Health/NHRMC. Her leadership and charge in taking over the vaccine coordination and administration efforts has enabled the community to receive over 100,000 vaccine doses. Marianne mentors and supports licensed female pharmacists to set goals for professional development. Under her efforts, pharmacists obtained recognition for their work at the hospital as well as other pharmacy organizations at the regional and national levels. Marianne volunteers her time and effort to make safe medication disposal available to the community.
Public Service Margaret Bordeaux, a CDC Foundation Assignee, currently serves as the Justice-Involved Overdose Prevention Specialist for the NC Division of Public Health. Margaret specializes in community-based and justice system-based overdose prevention and harm reduction education. Margaret has dedicated her career to working in the intersections where social justice and public health meet. Margaret's advocacy efforts prioritize women, especially Black women, who are often overlooked and sometimes harmed by traditional public health and justice system interventions. In 2017, Margaret graduated from Shaw University with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a minor in Psychology. She is currently pursuing an Executive Master of Public Health at Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.
Arts & Culture Lesa Rogers Broadhead received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance and drama from East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, and a Master of Arts degree in choreography and performance from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX. In addition, she received a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training certification in 2016. Professionally she has performed with The Cleveland Opera and The Atlanta Ballet, and has held teaching posts at Louisiana State University, Huntingdon College, Kent State University, and the University of Akron. Mrs. Broadhead’s choreography includes reconstructing classical ballet favorites, and contemporary works on historical and societal issues, such as the Holocaust. In 1995, she was artist-in-residence at De Montfort University in Bedford, England, choreographing her first international Holocaust-related dance work. In 1999, she presented three of her Holocaust-related dance works at The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., co-sponsored by the museum and the Embassy of Israel. These dance works have been the stimuli for writing her first book, “ASHES AT THE ROOTS OF TREE: A Choreographic Journey of the Holocaust”. Currently, she serves as the director of Dance Theatre at DREAMS, and teaches Dance Appreciation online at Brunswick Community College, as well as teaching for Foresight Fitness at Plantation Village in Wilmington, NC.
Health & Wellness Dr. Jessica Burkett is a Family Medicine Physician at Wilmington Health. Dr. Burkett graduated from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. She completed her Cabarrus Family Medicine internship and residency at Northeast Medical Center in Concord, NC. She joined the Wilmington Health Physician Team nearly 20 years ago and treats patients from birth through life at the Monkey Junction Office. Dr. Burkett serves on the board as the physician consultant to Wilmington CareNet, and is the supervising physician for the New Hanover County Public Health Clinic where she directly supervises Nurse Practitioners who provide care to members of the community at the local department of health and human services. She is an active member of her church, Masonboro Baptist Church, and is raising two teenagers to be kind, independent, and fruitful members of the community.
Health & Wellness Kelly Cahill is the Community Nurse Educator at Lower Cape Fear LifeCare (formerly Lower Cape Fear Hospice) where she provides unparalleled clinical and educational leadership to the organization, helping it develop into one of the region’s largest nonprofits serving thousands of patients and families. At Lower Cape Fear LifeCare (LCFL), Kelly has served in a number of critical roles. She began as the first clinical liaison to provide a connection between LCFL, acute care settings, and their seriously ill patients. Kelly’s success in this position propelled LCFL to continue to invest in the position. In recent years, Kelly has focused on her role as a community and professional educator, providing specialized education, training, and mentorship to countless clinicians across North and South Carolina. Her expertise is extensive, and she has become the face/voice for awareness and understanding of quality end-of-life care. Throughout her career Kelly has served as a mentor, formally and informally, to a vast number of female clinicians. She continually works with nursing assistants encouraging them to earn advanced degrees and take on leadership responsibilities. She also serves as a guide to agency nurses seeking specialized certifications in hospice and palliative care. Kelly is on a mission to help prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals.
Education Sabrina T. Cherry, DrPH has worked for nearly 20 years within the field of public health. Her professional experience started as a Peace Corps Volunteer in The Gambia, West Africa. Dr. Cherry currently serves as the Architect and Interim Director for UNCW’s Equity Institute. The goal of the Institute is to enhance and amplify equity-focused community based and placed initiatives, combining two decades of health equity, justice, and inclusivity work that Dr. Cherry has co-led. Dr. Cherry also served as part of a research team that won the 2018 National Economic Development Award from the University Economic Development Association Awards of Excellence and is the recipient of the Distinguished Scholarly Engagement and Public Service Award (Jr. category) awarded by UNCW. Her primary research interests are the intersection of health disparities and social justice, as well as qualitative research. Dr. Cherry earned a Master of Public Health degree from the University of South Carolina, a Master of Theological Studies from Emory University, and a Doctorate of Public Health, as well as a certificate in Interdisciplinary Qualitative Research from the University of Georgia.
Health & Wellness Claire Corbett serves as the Director of Performance Excellence at Novant Health/New Hanover Regional Medical Center. Through her 19 years in healthcare Claire has served as a paramedic, developed a regional system to treat heart attacks, and established an award-winning interventional stroke program. She was faculty on the American Heart Association’s National Accelerator Demonstration Project, implementing heart attack systems across the country. Claire served in the COVID-19 crisis as a leader in both the operations command and vaccine distribution efforts. Her leadership ensured teams had access to the best PPE for caring for COVID-19 patients and high-risk procedures. Recently, Claire was one of two leaders recognized as a Healthcare Hero by the North Carolina Healthcare Association for exemplary efforts in leading the COVID-19 vaccination mission for Novant Health/New Hanover Regional Medical Center. She also served on the board of Smart Start for six years, focusing on early childhood development. Claire lives in Wilmington with her husband, Timothy, and two children.
Rachel Freeman Unsung Hero Franchon Francees is the CEO of Healing Your Almond (Amygdala), a firm that aims to create customized solutions to bring belonging, emotional intelligence, and increased productivity into the workplace. A licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Certified Trauma Practitioner and Trainer, Franchon founded Healing Your Almond in 2019, utilizing her expertise in both trauma and emotional intelligence to help companies address employee stress and team efficiency. Franchon, a Native American and African American, was taught from a young age to take care of people and invest in future generations. With her team of mental health therapists, Franchon is touching hundreds of lives through employee wellness workshops, including diversity, inclusion and authentic leadership, business consulting, and certified trauma training. Franchon is on a mission to make the discussion of mental health mainstream, especially in the workplace.
Advocacy & Social Justice
Shirley Freeman is an advocate for Native American rights in the state and for the Waccamaw Siouan Tribe. She has advocated for tribal rights in education and funding for more than 30 years. She started working for the Southeastern Chapter (SENCLAND) of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), representing all seven uniformed services and members in camaraderie, leadership, service, community, and programming. In 1964, she started attending New Hope Baptist Church, served on the program committee, as VBS director, then as a Sunday School Teacher, and continued working at the Waccamaw Siouan Tribal Center in that role for 23 years. During that time, the Commission of Indian Affairs originated through the state of North Carolina and she was first appointed by the Chief to serve on the commission. Shirley was on the first local tribal council board for the Waccamaw Siouan in 1969. Altogether she has served on the board a total of 15 years representing the Waccamaw Siouan People. She serves on three committees under the Commission of Indian Affairs. Her husband passed away in 1995, at which time she decided to direct her time and energy into the Columbus County Public School system. She started as a Career-Based Initiative (CBI) technician and as soon as the tutoring position within the school system opened in 2002, she started working with Title IV Indian Education where she remains to this day. Shirley was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in May 2002 by Governor Mike Easley.
Public Service
Ann Freeman is the Assistant Secretary to the Board of Trustees at UNCW and is a Budget Manager for the Chancellor’s Division. Her dedication and hard work extends beyond the walls of the Executive Offices. Ann is someone who sees a need in the community and then puts her whole heart into filling it. She saw that in our coastal community Black children are over five times more likely to drown than white children. Her research for her master’s degree focused on swim safety in the Cape Fear region. Ann partnered with UNCW athletics, swim coaches, the Office of Community Engagement, the Center for Marine Science, and the College of Health and Human Services, among others to create a Learn to Swim Program. This program has real life-saving impacts. With its success, Ann extended her efforts and started Sister Swim, a group to encourage Black women to swim together. She is on a mission to make swimming lessons part of the public school curriculum so that all children in the Wilmington community can develop the life-saving skill of swimming, regardless of economic status or race.
Advocacy & Social Justice
Mayra Galeano, MD fled war-torn Nicaragua with her family when she was nine and moved to Eastern Tennessee. Her advocacy work started at age 18, when she moved to Durham, North Carolina for college and led efforts to address equity for students of color at Duke University, the immigrant Latino population in Durham, and for farm and textile workers. After completing her undergraduate studies, she worked with the Children’s Environmental Health Initiative at the Nicholas School of the Environment for nearly 10 years with research focused on advancing environmental justice while working with community-based organizations locally, nationally, and internationally. This work included capacity-building components to ensure a sustainable base for advocacy in communities across the US, Central America, and the Caribbean. Her understanding of the impact of the environment on health and how social stressors and social capital influence health outcomes led her to pursue a career in primary care, to work with families directly and communities collaboratively to help them achieve their fullest potential. Dr. Galeano is currently the Chief Medical Officer for MedNorth Health Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center, where she advocates for better healthcare access for underserved populations on a daily basis. She is also Community Faculty with the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Program, and Adjunct Assistant Professor with UNC School of Medicine.
Advocacy & Social Justice
Donna Gargett holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and has worked in the human service field since 2002. She is a published poet, artist and is currently working in the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resilience, the hurricane recovery division for the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. She has served as a State Leader for Decoding Dyslexia from 2016-2020. Donna has wide-ranging experience in and around the employment and disability sectors such as direct care, supported employment, job development and coaching, mental health and developmental disabilities, case management, and supported services in learning disabilities. Donna, dyslexic herself, started her advocacy work when her daughter, Bella, was diagnosed with dyslexia in 2015. Later her other daughter, Ava, was diagnosed with ADHD and showed early warning signs for dyslexia in 2016. It is that combined work and personal experience that drives her passion for the nonprofit, Blank Canvas Awareness Art, Inc., that provides support and resources to families of children with dyslexia and ADHD diagnoses. She volunteers with the NAACP-Parent Council and helped form the Special Education Parent Teacher Association. Donna is passionate about helping both children and adults, driving to educate the public in an empathic manner and advocating for children and their families to have all the tools they need to be successful.
Young Leader
Diana Gomez is a dedicated, intelligent and compassionate student at New Hanover High School (NHHS). She has dedicated hundreds of hours to her school and community; inspiring other students and staff to do the same. Always one to go beyond expectations when it came to assignments, volunteering, and engagement. Diana volunteered with Operation Pretty Things, an organization that focused on supporting survivors of domestic violence; spending extra time outside of school to help the organization with fundraising efforts. Diana is a servant leader who puts community first. She organized a mental health awareness week at NHHS, a school-wide competition to collect items for those experiencing homelessness, a school clean up day, and a resource fair. Diana has not let any barrier stop her from success – including language, Hurricane Florence, losing a classmate, and attending school during a pandemic in the hybrid-learning model. She has stayed dedicated to her work and community, and uplifted others amidst the chaos. Diana is on a mission to promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all, improving the world one person, one community at a time.
Education
Marilyn Graham has a diverse background that blends small business ownership, an MBA, speaking multiple languages, fundraising, relationship building, and curriculum development. She currently serves as the Director for Multicultural Workforce Training and Recruitment at Brunswick Community College. Marilyn’s recent efforts are focused on resource development, language development, and advice for minority entrepreneurs. She has significantly improved the frequency and availability of bilingual workforce training and literacy education for adults in the Lower Cape Fear. Marilyn has assisted hundreds of non-native English speakers with valuable credentials that lead to better wages, removing economic barriers so that Hispanic/Latino families can achieve stable wages in our local economy. She created certification programs for women pursuing administrative careers, helped create financial literacy programs with area nonprofits, assists with the creation of bilingual entrepreneur workshops and seminars, awarded hundreds of industry-recognized credentials to students, and built relationships with public schools, counselors, and PTAs in order to strengthen involvement of minority parents in schools. In addition to her work at Brunswick Community College, Marilyn is an advisor for the state government, a nationally certified instructor, and small business center advisor. In her spare time, Marilyn enjoys assisting public schools with connecting Hispanic/Latino families with services and resources.
Health & Wellness
Deborah Hess, MD is a urologist and pelvic surgeon with expertise in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS) at Wilmington Health, and is currently the only FPMRStrained urologist/urogynecologist within a 100-mile radius of the Wilmington area. Dr. Hess received a Bachelor of Art and Bachelor of Engineering from Dartmouth College and her Medical Diploma from the University of Michigan School of Medicine, where she also completed a Master’s of Science in Clinical Research. She went on to complete a Urology Residency at the Harvard Program in Urology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA. Dr. Hess completed a Fellowship Program in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX. She is a co-founder of the WH Women’s Center of Excellence, which is structured to provide a full array of women’s health services, including primary care, obstetrics, gynecology, radiology, pelvic floor, incontinence care, urogynecology, and cardiology. Dr. Hess is committed to provide equitable access to care for all patients, and with the creation of the WH Women’s Center of Excellence she has eased the ability for everyone in our community to access high-quality care. Dr. Hess is an U.S. Army veteran.
Education Michaela Howells, PhD is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at UNCW. Her research, teaching, and volunteer work focus on health disparities in women and other marginalized communities. She takes a purposeful, anti-racist approach to teaching that strives to create an engaging, safe, and challenging environment for her students. Throughout her time in Wilmington and at UNCW, she has created multiple, substantial applied learning opportunities that connect students with community partners (e.g. NAACP, LGBTQIA Center of the Cape Fear Coast, SEEDS of Healing, SAGE), and the global health community (e.g. Samoa, Indonesia, Guatemala). Whether leading community projects that address poverty (e.g. Periods Don’t Stop for Pandemics), collaborating as part of a team (“The AIDS Quilts Come to Wilmington”), or participating in community activism opportunities (e.g. Race Matters Book Discussion), Dr. Howells’s impact has been significant in the relatively short time she has been at UNCW and in Wilmington. Her work exemplifies the YWCA’s mission of eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
Public Service
Pamela Jacobs is the Chairwoman of the Waccamaw Siouan Tribe of North Carolina and the Director of Small Business Center at Southeastern Community College. In her role as Chairwoman, she has led the Waccamaw Siouan Tribe throughout the pandemic, helping her community by bringing in new services like accessible housing, food, and bill coverage. Pamela also runs the Tribe’s Women’s Empowerment Program, the Waccamaw Siouan Ambassador program, and leads a seven member council. Under her leadership, the community is being recognized and represented within Columbus County, and within the state. Pamela served on the Board of Directors for the American Indian Women of Proud Nations to tackle food sovereignty for the Tribe. In addition to working in her community, Pamela owns Songbird Enterprises, which helps minority-owned companies with start-up, expansion, and project procurement. Pamela is on a mission to share the story and history of the Waccamaw Siouan People and to continue to empower and protect the tribal community.
Advocacy & Social Justice
Lekeshia W. Jarrett, MD is a Family Medicine Physician with Wilmington Health. She and her family moved to Wilmington from Atlanta three years ago. Dr. Jarrett received her Bachelor of Science in biology at Xavier University of Louisiana and earned her Doctor of Medicine at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. She completed her internship and residency in Family Practice and Community Medicine at the University of South Alabama. Dr. Jarrett is board certified in family medicine. She is a true advocate for social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Dr. Jarrett is an active member of the YWCA Lower Cape Fear and moderated a “Talk on Health” with the YWCA, a series created to educate, advocate, and empower the community to take charge of their health and work with the systems to close health disparities. She has been interviewed on WECT News, educating and dispelling myths about people of color and COVID-19. She is also a member of the Wilmington Chapter of The Links, Inc., one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining, and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.
Public Service Samenthia Jones began her career in law enforcement as a jail officer at the Pender County Jail in 1991. She was promoted to Sergeant of Operations a few years later, and then was promoted to the Jail Administrator, where she served for 22 years, retiring in 2019. Samenthia was the longest standing Jail Administrator in North Carolina. She currently serves on the Pender County Health and Human Services Board; the Pender County YWCA Trailblazers; and has been active in Relay for Life and Special Olympics. Samenthia currently attends Instructor Training to help shape future generations of law enforcement professionals and advance the vision of law enforcement. She is a woman of character, grace, and joy. Her career path was difficult, especially for a woman, but she excelled through the ranks because of her knowledge, care, and community involvement.
Public Service Monique Jones served in the military for eighteen years. She served in the United States Army Reserves from 2003 - 2007, and is currently Active Duty in the United States Coast Guard. Monique is breaking down barriers as one of the few women of color in the Information Technology field in the military; showing young girls what they are capable of accomplishing. She uses her skills to support each Coast Guard unit throughout the United States. In addition to her military service, Monique is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated and Kappa Epsilon Psi Military Sorority Incorporated where she devotes time to the Wilmington and Leland communities. She volunteers her crochet skills to knit scarves for the local women’s shelter; she participates in the Back to School supply drive each year. The list of her volunteer activities is long, which shows just how dedicated she is to her community: highway clean up, playground revitalization, laying wreaths, Special Olympics, cooking for homeless Veterans, and volunteering at the Salvation Army. Monique is on a mission to lead by example in creating a kind and compassionate world.
Young Leader
Emily Lain is a driven and determined student at New Hanover High School (NHHS). Emily has navigated maintaining a rigorous academic course load throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Emily volunteered as a tutor with the Striving to Achieve Excellence (STAE) program at NHHS where she helped freshman and sophomores with academic needs.
Public Service Sara LaVere is the Director of the Brunswick County Board of Elections, and has held that position for nearly eight years. In that time she has been asked to present at state conferences, attend national training sessions, and participate in statewide work groups to improve the election administration in North Carolina. Through her work, Sara strives to ensure all residents of Brunswick County have confidence that their votes are counted accurately. She works to share information with voters and keeps communication open about the process. Sara graduated from UNC Wilmington with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She lives in Leland with her husband, Zach, and her daughter.
Business
Isabela Lujan has an ability to build a community and sense of belonging for everyone she touches. Isabela was born in Venezuela, where she studied anthropology and the establishment of new deeds for land inhabited by indigenous people in Venezuela. Prior to her move to Wilmington, she was an entrepreneur and broker. Four years ago, Isabela moved to Wilmington and has since learned a new language and built a community around her that supports inclusion and diversity. Among her many accomplishments, Isabela is co-chair/cofounder of the Latin American Business Council (LABC) with the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. Through her leadership and unique Latinx perspective she has helped open doors to other minority business women. Isabela’s greatest gift is networking and connecting people. She is involved with many community organizations such as Co-Chair of the NC Azalea Festival Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Member of the Board of Trustees & ViceChair of the Education Committee of the Cameron Museum of Art, and a member of the UNCW Latino Alliance of Southeastern NC.
Health & Wellness
Mireya Lupercio, LCSW, is an Outpatient Mental Health Therapist with Clinica Latina at Coastal Horizons. In her role, she provides vital bilingual mental health services and therapy to community members, predominantly from the Hispanic community, regardless of income or immigration status. Mireya has a deep passion for providing quality mental health service to underserved communities; she fights to ensure that the systems in which those services are provided are equitable and culturally competent. Mireya is an advocate for social justice, having participated in various protests within the community standing against racism, and in support of women and immigrants’ rights. Shs is active in her community, serving on the New Hanover County Commission for Women, and volunteering throughout the city assisting in wellness events where Spanish speakers are needed, such as vaccine clinics. Mireya is on a mission to provide mental health services to the Latino/Hispanic community who have had an increase in psychological effects from the anti-immigrant policies and rhetoric of the former administration and the subsequent global pandemic.
Public Service
JC Lyle has served as Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry (WARM), Inc.’s Executive Director since 2009. Under her leadership, WARM's annual revenue and productivity have more than quadrupled. In 2009, the funds raised revenue was $143,450, WARM employed 3 part-timers, and served 60 households in 3 counties with 5,000 volunteer hours and job size averaging $3,800. In 2021, it was $2.9 million, its staff is 19 full-time + 1 part-time, it served 185 households in 5 counties with over 20,000 volunteer hours and job size averaging nearly $16,000. WARM enables women, particularly women of color who make up over half of WARM homeowners, to retain their greatest asset – their home, and build wealth. Before WARM, JC completed subdivision design, rezoning and permitting for commercial and residential development throughout coastal North Carolina. JC serves on the Planning Commission for the City of Wilmington and the North Carolina Housing Partnership, the board that oversees the state’s housing trust fund. She served as the Co-Chair on the Construction Committees Long Term Recovery Group and Chair of Cape Fear Housing Coalition. Her agenda as Chair of the Planning Commission is public education about affordable housing issues, the rezoning process, and development concepts as people see the City change around them. JC is on a mission to help the city keep affordable housing a priority.
Advocacy & Social Justice Laylah Marsh, a Publisher and Regional Account Manager, is an Alumna of University of Mount Olive and The University of North Carolina Wilmington. A master's student at University of Mount Olive training as a Clinician in Professional Counseling, she has future plans for a Ph.D. in Public Policy. Laylah is a mother of five biological children; Ethan, Brayden, Natalie, Gavin, and Chelsea. A life-long active volunteer, she has served in many facets of volunteerism in the Cape Fear region; some roles are Secretary on The Board of Governors for Girl’s Choir of Wilmington, President of Athletic Boosters at Roland Grise Middle School, Public Relations Coordinator for Parent Teacher Association at Holly Tree Elementary, Librarian Assistant at St. Mark's Catholic School, New Hanover County Arboretum, Reaching Hearts Women's Outreach Ministry, Stop Hunger Now, and served faithfully providing relief during COVID-19 Pandemic shutdown delivering weekly meals to homebound elders. Laylah is now dedicated to social justice advocacy in victims rights equitable due process for survivors of sexual assault. In her Professional Counselor identity and as a former First Fruit Ministries Sisters of Hope mentor, she advocates for behavioral health equity of marginalized communities. Laylah publishes uplifting social media content at her ministry page His Unity Grows Smiles (H.U.G.S.) She encourages action to serve selflessly in contributing to charitable, educational, or any worthwhile activity that lifts up the community through volunteerism.
Health & Wellness
Lisa McDowell is a Physician Assistant at Wilmington Health. She received her Master of Physician Assistant Studies from the Medical University of South Carolina and is a nationally certified Physician Assistant. In her role at Wilmington Health, Lisa encourages her patients, coworkers, and administrators to recognize the diversity in our community. She does this through daily meaningful conversations. Lisa is active in her church, serving as education chair and leading a study through Be the Bridge 101. Lisa attended the New Hanover County Race and Social Justice Institute and the Equity Focus Group through New Hanover County Schools. She is active in a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) workgroup at Wilmington Health. Lisa is on a mission to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workspace and community.
Education Linda Patrick serves as the Director of the Waccamaw Siouan Daycare and has held the position for the last 25 years. Linda created the program to be low cost and full of love to serve the Waccamaw Siouan Tribal community. She led the daycare center through the pandemic and through almost having to close its doors. With Linda’s dedication, she was able to keep the doors open to provide this crucial service for tribal families. After receiving an associate degree from Southeastern Community College in Early Childhood Education, she served as an assistant teacher at Hallsboro Elementary School, and then became a lead teacher at the Waccamaw Siouan Daycare. Linda understands the power of education and the importance of teaching about Native American culture. Her dedication and encouragement inspires her teachers to think outside the box and find creative ways to improve education.
Trailblazer
Mayra Robles quietly made history when she accepted the role as UNCW’s first admissions coordinator specifically dedicated to increasing higher education access for Spanishspeaking and Latinx communities. A first-generation Latina college graduate, Mayra found her footing as an advocate and young professional through UNCW Centro Hispano. Through Centro Hispano, Mayra mentored and supported dozens of students to graduate and move onto professional roles. Mayra continues to mentor and support the community through her volunteer work with Red Cross Cape Fear Chapter, Latino Alliance, College Foundation of North Carolina, Community in Schools Cape Fear, UNCW Hurricane Relief Efforts, and MI CASA. She holds a bachelor's degree in Spanish with a K-12 Licensure and a focus in English as a Second Language. She is currently pursuing her Master of Public Administration degree and serves as a first-year admissions coordinator for UNCW.
Business
Pam Sander is one of Gannett/USA Today’s regional editors and oversees newsrooms across five Southeast states. She formerly served as the Southeast editor for GateHouse and was named the company’s top editor in its circulation division in 2019. Pam has been recognized by Gannett as a forward-thinking journalist working hard to preserve local news. She has worked to preserve positions at the StarNews and maintain the newspaper’s leadership role in the community. Under Pam’s leadership, StarNews discovered that a DuPont spinoff was dumping GenX into the Cape Fear River, and as a result the river is cleaner than ever. She created community editor positions to make sure local organizations who may be overshadowed by larger news stories would have their voices heard. Over her career, Pam has mentored young reporters and journalists, specifically women and women of color. Her career has encompassed numerous newsroom roles; she now oversees all 21 Gannett daily newsrooms in West Virginia, Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia, which see a combined 15 million page views on their websites monthly. Pam is a graduate of Clemson University.
Trailblazer Katie Sasser was born in Hawaii and raised in Southeastern Virginia by two retired Navy sailors. Her passion and admiration for the military only continues to grow as her brother and brotherin-law are actively serving our country in the Marines and Army. She earned her bachelor's degree from Christopher Newport University and her master’s degree from Regent University. Katie relocated to the Cape Fear in 2010 to work for the local ABC affiliate, WWAY. She continued her career in journalism as the evening anchor and reporter for WNCT in Greenville, NC. She left the news industry in 2017, focusing her skills and education on helping brands and businesses grow, including her husband's small business, a men's clothing store, The Gentlemen's Corner. Her attention to detail and love for beautiful homes drew Katie to the real estate market, earning her brokers license in 2019 and working with families to find their perfect homes ever since. Katie welcomed her daughter, Maddie, in April 2020. With her little one in tow, Katie has continued to house hunt for clients of The Vance Young Team through an unprecedented market and a global pandemic. Katie is also excited to join The Design Network, combining her love for homes, design, smart branding, and marketing all with her first love, television.
Advocacy & Social Justice Tania Smith is the Court Advocate at Domestic Violence Shelter & Services, Inc (DVSS) and has served in that role for the last five years. After graduating from UNCW in 2015, she began working at the Rape Crisis Center as their Latinx Advocate before transitioning to Court Advocate at DVSS in 2017. Tania’s work at DVSS directly impacts the empowerment of women and the promotion of justice and peace in our community daily. She leads a women’s empowerment group at the county jail, organizes advocacy events like the annual DVSS march & rally, and engages with community partners to provide resources to survivors of domestic violence. Her goal has always been to put herself out of a job through her efforts at DVSS. She also owns a small business on Wrightsville Beach that allows her to empower her employees and educate them on how to advocate for themselves both on a professional and interpersonal level.
Business
Sandy Spiers has been a pillar in the community for banking business for over a decade. She serves as Senior Vice-President/Middle Market Banker for Truist Bank in Wilmington where she is responsible for middle market business development in Southeastern North Carolina. Sandy has extensive banking and managerial experience spanning three decades. She is actively involved in the local business community; serving as Chairperson on the board of the New Hanover County Medical Foundation for 2017-2019; Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington Foundation Advisory Board (Chairperson, 2015-2017); UNCW Foundation Advisory Board; StepUp Wilmington Advisory Board; Boy Scouts of America Advisory Board. Sandy is a former board member and chairperson of the New Hanover County Planning Board, Children former President of the Museum of Wilmington Advisory Board, and served on the Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Sandy has chaired various events in Southeastern NC, including 7 Chef events for GLOW, the Pink Ribbon Project for the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Foundation, the inaugural Last Chance to Wear White Pants Gala for the Lower Cape Fear Hospice, the Grand Opening of the CFCC Fine Arts Center, JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes, American Heart Association Cape Fear Heart Ball, and various fundraisers for New Hanover County’s Meals on Wheels. She is also a member of UNCW’s Cameron Executive Network (CEN) advisory group, and has mentored students from UNCW and women in the WILMA Women to Watch Leadership Initiative program.
Arts & Culture Julia Steffen is the CEO and Creative Director for Vivid Digital Media, a digital marketing and design agency focused on the unique needs of small businesses. Julia is the primary graphic designer, commercial photographer, and web designer for Vivid Digital Media. Prior to starting Vivid Digital Media in 2015, Julia worked for 12 years in the fields of fundraising, marketing, and public relations for nonprofit agencies such as the United Way of the Cape Fear Area, Brunswick Community College Foundation, and the Hispanic Community Health Resource Center. Julia is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2002, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication Studies. She is a former US Peace Corps Volunteer (Ecuador, 2003-2005), and currently volunteers on the planning board for the Woodsong Porch & Art Stroll, which raised funds to create Brunswick County's first endowment for trades and certifications.
Advocacy & Social Justice
Jamie Stokley holds a bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Management and Business Administration from the University of Mount Olive and is the founder and CEO of the nonprofit Helping Hands of the Lower Cape Fear. Jamie founded Helping Harvest Foundation, Inc., aiding and advocating for people who are medically at-risk, disabled and limited-resourced populations and their families in the Cape Fear area. She is a certified Patient Advocate and Guardian Ad Litem participant. She has supported and volunteered with the Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) on a grant project “Paving a Pathway to Engage Underserved Populations in Research,” as part of the stakeholder advisory group focused on identifying gaps within research engagement for underserved patients and caregivers. Jamie is a member of the Port City Young Professionals, as well as being a strong voice behind statewide initiatives that will influence change in the existing disparities in healthcare policies for seniors and our underserved populations.
Education
For over 16 years Heidi Thompson has taught elementary education. She currently teaches at Wrightsboro Elementary. In addition to academic education, Heidi is a certified children’s yoga instructor. She brings her yoga practice into her classroom, with the goal to make yoga widely available for families who would not normally have access. She teaches yoga through Yoga Village to economically disadvantaged communities, focusing on teens and children. In 2019 Heidi became certified in Trauma Informed Yoga to help her students build resiliency. She secured a grant to purchase books for her school that help educators teach students about racial equity and social justice. At Wrightsboro Elementary, Heidi serves on the School Improvement Team and the Media and Technology Team. Through her academic teaching and yoga practice she connects with her students and their families to empower them to be self-sufficient and successful.
Public Service Morgan Todd, MD is a family medicine physician at Wilmington Health. Dr. Todd graduated from Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston and completed her residency at Trident Hospital System/Medical University of South Carolina. She is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. In addition to providing care for her Wilmington Health patients, through “A Safe Place” Dr. Todd delivers medical care to young men and women who have been victims of human trafficking. Dr. Todd is on a mission to seek justice for these victims and provide them with safe healthcare.
Health & Wellness Carla Turner, RNC, BSN, MSHCA, is the Assistant Health Director for New Hanover County Health and Human Services with nearly 30 years of experience in nursing, public health and service to residents of New Hanover County. Carla has overseen a decade of health promotion and safety initiatives for students throughout the county, and oversight of thirty nursing and social work programs for the county, including Women, Infant and Children (WIC) Nutrition Services, Public Health Clinical services, school mental health and child dental services for lowincome and underserved populations. Carla participated in statewide initiatives to make local health departments open and inclusive to young women and teenagers. In 2020, Carla became an invaluable asset in New Hanover County’s response to COVID-19, where she played an integral role in developing county strategy, logistics, operations and outreach for COVID-19 testing sites, contact tracing, COVID-19 call center, and vaccination clinics. Carla is on the board of Smart Start of New Hanover County; a member of the Parent Advisory Committee of Easterseals UCP and the Health Advisory Board at Trinity United Methodist Church.
Health & Wellness
Elizabeth (Liz) Uzcategui is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the Program Director at Coastal Horizons Center Clinica Latina. Liz obtained her master’s degree in social work from East Carolina University. Liz has been with Clinical Latina since 2009 when Coastal Horizons Clinica Latina first opened its doors to serve the mental health needs of the Latinx community. At Clinica Latina Liz works with clients of diverse cultural backgrounds using evidence-based therapeutic approaches such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Parent-Child Interactive Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Liz is passionate about her work as an educator, advocate, case manager, mental health therapist, and supervisor. When she is not working or serving in some capacity, she enjoys dancing, reading, working out, and traveling. Her mission is to create a community where everyone can strive and have the opportunities to reach their goals.
Health & Wellness Katrin Wesner-Harts is the Director of the Student Health Center at UNCW where she manages more than 35 professional and student staff members. Katrin serves as the Director of COVID Coordination where she coordinated efforts with the local Health Department to establish testing sites and vaccination services for students and the greater Wilmington community. In this role, she collected statistics for a public dashboard to monitor testing, positive results, and isolation/quarantine numbers, notification for cluster outbreaks, coordinated contact tracing, and coordinated with the county Health Department to monitor positivity rates in the community. Katrin has been a member of the American College Health Association (ACHA) since 1995, Katrin is recognized for depth and breadth of service in college health, and notably served as the national ACHA President and Immediate Past President from 2018-2020. Katrin has a special interest in mentoring women, having served for many years as the sorority advisor for the local chapter of Sigma Xi.
Trailblazer
Jordan Willets began her legal career in 2013 at the Public Defender’s office where she learned the importance of quality representation for all, regardless of race or income. A year later, she founded her own law firm dedicated to criminal defense that serves clients in Brunswick, New Hanover, and Pender Counties. She handles cases ranging from traffic violations to capital murder cases, including post-conviction cases. Jordan has quickly worked her way to the top of the legal field. In 2018, Jordan became one of the youngest attorneys to be licensed as a Board Certified State Criminal Law Specialist, and one of two women in our region to hold that certification. She spearheaded a Brunswick County branch of Lawyers for Literacy Program that brings attorneys to elementary schools to read with children that are struggling with reading or reading comprehension. Jordan serves on the board of Coastal Women Attorneys and has been integral in widening its reach, particularly as a member of the Brunswick County bar she has helped recruit new members and ensured that networking events reach beyond New Hanover County. For the last five years, Jordan has been a member of the Junior League of Wilmington. She attended Guilford College and received her law degree from Washington and Lee University School of Law.
Arts & Culture Heather Wilson was born in Salisbury, NC. Influenced strongly by her mother, her role model, and community leadership of her grandmother “MeeMaw”, Heather became passionate about the lives of women as keepers of culture and memory in the community. Heather always maintained a fervor for books, words, and writing. She received a B.A. in English with a Minor in Creative Writing and an additional Minor in Women's Studies from UNC Chapel Hill. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from UNCW and helped found the Chautauqua Journal. She worked as Copy Editor for Houghton Mifflin and as Educator for UNCW, DREAMS and Cameron Art Museum (CAM). For the past 16 years she has served CAM as Grant writer, Development Officer and currently is Deputy Director with supervision of programming, operations, and development. She supervises and curates all educational programming at the CAM, including lectures, professional development, art and social justice conversations, programs for individuals with disabilities, and developed Spanish language museum tours. She serves on the Board of Directors for New Horizons School and leads the Arts subcommittee of the New Hanover County Resiliency Task Force.
Rachel Freeman Unsung Hero
Cathy Wright is the manager of therapy services at Novant Health Pender Medical Center. She has worked for Novant Health/New Hanover Regional Medical Center since 2007, beginning as an acute care physical therapist and rising to a leadership role over the years. She is heavily involved and serves as the board director of ACCESS of Wilmington, which works to eliminate barriers to healthy living for people with disabilities in the community. This year, Cathy will begin serving as the North Carolina state delegate for the American Physical Therapy Association. Cathy’s career and life are driven by surviving a house fire at the age of seven; stuck on the top of her bunk bed she suffered intense burns on her face, neck and hands. She had to have at least one reconstructive surgery every month for the next nine years of her life in order to regain function. This experience inspired her to become a physical therapist and to never stop giving back to her community. Cathy is originally from Massachusetts and now lives in Wilmington with her family.
Young Leader
Melany Zagal is an incredible student and leader at New Hanover High School (NHHS). Since her freshman year she has worked with Operation Pretty Things, an organization focused on supporting survivors of domestic violence. She leads by example as a member of multiple committees and volunteer projects in the community. Melany helped organize a mental health awareness week at NHHS, worked to collect hundreds of items for those experiencing homelessness, a school clean up day and resource fair. In addition to her volunteerism and community engagement Melany has maintained a 3.5 GPA. Her ability to balance service and academics is admirable. Melany has won several “Acts of Kindness” competitions at NHHS, and is known as one of the kindest people you will ever meet. She doesn’t do it for the recognition, but is truly incredible and compassionate. In her free time, Melany helps translate coursework for students, tutors classmates, and welcomes new students to NHHS. Melany is on a mission to uplift those around her and spread kindness and compassion.
Women of Achievement Alumnae Adair, Celine, Social Justice 2017 Adams, Susan, Business 1990 Agee, Mallory, Teen Leader 2005 Aguilar, Jessica, Student Impact Grant 2019 Allen, Joy, Communications 2008 Allen-Correa, Bernadette B., Professions 1999 Almiral, Katie, Teen Leader, 2003 Alsup, Samantha Edwards, Group - Founders of the Carousel Center 2003 Alvarado, Noelia Lopez, Young Leader 2021 Andrews, Amanda, Teen Leader, 2001 Anthony, Annie, Volunteer 2010 Antonelli, Nadine Marie, Education 2007 Archer, Stefanie, Business, 2021 Avery, Dianne, Education 1994 Aycock Rivenbark, Nancy, Arts 1993
Boyle, Karen, Professions 1996 Bradt, Inez, Volunteer, 2005 Brennan, Ann, Arts 1991 Brodemerkel, Anna, Young Leader, 2013 Broome, Sherry, Education 1990 Brown, Eloise, Volunteer 2005 Bryant, Marissa, Trailblazer 2019 Budd, Judy, Communications 2009 Bullard-Dutton, Rhonda, Social Justice & Community Engagement 2018 Burnett, DVM, Cynthia D., Entrepreneur 1999 Burney, Betty, Group - Founding Mothers of Domestic Violence Shelter and Services 2004 Burton, Grace, Education 1993 Bystrom, Laurie, Health and Wellness 2012
Bailey, Nephitearya, Teen Leader 2001 Baisden, Paula, Education 2021 Baker, Iris M, Health and Wellness 2004 Ballato, Sue, Health and Wellness 2006 Bankston, Kimberly, Business 2018 Barnard, Alyson, Community Service, 2001 Barnes, Ashley, Arts 2016 Barnhill, Jenny, Business 2012 Batish, Sonali, Public Service 2018 Bauerlein Jackson, Valerie, Teen Leader 1989 Bellamy, Rhonda, Arts 2007 Benson, Taylor (Tess), Young Leader 2012 Berkley, Kathleen, Education 2015 Berry, Shirley Hart, Group - Founding Mothers of Domestic Violence Shelter and Services 2004 Berry, Devoria M., Business and Entrepreneurship 2008 Bertha Boykin Todd & the 1898 Foundation, Lifetime Achiever 1999 Bibby, Christina, Teen Leader 1999 Bills, Zena, Young Leader 2021 Bisset, Barbara, Human Service 1997 Black, Danielle, Teen Leader 2008 Bland, Elizabeth, Entrepreneur 1987 Blanks, Deidra, Health and Wellness Block, Wendy, Arts 1989 Bloomfield, Barbara C., Professions 1985 Boles, Sheila, Sports and Recreation 1989 Boles, Sheila, Lifetime Achievement 2021 Bonczek, Mary Ellen, Health and Wellness 2007 Bost, Donna, Public Service 2013 Bowen, Deborah E., Business 1991 Bowman, Barbara F., Arts 1991 Boyd, Mebane, Health & Wellness 2021
Callari, Stuart, Arts 2003 Cameron, Betty H., Lifetime Achiever 1994 Carlton, Stephanie, Teen Leader 2010 Carver, Shea, Communications 2012 Casey, Jennifer, Business and Industry 2001 Cavender, Kim, Community Service 1997 Chadwick, Dr. Shelby, Volunteer 2011 Chapple, Karen V., Public Service 2006 Chestnut, Caronell, Lifetime Achiever 2001 Church, Debra, Group - Founders of the Carousel Center 2003 Clancy, Michele Moran, Health and Wellness 1997 Clark, Sarah, Young Leader 2011 Clark, Rebecca, Volunteer 2018 Clemmons, Kristina, Health & Wellness 2021 Cobb, Beverly Mae, Arts 1987 Coggins, Louise, Lifetime Achievement, 2019 Coleman, Janet R., Public Service 2005 Collins, Edna Neal, Education 2006 Collins Hege, Leslie, Teen Leader 1997 Colvin, Tori, Young Leader 2011 Combs, Ph.D., Sue, Sports and Recreation 1991 Conlon, Tracy P., Entrepreneur 1993 Cook Steele, Lois, Lifetime Achiever 2009 Cooper, Kristin, Business 2013 Copley, Wanda, Professions 1997 Covil, Libby, Volunteer 2016 Credle, Jean, Community Service 1987 Creech, Melanie Gail, Business 1989 Crumpton, Annette, Sports and Recreation 1992 Culbreth, Judith, Industry 1991 Cunliffe, Brianna, Young Leader 2018 Cunningham, Mimi, Community Service 1995
Daley, Lori, Business and Entrepreneurship 2009 Daly, Donna, Business and Industry 1995 Daniel, Elma B., Entrepreneur 1995 Daniels, Wilma, Lifetime A 2015 Davis, Carrie, Business 1992 Davis, Julia, Education 1997 Davis, Amanda, Teen Leader 1998 Davis, Johnsie, Health and Wellness, 2003 Davis, Heather, Health & Wellness 2018 Day, Eleanor W., Professions 1989 DeCoursey, Francine, Arts 2001 DesMarais, Patti, Education 2021 DePaolo, Dr. Rosemary, Education 2011 DeShields, Dorothy, Education 1988 Diaz, Arely, Trailblazer 2021 Dixon, Cori, Public Service 2019 Dombroski, Richelle, Education 2009 Dookeran, Nyla, Business and Industry, 1997 Downing, Barbara, Education 1987 Drain, Allene, Community Service 1992 Duggins, Marian B., Government 1985
Elkins, Logan, Young Leader 2016 English, Natalie, Business 2021 Evans, Sheila M., Volunteer 2004
Faison, Christa, Education 2021 Farriss, Sophie, Young Leader Scholarship 2019 Faulk, Dori Lane, Teen Leader 2008 Feath, Amy, Public Service, 2011 Feezor, Lori, Business 2016 Ferretti, Christi, Business 2019 Fields, Johnnie, Human Service 1990 Fisher, Carolyn, Business 2021 Flora, Deborah, Human Service 1985 Fowler, Mikayala, Young Leader 2015 Fox, Kare, Business and Industry 1988 Freeman, Mae Rachel, Government 1987 Freeman, Janeen Latrese, Teen Leader 2006 Frost, Edna Lee, Group - Founding Mothers of Domestic Violence Shelter and Services 2004 Fullwood, Destiny, Teen Leader 2007 Funderburg, Bessie W., Lifetime Achiever 1997
Gaffney, Jessica, Education 2021 Gage, Hannah, Entrepreneur 1997 Gardener, Onya, Education 2021 Garner, Hannah, Young Leader 2021 Gaskill, Karen, Public Service 2021 Gibbs, Ashanti, Rachel Freeman Unsung Hero 2018 Glendenning, Tracey M., Health and Wellness 2005 Gore, Judy, Business and Entrepreneurship 2005 Gore, Ginger, Business and Entrepreneurship 2007 Gorham, Louise, Group - Founding Mothers of Domestic Violence Shelter and Services 2004 Gottovi, Karen E., Government 1986 Granger, Billie, Human Service 2000 Grear, Joyce, Arts 1985 Greene, Amanda, Communications 2013 Greene, Katie, Trailblazer 2021 Greenwood, Elizabeth, Education 1991 Gresham, Kathy, Volunteer 2007
Haas, Georgeann, Arts 2006 Hall, Sylvia, Education 1985 Hamilton, Lauren Nicole, Teen Leader 2010 Hardison, Monet, Teen Leader 2009 Harris, Jeanne, Group - Founding Mothers of Domestic Violence Shelter and Services 2004 Harrison, Dru, Environmental 2017 Hart, Lois, Community Service 1996 Hasse, Megan, Young Leader 2017 Hayes, Brenda, Public Service 2021 Hayes, Dr. Hathia, Education 2002 Hayes-Singleton, Adrienne, Advocacy & Social Justice 2021 Haynes, Margaret, Public Service 2021 Hearne Miller, Ashley, Volunteer 2012 Henderson, Mary Beth, Arts 1996 Henderson, Lauren, Trailblazer 2018 Hernandez, Hildalissa, Education 1998 Hewett, Angela, Teen Leader 2001 Higgins, Peggy, Education 1989 Hill, Connie, Health and Wellness, 2013 Hill-Black, Sabrina, Education 2021 Hillburn, Rachel Lewis, Business 2021 Hilton, Helen, Education 1993 Holland, Amanda, Teen Leader 2009 Holliday, Jerry, Rachel Freeman Unsung Hero 2015 Holt, Shelly, Professions 2000 Hood, Sadie, Business and Industry 1996 Howard, Donna C., Industry 1990 Howard-Vital, Michelle, Business and Industry 2000 Hrebin, Saphyr, Teen Leader 2008 Huelskamp, Amelia, Education 2021 Hughes, Natalie Renee’, Public Service 1999 Hunt, Bessie Fay, Lifetime Achiever 2002 Hunter, Alexis, Public Service 2021 Hurt, Caroline, Young Leader 2015
Isenhour, Lisa Payne, Entrepreneur 1998
Jackson, Jacqueline, Teen Leader 2006 Jackson, Adrienne, Lifetime Achiever 2008 Jackson, Emma, Education 2010 James, Autumn, Young Leader 2017 James, Carolyn, Public Service 2021 Jenkins, Velva, Education 2017 Jenkins-Blue, Carolyn, Education 2021 Johnson, Cordelia L., Public Service 1997 Johnson, Melba, Education 2000 Jones, Virginia D., Professions 1992 Jones, Sarah, Arts, 1998 Jones, Ashley, Teen Leader 2000 Jones, Erika, Public Service 2016 Justice, Susan, Recreation 1988 Justice, Carolyn, Community Service 1994
Kahai, Dr. Jugta, Professions 2001 Kassab, Karin, Health & Wellness 2021 Keith, Jada, Teen Leader 2002 Kelly, Charlotte, Volunteer 2017 Kennedy, Betsy Rivenbark, Group - Founders of the Carousel Center 2003 Kertesz, Fran, Business 2021 Kezios, Sue, Education 2021 Kindberg, B. Lee, Industry 1992 King, Ann, Government 1993 King, Susan, Arts 1997 Kirschke, Amy Helene, Arts 2009 Kittleson, Kathy, Public Service 2003 Knight, Katrina, Advocacy & Social Justice 2019 Koehler, Mary Beth, Health and Wellness 2008 Koff, Jean, Teen Leader 2002 Koff, Julia, Young Leader 2016 Kohut, Paula, Rachel Freeman Unsung Hero 2017 Koonce, Mary Grayson, Young Leader 2018 Kostyal, Jennifer, Advocacy & Social Justice 2021 Kot, Sophie, Young Leader 2013 Krafte-Holland, Kathleen, Advocacy & Social Justice 2021 Kraner, Jennifer, Arts 2018 2004 Kusek, Patricia O., Business and Entrepreneurship 2006
Laham, Kelly, Health and Wellness 2010 Lama, Mary Ann, Human Service 1998 Lambert, Brooke, Public Service 2021 Landin, Kerri, Industry 1986 Laney, Pat, Group - Founders of the Carousel Center 2003 Lawson, Arlene R., Volunteer 2006
Lea, Catherine B., Arts 1990 Lee, Estell, Community Service 1985 Lee, Jacquelyn, Education 2021 Levin, Sarah, Arts 2008 Lewis, Caitlin, Young Leader 2021 Lewis, Charmaine, Health and Wellness 2017 Lewis Parker, Katherine, Social Justice 2016 Lineberger, Bobbie Jo, Lifetime Achiever 1998 Lineberger, Bobbie Jo, Group - Founding Mothers of Domestic Violence Shelter and Services 2004 Lloyd, Gloria, Education 1996 Lofgren, Cheryl, Community Service 1991 Lowery, Abigail, Teen Leader 1995 Lyle, Carolyn R., Human Service 1995
Majure-Rhett, Connie, Business and Industry 1998 Margolis, Roselle, Group - Founding Mothers of Domestic Violence Shelter and Services 2004 Margolis, Roselle, Public Service 2009 Maroulis, Christina, Business and Entrepreneurship 2011 Marsicano, Jaimee, Health & Wellness 2021 Martin, Emma, Young Leader 2021 Mathews, Beth, Health and Wellness 2000 Maxwell, Deborah Dicks, Public Service 2015 McCachern Swart, JoAnn, Volunteer 2009 McClammy, Dawn, Public Service 2021 McColl, Louise, Public Service 2001 McConville, Eileen, Public Service 2000 McCoy, Emily, Group - Founding Mothers of Domestic Violence Shelter and Services 2004 McDuffie, Mary D., Education, 1999 McGirt, Gail, Group - Founders of the Carousel Center 2003 McGirt, Jaimie, Teen Leader 2009 McKenzie, Barbara, Group - Wilmington Chamber Music Society, 2002 McLean, Magnolia, Entrepreneur, 1994 McMillan, Kayla, Teen Leader 2008 Meares, Marilyn, Environmental2008 Mebane, Teresa, Communications 2011 Megivern, Marjorie, Arts 1986 Melvin, Patricia, Professions 1991 Miller, Roberta, Community Service 1989 Milligan, Leigh E., Teen Leader 1998 Millis, LeAnne, Teen Leader 2006 Mistovich, Colleen, Health and Wellness 2015 Monteleone, Bonnie, Environmental 2018 Moody, Cheryl, Environmental 2013 Moody-Sibley, Diane, Human Service 1999 Moore, Katherine B., Business 1985 Morine, Pamela, Professions 1994 Morin-Gage, Caroline, Advocacy & Social Justice 2021 Morris-Goodson, Jacqueline, Professions 1987 Mosley, Mary Sidberry, Public Service 2004 Moughamian, Christine, Entrepreneur 2000 Muldrow, Sonya, Rachel Freeman Unsung Hero 2021 Mullin, Tiffany Marie, Teen Leader 2007
Mullins, Barbara, Public Service 2021 Mullins, Quanesha, Public Service 2021
Nance, Beverlee, Education 2001 Nasser, Arianna, Young Leader 2012 Natoli, Alexandria, Young Leader 2013 Nelson, Ricki, Arts & Culture 2021 Nelson, Tannis, Education 2003 Nesbitt, Dorothy, Arts 1994 Newsome, Mercedes, Community Service 1991 Newton, Ida, Entrepreneur 1996 Noe, Dorothy, Business 1986 Noel, Dr. Nora, Education 2013 Nunnally, Maryann, Education 1992
O'Neal, Judith F., Public Service 1998 O’Brien, Susan, Human Service 1986 Olive, Jacqueline, Arts & Culture 2019 Overman, Pierce, Human Service 1992 Overman, Pierce, Group - Founders of the Carousel Center 2003
Pagan, Yvonne, Health and Wellness 1999 Palanza, Pam, Business and Entrepreneurship 2009 Pancoe, Beth, Entrepreneur 1992 Parker, Margie, Government 1990 Parker, Connie, Health and Wellness 1995 Patrick, Hannah, Public Service 2021 Paul, Kimberly, Communications 2015 Pearce, Linda, Human Service 1989 Pellom, Crystal, Rachel Freeman Unsung Hero 2021 Perry, Lorraine, Arts 2000 Peterman, Catherine S., Professions 1998 Peterson, Elizabeth, Public Service 2021 Pezzuto, Elena, Health and Wellness 2011 Pham, Sandy, Teen Leader 2003 Pica, Laura, Health & Wellness 2021 Pierce, Bonnie, Art 1992 Plummer- Hernandez, Kay Lynn, Environmental 2015 Polk, Mariko, Trailblazer 2021 Potter, Brenda, Human Service 1988 Pritchett, Nancy, Public Service 1996 Pyler, Pamela, Teen Leader 1988
Quattlebaum, Valita, Communications 2010 Quattrucci, LeeAnne, Business 2015 Quinn, Beth, Volunteer 2013
Rawley Thompson, Linda, Public Service 2017 Ray, Jaclyn, Young Leader 2012 Redenbaugh, Elizabeth, Public Service 2012 Rhodes, Deloris, Education 2021 Riley, Elissa, Environmental 2016 Rivenbark, Allison J., Teen Leader 1998 Robbins, Monica Nicole, Teen Leader 2006 Roberts, Carla, Community Service 1989 Robertson, Adeline, Business and Entrepreneurship 2010 Robertson, Valerie, Environmental 2010 Robinson, Anne E., Entrepreneur 1989 Robinson, Doris, Health & Wellness 2021 Robinson, Judge Robin, Lifetime Achievement 2018 Robinson, Wallace, Young Leader 2018 Robison, Margaret, Education 2012 Rocks, Elise, Environmental 2012 Rogers, Margaret, Rachel Freeman Unsung Hero 2010 Rohler, Gwenyfar, Arts 2012 1995 Romeo, Kandra, Rachel Freeman Unsung Hero 2021 Rosenkoetter, Ph.D., Marlene, Professions 1988 Royal, Margit, Health and Wellness 1996 Ruffin, Judith A., Volunteer 2008 Rumley, Pansey R., Education 2008 Russ, Frances, Government 1988
Salwen, Maya, Teen Leader 2005 Sanders, Amy Hamme, Human Service 2001 Savidge, Hannah, Young Leader 2021 Scearce, Denise, Group - Founders of the Carousel Center 2003 Schomp, Bea, Group - Founders of the Carousel Center 2003 Scott, Tammy, Health & Wellness 2021 Scott-Pollock, Julie Ann, Education 2018 Seapker, Janet, Government 1994 Sebian, Kathryn, Community Service 1990 Seehorn, Sarah, Teen Leader 1998 Segovia, Edelmira, Rachel Freeman Unsung Hero 2013 Seiple, Jo Ann Massie, Education 2004 Serrato, Destiny, Young Leader 2021 Shannon Glancy, Kathleen, Business and Entrepreneurship 2004 Shaw, Holly, Communications 2016 Shaw, Sheri, Education 2019 Shelton, Margaret, Environmental 2011 Shiver, Reta, Public Service 2007 Siegel Robertson, Janna, Arts 2017 Sigler, Marlene, Health and Wellness 2009 Simmons, Julie Rose, Teen Leader 1996 Simmons, Gina, Teen Leader 2007 Simms, Janice, Education 1995 Simpson, Johnnie, Education 2005 Sisson, Alice M., Community Service 1986
Smith, Jacqueline B., Community Service 1999 Smith, Brittney Rae, Teen Leader 2004 Smith, Emily Louise, Arts 2011 Smith, Kayce, Education 2021 Smith, Lois, Education 2021 Smithdeal, Lynn, Human Service 1997 Snyder, Trish, Health and Wellness 1998 Spaulding Hughes, Sandra, Lifetime Achiever 2012 Speller, Islah, Rachel Freeman Unsung Hero 2011 Spivey, Christy, Health & Wellness 2019 St. Ledger, Maggie, Sports & Recreation 1994 Stallings, Cindy G., Human Service 1993 Stanley, Jorey, Trailblazer 2021 Stanley, Lynda, Public Service 2021 Steele, Andi, Arts & Culture 2021 Stefureac, Kristen, Teen Leader 2007 Stein, Flo, Human Service 1987 Steinberg, Erin, Teen Leader 2003 Stetler, Dixon, Arts 2010 Stone, Rhesa, Arts 1988 Stone, Doretha, Professions 1993 Strickland-Smith, Paige, Teen Leader 2000 Summey, Elizabeth (Betsy), Professions 1995 Sutton, Mariah Grace, Young Leader 2015 Swain McInnis, Meredith, Teen Leader 2000 Swicegood, Joyce M., Government 1992
Taylor, Pickett Henderson, Lifetime Achiever 2000 Temoney, Kate, Teen Leader 1993 Thomas, Eloise, Human Service 1994 Thomas, Peyton, Trailblazer 2021 Thompson Morris, Cammie, Teen Leader 2000 Thornton, Heather, Rachel Freeman 2016 Till, Heather, Business and Entrepreneurship 2002 Tinsley, Betty T., Lifetime Achiever 2003 Titrington Craft, Elizabeth, Teen Leader 1999 Toler, Crista, Entrepreneur 2001 Trammel, Rebecca, Advocacy & Social Justice Triche, Jessica L., Teen Leader 1997 Turner, Charlon, Arts 2015 Turner Stell, Fredrica, Arts 1995 Tustin, Gayle, Arts 2004 Tyndall, Connie, Industry, 1989
Van Velsor, Gayle, Industry 1987 Vann, Susan Rogers, Business and Industry 1999 Varga, Tracey, Arts 2013 Vasquez, Lucy, Volunteer 2002 Velazco, Victoria, Arts & Culture 2021 Villalobos, Karina, Young Leader 2011
Wallace, LeShonda, Health & Wellness 2021 Ward, Kristen, Teen Leader 2002 Warneck, Petrea, Group - Wilmington Chamber Music Society 2002 Warren, Maria Collins, Public Service 2002 Waters, Julia, Government 1989 Weller, Frances, Professions 1986 Weller, Katherine, Rachel Freeman Unsung Hero 2012 Weller-Stargell, Margaret, Public Service 2003 Westbrooks, Rebecca, Environmental 2009 Whalen, Elizabeth, Teen Leader 2005 Whisenhunt, Kyria Henry, Public Service 2021 White, Anita, Human Service 1996 White, LaToya, Teen Leader 1999 Whitehurst Jenkins, Ann, Education 2016 Wilkes, Tracy, Arts 2002 Willetts, Helen M., Community Service 1993 Williams, LouElla, Entrepreneur 1988 Williams, Dolores M., Community Service 1998 Williams, Nina, Health & Wellness 2021 Williams, Velma, Community Service 2000 Williams, Ellen, Group - Founding Mothers of Domestic Violence Shelter and Services 2004 Wong, Siew-Jyu, Professions 1990 Woods, Melissa J., Government 1991 Worley, Harriet C., Teen Leader, 2005 Wright, Lindsay, Teen Leader, 2010 Wright, Amy, Business 2017 Wright, Cathy, Rachel Freeman Unsung Hero 2021 Wright, Sabra, Rachel Freeman Unsung Hero 2019 Wright Frierson, Virginia, Arts 2005
Yakubu, Mina, Young Leader 2017 Yates, Rebecca, Entrepreneur 1990 Yingling, Corey, Advocacy & Social Justice 2021 Young, Fran C., Entreprenuer 1991 Young, Jasmine, Young Leader 2016 Young, Janae, Young Leader Scholarship 2019
Zielinski, Maegan, Advocacy & Social Justice 2021 Zukowski, Aida, Group - Founding Mothers of Domestic Violence Shelter and Services 2004 Zwan, Kay, Public Service 2010
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