YWCA Dayton announces 2017 Women of Influence

YWCA Dayton announces 2017 Women of Influence

YWCA Dayton will honor eight women during its 2017 Women of Influence awards luncheon on March 9, 2017, noon to 1 p.m., at the Dayton Convention Center. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the award; with an average attendance of 800, it is the single largest daytime nonprofit event in Dayton.

Since 1998, the YWCA Dayton WOI Awards have recognized and honored the most influential women in the Dayton area, women who have made a difference in our community through their dedication to the YWCA mission of empowering women, eliminating racism and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.

Honorees in the Women of Influence Class of 2017 are:
Amanda Wright Lane, international aviation advocate
Carmen Gooden, co-founder and executive director, Linda Vista Inc.
Sandy Gudorf, president, Downtown Dayton Partnership
Michelle Riley, CEO, The Foodbank
Judy Cook, former mayor, City of Oakwood
Maj. Wendy Stiver, Dayton Police Department
Stacy Thompson, vice president and regional manager for corporate responsibility banking, KeyBank

Additionally, Jeraldyne Blunden, founder of Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, will be honored posthumously with the 2017 Women of Influence Lifetime Achievement Award.

Says YW CEO Shannon Isom, “YWCA Dayton, its Board of Directors and the community are excited about Women of Influence every year; this year is especially significant as it marks 20 years of recognizing influential women in our region. I continue to be encouraged by the number of nominators who insightfully recognize that the fortitude and dedication of these women change lives, industry and our community. This is the legacy of YWCA.”

Honorees were selected from a pool of more than 70 nominations by YWCA leadership and the volunteer WOI Committee, led this year by Chair Anita Moore, owner of A. Moore Consulting LLC, and Co-chair Jenny Michael, vice president of marketing and corporate communications at CareSource.

The Women of Influence luncheon serves as the largest fundraiser for YWCA Dayton. Sponsorship opportunities, program advertising and ticket information are available at www.ywcadayton.org.

For more information on YWCA Dayton, its Women of Influence awards, or to arrange a media interview, contact communications@ywcadayton.org. You can also follow the conversation on social media using hashtag #DaytonWOI.

YWCA is On A Mission
For more than 150 years, YWCA has been at the forefront of the most critical social movements — from voting rights and civil rights, to affordable housing and pay equity, to violence prevention and health care reform.

Today, YWCA is one of the top 25 largest charities in the U.S., according to NonProfit Times, with total revenues of more than $775 million. YWCA helps more than 2 million women and children each year in the U.S.; worldwide, YWCA serves 25 million women and girls in 120 countries.

At YWCA Dayton, we:
Operate the only domestic violence shelters in Montgomery and Preble Counties. In 2015, more than 2,000 calls were fielded through our 24-hour domestic violence hotlines, and 20,771 bed nights of emergency protective shelter were provided to 511 women and children in both these counties.
Provide affordable housing and housing-related services for women and families who are victims of domestic violence or at risk of homelessness. In 2015, nearly 8,000 nights of shelter were provided for more than 200 homeless women, and 108 women called our Single-Room Occupancy (SRO) housing units home.
Empower teens to explore and achieve their highest potential through educational and prevention outreach programming as well as our Girls Inc. program. Nearly 1,000 teens received services last year, including participants of our Girls Inc. program, which is part of an international network inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold and empowers them to succeed. Across the U.S. and Canada, Girls Inc. chapters provide more than 140,000 girls with a sisterhood of support to set goals, overcome obstacles and improve academic performance and achievement.
Advocate for legislative priorities that address racial justice and civil rights, women’s economic empowerment, and women’s health and safety.

YWCA Dayton is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women, stand up for social justice, help families and strengthen our community. For comprehensive information about this important work, visit www.ywcadayton.org and follow the conversation on social media with hashtag #OnAMission.

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