Women of the Year Pinnacle Awards Presented
CELEBRATING WOMEN: Vanessa Finley, left, CEO of the YWCA of Tulsa, with the Women of the Year - Pinnacle Award Winners and Mayor Dewey Bartlett, Jr. From left are Dr. Jan Clayton, Ellen Stackable, Susan Ellerbach, Mayor Bartlett, Allison Leigh Moore, Tracey Lyall, Sen. Judy Eason McIntyre, Carlisha Williams, Janice Edmiston, Suzanne Schreiber and Shirley Ballard Nero.
ROSSY GILLE for GTR Newspapers
Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett presented 10 outstanding Tulsa women with Women of the Year – Pinnacle Awards and one Anna C. Roth Legacy Award winner Feb. 2, in the YWCA Patti Johnson Wilson Center, 1910 S. Lewis Ave. The awards are sponsored by YWCA Tulsa and the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women.
The Women of the Year – Pinnacle Award winners embody the mission of YWCA Tulsa, and uphold the legacy of the Pinnacle Awards. That legacy is reflected in these women who are role models in their professions, take risks on behalf of others, perform community service and advocate for women’s issues and concerns.
The 2016 Women of the Year – Pinnacle Award winners are Shirley Ballard Nero, Dr. Jan Clayton, Sen. Judy Eason McIntyre, Janice Edmiston, Susan Ellerbach, Allison Leigh Moore, Tracey Lyall, Suzanne Schreiber, Ellen Stackable and Carlisha Williams. An additional winner of the Anna C. Roth Legacy Award, Paula Marshall – CEO of Bama Companies, was also selected in light of her pioneering spirit to bring about social change for women and marginalized populations.
A Grammy’s-style awards ceremony to honor these women was held Feb. 5 at the Cox Business Center. The black-tie event included exceptional dining and premium beverage selections from women-made or women-owned companies. Entertainment offerings included a Kristin Chenoweth Master Class Performance; Alaska and Madi from NBC’s The Voice; musician, singer and songwriter Eric Himan; entertainment nonprofit organization for children Pocket Full of Hope; contemporary dance theater company Portico Dans, and step team KIPP Tulsa Showtime. A keynote address from Marshall and other celebrity presenters were also included.
In 2015 two powerhouse organizations teamed up to form the Women of the Year – Pinnacle Awards. The Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women honored more than 200 Tulsa women with its Pinnacle Award between 1987 and 2011. After YWCA Tulsa celebrated its 100-year anniversary in December 2014, the first Women of the Year Awards were presented in April 2015. Given its success and the opportunity to partner with the long-standing Pinnacle Awards, YWCA Tulsa’s board of directors voted unanimously to approve this organic partnership, uniting both awards.
About YWCA Tulsa
YWCA Tulsa is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. Through inclusion and empowerment, YWCA Tulsa addresses race and gender disparities in wellness, wealth and education. YWCA Tulsa supports nearly 400,000 women, children and people of color in the Tulsa area through our four hallmark programs: health and wellness, immigrant and refugee services, racial justice and women’s empowerment. For more information on YWCA Tulsa, visit www.ywcatulsa.org.
About the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women
The Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women acts as the central clearinghouse and coordinating agency for activities and information relating to women. The commission is charged with helping women develop a collective voice to influence public policy and affect positive changes in their lives, in addition to stimulating research in the area of women’s legal rights; educating the community on the status of women by publicizing information on women’s rights and obligations; reviewing the range of services available to women to enable them to fully contribute to society and assist agencies in pursuing needed services.
Updated 03-01-2016
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