Academy for Women of Achievement ↘
Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Time: 5:00 PM
Location: Renaissance Nashville Hotel
On behalf of YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee, thank you for your generous support of the 2025 Academy for Women of Achievement!
On October 28, 2025, the Academy for Women of Achievement (AWA), presented by Amazon, celebrated five extraordinary women and one impactful organization in Middle Tennessee for their career success, community service, and leadership. Aligned with YWCA’s mission, AWA honorees are committed to eliminating racism, empowering women, and advancing peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
Please save the date for the 2026 AWA event and check back soon for more information on our nomination applications.
Since 1992, YWCA has inducted 198 women and 34 organizations into the prestigious Academy for Women of Achievement. The AWA program is an inspiring and time-honored tradition. It also serves as a primary fundraiser for the 125-year-old nonprofit. Proceeds fund lifesaving and life-changing programs including the Weaver Domestic Violence Center, Girls Inc., AMEND Together, the Family Learning Center, and Dress for Success Nashville.
Donate in Honor or Memory of a Current or Past AWA Honoree:
Relive the 33rd AWA
Previous Honorees
CORPORATE HONOREES
1992
Kraft CPAs, PLLC
Nations Bank of Tennessee
1993
IBM of Tennessee
Office of the Mayor, Metropolitan Government
of Nashville and Davidson Country
1994
Corporate Childcare Management Services
1995
First American Corporation
1996
Saint Thomas Hospital
1997
J. C. Bradford & Company
1998
First Union National Bank of Tennessee
1999
BellSouth
2000
SunTrust
2001
Genesco Inc.
2002
Comdata
2003
Verizon Wireless
2004
Vanderbilt University
2005
Deloitte
2006
Dell, Inc.
2007
Allstate Insurance Company
2008
Saint Thomas Health Services
2009
Nashville Electric Service
2010
Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP
2011
Meharry Medical College
2012
Skanska
2013
Country Music Association
2014
Seigenthaler Public Relations, Inc.
2015
Bass, Berry & Sims PLC
2016
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store
2017
Nashville Predators
2018
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee
2019
Bank of America
2020
Cummins Inc.
2021
MP&F Strategic Communications
2022
HCA Healthcare | TriStar Health
2024
Ingram Industries Inc.
2025
Belmont University
INDIVIDUAL HONOREES
1992
Cecelia Nabrit Adkins*
Dr. Dorothy L. Brown*
Sandra Ford Fulton
Susan W. Gray*
Anne Holt
Suevelyn W. (Sue) Peters*
Mary Jane Werthan*
1993
Martha R. Ingram
Elaine McReynolds
Lucille Nabors
Wilma Rudolph*
Dr. Mildred Stahlman*
Molly Todd*
Martha Warfield*
Shirley A. Zeitlin
1994
Annette S. Eskind*
Harriet H. Foley*
Pauline L. Gore*
Louise B. Katzman*
Marguerite W. Kondracke
Leatrice B. McKissack
1995
M. Inez Gibbs Crutchfield*
Jane Eskind*
Betty C. Nixon*
Martha R. Ragland*
Peggy Weil Steine*
Leah Rose Werthan*
1996
Margaret L. Behm
Deborah A. McDermott
Frances Preston*
Jamye Coleman Williams*
1997
Honey B. Alexander*
Andrea Conte
Kitty M. Emery*
Ruth E. Johnson
Margaret H. Maddox*
1998
Stephanie Bailey
Carole Stanford Bucy
Janet Jernigan
Arshi Nasseh
Sarah Hamilton Sell*
1999
Lady Bird
Donna Hilley*
Florence S. Kidd
Gayle E. Ray
Susan Simons
Susan M. Spickard
2000
Judith O. Barker
Barbara G. Chazen
May Dean Eberling*
Jo D. Federspiel
Nancy A. Ransom*
Joyce Espy Searcy
2001
Deborah Y. Faulkner
Deborah C. German
Delorse Lewis
Margaret Ann Robinson*
Elise L. Steiner*
Rev. Becca Stevens
2002
Felicia Figlarz Anchor
Susan Allen Huggins
M. Mercedes Lytle
Patricia Ann Pierce
Nancy A. Saturn*
2003
Deborah A. Cole
Roxane B. Spitzer
Jo Walker-Meador*
Jerry B. Williams
Eleanor L. Willis
Alice A. Zimmerman*
2004
Betty M. Brown*
Ellen E. Lehman
Michelle B. Marrs*
Hon. Carol L. McCoy
Sally R. Smallwood
2005
Gertrude S. Caldwell*
Carol Etherington
Sen. Brenda Gilmore
Nancy Peterson Hearn
2006
Beth Callaway Alexander
Mary Carson Clement
Heloise Werthan Kuhn*
D. Billye Sanders
Deborah Taylor Tate
Yvonne Culbreath Wood
2007
Mary Lee G. Bartlett
Donna R. Cheek*
Agenia W. Clark
Amy M. Joyner
Christine M. McCarthy
Valerie Montgomery-Rice
2008
Frances K. Hardcastle
Aileen Katcher
Susie McClure*
Bishop Vashti McKenzie
Barbara J. Moss
Claire W. Tucker
Debbie Turner
2009
Sallie W. Bailey
Vice Mayor Diane Neighbors
Jean C. Nelson
Donna D. Nicely
Deborah E. Story
Dr. Julie Williams*
2010
Sigourney Cheek*
Hon. Cornelia A. Clark*
Beth Seigenthaler Courtney
Hon. Barbara N. Haynes*
Susan Short Jones
Christine Karbowiak Vanek
Sue Fort White
2011
Beth Fortune
Patricia I. Hart*
Mary Lee Mathews Manier*
Linda Eskind Rebrovick
Sharon K. Roberson
Rep. Janis Sontany
Katy Varney
2012
Kathy Cloninger
Laurie Gold Eskind
Stacey A. Garrett
Renata Soto
Mary Schlater Stumb
Julie Wilson Walker
2013
Laura Brinsky
Dr. Vera Stevens Chatman
Becky Harrell
TN House Speaker Beth Harwell
Hope Stringer
Hedy Weinberg
Brenda Wynn
2014
Janet Ayers
Rosetta Miller-Perry
Rita P. Mitchell
Abby Rubenfeld
Laura Smith
Dr. Phyllis Qualls-Brooks
2015
Rev. Dr. Judy Cummings
Dr. Charlene Dewey
Margaret Dolan
Paula Lovell
Linda Peek Schacht
Leigh Walton
2016
Mayor Megan Barry
Dr. Katherine Y. Brown
Marilyn Dubree
Claire Gulmi
Cordia Harrington
Council Member Sharon Hurt
Beverly Keel
Hon. Aleta Trauger
2017
Hon. Sheila Calloway
Kaki Friskics-Warren
Crissy Haslam
Lee Ann Ingram
Ann Pruitt
Dr. Laquita Stribling
Deborah Varallo
2018
Kasar Abdulla
Nicky Weaver Cheek
Sara Finley
Sen. Thelma Harper*
Latrisha Jemison*
Sarah Trahern
Beverly Watts
2019
Gail Carr Williams
Beth Chase
Hon. Ana Escobar
Mendy Mazzo
Dr. Consuelo Wilkins
Vicki Yates
2020
Jacky Akbari
Lisa Campbell
Janet Miller
Sabina Mohyuddin
Dr. Jennifer Pietenpol
Gini Pupo-Walker
Dr. LoLita Toney
Christie Wilson
2021
Dr. Glenda Glover
Diane Lance
Wanda Lyle
Council Member Zulfat Suara
DarKenya Waller
2022
Jean Ann Banker
Hannah Paramore Breen
Hon. Angelita Blackshear Dalton
Sherry Deutschmann
Mary Ann McCready
Sharon W. Reynolds
Denine Torr
2024
Ivanetta Davis Samuels
Michele Johnson
Rita Johnson-Mills
Sylvia Rapoport
Hon. Emily J. Reynolds
Amanda Weeks-Geveden
Evette White
2025
Missy Eason
Deana Ivey
Courtney Ross
Candice Storey Lee
Cynthia Whitfield-Story
*deceased
Images of the 2024 & 2025 Academy for Women of Achievement Induction Ceremonies courtesy of Pat Casey Daley and Jason Tucker Photography.