Women of Distinction
Join Us Wednesday, June 18, 2025, for Women of Distinction!
YWCA Madison is proud to have recognized over 260 women since the first Woman of Distinction was bestowed the honor in 1974. Their community service, professional achievement, integrity, leadership, and dedication to the lives of others and to the quality of life for all stand as a reflection of YWCA Madison’s historic mission and values. These awards were established to increase community awareness and appreciation of the diverse contributions of women in the workforce and in the community.
Nominations for this year’s Awards are currently open until February 28, 2025. Learn how you can nominate a woman by clicking the button below.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Women of Distinction honors women in our community who have demonstrated a commitment to eliminating racism and empowering women through a variety of avenues. This award has an historic significance in our community. Corporate sponsorship is a way that companies and organizations publicly demonstrate they stand with YWCA Madison and our mission to eliminate racism and empower women. The dollars raised from this event support our critical program areas, such as Housing Justice, Restorative Justice, Learning and Movement Building, and Economic and Employment Justice.
Learn about Sponsorship Opportunities For more information about sponsorships, please contact Taylor Raether.
Women of Distinction Academy ↘
YWCA Madison is proud to have recognized over 255 women since the first Woman of Distinction was bestowed the honor in 1974. Their community service, professional achievement, integrity, leadership, and dedication to the lives of others and to the quality of life for all stand as a reflection of YWCA Madison’s historic mission and values.
1974
Louise Marston Conklin
1979
Milele Chikasa Anana
Kay Clarenbach
Beth Heiden Reid
Rosalie Mayer
Leslie Spense
1980
Veatrice Baugh
Gladys Bronson
Beth Emshoff
Mary Lou Munts
Annetta Rosser
1981
Agnes Cammer
Bea Kabler
Marsha Lindsay
Pam Moore
Rebecca Young
1982
Morlynn Frankey
Donna Jones
Fayth Kail
Elaine Marks
Barbara Nichols
1983
Peg Geisler
Rosalie Rohl
Marian Thompson
Rita Wlodarczyk
1984
Roberta Gassman
Lucille Kimball
Beverly McCord
Verona Morgan
Carol Toussaint
1985
Joyce Erdman
Mary M. Graye
Carla Hagermann
Mardi O’Brien
Helen Vukelich
1986
Marian Bolz
Sue Driscoll
Katherine Lyall
Kit Saunders Nordeen
Sue Wiskowski
1987
Jacqueline Cochran
Gayle Langer
Gail Selk
Maureen Torphy
Rosemary Troia Baker
1988
Mary Breunig
Lenore Landry
Judie Pfiefer
Petie Rudy
Linda Weimer
1989
Susan Hobart
Eunice Meske
Mary K. Rouse
Betty Smith
Emma Zitzer
1990
Jean Manchester Biddick
Dolores Buchler
I. Lorraine Davis
Mary McKenzie Mohs
Elizabeth Spencer
Diane Young Kaav
1991
Mary Ellen Beach-Ela
Jane Coleman
Ida Gear
Virginia Henderson
Sue Herbst
Toya Nelson
1992
Betty Bamforth
Ellen Buck
Sandra Dutch
Fannie Hicklin
Edith Hilliard
Norma Madsen
Margaret Monroe
1993
Alma Baron
Joann Elder
Gloria Jones-Bey
Carla Smith
1994
Marla Ahlgrimm
Friedie Carey
Shelley Peterman Schwarz
Fannie Taylor
1995
Muriel Bissell
Inger Kay
Linda McIsaac
Betty Reneau Rowe
Marjorie Singer Tobias
Carolyn Taylor
Cora White
1996
Anne Arneson
Sister Esther Heffernan
Connie Kilmark
Annrita Lardy
Marge Sutinen
Martha Taylor
1997
Nan Cheney
Joan Gillman
Sharyl Kato-Nilson
Mercile Lee
Judith Ward
Hermetta Williams
1998
Tammy Baldwin
Deloris Bell
Amy DeBower
Robin Douthitt
Mary Moen
Donna Marie Robinson
Sister Mary David Walgenbach
1999
Nan Brian
Jean Davis
Joyce Dismuke
Betty Franklin-Hammonds
Kay Lindblade
Hannah Rosenthal
2000
Barbara Arnold
Mary Kay Baum
Linda Farley
Leslie Ann Howard
Helene Nelson
Vicki Washington
2001
Andrea-Teresa Arenas
Holly Cremer Berkenstadt
Doris J. Hanson
Kathleen A. Kelly
Sadie M. Pearson
Judith Wilcox
2002
Betty Barrientos
Molly Carnes
Nancy Christy
Ann Haney
Frances Huntley-Cooper
Sue Ann Thompson
2003
Marion Brown
Hermine Davidson
Louise Root-Robbins
Andrea Potter
Mary Louise Symon
Martha Vukelich-Austin
2006
Elizabeth Barnhill
Nancy Giffey
Jo Handelsman
Sharron Hubbard-Moyer
Carmen Skilton
Barbara Snell
2004
Marilyn Beach
Michelle Behnke
Charlie Daniel
Gloria Sarto
Kathleen Woit
Florence Zmudzinski
2007
Eve Galanter
Rita Kehl
Gloria Ladson-Billings
Margold S. Melli
Anne E. Ross
Mai Zong Vue
2005
Shiva Bidar-Sielaff
Connie Ferris Bailey
Martha Gaines
Gwedolyn Jones
Lindsay McClernan
Jeanan Yasiri
2008
Marcia Anderson
Mary Burke
Theola Carter
Vera Riley
Cheryl Rosen Weston
2009
Brenda Brown
Sharon Chamberlain
Iris Christenson
Jeanette Schreier
Mary Lang Sollinger
2010
Bettsey Lutz Barhorst
Betty Harris Custer
Annette Miller
Carola Peterson-Gaines
Kathy Price
2011
Fabiola Hamdan
Anne Hartwig
Gloria Hawkins
Lisa Kvistad
Marion Morgan
2012
Frances Bicknell
Fabu Phillis Carter
Naomi Carter
Karen Christianson
Nan Cnare
Sarah Gillmore
2013
Betty Banks
Andreal Davis
Tehmina Islam
Salli Martyniak
Becky Steinhoff
Mona Adams Winston
2014
Sadat Abiri
Emily Auerbach
Dawn Crim
Sally Miley
Laurel Rice
Teresa Téllez-Girón
2015
Hershey Barnett-Bridges
Nia Enemuoh-Trammell
Lilada Gee
Enid Glenn
Beth Kille
Renee Moe
2016
Gina Carter
Deidre Green
Sherry Lucille
Stephanie Nash
Corinda Rainey-Moore
Mary Strickland, CFP
2017
Keetra Burnette
Robin Dalton
JoAnn Gruber-Hagen
Therese Gulbransen
Dr. Joann Pritchett
Angela Russell
2018
Barbara Katz
Libby Lee
Kay Simmons
Alondra Quechol
2019
Jacquelyn Boggess
Silvia Gomez de Soriano
Lynn Green
Carolyn Morgan
Nichelle Nichols
Rep. Shelia Stubbs
Annie Weatherby-Flowers
Marisela Gomez Castellanos
2021
Jannet Arenas-Pineda
Roxie Hentz
Jacquelyn Hunt
Adrian Jones
Jenny Pressman
Nasra Wehelie
2024
Keena Atkinson
Charlotte Cummins
Kristie Goforth
Efrat Livny
ananda de oliveira mirilli
Jan Miyasaki
Carolyn Stanford Taylor
2022
Christy Clark-Pujara, Ph.D.
Brenda Gonzalez
Andrea Jones
Candace McDowell
Lucia Nuñez
Dr. Hazel Symonette
1975
Constance A. Elvehjem
Velma Hamilton
Jessie McCanse
Margaret Russell
2023
Jasmin Banks
Alex Lindenmeyer
Dr. Christina Outlay
Lisa Peyton-Caire
Nancy Saíz
Rosa Thompson
1977
Shirley Abrahamson
Marlene Cummings
Helen Matheson Rupp
Midge Miller
Betty Vaughn