Nominate A Women of Influence

YWCA Dayton has announced that nominations are open for its 2017 Women of Influence (WOI) Awards. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the award; honorees will be recognized during an awards luncheon March 9, 2017. 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. Past honorees have included such influencers as Mayor Rhine McLin and Virginia Kettering and the Junior League of Dayton and Standard Register.

Nominations can be submitted by and for an individual or an organization; self-nominations are also accepted. Honorees are selected 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.

Honoree criteria:

•   Demonstrates a commitment to the YWCA’s mission of eliminating racism and empowering women
•   Provides leadership in her profession and community
•   Gives back to the community through her time, talent and/or resourcesThose currently serving on the YWCA Dayton Board of Directors and/or currently employed by YWCA Dayton (including contract work) are not eligible for nomination

Says Cathy Ponitz, chair of the WOI Nominations Committee, “Our honorees have made lasting impressions. They have drive, innovation, responsiveness and, oftentimes, pure grit. The world is better because they were here. They are passionate about many things: families in poverty, the arts, compassion for animals, children in need, global economics, health care, literacy, politics, food insecurity, women in corporate leadership, and, yes, even world peace. We are proud to be celebrating 20 years of women influencing positive change in our community.”

Nominations for the 2017 Women of Influence Awards are due Sept. 16, 2016, and can be submitted online.  For more information, contact [email protected].