Join Ann Thomas and Luanne Thomas Ewald for a spotlight show on women who are leading the way in business, civics, and humanity. Monthly shows offer insight on guest accomplishments, with background that is sure to inspire the rise of our next generation. Find their empowering stories here …
MEET THE 2024 “WOMEN WHO LEAD” HONOREES:
“Women Who Lead” honors female leaders from throughout the Great Lakes region who are influencing our communities in positive ways. Each year, we honor 12 of these amazing ladies at our Women Who Lead Honoree Ceremony. These women come from all backgrounds and fields … business leaders, small business owners, community organizers, civil servants, volunteers, and more. Each of these ladies offer an inspiring story of a women who is leaning in and pushing the world to new heights.
Oct. 25, 2024 ~ Kristina Millman-Rinaldi is a dedicated advocate for animal welfare and the executive director of Detroit Dog Rescue (DDR), Detroit’s first and only no-kill shelter. Under her leadership, DDR has rescued, rehabilitated, and rehomed countless neglected and abused dogs, significantly reducing the city’s stray dog population. Millman-Rinaldi’s innovative approach to animal rescue includes partnerships with local government and community organizations, ensuring sustainable and humane solutions for Detroit’s animals. Her tireless efforts have not only saved lives, but also raised awareness about animal cruelty and the importance of responsible pet ownership.
In addition to her work with DDR, Millman-Rinaldi has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Mackinac Humanitarian Award and Beaumont Hospital’s President Award for Community Giving. Her commitment to improving animal welfare policies and practices has made a lasting impact on the community. Millman-Rinaldi’s passion, leadership, and dedication to making a difference exemplify the qualities celebrated by this honor.
Oct. 25, 2024 ~ Mary Culler is president of Ford Philanthropy, a role she assumed in January, 2020 to oversee the company’s philanthropic investments and build community partnerships. She is also the chairwoman for Ford’s Michigan Central Station project, overseeing the strategic direction of the historic train station’s redevelopment in Detroit. Prior to these roles, Culler served as Bill Ford’s chief of staff for eight years, and the director of U.S. State and Local Government Relations where she managed Ford’s engagement with policymakers nationwide. While she has been a dedicated member of Ford since 1999, Culler has other experiences to her name, including working for Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley as manager of the city’s Industrial Development Program. She has also held several positions at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and worked in the U.S. Senate on energy and natural resource issues.
Oct. 25, 2024 ~ Rebecca Sposita is the president of The Sam Bernstein Law Firm and is a determined fighter for her clients. An alumna of Harvard Business School, she completed the school’s rigorous Advanced Management Program. After passing the bar, she focused solely on her passion for representing defendants in medical malpractice and disability cases for several years. In 2009, Sposita joined The Sam Bernstein Law Firm as the Director of the Disability Department. Throughout her career, Rebecca has remained committed to her clients, representing high-profile cases including survivors of Larry Nassar’s sexual assaults, advocating for individuals with disabilities, and supporting those affected by medical malpractice. Beyond her work at the firm, she is active in the legal and local communities. She serves on the executive boards of the Michigan Association for Justice and Divine Mercy Academy, a school serving children with special needs. In addition to her legal career, she recently authored her first book, “Win Win: Helping Organizations Mitigate Legal Risk for the Common Good,” which is set for release in early January, 2025.
Oct. 25, 2024 ~ E’Lois Thomas is the president of Solutions for Energy Efficient Logistics (SEEL), a nationally certified minority business enterprise that partners with utilities across the country to implement and create access to services including energy audits, weatherization upgrades, electrification projects, rebate processing, call center services, and workforce development. She implements the vision and growth trajectory of the organization and under her leadership, SEEL continues to soar as one the largest Black-owned implementation contractors in the nation. Thomas is a highly analytical and driven leader, cultivating business relationships and advancing teams toward top-level corporate objectives. Her efforts have led to several award-winning achievements, such as SEEL ranking 20th in the Women Presidents’ Organization’s 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned and Led Companies in the country for 2023 and receiving Supplier of the Year from MMSDC in the same year.
Oct. 25, 2024 ~ Carolina Pluszczynski is the chief operating officer and head of innovation services of the newly revitalized Michigan Central building in Corktown, which reopened to the public earlier this year after the Ford Motor Co. restored it. She has been with Ford since 1999, excelling in other roles such as corporate transformation manager and chief of staff to the president of mobility. Pluszczynski holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Language and Literature with a minor in Communications and Business from the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
Sept. 22, 2024 ~ For over a decade, Dr. Rosalyn Maben-Feaster has been helping patients and professionals in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology in Michigan. As a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist with the University of Michigan Health, she currently helps lead the institution as the associate director of its Women’s Health Division, and as an assistant professor in obstetrics and gynecology. As an active member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, she advocates for her patients and fellow OB/GYN providers, with her special clinical interests including family planning, abnormal uterine bleeding, and lower genital tract dysplasia.
Aug. 24, 2024 ~ Renee Tomina is the Senior Vice President of DTE’s Project Management Office, meaning she is responsible for the company’s multi-billion dollar electric grid rebuild to power Southeast Michigan! She also oversees major projects in renewable energy, power generation, nuclear, information technology, and gas platforms, working to ensure the company’s power output is diversified and reliable. Outside of DTE, Tomina serves on the Engineering Advisory Board of Lawrence Technological University and the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce, and is active in efforts to improve the Michigan community.
April 27, 2024 ~ Tina Kozak is the new owner of Franco, a Detroit-based integrated communications agency that celebrated 60 years in business in January of this year. The first woman to ever hold the position of CEO at Franco, Kozak continues her career of client service and industry innovation, all while empowering women in the workplace. She counsels a range of clients in communications strategy, change management, and community relations, while challenging them to think differently about communications and seeks to influence their organizational performances. Beyond her work at Franco, Kozak’s dedication to her community is reflected in her charitable work with nonprofits like Life Remodeled, which supports Detroit neighborhoods, and Michigan Women Forward, where she serves as a business coach and mentor for female entrepreneurs.
April 27, 2024 ~ Angie Kelly recently became the first woman ever to become the managing partner for Ernst & Young in Detroit, a firm that helps businesses with consulting, law, strategy, tax, and transactions. Overseeing a diverse team of 800 people, Kelly is responsible for driving market leadership, and amplifying the EY brand and engagement in the Midwest market. Committed to the Detroit community, she wears many hats while serving on the boards of directors of Teach. Empower. Achieve. (T.E.A.), the Detroit Regional Chamber, the Detroit Economic Club, and Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve. In 2021, she was honored by Crain’s Detroit Business as one of the most influential women in the Detroit business community.
Feb. 24, 2024 ~ Dr. Elizabeth Swenor has dedicated her life to a philosophy of holistic healing. As the leader of the Functional Medicine program at the Henry Ford Center for Integrative Medicine, Dr. Swenor prides herself on going beyond the treatment of symptoms to discovering the root causes. Through analysis of nutritional issues, stress levels, hormonal imbalances, environmental influences, genetics, and more, Dr. Swenor and her team find ways to lead patients past their conditions to healthful lives balanced by mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Feb. 24, 2024 ~ Shirley Stancato has dedicated her career to bringing people together. Stancato spent nearly 20 years leading the cause as president and chief executive officer at New Detroit Inc., a leadership coalition devoted to race relations and racial equality. Her ambitious efforts banded leaders from business, education, faith, labor, media, advocacy, and more to spotlight problems and identify solutions that bridged disparities and created prosperous communities. Today, Stancato continues to make a difference for all of us, serving on the boards of Fifth Third Bank of Eastern Michigan, Teach for America Detroit, The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and the Detroit Zoological Commission, among others. She is also helping to shape the minds of future generations by serving as chair of the Wayne State University Board of Governors.
Jan. 27, 2024 ~ In 2023, Dr. Kimberly Andrews Espy joined the Wayne State University family as its 13th president, and as its first woman to serve in the role! With more than 25 years of experience in higher education, she has seen and done a lot in the academic world, always improving research funding and accessibility to higher education wherever she goes. Espy, a native of Cincinnati, earned her degree in psychology from Rice University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical neuropsychology from the University of Houston, later becoming a licensed clinical psychologist.
MEET THE HOSTS:
ANN THOMAS
LUANNE THOMAS EWALD760 WJR TOP STORIES:
