MEET THE 2023 WOMEN WHO LEAD HONOREES:
MEET THE 2022 WOMEN WHO LEAD HONOREES:
MEET THE 2021 WOMEN WHO LEAD HONOREES:
MEET THE 2020 WOMEN WHO LEAD HONOREES:
WOMEN WHO LEAD HONOREES 2011 – 2019:
2019 Women Who Lead Class
- Tavi Fulkerson – Founder, The Fulkerson Group
- Marcy Hayes – Founder, C & B Scene PR & Marketing
- Anne Parsons – CEO, Detroit Symphony Orchestra
- Annette Rummel – President & CEO, Great Lakes Bay Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Mimi Musser Cunningham – Former Vice-President, Grand Hotel
- Anne Blake – Chief Administrative Officer, Pope Francis Center
- Kimberly Lowell-Leverett – Director of Volunteers, The Parade Company
- Candice Miller – Commissioner, Macomb County Public Works
- Kelly Carroll-Burgin – Owner & Founder, K. Carroll Accessories
- Rev. Faith Fowler – Executive Director, Cass Community Services
- Robin Terry – Chairwoman & CEO, Motown Museum
- Governor Gretchen Whitmer
2018 Women Who Lead Class
- Maura Corrigan – Justice, Michigan Supreme Court (formerly)
- Denise Gray – President, LG Chem Michigan
- Mona Hanna-Attisha – Pediatrician, whistle-blower of the Flint Water Crisis
- Danialle Karmanos – Detroit Philanthropist and Social Entrepreneur
- Tricia Keith – Executive Vice-President, BCBSM
- Ronia Kruse – Co-Founder & CEO, OpTech
- Zavid Mangaru – Executive Vice-President of Product Strategy & Innovation, North American Bancard
- Mary Martin — Owner, Martin Media Services
- Kylee Mitchell Wells – Executive Director, Ballmer Group’s Detroit Office
- Lois Shaevsky – President, Variety the Children’s Charity (Detroit Chapter)
- Amanda Sheehan – Dentist, Oakland Family Dental
- Shirley Stancato – President & CEO, New Detroit
2017 Women Who Lead Class
- Farideh R. Bagne – Founder, President & CEO, Magnolia by the Lakes Senior Living Resort
- Carolyn Cassin – President & CEO, Michigan Women’s Foundation
- Anne Doyle – President, Michigan Chapter of International Women’s Forum
- Melanie Duquesnel – President & CEO, Better Business Bureau Eastern Michigan Division
- Andrea Fischer Newman – Former Sr. Vice President of Government Affairs, Delta Airlines and U of M Regent
- Karen Fox – Vice-President, Trinity Tool Co.
- Emily T. Gail – Slogan Creator, “Say Nice Things About Detroit”
- Jennifer Gilbert — Founder, Amber Engine, Doodle Home & dPop
- Wendy Hilliard – Founder, Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation
- Mary Kramer – Group Publisher, Crain’s Communications
- Christina Lovio-George – President & CEO, Lovio-George Communications + Design
- Martha Reeves – Entertainer & Politician
2016 Women Who Lead Class
- Tonya Allen – President & CEO, The Skillman Foundation
- Rose Bellanca – President, Washtenaw Community College
- Tammy Carnrike – COO, Detroit Regional Chamber
- Lisa Dancsok – Vice-President, Rock Ventures
- Carole Kowalczyk – Founder, Michigan Center for Fertility & Women’s Health
- Terry Merritt – Sr. Vice-President, Walbridge
- Patti Poppe – President & CEO, Consumers Energy
- Rochelle Riley – Columnist, Detroit Free Press
- Kelly Rossman-McKinney – CEO & President, Truscott Rossman
- Amy Tattrie-Loepp – Owner, Tattrie Strategies and Co-Founder, Impact 100 Oakland County
- Susan Smyth – Chief Scientist, General Motors Manufacturing and Director, GM’s Manufacturing Systems Research Lab
- Gretchen Valade – Business Mogul (Carhartt, Detroit Jazz Fest, The Parade Co.)
2015 Women Who Lead Class
- Susie Dahlmann — Executive Director & Co-Founder, Reaching Higher
- Jane Englehart – Director of Advertising, Ford Dealer Advertising
- Sharon Gaber – President, University of Toledo
- Amanda (Amy) L. Good – CEO, Alternatives For Girls
- Nanci J. Grant — Chief Judge, 6th Circuit Court
- Kristine B. Mestdagh — Executive Director, John A & Marlene L Boll Foundation
- Jane McNamara – President & CEO, Green Path Debt Solutions
- Terri O’Brien – President, Street Marketing
- Lisa Price – Co-Founder, JACK’S PLACE for Autism Foundation
- Anne Schenk – Vice-President of Advancement, Gleaners Community Food Bank
- Luanne Thomas Ewald — Fellow, American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE); Regional Vice-President of Business Development, DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan
- Debbie Windey – Director of Corporate Alliance & Executive Services, Ford Motor Company
2014 Women Who Lead Class
- Mary Barra – CEO, General Motors
- Susan Ianni – General Manager, Gordon Chevrolet
- Denise Ilitch – Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Lawyer, and member of the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan
- Grace Keros – Owner, American Coney Island
- Suzanne Mallare Acton – Asst. Music Director, Michigan Opera Theatre
- Christine Mason Soneral – Vice-President & General Counsel, ITC
- Barbara McQuade – U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Michigan
- Cindy Paskey — Founder, Global IT and Strategic Staffing Solutions
- Gael Sandoval – Senior Manager, Ford Global Action Team
- Sue Snyder – Michigan’s First Lady
- Pam Turkin — Founder, Just Baked Cupcakes
- Kym Worthy – Prosecutor, Wayne County
2013 Women Who Lead Class
- Lori Blaker – President, TTI Global
- Mary Liz Curtin – Co-Owner, Leon & Lulu
- Debbie Dingell – President, D2 Strategies & Wayne State Board of Governors
- Irma Elder – President & CEO, Elder Automotive Group
- Connie Holzer – Owner & Dealer Principal, Tom Holzer Ford
- Donna Inch – Chairman & CEO, Ford Land
- Nancy Maxwell – Executive Director, Sweet Dreamzzz Inc.
- Tami Powell – Owner, Oxford Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Center
- Paula Silver – Vice-President of Communications, Quicken Loans
- Lou Anna Simon – President, Michigan State University
- Elana Sullivan – President, National MS Society Michigan Chapter
- Damita Williams – Vice-President of Patient Care Services, DMC Children’s Hospital
2012 Women Who Lead Class
- Hortensia Albertini – Founder, Global LT
- Sister Bridget Bears – Head of School, Academy of the Sacred Heart
- Susan Goodell – President & CEO, Forgotten Harvest
- Kouhaila Hammer – President & CEO, Ghafari Associates LLC
- Arestea Kakaris – Owner, Kakaris Family Dentistry
- Florine Mark – President & CEO, WW Group
- Carol McCloud – Author, “Have You Filled A Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids”
- Nancy Nawrocki – Founder, Nawrocki Center for Elder & Family Law
- Faye Nelson – President & CEO, Detroit Riverfront Conservancy
- Jill Ryan, Vocalist
- Jackie Shuk – Chief Engineer, Ford Motor Company Product Development
- Regina Villemure – Founder, “Children with Hairloss” Charity
2011 Women Who Lead Class
- Linda Blair — Executive Vice President & Chief Business Officer, ITC
- Beth Chappell — President & CEO, Detroit Economic Club
- Louise Downs – Founder, Desert Angels Inc.
- Renee Draves – Owner/Operator, McDonald’s franchise
- Sheila Kasselman – Founder, “Sky” Foundation
- Sandy Pierce — Chairman & CEO, First Merit Michigan
- Linda Prister — Nurse & Executive Director, Dearborn Surgery Center
- Nancy Schlichting — CEO, Henry Ford Health System
- Carol Schoch — Founder, Detroit Children’s Choir
- Rhonda Walker — TV New Anchor, WDIV Channel 4
- Monica Yesh — Captain, Michigan State Police
- Lisa Zimmer — Founder & President, “Just For Kids” Foundation