YWCA Elgin Leader Luncheon announces 2024 nominees
The YWCA Elgin has announced its nominees for the 40th annual Leader Luncheon on Thursday, May 9.
The event, supported by title sponsor, The Schrieber Group of Elgin, will begin with a reception at 11 a.m. and lunch at noon at The Seville in Streamwood. Reservations are $60 per YWCA member and $65 per nonmember.
Hundreds of community leaders, business representatives and volunteers attend this time-honored tradition of celebrating Elgin area women leaders. Elisa Lara, a registered nurse with the Visiting Nurses Association Health Care, is serving as the 2024 Leader Luncheon Honorary Chair.
The keynote speaker is Linda Siete of Elgin, who is dedicated to the continued growth of the suburban Latino market. She focuses on communication with businesses and organizations on ways to incorporate and better understand the importance of inclusion and embracing diversity to benefit their businesses and the whole community.
Siete has received a number of recognitions, including the Lasting Impact Award from Elgin Community College; Community Partner Award from the Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce; the Keeper of the Flame Award from the International Salsa Congress; the William Castillo Humanitarian Award from Centro de Informacion; and the Cultural Ambassador Award from the Chicago Latina Expo Organization.
Thirty-six women leaders in eight categories have been nominated this year for these prestigious awards. The following have been nominated this year by their colleagues and peers:
• Margaret Hillis Award for the Arts: Cristina Colunga, Carole A. Medal and Katrina Syrris.
• Beatrice Dorsey Award for Business & Professions: Maria Borrero Veaz, Gloria Ma, Linda Ramirez, Shirley Sadjadi and Kimberly Wagner.
• Marguerite Henry Award for Communications & Technology: Theresa Gajewski, Karla Jimenez and Leslie Wolko.
• Harriet Gifford & Hattie Griffin Award for Education: Lori Brandes, Tish Calhamer, Alison Douglas, Adriana Lopez Landa, Amber Peters, Karla Rojas and Francine Romero Rivera.
• Myrtle Spiegler Gerberding Award for Public Service: Jamie L. Mosser, Karla Rojas and Beth Sterricker.
• Betty Brown Award for Racial Justice: Shirley Bassett and Julie Hyun Kane.
• Marie Grolich Award for Social Services: Lore Baker, Marlene Daubert, Rev. Felicia LaBoy, Dianha Ortega-Ehreth, Rocio Robledo, Karla Rojas and Adriana Trino-Pujals.
• Marjorie Leonard Award for Volunteer & Community Service: Lisa Luanagsomkham, Magdalena Perez, Myeshia Sanders, Robin Seigle, Claudia C. Serrano, and Betsy Yurisich.
For information about the luncheon, reservations, and/or sponsorship, contact the YWCA Elgin at (847) 742-7930 or www.ywcaelgin.org/leaderluncheon.