Elgin YWCA recognizes 2025 Leader Luncheon recipients
More than 425 community members attended the 41st annual YWCA Elgin Leader Luncheon Awards at The Seville in Streamwood on Thursday, May 8.
Leader Luncheon general chair Elisa Lara welcomed guests and expressed appreciation to the event’s major sponsors for their support with congratulations to all of the 2025 nominees.
Following an invocation by Chaplain Audrey Reed, Murna Hansemann, Leader Luncheon Awards committee member, and Zinthya Howe, led a tribute to the late Dr. Rise Dawn Jones, a firm supporter of the Elgin YWCA and founder of Hamilton Wings in Elgin.
It was also announced that moving forward the arts award will be renamed the Margaret Hillis & Dr. Rise Jones Award for the Arts.
Diana Alfaro, YWCA Elgin board vice-chair, recognized the Leader Luncheon committee and this year’s judges. Closing words were given by Felicia King, chief operating officer of the Elgin YWCA.
Individual Awards co-chairs Clare Ollayos and Linda Siete announced the recipients of the 2025 Leader Luncheon Awards in the following categories.
• Margaret Hillis Award for the Arts: Jess Rocha (accepted by her mother Donna Rocha);
• Marguerite Henry Communications & Technology Award: Erin Sauder;
• Marie Grolich Social Service Award: Noelle Dulabaum-Bohrer;
• Myrtle Spiegler Gerberding Award for Public Service: Patricia Piper Golden;
• Betty Brown Racial Justice Award: Elizabeth (Liddy) Hope;
• Marjorie Leonard Volunteer & Community Service Award: Christy Schmidt;
• Beatrice Dorsey Business & Professions Award: Rachel P. Baer;
• Harriet Gifford & Hattie Griffin Education Award: Nancy Coleman.
The new 2025 Youth Leadership Award was presented to Valerie Villegas, a senior at Bartlett High School. The recognition included a $2,000 scholarship for college.
An individual professional portrait of each recipient will be taken by Ruben Ramos Photography in Elgin.
The tradition has continued which Cathy Neuhalfen, owner of Interesting Developments in Algonquin and her mother, the late Molly Konitzer, who had taken portraits of every recipient since the YWCA Elgin Leader Luncheon was founded in 1984 through 2016.
This year over 294 portraits were on display depicting the community leader recipient in each category. They filled both sides of the large banquet room in the Seville.
The YWCA Elgin is proud to honor women leaders in the community who strive toward its mission of empowering women and promoting racial justice in Elgin. Visit ywcaelgin.org.