WiNGS, a nonprofit that empowers women, fights poverty and impacts generations, welcomed 400 guests to its Mentors & Allies Awards Luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Dallas on May 9. The annual event honors individuals and corporations for their commitment to helping women in our community. The 2018 honorees included Salah Boukadoum, Sunny Nunan and Mary Kay. Cheryl Orr received the Ebby Halliday Volunteer of the Year Award.
The event raised $230,000 for WiNGS Nurse-Family Partnership, Finance & Career and Women’s Enterprise programs. Elaine Agather, Chairman of the Dallas Region for JP Morgan Chase, served as keynote speaker – sharing lessons for success from her almost 40-year banking career. She gave tips on responsibility, growing and mentoring. NBC 5 Anchor and Reporter Katy Blakey returned as emcee for the second year, and Emily Touchstone served as the 2018 Luncheon Chair. Board President Starlette Johnson joined WiNGS CEO Jennifer Ware to present the Mentors & Allies Awards to:
- Salah Boukadoum, Founder of Impact City Initiative and Soap Hope, was honored for his work to lift women, their families and communities out of poverty. His Soap Hope natural skin care company invests 100 percent of profits from sales to anti-poverty initiatives for women around the world.
- Sunny Nunan, Founder & CEO of The Admin Awards, was recognized for her passion for servant leadership and mentoring women in the workplace. Recognizing that administrative professionals were long overdue for recognition of their numerous contributions to business, she founded The Admin Awards in 2012 to honor their invaluable work.
- Mary Kay. Mary Kay received the Corporate Award for encouraging personal growth and financial fulfillment of women for more than 55 years.
- Cheryl Orr, Vice President of Human Capital at DART, received the Ebby Halliday Volunteer of the Year Award for her countless hours volunteering in WiNGS finance and career classes.
Ware emphasized the organization’s Women Helping Women movement, asking professionals to help women in our community who are facing challenges. She introduced WiNGS graduate Angelica Rodriguez who shared her journey of becoming pregnant at age 13, finding support through WiNGS Nurse-Family Partnership, and recently graduating from nursing school.
Elaine Agather encouraged guests to step up and become mentors for women. “It is the very job of the people in this room to pass on what we have learned to ensure that the next generation of women feel empowered, take ownership, develop confidence and be fearless,” she said.
The 2018 Mentors & Allies sponsors included:
- Awards Sponsor ($15,000) – Herb Kelleher
- Mentor Sponsors ($10,000) – AT&T, Colleen Barrett, Ebby Halliday REALTORS, Mary Kay and Sammons Enterprises, Inc.
- Partner Sponsors ($7,500) – Jones Day, KPMG and Oncor
- Ally Sponsors ($5,000) – AlixPartners, Deloitte, Starlette Johnson, ORIX Foundation, Perkins + Will and Stand Together
About WiNGS Mentors and Allies Awards
The WiNGS Mentors & Allies Awards Luncheon supports WiNGS’ relationship-based programs that match women with caring experts and role models who share tools, knowledge and connections for critical crossroads of their lives – from having their first baby and achieving financial security to launching a new business. A nonprofit organization that empowers women in crisis or at critical life crossroads, WiNGS served more than 2,400 individuals in Dallas County last year.