Knoxville YWCA has selected its 2023 honorees who best exemplify the Y’s core mission: empowering women, eliminating racism and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.
Cynthia Moxley was there, writing for her blog, The Blue Streak. If you are not a subscriber, check it out.
And thanks to Cynthia for allowing us to use her images and content. The winners were:
Courtney Bergmeie, executive director of the Bijou Theatre, won the Arts and Culture award. Other finalists were Shanna Browning of First Century Bank and Hannah Houser of HH Creative LLC.
Jan Brown, vice president of culture, inclusion and performance at the Tennessee Valley Authority, took the prize in the Business and Industry category. Other finalists were Lauren Miller of MoxCar Marketing + Communications and Eugenia Almeida of A New Hue.
Allison Comer, executive director of Muse Knoxville, won the Emerging Leader category. Other finalists were Angela Bartlett of the CAC Office on Aging and Shante Southwood of Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Femeika Elliott, the owner and founder of Meik Meals & Rooted East Knoxville, won in the Racial and Social Justice category. Other finalists were Denise Dean of East Tennessee Freedom Schools and Kim Lauth of Positively Living & Choice Health Network.
Dr. Kathryn Ellis, executive director of the Knoxville Family Justice Center, won in the Community Enhancement category. Other finalists were Chloe Akers of The Liminal Plan and Enkeshi El-Amin of The Bottom.
Mandy Halford, MD, is senior vice president, chief medical officer and chief medical informatics officer of Covenant Health. She won in the Science, Tech and Health category. Other finalists were Jennifer Niedziela of Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Abby Enns of Tennessee Valley Authority.
Christi Kirk took home the statue in the Education category. She’s Project GRAD family and community manager with Knox Education Foundation. Other finalists were Jamea Beach of United Way of Greater Knoxville and Elizabeth Foster of the University of Tennessee’s Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations.
Sandra Clark is editor/CEO of Knox TN Today Inc.