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Women of Distinction
Midlands Women of Distinction

Midlands Women of Distinction

WOD Midlands Tickets

Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Senator Katrina Shealy, and Kim Wellman pose together at the 2022 Women of Distinction.

We celebrated our 2023 Women of Distinction, Janice M. Smith and Dr. Ashlye V. Wilkerson, on Thursday, September 21, at the Cathy Novinger Girl Scout Leadership Center!

Thank you to all who attended and to our 2023 Platinum Sponsors: AgFirst Farm Credit Bank and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina!

Check out our honoree videos below.

Honoring women who lead communities and inspire girls

First launched in 1993 in Columbia, SC, the Women of Distinction Event is a recognition and fundraising dinner that celebrates and honors outstanding women for their professional accomplishments, service to others, and impact on their community. Each year the Girl Scouts call upon the public to help identify women who exemplify excellence both through their professional achievements as well as their community volunteerism. Honorees are chosen based on four criteria: professional/community leadership, professional/community service, strong role model for girls and community visibility.

Nominees must work and/or reside within the Midlands Regional Service Area (Aiken, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lexington, Newberry, Richland, Saluda, and Sumter counties) but DO NOT have to be former Girl Scouts. Once all nominations are submitted, a panel will review each nomination and make selections based on the following criteria:

Professional/Community Leadership
Community Service
Strong Role Model for Girls
Community Visibility

Nominations are reviewed on a year-to-year basis by the selection panel. Women who have been nominated in the past and were not selected may be nominated again.

Honorees:

Our Women of Distinction continue our founder's century-old tradition of championing girls and demonstrating that women can succeed in any endeavor they choose. See our past honorees below:

1993
Ellen Cooper*
Bobbie Hagins*
Justice Jean H. Toal

1994
Anna Mae Dickson*
Dr. Patricia Moody
Barbara Rackes
Nelle Harmon Taylor*

1995
Lynette Allston
Barbara Moxon*
Dottie Owen*
June Shissias
Rose Wilkins

1996
Betty Broom
Robin Gorman
Lillian Martin*
Johnnie Neese*
Doris Trezevant
Sarah Nash Wilson

1997
Valerie Allen
Ellen Hayden
Alice Wyche Hurley
Sue Porter
Ada Thomas*

1998
Susan Aude
Laura Fleming*
Cathy Novinger*
Martha Scott Smith

1999
Pam Dwinnells
Norma Ferguson*
Gracie Simons House*
Louise McFarland*
Inez M. Tenenbaum

2000
Paula Harper Bethea
Gilda Cobb-Hunter
Toni Elkins
Elaine Gillespie
Joyce Martin Hill
Elizabeth Mabry

2001
Dr. Traci Young Cooper
Claire Fort*
Rachel Hodges
Marie-Louise Ramsdale
Kit Smith
Marjorie Stands

2003
Charlotte Berry
Patricia Caldwell
Susan DeVenny
Lilly S. Filler, MD
Dr. Anne L. Matthews
Lynn M. Williams

2004
Susan Benesh
Sharon Bryant
Dr. Sharon Buddin
Tameika Isaac Devine
Dr. Felicia Goins

2005
Dr. Suzan D. Boyd
Dr. Bambi Gaddist
Anne M. Sinclair
Dr. Linda Rochell Lane*
Dr. Caroline Whitson

2006
Henri Etta Baskins
Karen Brosius
Sarah Leverette*
Kim Wilkerson

2007
Florence Belser
The Honorable Mary Y. Clark
Libby Anne Inabinet
Martha Kneece*
Gina McCuen
Louise Slater
Tiffany Sullivan

2008
Chief Patty Patterson
Sarah Shuptrine*
Donna Sorensen
Linda C. Stern
Ann Marie Taylor

2009
The Honorable Alfred Mae Drakeford
Bluma Goldberg*
Shirley Henderson
Mary Mazzola Spivey
Dr. Susie VanHuss
Captain Estelle Young

2010
Reba Hull Campbell
Judith M. Davis*
Lynn Stokes-Murray
S. Anne Walker

2011
Bridget Bennon-Lytton
Mickey E. Layden
Donita Todd

2012
Carolyn Cason Matthews
Patricia Moore Pastides
Kay Thigpen*
JoAnn M. Turnquist
Genevieve N. Waller

2013
Cynthia B. Cooper
Sara B. Fisher
Liz McMillan
Elise Partin
Barbara Willm*

2014
Sarena Burch
Elizabeth Dinndorf
Dawn Staley
Ann Marie Stieritz

2015
Jan C. Burt
Dr. Debra W. Hamm
Pamela P. Lackey
Laurie Parks
Dawndy Mercer Plank
Mary Kennemur*

2016
Barbara Blau
Adrienne Gist
Lou Kennedy
Terry Peace

2017
Emily E. Clyburn*
Therese A. Griffin
Sharon Brown Harriott
Amy W. McCulloch
Xiaolan Michelle Wang Cao

2018 
Kathleen Lawson Gibson
Melanie Huggins 
Erin McCaskill
Molly Spearman

2019
Jill Davis
Bronwyn McElveen
Lessie Price
Suzanne Pucci

2020
Dr. Roslyn Artis
Representative Beth Bernstein
Meghan Hickman
Nikole Mergo
Dr. Aubrey Sejuit
A’ja Wilson

2022
Col. Katherine Brown, USAF Retired
Judge J. Michelle Childs
Lt. Governor Pamela Evette
Dr. Penelope Martin-Knox
Ms. Virginia Peterkin
Senator Katrina Shealy
Ms. Kim Wellman

2023
Janice M. Smith
Dr. Ashlye V. Wilkerson

*deceased

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