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Dr. Cheryl Willman, CEO and director of the UNM Cancer Center, was honored for her extraordinary contributions. (Jim Thompson/Albuquerque Journal.)
Thirteen New Mexicans this week were named Women on the Move – women who work for social and racial justice and the empowerment of women.
The recognition was made at the recent YWCA 27th Annual Women on the Move Awards.
“Working toward social change is a difficult goal where women are often not recognized, are put under a critical microscope or face adversity for the work they do,” says Amy Whitfield, president and CEO of YWCA New Mexico.
Winners were selected from 36 nominees and honored at a banquet sponsored in part by the Journal’s Sage magazine.
“These women join a prestigious group of women who have shown courage in paving the way for future women,” Whitfield says. The diverse group of women, chosen for the honor, are also generous with their time, accomplished in their professional and personal lives and benefit the community with their achievements, she notes.
Honorees for 2013 were:
Shawna Brown co-founded Young Blacks of Albuquerque, which hosts networking events, community service projects and more. The need she saw was that African-Americans 40 and younger wanted a sense of community in Albuquerque, where fewer than 24,000 African-American live, according to her nominator.
JoAnna DeMaria, director of programs at the American Lung Association New Mexico, has developed and increased those programs. She was one of the youngest participants to represent the nonprofit sector in the Robert Wood Johnson Ladder to Leadership program.
Ann Edenfield-Sweet runs two nonprofits, Wings Ministry and Wings for L.I.F.E., which reach prisons in several states and around the world. She’s written a book, “Family Arrested: How to Survive the Incarceration of a Loved One.”
Rebecca Galves coordinates Young Women in Computing, a program at New Mexico State University, where she mentors the next generation of computer scientists, many who are young women from cultural and social groups underrepresented in computer science. Through her work with middle and high school students, all have gone on to college, and 62 percent have majored in computer science.
Antoinette R. Gant, a U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, is commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque district, which includes New Mexico and parts of Colorado and Texas. Gant, a community advocate for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), partners with the University of New Mexico, the Girl Scouts and other organizations to promote the sciences and leadership with girls.
Felice G. Gonzales is program director and founding member of NewMexicoWomen.Org, a statewide women’s fund and initiative of the New Mexico Community Foundation, which invested more than $70,000 in statewide programs last year. With more than 30 years of volunteer leadership nationally and internationally, she decided to devote that experience to women in the state.
Kathleen Holmes Cates has directed or consulted with many nonprofits statewide to increase revenue and services. Under her guidance, several of these organizations have received local and national attention, including recognition from the White House. She has focused her career on increasing the quality and quantity of services for people with disabilities.
Irene Lee has mentored scores of young women in computing and technology throughout the state and works with several committees and organizations to enhance this work. In 2012, a national award recognized her efforts in educating minorities and women.
Debbie Maestas-Traynor has been a volunteer lobbyist for the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Northern NM Chapter, as well as a board member and president. She has served in similar capacities for Community Dental Services, where she supported and promoted oral health care for people in Albuquerque who cannot afford those services.
Laura Maness, Popejoy’s education and community outreach supervisor, has created programs for school-age children and seniors, who would be unable otherwise to enjoy and learn about performances. She also serves the community with a broad range of volunteer activities.
Catherine Rose, a certified offender workforce development specialist, a leader of a development team and a trainer with the National Institute of Corrections, oversees a successful pre-release program in New Mexico.
Susan Simons, a certified fundraising executive, has been a leader in the health-related nonprofit community and gives back to the community through her professional and personal efforts. She was selected as one of 30 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Fellows to represent the state.
Laurie Wearne, director of Talking Talons, serves children and youth through her leadership as well as improving the forest environment and the health of raptors, bats and reptiles that cannot be released back into the wild. Through her efforts, she trains youth in grant writing, community involvement and partnering with schools.
In addition, two other women were honored for their extraordinary contributions: Dr. Cheryl Willman, a cancer researcher and director of the University of New Mexico Cancer Center and professor of pathology and medicine, won the La Estrella award, and Claudia Medina, co-founder and executive director of Albuquerque’s Enlace Comunitario, a center that champions the rights of battered immigrant women, won the Woman to Be Reckoned With award.
— This article appeared on page B1 of the Albuquerque Journal
