Women to Watch Award’s Alum

The Women to Watch awards program launched in 2012 to spotlight up-and-coming women in our area in seven categories: Arts, Business, Education, Health Care, Nonprofit, Public Service and Rising Star (women under the age of 30).  Since then we have received over 1,700 applications and selected 216 finalist and 55 winners. Here’s a list of the category winners that have been awarded over the years.

2012

Arts: Susan Savia | Musician
Business: Carmen Black | Owner and Founder| Half United
Education: Laura Hunter | Principal, GLOW Academy | (then a teacher at South Brunswick High School – went on to be a district administrator in Brunswick County Schools)
Health: Carla Turner | Personal Health Services Manager | New Hanover County Health Department
Nonprofit: JC Lyle | Executive Director | Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministries (WARM)
Rising Star: Cicely Pringle | Founder | Beautiful Mended Events

2013

Arts: Elissa Edwards | Co-owner and Choreographer | Impulse Dance Project
Business: Kara Duffy | Veterinarian | Atlantic Animal Hospitals
Education: Leslie King | Child Development Center Director | Cape Fear Community College
Health Care: Tiffany Jackson | Owner and Optometrist | Front Street Optometric Care
Nonprofit: Tracey Kellogg | Senior Corporate Market Director | American Heart Association/American Stroke Association | (then major gifts and events development manager for Lower Cape Fear Hospice Foundation)
Public Service: Julie Wilsey | Director | Wilmington International Airport | (then deputy director for ILM)
Rising Star: Lindsey Neuman | Captain | U.S. Coast Guard (then Sector NC Command Center, Operations Specialist)

2014

Arts: Jennifer Iapalucci | Director | Brunswick Little Theatre
Business: Pam Fasse | President and Licensed General Contractor | Fasse Construction and Development Inc.
Education: Lori Messinger | Professor in the CHHS School of Social Work | UNCW | (then director of the UNCW School of Social Work)
Nonprofit: Kyria Henry | Founder and CEO | Paws4People Foundation
Health: Jennifer Buxton |Chief Pharmacy Officer | Cape Fear Clinic | (then director of pharmacy at Cape Fear Clinic)
Public Service: Ashley Loftis |Finance Director | Surf City | (then finance officer at Town of Burgaw)
Rising Star: Jenna Curry | Owner and Founder | Remedy Digital Services | (then co-owner at Little Wing Marketing)

2015

Arts: LaRaisha Burnette | Theater Actress and Center Services Coordinator |  CFCC Wilson Center
Business: Noel Fox | Partner | Craige & Fox PLLC law firm
Education: Julie-Ann Scott-Pollock | Associate Professor of Communication Studies | UNCW
Health: Kyle Horton | Internal Medicine Physician and Veterans Advocate | (then internal medicine physician and co-director of Invisible Wounds of War project)
Nonprofit: Natasha Davis | Director | UNCW’s QENO
Public Service: Avril Pinder | Manager | Buncombe County | (then deputy county manager for New Hanover County)
Rising Star: Elizabeth Boardman | Co-Founder | The Milspo Project/Realtor at Lanier Property Group

2016

Arts: Amy Grant | Owner | Art in Bloom Gallery
Business: Delinda Harrelson | President | Home Solutions Group
Education: Jean Hall | International Baccalaureate Coordinator | Hoggard High School
Health: Nicole Carroll | OB/GYN Physician | Wilmington Health
Nonprofit: Heather Ratliff | Executive Director | Child Development Center
Public Service: Lindsey Roberson | Senior Legal Counsel | The Human Trafficking Institute (then Associate with the McGuireWoods LLP law firm)
Rising Star: Ellen Long | COO | Long Business Advisors

2017

Arts: Rebekah Todd | Musician and Visual Artist
Business: Jennifer McCall | CEO | SeaTox Research Inc.
Education: Donna DeGennaro | Founder and Director | Unlocking Silent Histories
Health: Becca Tagg | Psychologist and Behavior Analyst | Del Mar Center for Behavioral Health
Nonprofit: Diane Durance | Director | UNCW’s Center For Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Public Service: Amber Smith | Senior Resource Center Director| New Hanover County
Rising Star: Cassy Taverna | Therapist | Chrysalis Center for Counseling & Eating Disorder Treatment

2018

Arts: Nancy McCurtin | Artist/Author | Topsey and Friends
Business: Danielle Boisse | Owner, Port City Design Group
Education: Justine Reel | Associate Dean for Research and Innovation | UNCW’s College of Health and Human Services
Health: LeShonda Wallace | Executive Director | Seeds of Healing Inc.
Nonprofit: Charrise Hart | CEO of Ready | School, Ready for Life (then CEO of YWCA Lower Cape Fear)
Public Service: Lyana Hunter | Assistant Public Defender | State of North Carolina
Rising Star: Jordan Duhe Willetts | Attorney/Owner | Duhe Willetts Law

2019

Arts: Lauren Brooke Brown | Owner/ Cosmetic Tattoo Artist | Lasting Looks by Lauren Brooke
Business: Catherine Hawksworth | Owner | Modern Legend
Education: Kellie Griggs | Assistant Professor | UNCW’s School of Nursing
Health: Lauren Gainor | Medical Director, Inpatient Pediatrics & Newborn Services | Coastal Children’s Services
Nonprofit: Evelyn Bryant | Chief Executive Officer | Northside Bridge Builders
Public Service: Jessica Loeper | Chief Communications Officer | New Hanover County
Rising Star: Kobe Campbell | Licensed Professional Counselor Associate | The Healing Circle

2020

Arts: Fidias Reyes | Director of Arts Engagement | UNCW’s Office of the Arts
Business: Alison Dupra Brien | Technical Program Manager | Apiture
Education: Sabrina Hill-Black | Principal | D.C. Virgo Preparatory Academy
Health: Grace Caldwell | Founder | The Joy Project
Nonprofit / Volunteer: Rebecca Trammel | Executive Director | Champions for Compassion
Public Service: Lisa Brown | Public Health Preparedness Coordinator | New Hanover County
Rising Star: Aunika Browne | Executive Director | U.S. International Ballet

2021

Arts: Kristi Ray & Erika Arlee | Co-Founders & Executive Producers | Honey Head Films
Business: Christi Ferretti | Owner & Executive Chef | Pine Valley Market
Education: Narcisa Pricope | Professor | UNCW
Health: Claire Corbett | Director of Performance Excellence | NHRMC
Nonprofit/Volunteer: Franchesca Ramirez | MDT Coordinator & Advocate Supervisor | The Carousel Center
Public Service: Tufanna Bradley | Assistant County Manager | New Hanover County
Rising Star: Cierra Washington | Strategic Partnership Coordinator | Northside Food Cooperative