Women to Watch Awards Finalists – Rising Star
Meet the 2025 finalists
This category is open to women under the age of thirty.
ASHLYN DELABIO
Grants & Communication Manager, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern North Carolina
Describe your role and work that you do.
“I lead strategic initiatives that elevate our brand, strengthen donor engagement, and secure vital funding to support over 2,200 youth across five counties. I oversee all facets of marketing, public relations, and storytelling in direct support of fundraising efforts while managing a growing grants portfolio and stewarding key partnerships. Through creativity, data-driven planning, and mission-driven messaging, I work to expand our reach, deepen community trust, and fuel opportunities for the next generation to thrive.”
What are some of your career highlights so far?
“Career highlights include leading a full organizational rebrand following a major unification, expanding marketing efforts into three new counties while driving growth in existing service areas, and launching impactful campaigns – such as Back-to-School and holiday gift initiatives – that have directly benefited hundreds of Club members. I’m currently participating in the WILMA Leadership Institute, where I’m developing my leadership skills while continuing to advance strategic communications that fuel organizational growth and deepen engagement across our five-county footprint.”
What’s a future goal?
“My goal is to continue growing with Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern NC, advancing our mission through strategic fundraising and development. I’m passionate about securing vital resources needed to expand our impact, reaching more youth with life-changing programs. Every day, I see how our work transforms lives, and I’m committed to helping us grow in the counties we serve and in new communities to serve even more of the youth who need us most.”
Anything else you want us to know about you?
“Leadership is important, and just as meaningful is the opportunity to share it with others. Every leadership experience is a chance to grow, learn, and pass knowledge on. I aim to bring that knowledge to our Clubs to help guide and support the next generation. I want every Club member to see themselves as future leaders and to know that I will always be there to empower and uplift them — just as many did for me.”
ALEXIS DELIA
Investment Advisor, Tilia Fiduciary Partners
Describe your role and work that you do.
“I help individuals and families turn life’s transitions – like divorce, loss, starting a family, or pursuing education – into opportunities for growth. As a CFP and investment manager, I provide compassionate, fiduciary guidance to help clients build wealth and move forward with clarity and confidence. By creating personalized financial plans and managing investments aligned with their values and goals, I empower people to take control of their future and live the life they dream about.”
What are some of your career highlights so far?
“Earning my CFP marks at just twenty-three – making me the youngest CFP in Wilmington – has been my proudest achievement. After completing over 4,000 hours of experience, rigorous coursework, and a demanding six-hour exam, I joined a small group of professionals held to the highest fiduciary standard. As a young woman in a male-dominated industry, I’m proud to bring fresh perspective, empathy, and excellence to a field where diverse voices are so needed.”
Who has helped or inspired you on your leadership path so far?
“I’ve had so many people pour into me. My team at Tilia believed in me and encouraged me through the CFP process. At UNCW, my mentors Rick Olsen, Jeanne Persuit, Amanda Gabbard, and Erin Williamson helped shape how I lead. My friends have been my biggest supporters, and my WILMA mentor, Dori Bishara, has offered steady guidance along the way. My mother showed me the power of empathy. Like most women, I’m a reflection of those who’ve uplifted me.”
What’s a future goal?
“My goal is to empower women – whether they’re building careers, raising families, or running businesses – to feel confident, capable, and in control of their financial futures. I want every person I work with to know they’re not alone and that goals are valid and achievable. I’m committed to continuing pro bono work, mentoring, and advocating for greater diversity – so more women feel seen, supported, and equipped to build lasting wealth on their terms.”
SAMOANE IKARD
Grants Coordinator, Lower Cape Fear LifeCare Foundation
Describe your role and work that you do.
“I manage the life cycle of grants, from research and writing to submission and post-award reporting. I collaborate with teams across our organization to understand where needs are the greatest, which helps me craft proposals that reflect the heart of our mission. My grants portfolio spans hospice, palliative care, education, grief counseling, and dementia services. Working with such a wide range of programs helps me tap into my creativity; no one grant looks the same.”
What are some of your career highlights so far?
“Over my time at LCFL, I have secured over $2 million in grant funding, including some of the largest awards in our history: $300,000 for nurse recruitment and retention, $200,000 for our care centers in Bolivia and Whiteville, $175,000 for outpatient palliative care in Columbus County. It has been an honor to have a tangible impact on our programs. I’ve also broadened our funding base by winning grants from foundations that haven’t supported us before.”
What’s a future goal?
“Like many grant writers, I dream of securing a million-dollar award. To get there, I plan to grow as a writer through ongoing education with the Grants Professionals Association and continually learning from proposals that do not receive funding. I want to keep refining how I communicate urgency, purpose, and possibility, matching the scale of our mission with language that moves people to act. That’s what excites me most about what’s ahead.”
Anything else you want us to know about you?
“Outside of my role as a grants coordinator, I tutor students in writing. For almost a decade now, I have worked with college students, rising high school seniors, adult learners, and moms returning to school. Some of my students have worked with me for years and empowering them to find their unique voice is always such a blessing.”
EDEN MILLS
President, Pender Arts Council
Describe your role and work that you do.
“As president of the Pender Arts Council, I help lead event planning, grant writing, marketing campaigns, and community collaborations alongside our board members and the community. I previously helped launch the PAC Artist Gift Shop, which showcases local artists and crafters from across the county. I help organize the downtown Burgaw Blueberry Jam concert series in Dess Park, which runs from April through August, in collaboration with the monthly Classic Car Cruise-In. Securing sponsorships, hosting monthly meetings and markets, and helping manage our social media are also part of my role. In 2021, I worked with other dedicated community members to rebuild the council from the ground up after COVID, which ultimately led to us receiving a donated building in downtown Burgaw. My role blends creativity, leadership, and outreach to grow arts engagement. I’m proud to serve as an advocate for the arts in our community!”
What are some of your career highlights so far?
“Previously a self-employed artist for five years, I’ve painted murals, taught community art classes, and participated in events. I was honored to be the featured artist for the 2023 North Carolina Blueberry Festival art print and designed the 2023 and 2024 festival T-shirts. I have partnered with organizations to help expand access to art in communities. For the past seven years, I’ve rented and maintained my art studio at Burgaw Antiqueplace, where my business, Art of Eden started. I was fortunate to be a featured artist in the Azalea Plein-Air Paint Out during the 2025 Azalea Festival, alongside many talented artists from Southeastern North Carolina. I’m grateful that my art business and community involvement have received local media coverage over the years. I now work alongside a dedicated team to grow arts engagement across the county through the Pender Arts Council. I’ve also had the privilege of serving on several boards focused on community, tourism, and economic development in the Burgaw and Pender County area.”
Who has helped or inspired you on your leadership path so far?
“Olivia Dawson, mayor of Burgaw and former tourism director for Pender County, has greatly inspired me to become a community advocate and leader. Her dedication to serving others and strengthening local connections encouraged me to engage more deeply with the Burgaw area. Through her example, I’ve been motivated to collaborate with fellow leaders and advocates across Pender County and the Southeast, working together to support growth, creativity, and community development through the arts and beyond.”
LILLY TRIOLO
Singer & Store Manager, Loud Music Company
Describe your role and work that you do.
“I am the lead singer in a band, Loud Music Company, and I also manage the music store also called Loud Music Company. When I’m not with the band, I manage the store that teaches around seventy to one hundred lessons a week to people of all levels, all ages, and walks of life. I’ve helped form eight bands filled with our students.”
What’s a future goal?
“A future goal is to have the band be able to sell out and play around 500-1,000 seaters all over the world and to also have Loud Music Company the store thrive in this community by having people who come and support our student bands, come and take lessons, and enjoy being a part of the Loud Music Company musical family.”
Anything else you want us to know about you?
“I’m originally from Raleigh, moved here to go to UNCW, and stayed. I majored in environmental science but then felt a divine calling to play and pursue music. It was never in my plans, even though I played instruments and sang my whole life. I started writing songs for an artist, who then quit, so I decided to sing the songs myself. From there, I quit my three jobs to solely pursue music and manage Loud Music Company.”
To view the Women to Watch Awards Finalists main page, click here.
To view more of photographer Madeline Gray’s work, go to madelinegrayphoto.com.
To view more of photographer Sasha Sheldon’s work, go to sashasheldon.com.
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