Dr. Margaret Taylor, president of Jackson Area Business and Professional Women, has announced the winners of Sterling Awards 2024: 20 Most Influential Women in West Tennessee and two local nonprofit leaders are among the recognized.
Stacie Freeman, a resident of Dresden, and Dr. Julie Hill of Union City were included as a result of their co-founding of the Global Citizen Adventure Corps nonprofit along with other contributions to the community.
The Sterling Awards were created by Jackson Area Business and Professional Women to honor women in the West Tennessee area who have achieved a significant level of success. The criteria include the nominee living/working in West Tennessee outside Shelby County, serving as a leader and role model in business or her profession, displaying creativity and innovation to the growth of her profession and contributing time and energy to community betterment.
In his nomination letter of Freeman and Hill, retired McKenzie Banner publisher Joel Washburn underscored the two women’s dedication to providing travel service-learning opportunities to students who are from Title 1 high schools and often first-generation university students. He noted the establishment of the nonprofit makes possible the fundraising needed to supplement the participants’ travel costs. Washburn also serves as the GCAC Vice Chair.
GCAC’s Board Chair Martha Edinger, a native of Rives, retired attorney and current resident of Florida, said the recognition of the GCAC co-founders is yet another means of highlighting the organization’s mission.
“We want to cultivate global citizens,” she noted. “Being recognized as women who contribute in their home counties and then represent service values as they go abroad says a lot to everyone but especially to young girls and women who are in the process of shaping their futures. I’m grateful that the Jackson Area Business and Professional Women are devoted to lifting up such talent leadership each year.”
Winners this year are Crockett County: Meredith Marbury; Dyer County: Vanedda Webb; Fayette County: Dr. Versie Hamlett; Haywood County: Sheronda Green, Dr. Stephanie Barnes; Henderson County: Amy Allison; McNairy County: Jessica Huff; Obion County: Dr. Julie Hill; Weakley County: Stacie Freeman; Madison County: Olivia Abernathy, Tausha Alexander, Renee Jones, Lauren Kirk, Wendy Mercer, Monique Merriweather, Dr. Mechelle Moragne, Leigh O’Neill, Rachel Ryan, Melinda Reid, and Brenda Triplett.
The Sue Shelton White Award is given to a female attorney in West Tennessee who is a community activist and who has worked to create or change legislation to improve the lives of women and children in the state of Tennessee. Winner of the 2024 Sue Shelton White Award is Rayna Bomar, Career Law Clerk, US District Court.
The Outstanding Woman Military Veteran Award honors a West Tennessee woman who has served her country with distinction and now offers her skills and commitment to her community. The 2024 Outstanding Woman Military Veteran is USMC Master Sergeant E8 (Ret.)
Gloria Holiday, Chester County.
The Sterling Awards 2024 will be held at 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 9, in the Lane College Chambers McClure Academic Center, (CMAC), 808 N. Hayes Avenue, Jackson, Tenn. 38301. During the ceremony, JABPW’s two scholarship winners will also be announced. Each one will receive a $1,500 scholarship.
For information about the Sterling Awards magazine and honoring the 2024 winners, email Jacque Hillman, editor of the Sterling Awards magazine, at jacquehillman@gmail.com.
Global Citizen Adventure Corps is a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to cultivating global citizens through education, service, and travel. By offering transferable college credit and donor-funded scholarships, GCAC actively builds pathways between rural high schools, universities, and a robust network of global nonprofit partners to provide travel program opportunities to underserved students. For more information visit www.globalcitizenadventurecorps.org.
Photo: Jackson Area Business and Professional Women honor West Tennessee’s 20 Most Influential Women and Outstanding Woman Military Veteran and female attorney at their annual Sterling Awards ceremony. This year’s recipients include (front row, left to right) Renee Jones, Sheronda Green, Gloria Holiday, Outstanding Woman Military Veteran; Rayna Bomar, Sue Shelton White Award; Wendy Mercer, Dr. Versie Hamlett; (second row, left to right) Dr. Stephanie Barnes, Leigh O’Neill, Rachel Ryan, Dr. Mechelle Moragne, Jessica Huff; (third row, left to right) Stacie Freeman, Meredith Marbury, Monique Merriweather, Brenda Triplett, Olivia Abernathy; and (fourth row, left to right) Tausha Alexander, Amy Allison, Dr. Julie Hill, Melinda Reid, Vanedda Webb, Lauren Kirk.