Previous Winners
Woman of the Year
2021 Woman of the Year
Dr. Anitra Warrior
Morningstar Counseling and Consultation
2020 Woman of the Year
Pat Lopez
Lancaster County Health Director
2019 Woman of the Year
Alice Dittman
Former president and CEO of Cornhusker Bank
Dittman received her honor Wednesday during the fifth annual Inspire — Celebrating Women’s Leadership Awards at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Dittman worked at the bank her family owned for nearly 40 years, serving as president from 1975-92 and then serving another 21 years on its board of directors.
In 2011, she started a $1 million micro-lending program for entrepreneurs that’s administered through the Lincoln Community Foundation.
2018 Woman of the Year
JoAnn Martin
Ameritas CEO
Martin was honored Wednesday during the fourth annual Inspire — Celebrating Women’s Leadership Awards.
Martin, who has been with Ameritas since 1984 and has served as the insurance company’s CEO since 2009, was one of 11 women honored for both their professional achievements and their contributions to the community.
Watch her Inspire video.
2017 Woman of the Year
Barbara Bartle
Lincoln Community Foundation President
Lincoln Community Foundation President Barbara Bartle was named Woman of the Year on Wednesday at the third annual Inspire — Celebrating Women’s Leadership Awards.
Watch Barbara share her thoughts on leadership, the need for female role models, and what inspires her.
2016 Woman of the Year
Wendy Birdsall
President of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce
Wendy Birdsall, president of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development, was named Woman of the Year at the 2016 Inspire – Celebrating Women’s Leadership Awards.
Watch Birdsall share her thoughts on leadership, work ethic and the need for female role models.
2015 Woman of the Year
Donde Plowman
Dean of the University of Nebraska – Lincoln College of Business
Donde Plowman, dean of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business, was named Woman of the Year. She was honored for her efforts in raising $80 million in private donations to construct a new College of Business Administration building, which broke ground earlier this year. As dean of the College of Business, she has developed a lecture series for female students to learn from successful women in the community. She endorses and supports mentoring programs for women and freely gives her time to attend and speak at RISE and Women in Philanthropy events as well as sits on many boards that affect the community.
All Award Winners
2021 Award Winners
EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS (LARGE)
Lynn Roper
Merrill Lynch
EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS (SMALL/MEDIUM)
Dr. Betsy Tonniges
Primrose School of Lincoln at Wilderness Hills
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
Dr. Susan M. Fritz
University of Nebraska
EXCELLENCE IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Stacy Orsborn & Stasi Grenfell
Victress
EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE
Judi gaiashkibos
Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs
EXCELLENCE IN HEALTHCARE
Dr. Judith M. Burnfield
Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital
EXCELLENCE IN NONPROFIT
Michaella Kumke
Food Bank of Lincoln
EXCELLENCE IN PHILANTHROPY
Karen Griffin
Olsson
FOUNDERS AWARD
Aakriti Agrawal
Girls Code Lincoln
INSPIRE SCHOLARSHIP
Deseree Chavez & Andrea Orozco-Lopez
YOUNG LEADER'S AWARD
Batool Ibrahim
2020 Award Winners
EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS (LARGE)
Diane Temme Stinton
TMCO
EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS (SMALL/MEDIUM)
Aletta McClendon
Zen Salon and Physical Wellness
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
Dr. Helen Abdali Soosan Fagan
University of Nebraska
EXCELLENCE IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Susan Larson Rodenburg
SLR Communication
EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE
Patty Pansing Brooks
Brooks Pansing Brooks Law
EXCELLENCE IN HEALTHCARE
Karen McGivney-Liechti
CHI Birth Center
EXCELLENCE IN NON-PROFIT
Alynn Sampson
Food Bank of Lincoln
EXCELLENCE IN PHILANTHROPY
Holly Ostergard
Crete Carrier
FUTURE BUSINESS LEADER
Evada Palmer
FOUNDERS AWARD
Zainab Funnah
2019 Award Winners
EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS (LARGE)
Cori Sampson Vokoun
Sampson Construction
EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS (SMALL/MEDIUM)
Dr. Beth Lau
Associated Anesthesiologists PC
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
Tracy Anderson
Lancaster County 4-H Coordinator
EXCELLENCE IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Nichole Hansen
Handersen Publishing
EXCELLENCE IN HEALTH CARE
Jennifer Knecht
Immanuel Communities
EXCELLENCE IN NON-PROFIT
Cathy Martinez
Autism Family Network
EXCELLENCE IN PHILANTHROPY
Linda Robinson Rutz
United Way
FOUNDERS AWARD
Pam Dinneen
Mourning Hope Grief Center
FUTURE BUSINESS LEADER
Myah Anderson
EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE
Melissa Ripley
Lincoln Police Department
2018 Award Winners
EXCELLENCE IN PHILANTHROPY
Rhonda Peed
Co-Founder of Sandhills Publishing
EXCELLENCE IN NONPROFIT
Khamisa Abdalla
Asian Community & Cultural Center
EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS (LARGE)
Melissa Newton
Executive Vice President of Talent & Organizational Strategy at Olsson Associates
EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS (SMALL TO MEDIUM)
Rachel Henry
Senior Marketing Consultant with Unanimous
EXCELLENCE IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Jen Landis
Pincurl Girls
EXCELLENCE IN HEALTH CARE
Peggy Reisher
Executive Director of the Brain Injury Alliance of Nebraska
EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE
Brigadier Gen Wendy Johnson
Commander of the Nebraska Air National Guard
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
Patsy Koch Johns
Nebraska State Board of Education member
FOUNDERS AWARD
Ina Bhoopalam
Founder of Like a Girl LPS
FUTURE BUSINESS LEADER & SCHOLARSHIP WINNER
Azcia Fleming
Lincoln High School
2017 Award Winners
EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS (LARGE)
Barb Bettin
President & CEO of the YMCA of Lincoln
EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS (SMALL TO MEDIUM)
Lanelle Herink
Partner at HBE Becker Meyer Love LLP
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
L. Shanna Letcher
Advocate for African-American students at Lincoln Public Schools
EXCELLENCE IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Mailani Veney
Owner of DealAnyDay
EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE
Cynthia Harris
Administrator of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Service's Office of Consumer Affairs
EXCELLENCE IN HEALTH CARE
Teresa Harms
Executive Director of Clinic With a Heart
EXCELLENCE IN NON-PROFIT
Karen Bell-Dancy
Executive Director of the YWCA of Lincoln
EXCELLENCE IN PHOLANTHROPY
Kathryn LeBaron
Lincoln Industries
FOUNDERS AWARD
Mary Costello
Founder of Matt Talbot Kitchen
FUTURE BUSINESS LEADER & SCHOLARSHIP
Jaden Ferguson
Junior, Lincoln Southwest High School
INSPIRE SCHOLARSHIP
Lilia Lark Fromm
Won a $1,000 scholarship.
2016 Award Winners
EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS, 100 EMPLOYEES OR LESS
Lynn Ayers
Executive Director, Child Advocacy Center
EXCELLENCE IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Lyn Wineman
President & Chief Strategist, KidGlov
FUTURE BUSINESS LEADER & SCHOLARSHIP
Lauren Mosser
Senior, Lincoln Southeast High School
FOUNDERS AWARD
AshLea Allberry
100's of Women Who Care
EXCELLENCE IN HEALTH CARE
Dr. Tracy Bender
Occupational Therapist, Lymphedema & Cancer Rehabilitation Specialist, Southeast Nebraska Cancer Center
EXCELLENCE IN PHILANTHROPY
Beatty Brasch
Executive Director, Center for People in Need
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
Pat Leach
Director, Lincoln City Libraries
EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS, 101 EMPLOYEES OR MORE
Christie Hinrichs
President & CEO, Tabitha
EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE
Leirion Gaylor Baird
Lincoln City Council
2015 Award Winners
INSPIRE SCHOLARSHIP
Avary Pansing Brooks
Student at American University
INSPIRE FUTURE BUSINESS LEADER
Elizabeth Whitacre
Student at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE
Kathy Campbell
State Senator
EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS – LARGE
Kimberly Rath
Chairwomen & Co-Founder of Talent+
EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS – SMALL
Liz Neeley
Executive Director of the Nebraska Bar Association
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
Marilyn Moore
President of Bryan College of Health Services
EXCELLENCE IN HEALTH CARE
Marsha Lommel
President & CEO of Madonna Rehabilitation
EXCELLENCE IN PHILANTHROPY
Rhonda Seacrest
James C. & Rhonda S. Seacrest Foundation
EXCELLENCE IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Tawnya Starr
Vice President of Sales for Firespring
Event Galleries
2020
2019
Hosted at the Pinnacle Bank Arena
2018
Hosted at the Pinnacle Bank Arena
2017
Hosted at The Cornhusker Marriott Hotel
2016
Hosted at The Cornhusker Marriott Hotel
2015
Hosted at The Cornhusker Marriott Hotel
