FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - YWCA USA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Charlene
President & CEO
October 31, 2012 (513) 361-2120
The YWCA Celebrates 2012 Rising Stars
Award Presented to 57 Local Professional Women
Cincinnati, OH — The YWCA of Greater Cincinnati is pleased to announce the selection of the 2012 class of YWCA
Rising Stars. The YWCA Academy of Career Women of Achievement created the Rising Star program in 2002 as a way
to mentor and support younger women (age 25 - 40) in pursuit of excellence in their careers. The Academy consists of
women who have received the YWCA Career Women of Achievement Award. Nominated by YWCA Academy and YWCA
Board members, YWCA Rising Stars receive more than just the recognition from the award itself, but are then invited to
participate in exclusive educational, networking and social events sponsored by the YWCA. Now in its eleventh year, this
well-established and highly respected honor has been bestowed on nearly 500 women in Greater Cincinnati. Aligned with
its mission to “Eliminate Racism and Empower Women,” the YWCA continues to develop women as the future leaders of
the Greater Cincinnati region.
This year, fifty-seven women join the community of YWCA Rising Stars. Following are the young professional
women selected for this year’s honor (including the community in which they reside):
Tara Adams, Trust Advisor, Wealth Management, PNC Bank (Hebron, KY)
Dina Bailey, Director of Exhibitions & Collections, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (Pleasant
Ridge)
Lauren Bosse, Director of Development, Mercy Health Foundation (Glendale, OH)
Melanie Boyle, Environmental Sustainability Specialist, Cintas Corp. (Morrow, OH)
Donna Carrelli, Divisional AVP, Marketing Services, Annuity Group, Great American Financial Resources
(Anderson Township)
Nalini Chawla, R & D Principle Scientist, Procter & Gamble (Mason, OH)
Melissa Currence, Interactive Media Project Manager, The Greater Cincinnati Foundation (Hyde Park)
Julie Danielson, Vice President, Credit Granting, Macy's Credit and Customer Services
Karen Franz, Senior, Ernst & Young (Crescent Springs, KY)

Jamia Gamble, Legal Compliance Manager, Foxx and Company (Amberley)
Jennifer Greber, Senior Brand & Strategy Marketing Manager, The Kroger Co. (Fort Mitchell, KY)
Juwana Hall, Director, Batterers Intervention & Prevention, YWCA of Greater Cincinnati (Colerain)
Jennifer Hansert, Manager, Strategic Resources & Public Policy, United Way of Greater Cincinnati (Colerain)
Erin Hedges, Speech Language Pathologist, Cincinnati Public Schools (Anderson Township)
Carla Howard, Assistant VP, Senior Commercial Relations Manager, Vantiv (Clifton)
Lindsey Huttenbauer, Marketing Director, Saks Fifth Avenue (Hyde Park)
Staci Jenkins, Associate, Labor & Employment, Thompson Hine LLP (Amelia, OH)
Ebone John, Group Finance Manager, NAMDO, Procter & Gamble (Kenwood)
Ginger Johnson, Manager of Strategic Initiatives, Cincinnati Ballet (Downtown Cincinnati)
Kathleen Kennedy, Admissions & Marketing Director, Brookwood Retirement Community (Kenwood)
Erin Kidwell, Senior Treasury Analyst, Sun Chemical (Downtown Cincinnati)
Lauren Kirk, Manager, Real Estate, Macy's, Inc. (Loveland, OH)
Anne Lame, Senior Analyst, Lenox Wealth Management (Mt Lookout)
Heidi Lattire, Cost Accountant, Messer Construction Company (Price Hill)
Denise Litter, MBE Portfolio Manager, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber (Wyoming)
Corrie Madden, Employee Coordinator Workforce Development, YWCA of Greater Cincinnati (Kennedy Heights)
Jamila Maddox, Founder & Chief Chiropractor, Healing Arts, LLC
Su-Yon McConville, Section Head-Global Packaging Development, Procter & Gamble (Mason, OH)
Maribel McGonagle, Volunteer Resources Specialist, American Red Cross (Columbia Tusculum)
Shannah Morris, Managing Associate, Frost Brown Todd, LLC (Monroe/Liberty Township, Ohio)
Laura Muse, Director, Life Product Management, Ohio National Financial Services, Inc. (Kenwood)
Tara Noland, Director, Development, Comprehensive Community Child Care (Clifton Heights)
Emily Overton, Section Head, Hair Care Research & Development, Procter & Gamble
Meeka Owens, Organizational Development Consultant, Mary Kay, Inc (North Avondale)
Amy Pennekamp, Attorney, William E. Hesch Law Firm, LLC (Evendale)
Chavon Phillips, Director, Human Resources, Foxx and Company (West Chester, OH)
Rachel Reider, Project Manager, Crossroads Community Church (Pleasant Ridge)
Kari Ritzi, Manager, Benefits Marketing & Communications, Macy's, Inc. (Burlington, KY)
Lauren Ross, Residential Mortgage Loss Mitigation Disposition Manager, U.S. Bank (Glendale)

Megan Schmutte, Senior Volunteer Coordinator, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (Dayton, KY)
Elizabeth Simmons, Attorney, Dinsmore & Shohl (Hyde Park)
Leisan Smith, Director of the LGBTQ Center, University of Cincinnati (Golf Manor)
Katie Stout, Controller, Best Upon Request Corporate Inc. (West Chester, OH)
Katie Syroney, Director of Marketing, Cincinnati Opera (Pleasant Ridge)
Julia Tarvin, Attorney, Taft, Stettinius & Hollister (Newport, KY)
Ellen Tischler, Director, P&G North American Oral Care, Procter & Gamble (Columbia Tusculum)
Andrea Turner, AVP - Professional Practices Group - Manager, Fifth Third Bank (Golf Manor)
Lisa Vannis, Audit Senior Manager, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP (Miami Township)
Elizabeth Vessell, Program Services Manager, Girl Scouts of Western Ohio (Lebanon, OH)
Sarah Weiss, Executive Director, Center for Holocaust & Humanity Education (Amberley Village)
Ligaya West, Production Manager, Accenture (Roselawn)
Amy Westheimer, Director of Sales, Cincinnati Commercial Contracting (Mariemont)
Erica White, Tax Specialist, PNC Bank (Brookwood)
Jamese Willis, Finance Coordinator, Total Homecare Solutions (Pleasant Ridge)
Tiffani Wills, Manager of Customer Success, iSqFt (West Chester)
Camille Woods, Tremor Marketing Specialist (Word of Mouth), Procter & Gamble (Clifton)
Julie Zix, Project Administrator, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (Highland Heights, KY)
Nomination criteria include having the qualities of an outstanding performer and demonstrating a potential to
attain marked achievement in her chosen career. Specifically, Rising Stars were identified as younger professional
women with proven leadership qualities who would benefit from interaction with Academy members and other Rising
Stars.
National studies have shown that this is the first generation of young women professionals that have a substantial
base of existing, high-level career women as potential mentors. By giving the Rising Stars the opportunity to interact and
network with career women of diverse backgrounds, this program provides these younger leaders with the opportunity to
address topics that will enhance their ability to further their career success. On October 18, the new class of Rising Stars
attended a roundtable discussion event at the Queen City Club, featuring five topics of discussion that are relevant to
younger women climbing the ladder of success. Each topic was facilitated by two members of the Academy of Career
Women of Achievement. Sally Bush, Director of Analytics for Macy's Credit and Customer Service, and Diane Jordon
Grizzard, Author, Speaker, and President/CEO of Thembi Speaks, LLC, co-chair an Advisory Committee that oversees

the YWCA Rising Star program. Sally serves on the YWCA Racial Justice Committee, was a 2009 YWCA Rising Star,
and a 2010 YWCA Rising Star Leadership Program participant. Diane is a 2010 Career Woman of Achievement and
serves on the YWCA Mamie Earl Sells Scholarship Fund Committee.
After the roundtable event, the Rising Stars attended the Academy’s Fall Induction Dinner where the 2012 YWCA
Career Women of Achievement were inducted into the Academy. One 2012 YWCA Rising Star, Meeka Owens, was
asked to report to the Academy on the topics discussed at the Rising Star Roundtable event. The Rising Stars, Academy
and Board Members then heard an inspiring speech from the keynote and esteemed guest for the YWCA Fall Academy
Induction Dinner, Gloria Lau, CEO of YWCA USA.
The most recent inductees to the Academy of Career Women of Achievement are:
Linda W. Clement-Holmes, Chief Diversity Officer & Senior Vice President Global Business Services, Procter
& Gamble
Pamela Coleman-Brailsford, Senior Director, Supplier Diversity & Sustainability, Cintas Corporation
Kimber L. Fender, Executive Director, Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County
Cheryl L. Hoying, PhD, RN, Senior Vice President, Patient Services, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical
Center
Jill P. Meyer, Member-In-Charge, Cincinnati Office, Frost Brown Todd, LLC
Peg Moertl, Senior Vice President, Community Development Banking, PNC Bank
Maria P. Ortega, Managing Director, Quest Diagnostics Incorporated
Kathleen Broderick Selker, President & CEO, Northlich

(Photo Caption: 2012 YWCA Rising Star Meeka Owens, Former YWCA Board Chair Kathy Beechem, YWCA President &
CEO Charlene Ventura, YWCA Academy Co-Chair Nora Zorich, Co-Chair of the 2013 YWCA Salute to Career Women of
Achievement Luncheon Linda Clement Holmes, YWCA Academy Co-Chair Tillie-Hidalgo-Lima, YWCA USA CEO Gloria
Lau, Co-Chair of the 2013 YWCA Salute to Career Women of Achievement Luncheon Susan Branscome, and YWCA
Rising Star Co-Chair Diane Jordon Grizzard)
The YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for
all.
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