2012 YWCA TWIN Honorees of the Year

Thanks again to everyone who attended our 21st Annual Tribute to Women of Influence (TWIN) event. We’d also like to thank our sponsors for their generous support. TWIN raised funds that will go to our programs dedicated to eliminating racism and empowering women. It was an inspiring evening, and we were honored to be able to celebrate such fantastic women. All 20 of our Honorees have made, and continue to make, a powerful impact on our community.

We are pleased to be able to share with you these videos, created by Katie Damien, about each of our three Honorees of the Year, in the categories of Equality, Empowerment and Transformation:

Equality Honoree of the Year: Dr. Elizabeth Castillo

Empowerment Honoree of the Year: The Asheville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc.

Transformation Honoree of the Year: Yolanda Bopp

TWIN 2012 Honoree Spotlight

The YWCA’s Tribute to Women of Influence (TWIN) event honors women who have made significant contributions to their fields, and recognizes those organizations that support such achievements. 2012 marks the 21th anniversary of TWIN. Leading up to this year’s September 20th event at Pack Place & Diana Wortham Theatre, we will highlight each of our 20 incredible TWIN Honorees. If you would like more information about the TWIN event, or to reserve a ticket, please visit www.ywcaofasheville.org.

Kappa Alpha Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Located on the campus of Western Carolina University, the young women of Kappa Alpha work to improve health access, increase awareness about the impact of poverty, assist in leadership education for girls, encourage financial literacy, and celebrate African American arts and culture. The chapter uses its social role to raise funds for numerous hands on projects in Cullowhee and Asheville. The Kappa Alphas are involved in numerous activities, for example, they participated in a forum on sex trafficking and its younger victims, conducted a campaign against “distracted driving,” promoted voter registration, and collaborated to provide a financial literacy workshop. Two other programs fostering women’s interests were held—the annual “Feminini-Tea” for all WCU women and the new “Sisterhood Tea” to encourage positive relationships among sorority women.

Kappa Alpha has become a role model for transformative service. Its innovative approaches and collaborative efforts have led to awards and recognition such as the Catamount Collaboration Award, Five Pillar Chapter Status Award, Student Organization of the Year Award and the Service Learning Community Service Award.  Kappa Alpha‘s cumulative GPA continually is one of the highest at WCU.

TWIN 2012 Honoree Spotlight

The YWCA’s Tribute to Women of Influence (TWIN) event honors women who have made significant contributions to their fields, and recognizes those organizations that support such achievements. 2012 marks the 21th anniversary of TWIN. Leading up to this year’s September 20th event at Pack Place & Diana Wortham Theatre, we will highlight each of our 20 incredible TWIN Honorees. If you would like more information about the TWIN event, or to reserve a ticket, please visit www.ywcaofasheville.org.

Yolanda Bopp

Yolanda is leader in the efforts to protect immigrant rights in Western North Carolina. She founded Pisgah Legal Services “Justice for All Project,” which provides civil legal aid to low-income, usually non-English speaking immigrants and undocumented persons and families. Yolanda works with victims of domestic violence, parents who fear being separated from their children because of detention or deportation, and people who have been jailed because of their immigration status. Her work with battered immigrant women often has a dramatic, life-changing impact on their lives. And she helps with other basic needs such as housing, health care and income.

Yolanda has helped more than 220 people from 17 counties secure legal status and work authorization so they can move out of poverty. She is known far and wide in WNC as a resource for immigrants and receives call and visits from across the region. In 2011, Yolanda became one of less than ten immigrant advocates nationwide to earn partial accreditation.

TWIN 2012 Honoree Spotlight

The YWCA’s Tribute to Women of Influence (TWIN) event honors women who have made significant contributions to their fields, and recognizes those organizations that support such achievements. 2012 marks the 21th anniversary of TWIN. Leading up to this year’s September 20th event at Pack Place & Diana Wortham Theatre, we will highlight each of our 20 incredible TWIN Honorees. If you would like more information about the TWIN event, or to reserve a ticket, please visit www.ywcaofasheville.org.

Asheville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc.

A sisterhood of predominately Black college educated women, the Asheville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority works to empower children who are struggling academically through Delta House. Delta House provides hands-on, project based learning for more than 250 children every year in afterschool and summer camp in six sites across the community through a program called LEAAP or Learning through Extended Academics and Arts Program. The program is offered for free to qualifying students in third through eighth grades, who have struggled with end-of-grade tests.

LEAAP is targeting kids who live in poverty or go to low performing schools. The program employs certified teachers who submit lesson plans, and monitor and report students’ grades.  Students work on project-based learning.  As a result of the Delta’s involvement, children that have never passed the End of Grade Testing are receiving high marks.  At least 40% of children engaged in the program go on to graduate from college.

Tribute to Women of Influence on Thursday, Sept. 20th

The YWCA of Asheville will hold its 21^st Annual Tribute to Women of Influence (TWIN) awards event on Thursday, September 20th at 7 pm at Pack Place and the Diana Wortham Theatre.

The TWIN award is given to women who are role models in their fields, organizations, and community. A total of 20 women/groups of women will be honored at the event (see list below), with featured winners in the categories of equality, empowerment and transformation.

The emcee will be Lisa G. McMillan of Exquisite Events & Consulting (pictured). Local filmmaker Katie Damien is producing a series of videos that will be screened at the event. Music will be provided by LYRIC and the Juan Benavides Trio. The lead sponsor is First Citizens Bank.

“The YWCA is honored to celebrate this impressive group of women,” says YWCA Executive Director Beth Maczka. “The positive impact they each make on our community is truly inspiring.”

Tickets to the reception and awards presentation are $60 per person. Proceeds from the TWIN event will go to support YWCA programs that bridge gaps in child care, education, health and earning power. To reserve tickets, go to www.ywcaofasheville.org or call 254-7206 x 207.

2012 YWCA Tribute to Women of Influence Honorees
Alyson Johnson-Sawyer, CarePartners Health Services
Anna Mills, Van Winkle Law Firm
Asheville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc.
Casey Blake, Asheville Citizen-Times
Catherine Faherty, TEACCH-Asheville
Dr. Elizabeth Castillo, Mission Health System/Asheville Specialty Hospital
Evelyn Fozzard, Melvin R. Lane Foundation
Imke Durre, NOAA’s National climatic Data Center
Irene Jurczyk, Mountain Area Health Education Center
Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, Campaign for Southern Equality
Jennifer Mayer, Charlotte Street Computers
Joy Michelle Ponder, Asheville Fire Department
Kappa Alpha Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Leslie Boyd, Life O’ Mike
Marie Jensen, Eliada Homes
Mary Kate Rikard, HomeTrust Bank
Schell Alexander, Asheville Buncombe Youth Soccer Association
Stephanie Hickling Beckman, Different Strokes! Performing Arts Collective
Willie Vincent, Mountain Housing Opportunities
Yolanda Bopp, Pisgah Legal Services

TWIN 2012 Honoree Spotlight

The YWCA’s Tribute to Women of Influence (TWIN) event honors women who have made significant contributions to their fields, and recognizes those organizations that support such achievements. 2012 marks the 21th anniversary of TWIN. Leading up to this year’s September 20th event at Pack Place & Diana Wortham Theatre, we will highlight each of our 20 incredible TWIN Honorees. If you would like more information about the TWIN event, or to reserve a ticket, please visit www.ywcaofasheville.org.

Schell Alexander

Through systems and operations development for Asheville Buncombe Youth Soccer Association (ABYSA) Schell Alexander oversees registration for over 5,000 soccer players each year in Buncombe County. She has created processes that allow parents to easily and systematically enroll their children in programs which in turn, empower our children with easy access to the game of soccer and a healthier lifestyle. Schell is has a thorough understanding of the ABYSA/HFC organization with her experience in coaching, administration, and family aspects of soccer.

Schell started the Soccer Angels program where anonymous donors can sponsor players in the community that would not be able to participate otherwise. She also set up the organizational, bookkeeping, and employment structure for the organization. She participated in the formation of Asheville Buncombe Recreational Sports Commission (ABRSC) and has contributed to sound fiscal practices while helping to grow and maintain the second largest soccer organization in the state. Schell’s strength, knowledge and compassion have given her “team mom” stature within the organization.

TWIN 2012 Honoree Spotlight

The YWCA’s Tribute to Women of Influence (TWIN) event honors women who have made significant contributions to their fields, and recognizes those organizations that support such achievements. 2012 marks the 21th anniversary of TWIN. Leading up to this year’s September 20th event at Pack Place & Diana Wortham Theatre, we will highlight each of our 20 incredible TWIN Honorees. If you would like more information about the TWIN event, or to reserve a ticket, please visit www.ywcaofasheville.org.

Mary Kate Rikard

As a loan officer with the HomeTrust Banking Partnership since 2003, Mary Kate has been instrumental in getting people into homes. She works closely with Mount Housing Opportunities, OnTrack and many other organizations that help low- to moderate-income individuals and families find down payment assistance, grants and other programs available to assist in home buying. Mary Kate works to help clients get their credit in line, then advocates for them in finding assistance.

The bulk of Mary Kate’s first time home buyer clients are Buncombe County’s working class, and over half of her clients are single women, often with children. The amount of work associated with these loans is vast, and in fact it is often easier to deny these clients than help them.  But when other loan officers would turn them away, Mary Kate takes on the challenge because it’s the right thing to do. Mary Kate’s work impacts individuals’ daily lives, creates jobs it he community, and increases city revenue by augmenting available funding for home loans.

TWIN 2012 Honoree Spotlight

The YWCA’s Tribute to Women of Influence (TWIN) event honors women who have made significant contributions to their fields, and recognizes those organizations that support such achievements. 2012 marks the 21th anniversary of TWIN. Leading up to this year’s September 20th event at Pack Place & Diana Wortham Theatre, we will highlight each of our 20 incredible TWIN Honorees. If you would like more information about the TWIN event, or to reserve a ticket, please visit www.ywcaofasheville.org.

Marie Jensen

Marie has devoted her life to transforming the lives of the most vulnerable children and families in our community. She has worked for over two decades to build Eliada’s programming for extremely needy young people, many of whom have suffered unthinkable abuse and neglect. She helped transform Eliada from a small emergency shelter into a $10 million organization that offers a full continuum of advanced clinical, educational, and treatment services in an excellence-focused environment.

Marie was the driving force behind the launch of Eliada’s Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility. Prior to this, WNC had no regional facility that could accommodate high-acuity students, and they were being sent out of state, far from the environment they had always known.  In addition, Marie helped lead Eliada to its first national accreditation, a landmark achievement. She developed the agency’s first outcomes program, and spearheaded the effort to certify Eliada as a Critical Access Behavioral Health Agency. For twenty years, she has acted as role model and mentor for the 125+ staff whom she supervises with a quiet calm and grace.

TWIN 2012 Honoree Spotlight

The YWCA’s Tribute to Women of Influence (TWIN) event honors women who have made significant contributions to their fields, and recognizes those organizations that support such achievements. 2012 marks the 21th anniversary of TWIN. Leading up to this year’s September 20th event at Pack Place & Diana Wortham Theatre, we will highlight each of our 20 incredible TWIN Honorees. If you would like more information about the TWIN event, or to reserve a ticket, please visit www.ywcaofasheville.org.

Joy Michelle Ponder

Joy became a firefighter with the Asheville Fire Department in 1998, and has demonstrated commitment to continuous self-improvement and development as a firefighter, an officer and a leader. She serves a key leadership role on the department’s Promotional Criteria Advisory Committee, which helps develop personnel. She has been an asset to our region, performing site risk assessments over the entire City of Asheville, and identifying significant areas of concern for wildland fires. Joy has also conducted a research study with Ph.D’s from UNCA investigating occupational anxiety among firefighters.

Joy has earned the distinctions of Fire Officer Designation, Certified Chief Fire Officer, 2011 Firefighter of the Year and she will complete the four-year Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy this year. She demonstrates her ability as an effective leader each day and continues to hone her skills in all aspects of fire service management. She is a positive role model for not only women in the fire service, but all personnel with the desire to excel in the field.

TWIN 2012 Honoree Spotlight

The YWCA’s Tribute to Women of Influence (TWIN) event honors women who have made significant contributions to their fields, and recognizes those organizations that support such achievements. 2012 marks the 21th anniversary of TWIN. Leading up to this year’s September 20th event at Pack Place & Diana Wortham Theatre, we will highlight each of our 20 incredible TWIN Honorees. If you would like more information about the TWIN event, or to reserve a ticket, please visit www.ywcaofasheville.org.

Catherine Faherty

Catherine has spent the past 28 years developing strategies that facilitate a better understanding between people with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and the world around them. The strategies Catherine has developed are based in the understanding that people with an autistic learning style think, learn, and communicate differently than those with a “nuerotypical” learning style.  Catherine empowers children and adults with ASD by teaching them self-advocacy, helping them understand the importance of identifying their own experiences, and giving them tools with which to effectively communicate with others. In addition, she has taught thousands of teachers, parents, speech therapists, psychologists and other professionals about how to understand the nature of ASD communication.

Catherine has published multiple books and articles on various topics affecting people with ASD, and has developed training models and manuals used by Autism programs nationally and internationally. She also created the widely-used Understanding Friends programs to raise children’s awareness of the differences in their ASD peers, and started social groups for adults with ASD that have been ongoing for over twenty years. Since 1990, Catherine has been with the Asheville TEACCH Center where she works as a consultant, trainer, and clinician. She has been instrumental in providing effective diagnoses and treatments for people with ASD, and leads support groups in Spanish and English.