Empowering and celebrating women is what the ywca is all about, and this year’s Leader Luncheon, which took place May 3 at the Hotel Pere Marquette, paid tribute to strong women who’ve accomplished great things both locally and nationally. This year’s keynote speaker was Lois Jenson, whose life story is the inspiration behind the film North Country, starring Charlize Theron. Jenson filed the first sexual harassment class action lawsuit in the United States in the 1970s, and her victory over her employer confronted the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace.
But the central purpose of the annual Leader Luncheon Awards is to honor seven women who’ve made outstanding contributions to the Peoria area community through diverse means.
The awards include:
• Julia Proctor White Arts and Education Award—given to a woman who displays leadership in education or the arts.
• Edythe A. Cohen Business and Industry Award—given to a woman who exhibits leadership in a local business, not-for-profit organization, or governmental body.
• Lydia Moss Bradley Communications Award—given to a woman who’s a leader in communications fields such as journalism, marketing, or public relations.
• Eliza Pindell Community Service Award—given to a woman who displays leadership in civic, charitable, religious, and other community activities.
• Valeska S. Hinton Human Rights Award—given to a woman who helps improve the quality of life in our community by advocating equal rights for all people.
• Mother M. Frances Krasse Professions Award—given to a woman who excels as a lawyer, doctor, nurse, or other professional.
• YWCA Young Woman’s Community Service Award—given to a high school-aged woman who excels in the areas of leadership and community service.
In addition to these award winners, sculptor Nita Sutherland was recognized as the Legend Award Winner for 2006, an award that recognizes a past Leader Luncheon winner who continues to demonstrate outstanding accomplishments in her field and in service to the community.
Julia Proctor White Arts and Education Award
Dr. Lois Hamilton is dean of the Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing, where she’s chair of the College Senate and Leadership Team and is a member of the Management Team at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center.
In 1998, she began the process of investigation for a Masters in Nursing program at the College, and, in large part due to her diligent efforts, the first students were enrolled in 2001. “The Masters program was important because of the nursing shortage. And to prepare more nurses, we need the faculty. Our program offers nurses the chance to get their Masters, to be a clinician on the patient health or administrative side, as well as to be faculty members. We knew the shortage was coming and would last a long time, and we wanted to be on board to contribute nurses and faculty members,” she said.
In addition, she’s secured board approval to investigate the movement of the college toward offering a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. “Right now we’re in the exploration stage; we’re in the process of educating people about it because this is a change for nursing. Nursing has always had a Ph.D, but this is a practice degree. So we’re letting people know what a doctorate degree is and what they can do with it.”
Hamilton said her career in nursing and administration has been very rewarding. “It’s allowed me to help many people along the way. I taught nursing for over 40 years, and it’s marvelous to see people who’ve been in my classes that are now doing such wonderful things. Touching the lives of other people has been great, and I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Edythe A. Cohen Business and Industry Award
Mary Haynes is serving her sixth term as Peoria City Clerk, the first elected female to serve in the role in Peoria history. She initially pursued the position because the timing was right, and she thought she could make a difference, she said. “I believed in working administrators in government and not figurehead politics. I knew I was the only one at that time who would fill that roll, so I went for it.”
Haynes is also the first clerk to achieve Registered Clerk, Certified Municipal Clerk, and Master Municipal Clerk status. She co-founded the Central Illinois Municipal Clerk Organization in 1988 and earned three President’s Awards from the organization.
Additionally, she’s conducted two international exchanges and has participated in a work study exchange in England. “Clerks have a unique position; there’s no one else in town who does exactly what you do,” she explained. “So I found it interesting to mingle with people internationally. We talk about records management, but those people are trying to keep records back to 1400 and before, so we learn so much from their structure of government. And after all, we’re a melting pot, so Americans can learn so much from other people about how they govern themselves and how they’re governed.”
Haynes said she remains committed to the position of city clerk because she believes that good government—responsive government—is very important. “I feel like the clerk’s office gives me the opportunity to be a link for people. We can link them up with their legislative representatives and get something done together.”
Lydia Moss Bradley Communications Award
Kath Conver is senior director of Public Relations at Bradley University, where she’s in charge of all media relations, community relations, and internal communications. She acts as university spokesperson, writes and edits employee newsletters, coordinates special events, and serves on several university committees.
Following a brief stint in news, her career in public relations has spanned 30 years. “I enjoy the variety in public relations and finding solutions for the organizations I’ve worked with,” she said.
For the last two decades, Conver has dedicated her professional life to Bradley University. Of the long-standing association, she said simply, “It’s a great university, and I’ve enjoyed telling its story.”
She’s also very active in the community. Among her many endeavors, Conver has been part of the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce, Hult Health Education Center, Kickapoo Council of Girl Scouts, American Cancer Society, Peoria Municipal Band Commission, and Common Place. Her advice to other women trying to maintain both active careers and volunteer schedules: get involved in the things you truly enjoy and to which you can offer your skills. She also advocates balance. “Don’t take on more than you can creatively and effectively complete,” she said.
Eliza Pindell Community Service Award
Terry Best is Member Services manager at the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce, responsible for program development and implementation to meet member needs. She provides staff support for service volunteer committees, program development and implementation, and member retention. Her professional background includes a career as a medical social worker at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, an asset internship coordinator at Bradley University’s Smith Career Center, and operations manager for Rivermen Hockey.
For the past 30 years, Best has worked tirelessly as a community volunteer, including Junior League of Peoria, Children’s Hospital of Illinois, Human Service Center, Pediatric Resource Center, Heartland Community Health Clinic, United Way, Family House, American Cancer Society, St. Jude, and more.
Her commitments—whether career or volunteer—seem to revolve around promoting and highlighting Peoria. Why is she dedicated to the city? “Its progress,” she said. “I’ve watched it progress steadily, but it’s really picked up pace in the last five years.”
She said a supportive family has allowed her to pursue her volunteer passions, but she also credits her current employers for their stance on employee involvement. “The Heartland Partnership and the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce encourage us and support our volunteer work.”
Valeska S. Hinton Human Rights Award
Nancy Rakoff is executive director of Common Place, beginning her career with the agency in 1967 as its second staff member. Over the years, she’s been responsible for many of Common Place’s initiatives, including the Adult Literacy program, the Gift Books program, the Extended Family program, and the $1 million capital campaign.
Of her decision to spend her entire career with Common Place, she said, “I love touching the lives of people with various backgrounds; it’s given my life so much meaning. And I hope we’ve done something good to help people have more chances for education and for quality of life.”
Common Place thrives with the assistance of more than 3,000 volunteers who’ve helped thousands more children and adults. The volunteers’ commitment isn’t entirely selfless, however. “I’ve had many of them tell me they get so much more out of it than they give to it,” Rakoff said. “Our individual adult literacy tutors put a lot of patience, a lot of preparation, a lot of time in working with a new reader. And many of them have wonderful relationships with the adult learners they tutor and say they get so much out of it. We also have wonderful volunteers who help children—some of them four days a week all school year long, helping third and fourth graders succeed in school.”
She said the organization’s motto—“love in action”—is a good summary of how so much good has come from such humble beginnings. “We can talk, or we can do it.”
Mother M. Frances Krasse Professions Award
Patricia Benassi is a partner, owner, and vice president of Benassi & Benassi PC, a law firm specializing in employment law, civil rights law, personal injury law, and domestic relations law. She said she was inspired to take on this particular type of law because she saw the injustices women face from the time they’re young. “That had a big influence on me, and I wanted to make the world a better place. I had skills in the law, and this is what I decided to do.”
Over the years, Benassi has taken on many public cases, but she said she’s proudest of the Mitsubishi case. “That case had a national impact, and I think it woke up corporations throughout the country that it was expensive and wrong to allow sexual harassment to go on on such a wide-scale basis.”
She said there have been many smaller, less-public cases that have been rewarding as well. “So many people I’ve represented have been brave and have stood up to injustice. They were all so important.”
For young women hoping to similarly affect the world, Benassi advised them to prepare themselves, not to doubt their talents, and not to be afraid. “Women have just as many talents as men, but I think they’re often kept back by their own sense of inadequacy or fear or their image of what women can or cannot do. We’re fortunate because we live in a society right now that’s probably the most advanced ever in the history of the human race as far as the opportunities for women, but there’s much more work to be done.”
YWCA Young Woman’s Community Service Award
Melissa Dunton is a senior at Morton High School, where she consistently has taken challenging courses including dual credit courses and honors track courses. She’s earned a 5.0 GPA and is currently eighth in her class of 210 students.
Dunton participates in extracurricular activities such as softball, math club, volleyball, and peer tutoring. She also is a Golden Apple scholar, which is a pre-service teacher preparation program. This award was earned after a lengthy application, essay, and interview process. As one of 100 scholars in the state, she was chosen from approximately 5,000 applicants.
Already active in the community, Dunton teaches a sixth grade Sunday School class, takes a group of children to the Lutheran Home in Peoria each month, and participates in fundraising for Habitat for Humanity and St. Jude. TPW