On Wednesday, May 11, the YWCA GLA awarded Lisa Paulsen, President & CEO of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nury Martinez, and, Delilah Lanoix-Harris, President of SMS Transportation Services with the Phenomenal Woman of the Year awards.
The annual Awards luncheon took place at the Omini Los Angeles Downtown.
“These three women have devoted their lives to the common theme that they were placed on this earth to serve others in need. And, uniquely, they identified underserved areas of assistance requiring the very special leadership only women can best provide,” says Faye Washington, President and CEO of YWCA Greater Los Angeles.
The Phenomenal Woman Awards Luncheon emphasized how women are the driving forces behind some of the most compassionate and forward-looking programs in Los Angeles and beyond. The event was co-chaired by YWCA Greater Los Angeles Ambassador Kathy Ireland, who gave opening remarks, and emphasized the organization’s continued commitment to fighting human trafficking in Southern California;YWCA GLA’s Advisory Commissioner, and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Cheryl Boone Isaacs; and Los Angeles Philharmonic President and CEO, Deborah Borda. The event was also attended by Council President Herb Wesson, Los Angeles’ 10th District Councilmember, and Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Los Angeles’ 8th District.
This year, instead of having a keynote speaker,
Christine Devine, Los Angeles Fox 11 co-anchor and a leading advocate for foster and at-risk youth, moderated a key-note seminar, an inspirational and candid conversation between the three 2016 Awardees.
“[The honorees] brought their insights to the subject of what it means to be Powerful, Inspired, Brilliant, Visionary and Bold women: the obligations it imposes, the challenges it invites,” says Ms. Washington.
The 2016 Phenomenal Woman Awards’ sponsors included: Southern California Gas Co., Xerox, JP Morgan Chase, County of Los Angeles, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, City National Bank, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., and Omni Los Angeles Hotel. Each honoree was presented with a special bracelet from Faith by Terri Lynn. The magnificent PWAL honoree bracelets were specifically handcrafted and individually designed to reflect the inner peace and soul of each of the honorees.
