Celebrating 55 years, the St. Louis Women of Achievement Award is the oldest, ongoing program in the area whose sole mission is to honor and recognize the volunteer efforts of women. It serves both as a thank you to its recipients and as an inspiration to others. The region has benefited immeasurably, during these 55 years from the efforts of these extraordinary women.

The St. Louis Women of Achievement organization, a not-for-profit organization, was established in 1993 by former Women of Achievement who wished to ensure the longevity of the award for future generations of St. Louis area women. The organization's Board of Directors, comprised of past recipients of the award, continue to plan and implement the nomination, selection and award presentation process ensuring that this award will continue to enhance and honor the women volunteers in the St. Louis metropolitan region who positively impact the community for many years to come.

Women of Achievement is made possible through the presenting sponsorships of the Suburban Journals, Ladue News, and NewsRadio 1120 KMOX.

KMOX Conversations with the 2010 Women of Achievement

KMOX Radio is proud to once again honor this year's Women of Achievement. 

The ten women selected this year have changed the landscape of the St. Louis region through their volunteer efforts.

One Woman of Achievement created an event that now attracts thousands of fans, another raised a record amount of donations during the recession and yet another took her heart wrenching experience as a child in an orphanage and turned it into a way to ensure no other child in need that she became aware of would endure the same fate.  The 2010 Women of Achievement are giving us a glimpse into our own diverse artistry, they are mentoring young professionals and are known as the go-to women in the region if you want to make a difference.

While their charities of choice are different, this year's Women of Achievement have one thing in common.  They each admit to being shocked by the honor and humbled by the recognition.

Janie Bickham
St. Charles County
Humanitarian Concerns

Janie is one of the founding members and Director of Caring & Sharing, an emergency food pantry that operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  It is the only food pantry in St. Charles County that provides emergency food to people in need.  They provide a one month supply of food and personal care products for individuals and families who are not able to access a local food pantry in emergency situations.

Janie has expanded the service of Caring & Sharing by providing “Blessing Backpacks” to the chronically homeless. The backpacks contain 2 to 3 days of food, water, personal care items and clothing. At 52, Janie earned an EMT license and national certification, which assists in her role as Volunteer Support System Coordinator for the Lake St. Louis Fire Protection District.

Cynthia Kagan Frohlichstein

Patty Gregory 

Judy Harris
St. Louis City
Creative Philanthropy

Judy is a fundraiser extraordinaire.  When she gets involved, she not only works on helping to improve the organization strategically, but also is committed to ensuring there are funds to sustain the mission.  Never one to be daunted by a challenge, she lead development efforts as a Board Member of the American Red Cross, following 9/11.  And, 8 years later, during one of the worst economic recessions in history, she chaired the St. Louis Zoo’s Zoofari and raised the second highest amount of money and had the largest attendance in Zoofari’s history.

Judy opens her home to organizations as well.  She has chaired and hosted the Preview Party for the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival and numerous events for KETC-Channel 9.

Debra Hollingsworth
Near West St. Louis
Community Betterment

Deb is among the group of “go-to” people in this region when you want to know how to make a difference in the community.  She leads by example, serving on a number of non-profit boards and lending more than her name, but her expertise. In 2009, she served as Chair of the Women’s Giving Initiative for United Way, raising a record number of dollars.  She was so successful that she has been asked and agreed to serve I that role for the 2010 campaign.

Four years ago, Deb was appointed by the Governor to lead a statewide workforce development bipartisan coalition focusing on helping improve student achievement in Mathematics, Engineering and Technology. She travels the state engaging citizens to support METS initiatives.

Karen S. Kalish
Near West St. Louis
Multi-Cultural Leadership

Some people wait to be asked to support a cause.  Karen sees something that needs to be done and does it!  Her passions and her volunteer work are all wrapped around issues of literacy, closing the academic achievement gap and eliminating racial discrimination. 

To address these issues Karen has founded several programs, often times using her own funds.  Perhaps best known is Cultural Leadership, a year long educational leadership program for African American and Jewish students aimed at helping to develop change agents who will work to eliminate intolerance.  The kids meet together during the school year and no topic is off limits.  They then take a trip in the summer tracing the experiences of African Americans and Jewish leaders and ordinary people who have stood up against racism in all of its forms.

Sandra Smith Murdock
Near West St. Louis
Youth Enrichment

For over 25 years, Sandra’s volunteer efforts have focused on inspiring kids to take an avid interest in science and health and the careers that awaited them.  Not surprising given her 30 years as a science teacher and her role as the wife of a prominent physician.  However, she understood early that what can take place outside of the classroom could be as impactful as what occurs in the classroom. 

Sandra founded and directed the Wellston School District’s Each One Teach One Science Project in partnership with the American Association of University Women at the Wellston Middle School, working with students in sixth, seventh and eighth grade to assist and guide in creating science projects.  

Cecilia A. Nadal
St. Louis City
Cultural Enrichment

Cecilia brought the story of Afghan Women Refugees in St. Louis to life through a play, “My Heart is Always Shaking”, not only educating the broader community about these women, but allowing 60 Afghan women and their children to come to the theater for the first time in their lives. Not waiting for someone else to do what needs to be done, in 2000, she forged a relationship with the Chinese Minister of Culture that resulted in the Chinese National Orchestra performing at Powell Symphony Hall. She brought African American youth from the City and Chinese youth from Parkway together to do a cross cultural opening performance.

She has expanded her reach to projects that bring together African American and immigrant youth in south St. Louis.
Now the part time Executive Director of Gitana Productions, Cecilia was recently appointed to the Regional Arts Commission’s Cultural Initiatives Advisory Group.  She has developed sustainable relationships with more than 11 ethnic communities and brought world class international artists to St. Louis for the first time.

Valerie E. Patton
North St. Louis County
Women’s Empowerment

Serving on the boards of the three premier organization serving girls and women is evidence of Valerie’s commitment to women’s empowerment.  As Board Chair of Girls Incorporated, Valerie ensures that 12,000 girls from ages 4 – 18 have access to fund and safe programming in north St. Louis.  Valerie is a hands-on leader and is leading the organization through a strategic plan, helping to diversity its revenue streams and acquiring property for the Girls’ Inc’s expansion.

For the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri, which serves over 63,000 girls, Valerie chairs the audit committee and was a member of a task force that helped to recruit more girls in the urban area to become Girl Scouts. Valerie is also on the board of the United Way of Greater St. Louis, serving on the audit, nominating and organizational development committees.  As the Executive Director of the St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative, Valerie is a mentor to dozens of area professionals and can be counted on to help steer women (and men) in a positive direction.

Rita R. Swiener
University City
Spirit of Giving
 
Remembering what it is like to not have much and to not understand what that means when you are a child, led Rita to found Santa’s Helpers over 40 years ago.  When an organization decided it would no longer sponsor a toy drive for needy families, Rita went into action. Santa’s Helpers  provides toys, books, clothing and other needed items to children and families in need – especially during the holidays. 

For many years, Rita used her own funds to provide the gifts for children and families.  As the need grew, she reached out to others in her network to help with providing goods.  When the items continued to come in, she sought out warehouse space to ensure effective storage for the items that were distributed to need children and adults in St. Louis, St. Charles and the metro East.

Rita’s work has expanded to include providing bus passes, clothing, food and other needed items for persons from 1 – 90.  Rita’s spirit of care and giving became more evident in 1996, when she was finishing chemo for matestatic breast cancer.  A bald Rita was in the warehouse, sorting, wrapping, laughing and working with the other volunteers to get ready for the upcoming holiday season.