Sixteen local women leaders who have achieved tremendous success in their careers, contributed significantly to the community and broken down barriers for women will be inducted into the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame at the organization’s Induction Gala on March 25, 2017. The honorees, each of whom is being honored in a specific category, include:
Agriculture
Nancy Loeffler
Member of the Board of Directors of Southwest Airlines, Consultant to Frost Bank and a Lifelong Volunteer and Civic Leader
Athletics
Karen Funk
Executive Director of the Northeast ISD Athletics Department and a volunteer leader of the Texas Girls Coaches Association and Texas High School Coaches Association
Business & Finance
Suzanne Wade
President of HEB’s San Antonio Food & Drug Retail Division, Chair of Teach for America and the Young Women’s Leadership Academy Foundation and a Longtime Volunteer and Civic Leader
Civic Leadership
Renee Flores
Regional Vice President of External and Legislative Affairs for AT&T, Past Chairman of the Board of the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and a Longtime Volunteer and Civic Leader
Communications
Trish DeBerry
Principal of The DeBerry Group and a Longtime Volunteer and Civic Leader
Creative Arts
Vikki Carr
One of the best-loved entertainers in the U.S., Latin America and Europe with four Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award, and over 60 best-selling recordings throughout her career and a Lifelong Philanthropist
Education K-12
Rebecca Cervantez
Executive Director of AVANCE and Volunteer Advocate for P16+ Council of Greater Bexar County, the Successful Children’s Issue Council and the Birth through 3rd Grade Action Network
Higher Education
Tanuja Singh, PhD
Dean of the Greehey School of Business at St. Mary’s University, President of the Southwest Business Deans Association, Chairwoman & Co-Founder of a high school for disadvantaged children in India and a Committed Volunteer
Health Professions
Ruth Berggren, MD
Director of the Center for Medical Humanities & Ethics at the University of Texas Health Science Center, an Advocate for improving health and education in South Texas and beyond, and a Committed Volunteer & Leader of Medical Mission Trips
Innovation
Ruth Lofgren, PhD
Beloved Local Centenarian known as one of the mothers of Mitchell Lake, a Lifelong Volunteer and an Advocate for Social and Environmental Justice
Law
Judge Polly Jackson Spencer
Senior Statutory Probate Judge for Central/South Texas, Member of the Texas Supreme Court Task Force on Judicial Appointments, Chairman of the Supreme Court of Texas Probate Forms Task Force and Pioneer of the Bexar County Jail Diversion Program for the mentally ill
Military
Col. (Retired) Wendy Martinson
Executive Director of the Returning Heroes Home Foundation and a 30-year veteran of the Medical Services Corps of the U.S. Army
Public Service
Paula Gold Williams
President and CEO of CPS Energy, Chairman of the Advisory Committee of Executives for the Greehey School of Business at St. Mary’s University, Chairman of KLRN and a Longtime Volunteer and Civic Leader
Science
Kay Scroggins
CEO of Clinical Trials of Texas and a Longtime Volunteer and Civic Leader
Technology
Magaly Chocano
Founder and Owner of Sweb Development who was named one of Cosmo magazine’s top 10 Fun and Fearless Latinas in the U.S. and a Committed Volunteer and Civic Leader
Volunteerism
Elise Boyan
Harvard-educated Attorney, Chairman of the Board of The Southwest School of Art, President of the Harvard Club of San Antonio and a Longtime Volunteer and Civic Leader
These honorees will be formally inducted into the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame at an Induction Gala on Saturday, March 25, 2017 at The Omni Colonnade. Proceeds from the gala will fund college scholarships for young women graduating from the Young Women’s Leadership Academy, a college preparatory charter school in the San Antonio Independent School District. Over the past three years, the organization has awarded $119,000 in scholarships to 56 graduates of the academy – many of whom are attending Tier One universities including the University of Rochester, Boston College, The University of Pennsylvania and Iowa State University.
Various sponsorship packages are available for the gala, including Presenting Sponsorships for $15,000; Diamond Sponsorships for $10,000; Platinum Sponsorships for $5,000; Gold Sponsorships for $3,000; Silver Sponsorships for $2,000; and Bronze Sponsorships for $1,500. Individual tickets and program ads are also available.
“Our outstanding inductees have achieved tremendous success in their careers, established themselves as leaders in their chosen fields, helped move our community forward, and contributed to the advancement of the status of women,” said Sylvia Romo, President of the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame. “We are very excited about recognizing our honorees at our Induction Gala, as they are inspiring and empowering the next generation of women leaders who will lead our community in the future.”
The San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame was established in 1984 to honor local women leaders who have contributed significantly to the betterment of Bexar County and adjacent counties. The women selected for induction into the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame have made significant and enduring contributions to their fields while inspiring by example.
For more information about the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame and the 2017 Induction Gala, please go to www.sawomenshalloffame.org.
