NASHVILLE, Tenn. – YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee hosted its 31st annual Academy for Women of Achievement celebration with a cocktail reception and pinning ceremony at the Music City Center Davidson Ballroom on Thursday, Jan. 26.
The 31st AWA honorees are: Jean Ann Banker, Community Volunteer; Hannah Paramore Breen, Founder, Paramore Digital; The Honorable Angelita Blackshear Dalton, Judge, Davidson County Criminal Court; Sherry Deutschmann, Founder and CEO, BrainTrust; Mary Ann McCready, Founding Owner and Business Manager, FBMM Entertainment Business Management; Sharon W. Reynolds, President and CEO, DevMar Products, LLC; Denine Torr, Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility and Philanthropy, Dollar General; and corporate honoree HCA Healthcare/TriStar Health.
“The eight honorees for this year’s event have made large strides for women, creating pathways to success in the Nashville community,” said YWCA President and CEO Sharon K. Roberson. “We’re honored to induct these incredible women and this outstanding organization into the academy.”
This year’s event theme was “United with Purpose,” honoring the founding of the Academy for Women of Achievement in 1992 and the YWCA’s 125th anniversary serving the Nashville and Middle Tennessee community. Co-chairs for the AWA were past honoree Jerry Williams and YWCA board chair-elect Sallie B. Bailey, and the alumnae representative was the Honorable Ana Escobar. During the sold-out event, more than 600 supporters enjoyed heavy hors d’oeuvres during the reception, followed by individual charcuterie boards and desserts during the awards program. NewsChannel 5’s Chief Meteorologist Lelan Statom served as emcee for the 14th year.
YWCA is grateful to the many sponsors who support this program and our work, including Presenting Sponsor – Amazon; Dignity Sponsor – Dollar General; Freedom Sponsor – Mary Wester Foundation; Peace Sponsors – Deloitte, UHC, L3Harris, and First Horizon; Justice Sponsors – Jackson National Life Insurance, Kroger, The Enchiridion Foundation, The Wilson Group, Genesco, Bluegrass Community Foundation, Bridgestone Americas Trust Fund, KPMG, and Publix; and Marketing and Media Sponsors – FINN Partners, The Tennessean, Hatcher & Fell Photography, MP&F Strategic Communications, and FW Publishing. Proceeds from the AWA event help fund YWCA programs and services, including the Weaver Domestic Violence Center.
YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. The Academy for Women of Achievement was launched locally in 1992 by YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee. This year’s recipients join 184 other women and 33 organizations that hold this distinctive honor. More than 40 past honorees attended the 31st AWA event.
