Each year, the Champions of Change Awards celebrate the achievements of individuals who inspire, empower, and advocate for women in Fort Wayne and Allen County. We have shined a well-deserved spotlight on more than 140 mentors and awarded the following individuals:
- 2019 – Wendy Moyle and John Dortch
- 2020 – Corinna Ladd and Marty Pastura
- 2021 – Leslee Hill and Rachel Tobin-Smith
- 2022 – Alison Gerardot, Jeanné Wickens, and Jeff Roberts
- 2023 – Flora Barrón, Daniel Boylan, Lori Morgan, and Sharon Pohly
- 2024 – Whitney Bandemer, Lisa D. Givan, Denita Washington, Stephanie Crandall
Nominations for the 2025 Champions of Change are now closed.
Thank you for your incredible response! We received a record number of submissions this year, highlighting the many inspiring leaders who are making a meaningful impact in Allen County.
In 2025, four Champions of Change Awards will be presented at the Champions of Change Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
Each category honors an individual making a substantial impact in one of the following sectors:
- Corporate (for-profit business)
- Nonprofit (charity, foundation, advocacy, religious, etc.)
- Education (early childhood, K-12, higher ed)
- Public Service (government fire, police, military, political)
The awards are given annually to individuals currently working and/or living in Allen County who:
- Demonstrate an unwavering passion and commitment to our community.
- Are role models and mentors making a difference in the lives of others.
- Have made significant contributions that have inspired women to succeed.
- Have made Allen County a better place to live, work, and play.
Details about the nomination process:
- Nominees are eligible for re-nomination in subsequent years by meeting the requirements of the award.
- You may nominate yourself for the Champions of Change award.
- Once a nomination has been received, nominators will be directed to a confirmation page. Nominees will be notified only if they are chosen as a finalist.
- Nominations will be reviewed on a blind basis by a committee of local leaders. To maintain objectivity, all names will be removed from nominations prior to review.
- Award winners will be announced at the Champions of Change Awards dinner.
- Finalists will be notified prior to the awards dinner and offered a complimentary ticket to attend. A finalist’s name, bio, and/or photo may be used for social media or marketing promotional materials by GFW Inc.
- Greater Fort Wayne Inc. reserves the right to decline a nomination and/or rescind an award from the winner in cases of fraudulent or criminal allegations, accusations, investigations, or charges.
Nominations for the 2025 Champions of Change are now closed.
Thank you for your incredible response! We received a record number of submissions this year, highlighting the many inspiring leaders who are making a meaningful impact in Allen County.
2025 Champions of Change Award Finalists
- Patty Dunn, Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne
- Lisa Eicher, Indiana Youth Services Association
- Leslie Friedel, Stillwater Hospice
- Bruce Haines, PBS Fort Wayne
- Colleen Huddleson, Fort Wayne Museum of Art
- Erica Hyatt, Breastie Boxes Inc.
- Joshua King, NeighborLink Fort Wayne
- Dusty Krause, Fort Wayne Rescue Mission
- Lindsay Lott, Fort Wayne Tech Inc.
- Heather Miller, School Care Team
- Tricia Neary, Lutheran Life Villages
- Luz Ostrognai, Catholic Charities
- Jama Ross, Blessings in a Backpack
- Kristina Scherer, Parkview Cancer Institute
- Jami Thomas, Northeast Indiana Innovation Center
- Jarred White, Fort Wayne 22, Inc.
- Marshall White, Unity Performing Arts Foundation Inc.
- Stephen J. Bailey, Stephen J. Bailey, LLC
- Dawn Clopton, WesBanco
- Gail Doran, Physicians Health Plan of Northern Indiana
- Ashley Gilbert, Grace and Goods
- Beth Goldsmith, Sold by the Gold at North Eastern Group Realty
- Ashley Green, Kaans Designs
- Kerry Hasselbach, Do it Best
- Vanessa Hayden, Partly Whimsical LLC
- Prachi Hoffmeister, Chick-fil-A Supply
- Chelby Husidic, The Ari Event Studio
- Priyanka Koratpallikar, General Motors
- Morgan Lewis, JH Specialty
- Kyla Madison, STAR Financial Bank
- Bradly McKee, Velocity
- Erin Petty, Sweetwater Sound, Inc.
- Savannah Robinson, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
- Abeer Saeed, Do it Best
- Kourtney Teegardin, Elevatus
- Lyndsey Williams, Select Medical Rehabilitation Hospital
- Rohli Booker, Fort Wayne City Council
- Andrea Burton, Fort Wayne Fire Department
- Casey Claypool, Fort Wayne Citilink
- Megan Flohr, City of Fort Wayne
- Erica Sorenson, City of Fort Wayne
- Alex Backer, Purdue University Fort Wayne
- Karen Gillie, FWCS Career Academy
- Dr. MarTeze Hammonds, Purdue University Fort Wayne
- Marsi Lawson, Retired
- Sarah LeBlanc, Purdue University Fort Wayne
- Marie Macher, Purdue University Fort Wayne
- Scott Storm, Concordia Lutheran High School
- Krissy Surface, Purdue University Fort Wayne
- Dr. Debra Faye Williams-Robbins, Fort Wayne Community Schools
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