As it celebrated its own sixth anniversary, the Lead(h)er mentorship program honored two of its participants and a board member with its Girl on Fire awards. The nonprofit organization, founded in 2016 by Melissa Pepper, marked its latest milestone in early October with its annual Birthday Party & Girl on Fire Awards. The trio was […]
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As it celebrated its own sixth anniversary, the Lead(h)er mentorship program honored two of its participants and a board member with its Girl on Fire awards.
The nonprofit organization, founded in 2016 by Melissa Pepper, marked its latest milestone in early October with its annual Birthday Party & Girl on Fire Awards. The trio was honored during the party at Common Chord (former River Music Experience) in Davenport. The award winners, announced this week by Lead(h)er, were:
- Charla Wood, Mentee of the Year. Ms. Wood is a training specialist at Deere Employees Credit Union. She was nominated by her mentor Marcie Ordaz, executive director of the lift Foundation (an affiliate of Royal Neighbors of America) and the 2021 Lead(h)er Mentee of the Year. The two women were matched in 2020.
- Loredana Cooper, Mentor of the Year. Ms. Cooper, who works as a multicultural entrepreneurial coordinator at Black Hawk College, Moline, was nominated by her current mentee Saheli Sheth. They were matched in 2022.
- Beth Grabin, Found(h)er of the Year. Ms. Grabin is the new CFO of Ascentra Credit Union and a Lead(h)er board member. She was honored for her contributions to equity for Quad Cities women through her philanthropic efforts. The award was first presented in 2021 to Ms. Pepper, Lead(h)er founder.
“Lead(h)er is extremely happy about our recent Birthday Party & Girl on Fire Awards – it
was truly our greatest show yet,” said Megan Brown-Saldana, Lead(h)er executive director. “Over 150 people met under the Big Top to honor women like Loredana, Charla and Beth, but to also highlight the everyday impact of over 1,000 women in the Quad Cities.”
Ms. Brown-Saldana said since Lead(h)er’s inception, the program has matched more than 1,000 women with mentors in the Quad Cities. She added that the nonprofit is actively recruiting more women to serve as mentors.
The Girl on Fire Awards, launched in 2018, recognize the extraordinary achievements of the women who participate in the program through servant leadership extended to each other and the community.
The birthday party, hosted Thursday, Oct. 13, not only raised awareness of the program but also served as a major fundraiser – netting $15,000. Across the region, organizations and businesses are stepping up to ensure all women in our community have access to free individualized mentorship.
“Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, like Northwest Bank & Trust Company, Lead(h)er showcased why mentorship matters, especially for women in the workforce,” Ms. Brown-Saldana added.
The event’s successful fundraising will allow the organization to match 30 women (15 mentors, 15 mentees) in its Strike a Match Mentorship program. She said the group already received 12 applications for mentees when the application period opened on Tuesday, Nov. 1. “The more mentors we can get, the more women we can serve.”
Ms. Brown-Saldana stressed that the mentors do not have to be experts in their field or CEOs. “It’s just people making someone feel at home when they’re not from here.”
For more information, visit Lead(h)er’s website.
