Nate Clark, Sarah Stevens named 2023 Male, Female Champions of Change

A woman who empowers other women to share their stories and helps provide healthcare for the LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS communities along with a top Deere & Co. executive committed to women’s leadership were named today as the Quad Cities 2023 Champions of Change. In all, seven Champions of Change finalists were feted before a well-attended […]

A woman who empowers other women to share their stories and helps provide healthcare for the LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS communities along with a top Deere & Co. executive committed to women’s leadership were named today as the Quad Cities 2023 Champions of Change. In all, seven Champions of Change finalists were feted before a well-attended luncheon and awards ceremony Feb. 23  at the Quad Cities Waterfront Convention Center in Bettendorf. The awards were presented by YWCA Quad Cities and its YES SHE CAN Series.  From that original group seven of finalists, a panel of judges selected these two winners who were announced at today's event:

• 2023 Female Champion of Change: Sarah Stevens, Moline, founder of The Beautifull project and a community impact officer for The Project of the Quad Cities.
• 2023 Male Champion of Change: Nate Clark, Bettendorf, global director, Corporate Social Responsibility for John Deere, and president of the John Deere Foundation. 

Deanna Woodall, the YWCA’s vice president, development and growth, said competition for this year’s awards was tight. So tight, in fact, that instead of choosing three finalists for each award, judges selected four female nominees because their scores were so close. That was also true of the rest of the field of Quad Citians who were nominated but didn’t not make the round of finalists. All of them, Ms. Woodall said, “are making a difference in the lives of the women in our community.” In accepting the Male Champion of Change Award, Mr. Clark told the crowd of some 160 attendees, “I’m deeply appreciative ... I also find myself entirely unworthy” compared to others in the room. He credited his family and a lifetime of “amazing role models” for helping lead him along the way. He especially credited his employer John Deere and the policies of equality and sustainability that are a part of its everyday fabric as well as the work of the John Deere Foundation.  Mr. Clark told the crowd his father was in the military, but one constant was working on his grandparents’ farm in Waterloo, Iowa, in the summer. While there, a young Nate asked his grandmother what she thought were the best jobs. She said the post office and “John Deeres”. He discovered how right she was, he said, when he got his first job at John Deere. In his current role with the John Deere Foundation, Mr. Clark serves as principal operating officer and directs $20 million in annual grantmaking to nonprofit organizations and programs that enable people to unlock economic, social and environmental value in and throughout their lives. He also spent more than a decade designing and guiding some of John Deere’s and the foundation’s most impactful community development projects around the world, including launching the Rayuwa project in Nigeria. For that project, Deere was selected by Fast Company as the winner in the Corporate Social Responsibility category of the 2021 World Changing Ideas Awards. John Deere also was named a 2022 honoree of The Civic 50, which recognizes the 50 most community-minded companies in the nation each year.

For Ms. Stevens, the Female Champions of Change honor came as a surprise. “I didn’t even prepare remarks” because of the rich talent pool included among the finalists, she said. She promised herself, however, that if she was chosen she would not say she was “humbled” as many award-winners do. “I’m a word nerd,” she said. “Words matter.” So, she said, she looked it up and discovered the definition “to be brought low.” From that point on, she said, she pledged  never to use it again. Instead, she said. “I’m honored by this recognition and that I’m seen this way and the work that I do is seen this way.”  The work this former healthcare executive does these days is as a writer, speaker and entrepreneur. After leaving her career in corporate healthcare in 2016, she founded The Beautifull Project – a storytelling collective that has reached tens of thousands of women across the globe with its powerful message about learning to live in their own bodies and space. She’s a gifted storyteller who owns small businesses that focus on coaching and consulting and also serves as the community impact officer at The Project of The Quad Cities, a nonprofit that provides support for people living with HIV and for the LGBTQ+ community. She is a Quad Cites native and lives in Moline with her wife and three teenage children. In nominating Ms. Stevens for the honor, Jennifer Davis of the Quad Cities Junior League and Special Olympics wrote: “Occasionally, when someone is climbing the ladder of leadership they forget to turn around and help those behind them. With Sarah, her successes are different. She has stacked ladders side by side so that others can join her on her journey. Life is not a competition for her, but a way to ensure that we all succeed. I firmly believe that I’m a better person, employee, and leader because of Sarah’s guidance and friendship.”  The winning Champions of Change faced competition for the awards from these other finalists who also were honored Thursday: Female Champion of Change finalists

• Linda Guebert, of Davenport, parish nurse manager for UnityPoint Health-Trinity. In  nominating Ms. Guebert, Pamela Samuelson wrote: “Linda is an inspiration, a role model, and mentor for women who desire to serve their church, help improve the health and well-being of individuals, and make the Quad Cities a better place to live and prosper. Linda’s selfless work, which she demonstrates daily, inspires other women – especially her parish nurses and fellow Trinity team members.” 
• Laura Mahn, of Rock Island, founder and director of Nest Cafe. She was nominated by Elly Vos, Diann Gano and Samantha Mae Trei. In their nomination, they wrote: “Laura is committed to uplifting women through leadership, community and connections. Her mostly female staff continues to be encouraged by her empowering and encouraging style as they work closely together to provide a service to the community. Laura is my boss, a leader, and a champion.”
• Tyla Sherwin-Cole, of Rock Island, chief executive director of the Doris & Victor Day Foundation and event coordinator for Gathering of Women. In nominating Ms. Sherwin-Cole, Bobbie Lastrapes wrote: “Tyla is committed to supporting and encouraging women. She values their strengths and gifts. As you look at her many actions and examples of giving, serving, encouraging, it has helped to inspire other women. She always makes time to participate in community projects, programs, and organizations that will celebrate women and their gifts.” 

Male Champion of Change finalists

• Brian Doerrfeld, Davenport, owner of Revive You, race director, event coordinator and personal trainer. He was nominated by Colleen Rafferty, who wrote “Brian takes a very grassroots approach to his passion and commitment to the success of others, specifically women in leadership. Brian’s work as a personal trainer is devoted to building up and empowering women, to make sure they have the confidence and strength to achieve their dreams. Brian is a young man, a single father of his 7-year-old daughter. He works in many roles professionally, and yet he is always willing to step up, collaborate with others, and lead with activism to raise up women leaders and build community.”   
• Matt Mendenhall, Bettendorf, CEO of the Regional Development Authority (RDA). He was nominated by Kristin Berry, who wrote “Matt has made significant contributions to inspiring and supporting women leadership. As a woman business leader, I have always felt like I have a champion and supporter in Matt, regardless of my age or gender. Matt not only talks the talk, but he walks the walk in his daily life. He is selfless with his time and talents and is and will continue to be a driving force behind change in our community.” 

The 2023 event sponsors are: Female Champion of Change Award, Quad City Bank & Trust; Male Champion of Change Award, American Bank & Trust; Host Location, Quad Cities Waterfront Convention Center; Award Sponsor, Edwards Creative; Media Sponsor, Quad Cities Regional Business Journal; Silver Level Sponsor, GreenState Credit Union; and Bronze Level Sponsors, Assured Partners, Shive-Hattery and Tyson. About Champions of Change The Champions of Change, now in its second year, is designed to celebrate extraordinary leaders and mentors in the Quad Cities who are intentionally mentoring and empowering women in our community.  The YWCA, based in Rock Island with a satellite office in Davenport, launched the awards along with the YES SHE CAN Series in 2022. The first winners of the new award were: LuAnn Haydon, retired John Deere, and Rob Woodall, Arconic.  To be considered, nominees had to: demonstrate an unwavering passion and commitment to the community; serve as role models making a difference in the lives of others, specifically women in leadership through exhibiting commitment to their success; have made significant contributions that have inspired women to succeed; utilizes his/her influence, talents and abilities to enhance gender diversity; and have made the Quad Cities a better place to live, work, and play.