6 selected as YWCA Dayton’s Women of Influence

The women will be honored at the nonprofit’s 2024 Women of Influence luncheon on Thursday, March 14 at the Dayton Convention Center. Five of the women will be recognized as honorees of this year’s Women of Influence class, while a sixth woman will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The group of honorees were selected from a pool of nominations by YWCA Dayton leadership and the volunteer Women of Influence Committee. Since 1998, YWCA Dayton Women of Influence awards have recognized and honored more than 180 influential women in the Dayton area.

“YWCA Dayton has a bold mission of eliminating racism and empowering women,” Williams said. “It is only fitting that we set aside time each year to honor the region’s boldest, bravest, brightest, and most influential women.”

Meet the six women who will be honored:

Barbara Bostick, Consultant, You & Me Inc.

Q: Tell us about your efforts in your industry or the field for which you were nominated to be a Woman of Influence.

A: “I have continued this legacy of affecting positive change through numerous civic and social organizations. My volunteerism has allowed me the opportunity to foster community engagement, promote social change, and address various needs.”

Q: Who are the most influential women in your life, and why?

“My grandmother (Mattie Stewart) and mother (Wilberta Stewart) found a way to “make it happen,” raising money for church or other kinds of support. They were always giving, sheltering, feeding, or in some way helping others.

“Mollie Moon & Helen E. Harden, founder and co-founder of the New York National Urban League Guild. You did not have to spend much time with them to understand giving to their community was a priority.”

Q: What inspires you to contribute to the Dayton community?

A: “Volunteerism and commitment continue today, as I live my life with passion, power, and purpose. I tirelessly contribute my time, talent, and resources to help improve the quality of life of others.”

Q: What are your hopes for your organization and impact in the future?

A: “I give glory to god for impactful relationships that have contributed to my journey in leadership, education programs, scholarships, and fund development. I am passionate about changing lives for the better. Every time there is a community need, I “make it happen.””

Belinda Kenley, Vice President of Energy Optimizers, USA and Deputy Mayor of the City of Centerville

Q: Tell us about your efforts in your industry or the field for which you were nominated to be a Woman of Influence.

A: “I work in a male-dominated industry (energy services) that is very competitive. I found success by having caring, dedicated mentors who taught me the value of relationships, which has been the key to my success. I’ve developed relationships with decision-makers and supported their goals first, then leveraged those opportunities into business for our company.

“For my role as deputy mayor of the City of Centerville, I’ve served on council for 17 years and have found joy in helping residents and business owners in resolving issues, serving as their cheerleader, and working on policies that are good for our community.”

Q: Who are the most influential women in your life, and why?

A: “My daughter Emily Irwin. She has inspired me to be a better person, to give back to our community, and to ensure that the future is bright right here in Ohio for our youth.

“Betty Montgomery, former Ohio attorney general. When she hired me to join her statewide team, my career path pivoted from office administration to being the regional “face” of the organization and helping to develop policies for the public good.”

Q: What inspires you to contribute to the Dayton community?

A: “I’ve lived here my whole life. I want to see our region thrive — to be viewed as a great place to live, work, and raise a family. It’s my hope that young people will return to the Dayton region after college or first job opportunities and make their lives here. We also need to help those less fortunate to have decent jobs and access to essential services required to have a good life.”

Q: What are your hopes for your organization and impact in the future?

A: “I hope that our company and our industry (energy services) will continue to attract young women and men, giving them excellent career opportunities, and providing our customers with projects that save taxpayer dollars and contribute to a sustainable community.

“I also hope that young people, especially women, will take the opportunity to run for office or to work in local governments of all types. We need their vitality, imagination, and vision for the future to ensure that we have strong communities.”

Janice Culver, Community Volunteer and Philanthropist

Q: Tell us about your efforts in your industry or the field for which you were nominated to be a Woman of Influence.

A:“Through volunteering, I’ve made lifelong friends and helped create positive change. It’s made me want to do even more for our community. This has led me to serve on the boards of organizations such as The Dayton Foundation, the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance, the YWCA and more. I hope that through my volunteerism, and by sharing my knowledge, I am providing an example to the next generation for what it means to be a true, compassionate neighbor.”

Q: Who are the most influential women in your life, and why?

A: “My mother, Dot Culver, taught me to greet everyone and every day with a smile. She never discouraged me from asking “why” or “why not.” She, as well as my friends’ moms, were role models for being involved in our community, church and a myriad of activities. They showed me the importance of helping others.

“Another great influence in my life is Sande Becker. She taught me the joy of feeling welcomed when she asked me to play with her during fourth-grade recess on my first day at school after my family moved to Dayton. We’re still best friends!”

Q: What inspires you to contribute to the Dayton community?

A: “My appreciation for our community actually started in Virginia at age eight, before I ever lived in Dayton! A month before our move, my grandmother gave us a children’s book with an article about Dayton. From the Wright Brothers’ invention of the airplane and the inventions of the Barn Gang to introducing the city manager form of government, I learned Dayton has a rich spirit of innovation.

“Now that I’ve lived here most of my life, I think it’s the community’s generous spirit that most excites me. Daytonians have big hearts!”

Q: What are your hopes for your organization and impact in the future?

A: “As vice chair of The Dayton Foundation’s Governing Board, I hope to continue the Foundation’s work already underway to build a more equitable and inclusive community, as well as to grow educational opportunities for all of our region’s citizens. Most of all, I want to partner with others to make a stronger, more vibrant community for the next generation.

“Music and music education will always be central in my life. In Dayton, “The Arts are for Everyone” which is another reason our city is such a wonderful place to live!”

Nozipo Glenn, Community Advocate

Q: Tell us about your efforts in your industry or the field for which you were nominated to be a Woman of Influence.

A: “As a community advocate, I do not have the luxury to choose a specific cause. It is a calling for me and I feel the need to serve whenever and wherever needed by my community. It has been a lifetime commitment for me to respond to the needs of my family and my community wherever I am. I was born in South Africa and I grew up under the oppressive system of apartheid. I had no choice but to advocate for survival. By the time I was in elementary school, I was already involved in demonstrations against the inferior education that was inflicted upon African Children by the ruling regime. By the time I was in high school, I was on the list of undesirables. This culminated in me being kicked out of the country in 1972 and ending up in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1975 I was fortunate to land and end up in Dayton.”

Q: Who are the most influential women in your life, and why?

A: “My great-grandmother raised me from 1944 when I was born until the early 1950′s when she was 110. She taught us that if it is lying on the floor or the ground, do not say that you did not drop it, just pick it up. If it is broken, do not say that you did not break it, go ahead and fix it. Wherever I go I live by this philosophy.”

“My big sis, Veda Renshaw, claimed me as her sister in 1974 when I visited Dayton from Nashville. She taught me how to navigate around political issues and political campaigns. Now I can assist others, especially new American citizens. Dr. Margaret Peters was my African American history professor, my mentor, my library, and my museum. Bibi Ashe adopted me in 1975 and protected, nurtured, and guided me into a new life and culture. Her wisdom has enabled me to serve other newly arriving immigrants.”

Q: What inspires you to contribute to the Dayton community?

A: “I grew up in a culture of WE (UBUNTU I am because you are therefore we are). As a Pan-Africanist who believes in humanity, Dayton is an easy fit and the best place for me to live and participate in.”

Q: What are your hopes for your organization and impact in the future?

A: “I hope to grow together with everyone whose path I cross.

“For me, this is a challenge and an incentive for me to do more to follow and maintain my great-grandma’s legacy. This is the booster shot I need to continue to represent my African culture and to share our ideals to make this world better than we found it.”

Sarah Hackenbracht, CEO, Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association

Q: Tell us about your efforts in your industry or the field for which you were nominated to be a Woman of Influence.

A: “My role with the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association (GDAHA) and our member hospitals’ emergency preparedness and response responsibilities led to personal and professional tests in 2019 and 2020. In two years, our hospitals’ weathered water outages, a racially motivated demonstration in the City of Dayton, the Memorial Day tornadoes, a mass shooting in our historic Oregon District, and a global pandemic.”

Q: Who are the most influential women in your life, and why?

A: “Professionally, no one can hold a candle to Debbie Feldman, president and CEO of Dayton Children’s Hospital. Early in my career, I would whisper to my predecessor and mentor, Bryan, that I wanted to be like Debbie when I grew up. Now, having had the opportunity to work directly with her as my board chair and executive committee member, I feel like I have received a master class in executive leadership.

“Personally, my mom has influenced me throughout my life, and now, the value of that influence has become much more significant since I became a mother. In this new season of life, I see my Mom’s selfless dedication to me throughout my life as the most beautiful act of love.”

Q: What inspires you to contribute to the Dayton community?

A: “I came to the Dayton community as a freshman at Wright State University after growing up in rural and suburban communities in Indiana.

“There is a special magic to the Dayton community regarding the depth of personal and professional connections we feel as we support one another. I am a recipient of this community’s strength and uniqueness and I hope to pay that gift forward throughout the rest of my career.”

Q: What are your hopes for your organization and impact in the future?

A: “I am confident that GDAHA will continue to support our region’s hospitals while expanding our engagement to include other clinical partners in the care continuum.

“We will continue to lean into multi-sector partnerships with our hospitals, such as the Behavioral Health Taskforce led in partnership with Montgomery County, to develop solutions to the social and community-oriented challenges that present barriers to equitable health and wellness. As we look to the future, I am committed to helping the next generation understand the powerful impact they can have in the lives of their friends, neighbors, and community members by selecting a career in healthcare.”

Pat McDonald, first honored as a Woman of Influence in 2007, given 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award

“McDonald retired in 2017 from her position as market president of KeyBank for the Dayton Region after working 30 years as a local and regional bank executive,” the release said. “She went on to use her gifts to serve as interim CEO at two local nonprofits — Dayton Society of Natural History and Dayton Performing Arts Alliance — before coming to YWCA Dayton to serve as interim president and CEO from January to May 2023.”

Q: Tell us about your efforts in your industry or the field for which you were nominated to be a Woman of Influence.

A: “My life goal as a career woman and community volunteer was always steeped in helping others and giving back to society. I worked hard and took every opportunity to give my best effort and commitment.”

Q: Who are the most influential women in your life, and why?

A: “I’ve been influenced by many women during my career so it is hard for me to call out just one. In my banking career it was Beth Mooney, chairman and CEO of KeyBank. In the Dayton Region, there are so many women who led in both the for and not for profit businesses who I observed and their contributions inspired me to do more.”

Q: What inspires you to contribute to the Dayton community?

A: “Take a look around you. The Dayton Region is worth the effort. We have more things going for it than meets the eye. Most significantly is the collaborative mindset to work together for a better community.”

Q: What are your hopes for your organization and impact in the future?

A: “I won’t speak for just one organization or company. Change is inevitable especially with changes in the economy and other external influences. Ultimately I hope for sustainability of mission over the long haul.”

Visit www.ywcadayton.org to learn more about the YWCA’s mission.