The 20th Annual Women of Distinction Luncheon Presented by Verizon Raises Over $640K to Support Critical Programs for Girls in Northeast Texas

October 31, 2024

Honoring trailblazing women and rising young leaders, the event celebrated excellence in leadership and community impact.

October 29, 2024

DALLAS, TX — Last Friday, the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas (GSNETX) celebrated a significant milestone at the 20th Annual Women of Distinction Luncheon (WDL), presented by Verizon, at the Hilton Anatole. The sold-out event marked two decades of recognizing female leaders who have made an extraordinary impact on their communities while inspiring the next generation of women leaders.

Verizon Senior Vice President and Coastal Plains Market President, Michelle Miller, remarked that the company “is dedicated to bringing economic, environmental and social change to the communities we serve. That’s why Verizon is honored to amplify the impact of the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas and to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Women of Distinction Luncheon.”

This year’s luncheon raised over $640,000 to support leadership development, STEM education, mental health programs, and outdoor activities for more than 19,000 girls across Northeast Texas. In addition to support from presenting sponsor Verizon, this total includes a generous matching gift from Nancy Ann and Ray Hunt along with significant contributions from IF/THEN, Toyota, Charles Schwab, Haynes Boone, and Oncor, making this one of the most successful fundraisers in the event's history.

The event's co-chairs, Andrea Weber and Kim Williams, expressed their personal appreciation for Girl Scouts and the many opportunities the program provides to girls. In a joint statement on the luncheon they said, "We are delighted to be involved with an event that brings together women of all ages, stages and backgrounds, each with the common goal of empowering the next generation of female leaders. As mothers of current Junior Girl Scouts, we have seen how our daughters have the opportunity to build self-confidence, learn to support and encourage one another, and do fun things! We want every girl to have the opportunity to have these same experiences and are thrilled to co-chair this year’s luncheon, especially as we look back on 20 years of recognizing girls and women who have made a lasting impact in our community."

In honor of the 20th anniversary, the event featured moving speeches by a current Girl Scout and previous honorees and co-chairs, including the very first ever co-chair, Sharon King. Caren Lock, Regional Vice President & Associate General Counsel at TIAA, and Cassandra McKinney, Executive Vice President of Comerica Bank, were recognized as Women of Distinction for their outstanding leadership and dedication to service. Additionally, high school students Rida Ahmed, Dylan George, and Katherine Polimerou were recognized as the Mary Anne Cree Young Women of Distinction for their inspiring Gold Award achievements.

Following lunch, Elena Sacca Smith led an inspiring “State of the Girl” Q&A with the Mary Anne Cree Young Women of Distinction, who spoke about the importance of championing young girls to recognize their power and value of their unique identity and skills. Dylan George stated that the best resource mentors can give young girls is creating a supportive environment that encourages taking risks and even failing and learning from that failure. “I know that Girl Scouts has been this for me,” she added. “I’ve learned that perfection isn’t the goal, that what I’m doing is enough, and where I am is exactly where I need to be.”

During the “Real Talk. Real Women.” roundtable, the Women of Distinction shared insights from their professional journeys including how to combat imposter syndrome, and the importance of surrounding yourself with people who lift you up. McKinney encouraged girls to lean on the people who have gone before them and that they “bring perspective into any new assignment that others may not.”

“Investing in girls is a strategic investment in a better future for everyone,” said GSETX CEO, Jennifer Bartkowski, “And I believe that our girls deserve and will get investments that will transform their opportunities. Stay tuned to see what we do, together, over the next few years, to make North Texas an amazing place to be a girl.”

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We Are Girl Scouts

Whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges. Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas serves girls and adult volunteers across 32 counties. To change the workforce pipeline in STEM and meet the urgent need for female voices, engagement, and leadership in the fastest-growing sector of the U.S. economy, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas opened the STEM Center of Excellence. Learn more at gsnetx.org or call 972-349-2400.