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2026 Women of Distinction Honorees
We're delighted to announce this year's honorees for the 2026 Women of Distinction Luncheon, held at the Hilton Anatole on October 9. Below, learn about the qualities that inspired us to recogize these remarkable individuals making the world a better place for girls, today and beyond.
Lifetime Achievement: Juanita Harris
Lifetime Champion: Cece Cox
Woman of Distinction: Michelle Thomas
Mary Anne Cree Young Women of Distinction: Advithi Baddam, Sravya Nori, and Kora Thomas
Lifetime Achievement: Juanita Harris
Juanita Harris is a veteran corporate legal executive, inclusion strategist, and "forever Girl Scout" who has dedicated her 40-year career to leadership, equity, and service. Following an illustrious career as an accountant for a fortune 500 company she held numerous leadership roles at AT&T, Inc., where she led efforts on the AT&T Preferred Counsel Program initiative to expand business opportunities for a diverse group of lawyers in law firms nationwide. She began her legal career in the U.S. Department of Justice Honors Program, where she received the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award.
A true catalyst for culture change, Juanita founded Three Degrees of Separation (TDS) for Black senior in-house counsel and served multiple terms as a Commissioner on the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession. Dubbed as a Force of Nature, she received the Texas Lawbook's Outstanding Corporate Counsel Award. Her profound mentoring spirit spans the entire educational pipeline. She mentors public school students, law students, and young lawyers, and has built multi-state programs designed to unite law firms and corporate legal departments with a diverse and inclusive pipeline of legal professionals.
Juanita’s civic footprint spans North Texas, including former GSNETX Girl Scout troop leader and GSNETX financial services committee volunteer, former board member of Family Gateway, and strategic advisor for Viola’s House maternity home. Her trailblazing work has earned her the State Bar of Texas Minority Counsel Lifetime Achievement Award, the Women of Power and Influence Award, and the NBA Corporate Counsel of the Year Award. Juanita loves to travel and believes in leaving people, places, and things better than she found them.
Lifetime Champion: Cece Cox
Cece Cox is recognized for her longtime effective leadership and civil rights advocacy in the LGBTQIA+ community. She serves as CEO of Resource Center, one of the largest service organizations in the United States prioritizing health and wellness, community support, and advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community. Resource Center serves more than 60,000 people annually with a staff of nearly 100 employees and 1,200 volunteers. In July 2024, Resource Center opened Oak Lawn Place, affordable housing for individuals age 55+, and, in 2025, opened Resource Center Health, offering comprehensive and affirming primary medical care, mental health counseling, STI testing and treatment, HIV care, and pharmacy.
Cox was instrumental in the passage of the City of Dallas’ sexual orientation nondiscrimination policy in 1995, the Dallas Independent School District’s first anti-harassment policy, and its subsequent anti-bullying policy. She co-authored The 1993 March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights, a photo documentary. Cox is a board member of Visiting Nurse Association of Texas and a board alumna of Texas Women’s Foundation. In 2016, she was recognized as an outstanding alumna of SMU’s Dedman School of Law and was named the LGBTQ Texan of the Year by Dallas Voice. She has been recognized numerous times by D CEO as a top 500 business leader. In 2021, she received the Jubilee History Maker Award from the Dallas Historical Society. Cox earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University, is an alumna of SMU’s Dedman School of Law, and a Girl Scout First Class. She is married to Shelly Skeen and is a proud parent of Mateo Means. Hiking is her happy place hobby.
Woman of Distinction: Michelle Thomas
Michelle Thomas is the Former South Region Executive for Global Philanthropy at JPMorgan Chase and on October 7 will join Tolleson Wealth Management as their new Managing Director of Philanthropy and Family Engagement.
Not only has she been a trusted thought leader in corporate philanthropy and social impact, representing the organization at national conferences, industry panels, and community forums, she served as a member of the Market Leadership Team and Global Philanthropy Senior Leadership Team, helping shape enterprise-wide community investment strategies, organizational priorities, and cross-market initiatives. Under her leadership, JPMorgan Chase received the Outstanding Corporate Social Responsibility Award by D CEO in 2023.
A Dallas native, Michelle received an MBA in Finance from Dallas Baptist University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Education from the University of Oklahoma. She earned teaching certifications in both Texas and Oklahoma, equipping her to effectively serve students across multiple educational systems. Michelle is personally committed to the community through her many volunteer roles. She currently serves on the following boards: Methodist Health Systems Foundation, UT Southwestern Medical Foundation Advisory Board and the Dallas Mavericks Advisory Council to name a few. Michelle was appointed by Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson to serve on the Workforce Solutions of Greater Dallas Board and served as Vice Chair. She is a graduate of Leadership Dallas, past President and member of the Dallas Summit, member of the Dallas Assembly, Charter 100 and the International Women’s Forum.
Michelle’s favorite quote is by John D. Rockefeller, “Think of giving not as a duty but as a privilege.” She has dedicated her career to breaking down barriers and connecting people to the resources they need to thrive, succeed, and create a better future for themselves and their families.
Mary Anne Cree Young Woman of Distinction: Advithi Baddam
Advithi will graduate from Allen High School in 2027. She founded and serves as Director of External Affairs of her school’s Girls in STEM chapter, where she leads a team of officers and interns and organizes events, guest speakers, and activities encouraging young women to explore STEM careers. She also serves as Vice President of National Honor Society, where she enjoys connecting with others and creating opportunities for her community. She loves singing in varsity choir, dancing, and photography.
Having moved to nine different school over the years, Advithi has found Girl Scouts a reliable source for new friends and confidence. Through it, she says she has embraced the courage to try new things and make a difference in her community.
For her Gold Award project, “Engineering the Future,” she created free STEM camps for students ages 5–14, providing hands-on activities, career exploration, and diverse STEM role models. With volunteers from Girl Scouts, National Honor Society, and her community, she reached more than 280 students and raised approximately $900 in supplies. Ninety-one percent of campers reported increased interest in STEM after participating, while 96% said they enjoyed the activities. Advithi also developed a STEM Passport and online resources to extend learning beyond camp. Her curriculum and materials are now being used by organizations including Allen Eagle Robotics and Girls in STEM to reach students across Texas and beyond. Through her project, Advithi developed flexibility, problem-solving, and leadership skills while discovering the importance of creating supportive environments where others feel confident trying new things.
Mary Anne Cree Young Woman of Distinction: Sravya Nori
Sravya will graduate from the School for the Talented and Gifted in 2027. She is Vice President of her school’s National Honor Society and co-founded the Corner Office Club’s Young Investors Society chapter to teach students about personal finance and explore careers in business and finance. A dedicated debater, Sravya has earned top placements at district and city competitions and qualified for the 2026 National Speech and Debate Tournament. She also founded TMC EmpowerHER, a student organization that partners with Dallas-area nonprofits to support women in need and has mentored 66 girls while aiming to provide hygiene care packages to more than 7,000 women.
For her Gold Award project, “Financial Literacy for Youth,” she developed and delivered a free financial literacy curriculum to 119 students across Dallas, helping young people build skills to create financially stable futures. Through partnerships with nonprofits and financial professionals, she created a curriculum that can be used by educators and organizations nationwide and trained approximately 15 students in her school’s Young Investors Society to deliver it to others. Through her project, Sravya also overcame her fear of public speaking, developing the confidence to lead rooms, advocate for her ideas, and adapt to unexpected challenges. She hopes to carry these skills into a future career in business.
A Girl Scout since third grade, Sravya says Girl Scouts has inspired her continued involvement in financial literacy outreach. Building on the work she began with her Gold Award, she continued expanding her outreach beyond this past summer teaching more than 100 young learners about financial literacy for free; developed FinOwl, an app designed to make financial education accessible to learners of all ages; and started a summer camp that introduces children to financial literacy and entrepreneurship. Sravya says the summer camp enabled her to give students an in-depth exposure to financial concepts, with profits supporting Ascend Dallas, an organization spreading financial literacy and operated by her Gold Award project advisor.
Mary Anne Cree Young Woman of Distinction: Kora Thomas
Kora will graduate from The Hockaday School in 2027. She is active in Jack and Jill of America, the Black Student Union, and National Charity League and volunteers with Operation Kindness.
Outside of Girl Scouts, soccer is a major part Kora’s life. She has played varsity soccer at Hockaday since her freshman year. She says the sport has taught her discipline, perseverance, teamwork, and how to push through challenges. She enjoys competing, supporting her teammates, and continually working to become a better player. Kora says soccer has helped shape her into someone who is determined, resilient, and committed to achieving her goals.
A Girl Scout since kindergarten, Kora has earned her Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. For her Gold Award project, “Breaking Barriers: Making Sports Accessible for Kids in Underserved Communities,” she organized a free soccer clinic for students at Marcus Elementary School, combining athletic instruction with mentorship, teamwork and confidence-building activities. Despite severe weather, approximately 100 students participated. With the project, she created a sustainable model for connecting student-athletes with underserved youth by developing program guidelines that can be replicated by other schools and secured community support for equipment and supplies. Through Coaching for Change, the program will continue beyond her Gold Award, while her model has already inspired another student-led sports clinic. Kora credits Girl Scouts with teaching her leadership, perseverance and the confidence to advocate for opportunities for others. She plans to continue using sports and mentorship to help young people build confidence, leadership skills and a sense of belonging.
All photos courtesy of Gittings Photography.
