Tribute to Women Leadership Awards
By: Magdeline E. Jensen
The accomplishments of seven extraordinary women from the Pittsburgh community were honored on May 25, 2011, at the YWCA Greater Pittsburgh’s 29th Tribute to Women Leadership Awards Luncheon. More than 650 people in attendance celebrated the following exceptional slate of awardees.
Eva Tansky Blum received the Allerton Award for lifetime achievement which has been awarded on only 10 occasions during the past 28 years. Eva is Senior Vice President and Director of Community Affairs at PNC Bank and President and Chair of the PNC Foundation. Eva directs PNC’s philanthropic programs, including PNC Grow Up Great, a 10-year $100 million program supporting quality early childhood education. She is a University of Pittsburgh Trustee where she serves as Student Affairs Committee Chair and Co-Chair of the University’s $2 billion capital campaign. As president of the Pitt Alumni Association, she expanded the Association’s global reach to 25 countries around the world.
Janet Sarbaugh was the recipient of a Leadership Award in the Arts and Culture category. Under Janet’s direction, The Heinz Endowments’ Arts & Culture Program distributes $8 million annually to support the Pittsburgh Cultural District, art programs and organizations, and initiatives in art education and public art. She was also a Program Officer at The Pittsburgh Foundation where she worked on arts, human services and education projects. Janet currently serves on the board of Chorus America and is a member of the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh. In 2003, Janet was named Pittsburgh’s number one cultural force by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Yvonne Cook received the Leadership Award in the Business and Industry Category. Yvonne is responsible for the management and direction of the Highmark Foundation, with assets totaling $100 million and a distribution of $20 million annually. In her previous role with Allegheny County, she advised the Chief Executive on health and human service matters and provided oversight to the county’s Minority/Women/Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Department. A community volunteer for more than 30 years, Yvonne is the co-founder of the August Wilson Center for African American Culture and served as its treasurer for over 10 years.
Bonnie VanKirk received the Leadership Award in the Civic and Community Service Category. Bonnie is an active, full-time, community volunteer serving on various boards and committees throughout the region. Bonnie served as Co-Chair of the recently completed Capital Campaign for the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute-Hillman Cancer Center. She also co-chairs the Capital Campaign for the August Wilson Center for African American Culture. She also chairs the Downtown YMCA Board of Trustees—and is the first woman ever to hold that position.
The recipient of the Leadership Award in the Health and Human Services Category was Claudette Lewis. In her role at Allegheny County DHS, Claudette is responsible for change management—reaching out to children, families, seniors, those with developmental disabilities and behavioral health challenges. For more than 30 years, Claudette has been an advocate for underserved youth and others in need.
The Leadership Award in the category of Professional Services was presented to Rona Nesbit. Rona manages the finances of the Cultural Trust, a $51 million nonprofit organization that advances the cultural and economic growth of downtown Pittsburgh. She is key administrator for the Cultural District’s Tessitura project, the multi-million dollar ticketing software system that processes orders for over 2 million visitors each year. Rona has been a board member for the Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theater, Association of Retarded Citizens of Westmoreland County, Women and Girls Foundation, National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, CORO Pittsburgh and Bridgewater Captial.
The Leadership Award in the Science and Technology Category went to Valerie Patrick, who has devoted her career to applying science and technology principles to improve day-to-day quality of life. As a long-time volunteer in Bayer’s “Making Science Make Sense” program, Valerie has lived out her passion for advancing science and inspiring youth to pursue careers in science. Valerie also volunteers for the CHOICES program which helps keep teens in school through an interactive and fun decision-making workshop.
The YWCA Greater Pittsburgh launched the Tribute to Women Leadership Awards in 1983 to affirm its mission to empower women and girls to reach their personal and professional goals. The seven women honored at the luncheon joined more than 200 exceptional women who have been celebrated for helping to improve the lives of others in the Pittsburgh region.
Magdeline (Maggie) Jensen, CEO YWCA Greater Pittsburgh, has been the Chief Executive Officer of the YWCA Greater Pittsburgh since November 2007. The YWCA is a non-profit association whose mission is to eliminate racism and empower women and girls. Founded in 1869, the Association operates 12 programs and five annual events, all of which are managed by more than 200 employees working at four locations throughout Allegheny County. Her selection as CEO is a tale of transferable management and leadership skills.
Ms. Jensen holds a Bachelor of Arts, Criminology and a Master of Criminology from the University of California, Berkeley, CA. She is currently a member of the Job Development and Educational Services Advisory Committee for the U.S. District Court, Western District of PA, a member of the Board of Directors for the Program for Offenders, Inc., and is on the Advisory Committees for the professional journals Federal Probation and the Federal Sentencing Reporter.