Maricopa Community Colleges

"Women of Distinction" for 2001

WOMEN HONORED FOR LEADERSHIP, INNOVATION AND SERVICE
Maricopa Community Colleges name “Women of Distinction”

Leadership, innovation, service to women along with service to the Maricopa Community Colleges are the key characteristics for the winners of the Distinguished Achievement Award, an annual honor sponsored by the Women’s Leadership Group/American Association of Women in Community Colleges (WLG/AAWCC) of the Maricopa Community Colleges.

"Women of Distinction" for 2001

The twelve "Women of Distinction" for 2001 and their colleges were:

  • Maria Hesse, Dean of Instruction, Chandler-Gilbert Community College
  • Debbie Thompson, Director of Financial Planning & Budget, District Office
  • Myra Curtis, Administrative Assistant, Estrella Mountain Community College
  • Roberta Jeffers, Business Outreach Representative, GateWay Community College
  • Jean Ann Abel, Dean of Instruction, Glendale Community College
  • Susan McRae, Assistant Director for Instruction, Maricopa Skill Center
  • Deb DeVore, Scholarship Coordinator, Mesa Community College
  • Heather Anderson, Program Advisor in the Student Life Center, Paradise Valley Community College
  • Dorothy Sisneros, Health Enhancement Department Chair, Phoenix College
  • Dr. Angela Ambrosia, Web Technology Faculty, Rio Salado College
  • Laura Ruiz-Scott, English Faculty, Scottsdale Community College
  • Ann Lindner, Math Faculty, South Mountain Community College

The women were honored during the recent WLG's annual luncheon held at Mesa Community College. Each of the District's ten college presidents coordinated with the WLG college representative to select a woman who had demonstrated success and achievement in leadership, innovation, service to women and service to the Maricopa Community Colleges.

Dr. Anna Solley, Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs and Student Development, gave the keynote address, "The Future for Women at Maricopa." She challenged the women of the Maricopa Community Colleges to dream and to remember "'Querer es poder' - loosely translated, one must have the will in order to succeed. You can reach your dreams, but you must have the will to succeed - and you can do it." Solley is the first woman in the College District to become a vice chancellor. She also received the WLG award last year while she was Dean of Instruction at Estrella Mountain Community College.

Presenting the awards were Chancellor Dr. Fred Gaskin, Vice Chancellor Dr. Anna Solley and Mrs. Linda B. Rosenthal, a Maricopa Community Colleges' Governing Board member and founder of the Women's Leadership Group. Each award recipient was escorted to the stage by one of last year's award winners.

Throughout the year, WLG sponsors women's leadership seminars and recently established a WLG Mentor Program, especially designed for the women employees of the Maricopa Community Colleges.

Emily Weinacker, Coordinator, Employee and Organizational Learning, District Office, and Nancy Larrick, Director of Research Planning & Development, South Mountain Community College, organized the annual luncheon.