at Women
of Distinction Awards
Gala
Honorees
Include Sister
Simone Campbell,
Activist Gaby
Pacheco,
Deloitte LLP,
and Military
Leader Jaspen
Boothe
Washington, D.C. –
YWCA USA will
celebrate the
achievements of
extraordinary
leaders who
serve as role
models for women
and girls at
the Women of
Distinction Awards
Gala on June
13,
at 6
pm at
the Grand Hyatt
Washington, as
part of their
2014 Annual
Conference.
“The Women of
Distinction Awards
honor women from
all areas of
civic life for
their incredible
service and
leadership, and
their unwavering
commitment to
making a
difference in
the lives of
women and their
families,” said YWCA
USA CEO Dara
Richardson-Heron,
M.D.
This year’s
honorees
include Gaby
Pacheco for
Advocacy and
Civic
Engagement, Deloitte
LLP, for
Corporate Social
Responsibility, Jaspen
Boothe for
Military and
Veterans
Affairs, and Sister
Simone Campbell for
Women’s
Empowerment (see
bios below).
Robin Givens,
television, film
and stage
actress and
advocate, will
host the Gala. She
has served as
spokesperson for
the National
Domestic
Violence Hotline
and was awarded
the Vital Link
Award by that
organization for
her over 20
years of work on
behalf of women,
children and
families facing
the challenges
of domestic
violence. She is
also Co-Chair of
Women Who Care.
YWCA USA will
also recognize
three local YWCA
associations for
their
outstanding work
in the areas of
women’s
empowerment,
racial justice,
and advocacy.
There are nearly
230 local YWCA
associations in
the United
States providing
critically
important
services and
supports in
communities
large and small,
urban and rural.
Richardson-Heron
said, “We are
truly proud to
celebrate and
honor the vital
and life
changing impact
that YWCAs
across the
country have
every day in the
lives of women,
girls, families
and
communities.”
The 2014 YWCA
USA Women of
Distinction Honorees
are:
Advocacy and
Civic
Engagement: Gaby
Pacheco
Gaby Pacheco,
Co-Director of
the Bridge
Project, came to
the U.S. at the
age 8 from
Guayaquil,
Ecuador. Since
2004, she has
gained national
recognition for
her advocacy for
the DREAM Act
and immigration
reform. In 2012,
she spearheaded
the campaign
that led to
President Obama
announcing the
Deferred Action
for Childhood
Arrivals (DACA)
program.
Corporate Social
Responsibility: Deloitte
LLP, Accepted
by Deborah L.
DeHaas
The YWCA USA is
proud to honor
Deloitte LLP for
their strong
commitment to
create and
cultivate a
diverse
workforce, their
efforts to
provide career
development and
leadership
opportunities
for women, and
for their
invaluable
partnerships
with YWCAs
around the
country.
Deloitte,
through its
philanthropy,
community
engagement, and
positive
policies, has
made a
tremendous
impact in the
lives of women
and their
families across
the nation.
Accepting on
behalf of
Deloitte is
Deborah L.
DeHaas, Vice
Chairman and
Chief Inclusion
Officer for
Deloitte LLP.
Military and
Veterans
Affairs: Jaspen
Boothe
Jaspen Boothe is
Founder and
President of
Final Salute
Inc. As a member
of the Army
Reserves in New
Orleans, Jaspen
was mobilized to
go to Iraq in
2005. That year,
her life was
torn apart by
Hurricane
Katrina and a
cancer diagnosis
that left her
facing discharge
from the
military. Her
struggle to find
assistance, as a
Veteran and
single mother of
two, inspired
her to found
Final Salute
Inc. in 2010 so
that other woman
Veterans could
find resources
in times of
need.
Women’s
Empowerment: Sister
Simone Campbell
Sister Simone
Campbell is the
Executive
Director of
NETWORK, and a
religious
leader, attorney
and poet with
extensive
experience in
public policy
and advocacy for
systemic change.
She is the
author of the
famous “nun’s
letter,” which
was critically
important to
passage of the
Affordable Care
Act, and she was
instrumental in
organizing the
2012 “Nuns on
the Bus” tour.
She is also the
author of A
Nun on the Bus:
How All of Us
Can Create Hope,
Change, and
Community
About the YWCA
The YWCA is the
voice for every woman.
For more than
150 years, the
YWCA has spoken
out and taken
action on behalf
of women and
girls. The YWCA
is dedicated to
eliminating
racism,
empowering women
and promoting
peace, justice,
freedom and
dignity for all.
Over 2 million
people
participate each
year in YWCA
programs at more
than 1,300
locations across
the U.S. For
more
information,
visit ywca.org.