2025 Class of Outstanding Women Awards Honorees

Since 1980, YWCA Richmond has celebrated local women leading our region and inspiring future leaders through its annual Outstanding Women Awards.  We recognize the following women who have been selected as the 44th Outstanding Women Awards honorees in eight different categories:

Elizabeth recently retired from Preservation Virginian after 44 years, including 23 years as CEO. Beginning her career as an art teacher developed a spirit of education, creativity and innovation that tracked through her entire career. She most recently led Preservation Virginia’s efforts to recognize the complexity and multilayered nature of Virginia’s history and historic place, and to support descendant and Trible communities to protect Shockoe Bottom, Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground and Pine Grove Tuskegee-Rosenwald School.

Lisa is the Executive Director of Educational Programs for the Virginia Hispanic Foundation. Dedicated to improving the lives of those in the Hispanic community, she is a certified cultural trainer on Hispanic culture, and created the Awaken the Spanish Within® Language and Cultural Training programs. The children’s book author also developed leadership and mentoring programs for Hispanic ESL students in school and organized free dental clinics now offered through the Virginia Hispanic Foundation for children 14 years and younger

Dr. Freeman is an award-winning and nationally certified educator who has worked for over three decades in K-12 schools, at the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as in educational administration. She has shared her work around creating space for learning in STEM contexts as a TEDxRVA and Creative Mornings RVA speaker, in addition to a host of other venues. Dr. Freeman is also a filmmaker, beekeeper and radio host who uses her creative and professional endeavors to create space and cultivate learning experiences for adults and students locally, nationally and internationally.

Danita Rountree Green is a visionary author, and transformational storyteller who uses the power of narrative to inspire faith-driven action and promote healing. Guided by her unwavering belief in the redemptive power of language, she co-founded and serves as Executive Director of Coming Together Virginia (CTVA). A published author, Danita also partners with faith communities across Richmond, equipping them to engage in the sacred work of truth-telling, learning, and dismantling systemic racism.

Wendy is the CEO of Jewish Family Services (JFS). Her career and JFS are led by the guiding value of Tikkun Olam – “Repairing the world by acts of kindness and service, one person at a time.” Through partnerships and innovative programs that highlight the value of care aides and services for older adults, finding loving homes for children in foster care, resettling Ukrainians seeking safety from war, and providing compassionate counseling for people of all ages, Wendy and the JFS staff work to transform lives and strengthen the Richmond community.

The Honorable Janet Kelly currently serves as Virginia’s Secretary of Health and Human Resources. In 2013, as a result of her family’s personal adoption journey, she launched “Virginia Adopts: Campaign for 1,000” which matched 1041 children in foster care with adoptive families. In 2021, she ran the Safe and Sound Task Force which reduced the number of kids sleeping in local social services offices by 89%. Secretary Kelly also served as Secretary of the Commonwealth from 2010-2014, Chief of Staff in the Office of the Attorney General, and Press Secretary on Capitol Hill.

Jayme is President and CEO of VPM and the Virginia Foundation for Public Media. She oversees a network of PBS and NPR stations across Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley, along with a growing digital presence that connects nearly two million people to local and regional news, arts and culture programming—including Style Weekly—and media resources that support early childhood education. A media executive with over 25 years of experience, Jayme is currently leading the construction of VPM’s new headquarters in downtown Richmond, which will open to the public in 2026

Beth is the Executive Director at Housing Families First, leading a team that helps families resolve their homelessness through crisis response, community housing, and youth housing programs. With over 27 years of experience as an executive director, she has led Housing Families First as it upgraded its family shelter and significantly expanded its programming through a successful capital campaign. Beth also balances service on various boards.

As a long-time children’s health volunteer, Eleanor used her passion and commitment to addressing the need for a consolidated, full-service children’s hospital to help bring the Children’s Hospital of Richmond’s Children’s Tower located in downtown Richmond to fruition in April 2023. Previously housed in the same facilities as adult care on VCU Medical Center’s campus, the new tower gives children and families their own environment with access to world-class care, dedicated parking and amenities like playrooms, teens lounges, multifaith chapel and more. Her newest goal is to meet future needs, including mental health care to advanced surgical services and enhanced research capabilities.