2026 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 46th Outstanding Women Awards honorees in eight different categories:

Daphne Maxwell Reid is a beloved actress and creative force best known for her iconic role as Aunt Vivian on The Fresh Prince of BelAir. With a dynamic career spanning more than forty years, she continues to bring her talent to both television and film, appearing in projects such as Jacqueline & Jilly, Harriet, The Business of Christmas I & II, Trophy Wife, BelAir, A Jazzman’s Blues, Fantasy Island, and soon to be released, The Cashier. Beyond her onscreen work, she is deeply engaged in her community, serving on the boards of the Richmond Ballet, the Richmond Forum, and Legacy Media Institute.   

A multidisciplinary artist, Daphne is an accomplished photographer celebrated for her collection Fresh Prints®, featuring striking images of doors from around the world. Her work is showcased in three published photography books and a line of handcrafted tote bags made from custom “doors” fabrics she designed. She has expanded her artistic expression through Daphne Style, a collection of bespoke Chinese silk brocade toppers she creates herself. With creativity, generosity, and unmistakable presence, Daphne continues to inspire audiences and communities alike.

Sue Davies is a seasoned global executive with more than 35 years of experience leading talent strategy and organizational transformation across the insurance, manufacturing, and retail sectors. As Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Markel, she oversees teams responsible for HR, communications and brand, community engagement, and workplace experience. A key member of the Insurance Executive Leadership Team, she has guided major initiatives including the company’s Future Ways of Working strategy, a global brand refresh, and a significant restructuring of U.S. and Bermuda insurance operations. Under her leadership, Markel has earned recognition as both a Top Workplace and a Great Place to Work, and Sue was honored with the Richmond Times Dispatch Top Workplaces Leadership Award in 2025. 

Sue’s career also includes leadership roles at CarMax, MeadWestvaco (now Smurfit WestRock), and AstraZeneca. She brings deep professional credentials, including degrees from Birmingham University and Portsmouth University, and advanced leadership programs at CCL and Harvard. Beyond her corporate achievements, Sue is an active community leader, serving on the board of UZURV and contributing to nonprofit organizations such as the Children’s Museum of Richmond, the YWCA, and the Blue Sky Fund. A committed fundraiser for the Project Athena Foundation and an alumna of Leadership Metro Richmond, she balances her global perspective with deep local engagement. 

Amanda Lynch is a writer, theorist, and community leader whose work examines how individuals and communities repair after rupture. Her approach centers a maternal and ancestral lens and is grounded in the belief that belonging is ecological. Her work traces the influence of lineage, memory, environment, and relationship on the healing process. 

After sixteen years working in public education across Central Virginia, Lynch began developing Healing Theory, a framework that explores how trauma reorganizes identity, capacity, and community roles over time. She founded Rethinking Resiliency to support this work through writing, facilitation, and systems-level engagement. Lynch also serves as the Trauma-Informed Care Specialist for the Crater Health District and convenes the Southside Trauma-Informed Community Network, supporting regional efforts to build trauma-informed and healing-centered systems across schools, nonprofits, philanthropy, and public health.

Amanda’s commitment to healing is shaped by lived experience, including the loss of her husband, Marcus, to gun violence, and is grounded in narrative justice, reconciliation, and community care. She speaks statewide through the Virginia Department of Corrections Victim Witness Speakers Bureau, bringing visibility and dignity to the long arc of healing after homicide. Her work spans writing, children’s literature, curricula, and facilitation practices that support families and care providers across Central Virginia. A Yale National Fellow and Style Weekly Top 40 Under 40 honoree, she is also the founder of The Safety Lab, an emerging nonprofit dedicated to building safety and belonging for children and their families. 

Vanessa Walker Harris, MD, is a dynamic public health leader dedicated to advancing health and racial equity.  She is committed to fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation as the Director of the Office of Family Health Services at the Virginia Department of Health, where programs span nutrition, chronic disease prevention, and maternal and child health.  She served as the Secretary of Health and Human Resources for Governor Ralph Northam and ensured equitable access to high quality healthcare and the wrap around social supports that Virginians need to be healthy and well. She advanced to the role of Secretary after serving as Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Resources and playing a key part in addressing Virginia’s maternal health inequities. Originally from Ohio, she earned a BS in Chemistry from Hampton University and a medical degree from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She completed internal medicine residency and endocrine fellowship at Johns Hopkins.   

Cari Tretina began serving as Executive Director of the Henrico Economic Development Authority in January 2026. She first joined Henrico in 2011 through the county’s internship program and became a full-time budget analyst in the Finance Department in 2013. Cari advanced through roles in the County Manager’s Office, Henrico Fire, and Recreation and Parks, gaining experience across a broad variety of county operations. In 2019, she was appointed Chief of Staff to the County Manager and later served in an expanded role as Deputy County Manager, where she led various redevelopment, infrastructure, and economic initiatives.

A lifelong Henrico resident and proud graduate of J.R. Tucker High School, Cari earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Public Relations from Eastern Kentucky University and a Graduate Certificate in Public Management from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Wilder Graduate School. She is a graduate of Leadership Metro Richmond, the Metro Richmond Public Safety Leadership Academy, Harvard Kennedy School’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government program, and the University of Virginia’s LEAD Program. 

Martha Shickle is a devoted community leader whose career reflects a deep commitment to service, equity, and shared opportunity. As Executive Director of the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission, PlanRVA, she strengthens collaboration across the region’s nine local jurisdictions and guides strategic initiatives that support thriving, connected communities. Her leadership extends statewide and nationally through her roles with the National Association of Development Organizations, the SouthEast Regional Directors’ Institute Council of Peers, and the Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions. Grounded in her faith and values, Martha brings compassion, purpose, and a strong belief in the potential of every individual to succeed. 

Beyond her professional responsibilities, Martha’s dedication to community continues in her volunteer work and board service. She champions housing affordability through her role on the Board of Partnership for Housing Affordability, supports youth and family wellbeing through Virginia Home for Boys and Girls, and serves as a CASA volunteer with Greater Richmond SCAN. A lifelong learner, she is a graduate of the Richmond Memorial Health Foundation’s Equity+Health Fellowship and an alumna of Lead Virginia. With more than 18 years of public sector leadership spanning roles in both the Northern Shenandoah Valley and the Richmond region, Martha’s work is informed by her academic foundation in sociology and public administration and fueled by her passion for civic engagement, community empowerment, and creating pathways for all to thrive. 

Angela Patton is a nationally respected social innovator, filmmaker, and activist committed to preparing Black girls for the world and preparing the world for Black girls. She is the Founder of Camp Diva Leadership Academy and the CEO of Girls For A Change, a nonprofit organization creating brave spaces where Black girls are seen, heard, and celebrated. 

Angela is the co author of Finding Her Voice, a practical and empowering guide that equips Black girls with tools to assert their fullest selves, challenge dominant culture, build confidence, and cultivate resilience. 

She is the visionary behind the groundbreaking Date With Dad father daughter dance program, launched in communities and correctional facilities and featured in her widely viewed TED Talk. 

In 2024, Angela expanded her storytelling into film as Executive Producer and Co Director of Daughters, the award winning documentary that premiered at Sundance, won both the Festival Favorite and Audience Awards, and is now streaming on Netflix. 

Her work has earned global recognition, including a Peabody Award, Critics’ Choice Award, a BAFTA nomination, and two Emmy nominations. Named a White House Champion of Change under President Obama and the 2024 Remarkable Woman of the Year, Angela continues to advocate for justice, equity, and transformation by centering Black girls as leaders, decision makers, and co creators of the future.

Nannette Shor has dedicated more than 40 years to strengthening the Richmond community through exceptional volunteer leadership. She has served in key roles across numerous organizations, including Past President of the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond, planned and led many International community trips and served in numerous fundraising roles.  Nannette served as board chair for Rudlin Torah Academy, and a longtime committee leader for many organizations including the Carole and Marcus Weinstein JCC and other youth focused programs. Her work has supported major community campaigns, strategic initiatives, and programs that uplift families, schools, and Jewish life across the region.  

In addition to her deep volunteer service, Nannette brings decades of professional experience in nonprofit development and fundraising strategy, supporting more than 40 organizations through her consulting and leadership roles. Her enduring commitment to service has earned her some of the community’s highest honors, including the National Kipnis Wilson/Friedland Award, Young Leadership Award, the Neil November Distinguished Community Service Award, and the L’Dor V’Dor Woman of Valor Award. Her impact reflects a lifetime of generosity, dedication, and heartfelt community building.