Thank you for being part of the year’s most inspiring event!
YWCA Women of the Year presented by Sanford Health
Monday, April 28, 2025
5:30PM Social, 6:30PM Dinner and Program
Delta by Marriott, 1635 42nd St. SW, Fargo
Each year, we honor inspiring women who shape the Fargo-Moorhead community through their passion, service, and achievements at this widely-celebrated event!
During the 5:30pm social hour, attendees mingle with each other, try their luck winning incredible raffle prizes, and take home fine wine from Happy Harry’s Mystery Wine Wall!
The dinner and program begin at 6:30pm. All nominees are honored on stage with the evening culminating in the announcement of this year’s recipients in ten award categories.
The Flint Group Gold Gallery is a stylish and immersive space where the significance of this historic event blends with a vibrant social atmosphere. Attendees will feel the energy of the evening through a live-streamed broadcast surrounded by an audience gathered to celebrate inspiring women in our community.
For questions regarding YWCA Women of the Year, please email woty@ywcacassclay.org or call (701) 232-2547.
Congratulations to the 2025 Nominees!
Wendy Allen, Warm Blanket Hugs; The Preferred Savings Guide
Heather Arntson, Moorhead High School
Amber Blomberg, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota
Eloise Breikjern, Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre (Retired)
Vel Rae Burkholder, North Dakota AARP
Jane Linde Capistran, FM Symphony
Martha Castañon, Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota
Christy Dauer, North Dakota Women's Business Center
Nancy Demarais, Sanford Health
Jae Dewald, Holiday Inn Fargo & Holiday Inn Express-West Acres
Chandler Esslinger, FM Coalition to End Homelessness
Pam Foss, Clay County Attorney's Office
Dr. Jane Vangsness Frisch, Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce
Dr. Jacqualine Gervais, Ridge Treatment & Reentry Center
Grace Halvorson, Concordia College
Ashley Ham, Dear NICU Mama
Anna Hanson, ByteSpeed
Elizabeth Hilt, Consensus Council
Linda Hinrichs, Small Business Accounting Services FM LLC
Anne Hoefgen, Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota
Christine Holland, River Keepers
Emery Holland, Central Cass Public School
Michelle Horan, Moorhead Country Club
Danelle Johnson, Breakthrough T1D; NAU Country
Becky Boyle Jones, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Kristen Jones, Sanford Health
Nicole Larson, Fargo Theatre
Dr. Ok-Hee Lee, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Elizabeth Medd, 463 Foundation
Teresa Perleberg, Bear Creek Felting
Sarah Ring, Sanford Health; Minnesota State University Moorhead
Sunet Rubalcava, Concordia College Center for Student Success
Mary Sem, Legacy Children’s Foundation
Angela J. Smith, North Dakota State University
Andrea Solberg, Landon's Light Foundation; Essentia Health
Marie Swanson, Heart of Clay
Terri Zimmerman, Packet Digital, LLC
Have someone in mind for a future nomination?
Complete the nominee idea form and YWCA will reach out when nominations open again in January 2026.
NOMINATIONS FOR YWCA WOMEN OF THE YEAR ARE ACCEPTED IN 10 CATEGORIES:
Advocating for Equality
Arts, Culture, & Community
Business Leadership
Education
Health, Wellness, & Spirituality
Lifetime Achievement
Science, Technology, & Innovation
Volunteer Service
Young Woman of Today & Tomorrow
Youth Advocacy
*Please note: To ensure an event of reasonable length and to best honor and respect the time and efforts of nominees and their nominators, nominations for YWCA Women of the Year will be limited to a maximum of 3-5 nominees per category, not to exceed 40 nominees total. Once the category limit has been reached, nominations in that category will no longer be accepted. Emails will be sent to those who complete the Nomination Intent Form with updates throughout the nomination process. The final deadline, for any categories that do not reach maximum capacity, was Friday, February 21, 2025 at noon.
Thank you to our 2025 event sponsors!
Presenting Sponsor
Ballroom Sponsor
Gold Gallery Sponsor
Mission Moment Sponsor
Category Sponsors
Aldevron
DeVries Counseling Services
First International Bank & Trust
Paulette Rastedt
Sammons Financial Group
Thoreson Steffes Trust
U.S. Bank
Congratulations to the 2024 YWCA Women of the Year Recipients!
Back row, from left: Siham Amedy, Dr. Amy Zundel, Kristi Kanski, Theresa Larson (Sanford Health), Tiffany Lawrence (Sanford Health), Emily Brooks, Gowri Pillai, Lindsey Burkhardt, and LaDonna Bannach. Front row, from left: Stacy Anderson, Dr. Chery Hysjulien, Margie Bailly, Jakelle Hoffmann, and Alexa Ducioame.
