“Linked In Friendship, Connected In Service”
EMERALD AWARD
2025 HONOREES
Join us on April 5th at 11:30 a.m. for our 15th Annual Emerald Award Program to recognize five outstanding women who are making a difference in society.
Honoree Facet Category: Services To Youth
Lisa Williams, PhD – service philanthropist, educator, teacher
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Dr. Williams has made significant contributions to our youth over the last 24 years. She has served as an active member of the community sharing her time and talents with others. She is a teacher leader with the Department of Defense schools (formerly serving youth in various Title I public schools in California, Florida, and Virginia). Lisa is also an active member of the community. While holding two offices and multiple chairmanships in a large nonprofit organization, she assisted and served our youth and undergraduate college students through her multiple roles in other non-profit organizations. Her efforts support various community service projects sponsored by her alma mater, Howard University’s alumni band (and other HBCU band programs), in the spirit of music through service. Among her numerous community activities and events to support undergraduate college students, Dr. Williams designed and launched the Howard University Alumni Band’s 2020 Virtual Homecoming Uniform Fundraiser. This pivotal event in the history of the university band program helped raise over 40% of the required funding for new band uniforms through her innovative design of a simple website and virtual event live broadcast. She is currently the Director of Music Specialist, Department of Defense – Fort Liberty (now Bragg).
Honoree Facet Category: The Arts
Carly P. Jones - performing artist, arts executive, cultural arts leader
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Ms. Jones seeks to elevate social consciousness through the arts and cultivate authentic partnerships within communities. Carly has spearheaded work surrounding ways to make arts programming, arts resources, and arts funding more equitable, inclusive, and accessible for all communities and artists throughout the state of North Carolina. Ms. Jones worked with several regional arts nonprofits and has served as the Senior Program Director for Artists & Organizations at the North Carolina Arts Council, within the N.C. Department of Natural & Cultural Resources. In this role, she oversaw the statewide organization grants and individual artist resources for artists across all disciplines throughout the state. She also led curatorial and programming work with the Come Hear North Carolina campaign to celebrate North Carolina musicians. This work included partnerships with the N.C. African American Heritage Commission, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the N.C. Museum of Art on a statewide awareness campaign to preserve the childhood home of Nina Simone. She has experience in grant work, arts funding, community programming, nonprofit development, and arts equity work. She is a Raleigh native with deep community connections and a shared love of the arts. Ms. Jones currently serves as the President and CEO of Artspace.
Honoree Facet Category: National Trends and Services
Kristi Jones – former gubernatorial Chief of Staff, political strategist, living organ donor
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Ms. Kristi entered the political world during former NC Governor Jim Hunt’s 1996 campaign for re-election. She served as a policy advisor. Later in his administration, she was in the NC Department of Health and Human Services and acted as the executive director of the Governor’s Initiative on Race Relations. She joined Roy Cooper as an advisor to his first campaign for attorney general in 2000. She advised him during his first four terms in that office, serving as Cooper’s chief of staff in the NC Justice Department from 2004 to 2016. In December 2016, she was named Chief of Staff for Governor Roy Cooper, becoming the first African American in this role. Kristi played a pivotal role in the Cooper administration which spearheaded initiatives to extend healthcare coverage to more than 600,000 newly eligible North Carolinians through NC Medicaid, propelled North Carolina to the top of CNBC’s business rankings in 2022 and 2023, and led the charge towards a sustainable, clean energy future. These efforts not only created jobs, reduced harmful emissions, and protected our environment, but also ensured a government that looks like the people it serves and works for all. Kristi is an advocate for organ donation. In 2011, she became a living kidney donor to a total stranger. She currently serves as President for Public Affairs and Sustainability for NiSource (one of the largest utility companies in the US).
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Honoree Facet Category: International Trends and Services
Morgan Ray – advocate for international students, advocate for global engagement efforts
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Ms. Ray functions as the Director of Experiential Learning and Career Development at our HBCU - Shaw University. She serves as the Study Abroad Liaison and Employer Relations for career development and placements at Shaw. This area significantly contributes to the university’s global engagement efforts. Morgan has revitalized the Shaw University Study abroad program and enriched the experiential learning and career development offerings of the university. During Morgan’s three years at Shaw University, non-academic internship placements have increased by an impressive 1400%. She has increased global awareness among local college students and promotes global citizenship and contributes efforts in developing career and leadership skills of students directly impacting Shaw’s relationships in the Raleigh community. Ms. Ray works with students in Shaw’s Community Involvement Initiative, which provides volunteer opportunities for students to participate in meaningful service, both in local nonprofits and in city government. In her role, she oversees several special program initiatives, including the Center for Financial Advancement Scholars Program and Experiential Learning Travel Experiences. Ms. Ray is dedicated to the career and professional development of undergraduate and graduate students across all majors at Shaw University. She has established an international partnership with GROW Liberia and Shaw University for the 2024-2025 year.
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Honoree Facet Category: Health and Human Services
Portia Scott Hedgepeth - a 30-year breast cancer survivor, advocate for cancer survivors
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Ms. Hedgepeth is the president of an affiliated organization – The Sisters Network of the Triangle (SNTNC) - within Sisters Network Inc., a 501(c)(3). Sisters Network Inc. is the only national Black breast cancer survivorship organization in the United States. It is recognized globally as the leader in the Black Breast Cancer movement. At SNTNC, Portia serves as a role model for cancer survivors. She shares her experiences with women of color, and has been instrumental in helping register women for free mammogram screenings and providing diagnostic resources in support of The Links Raleigh (NC) Chapter’s Links in Pink 2.0 Program which stresses breast cancer awareness. The mission of SNTNC is to increase awareness of the devastating impact breast cancer has in the Black communities in and around Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. SNTNC strives to achieve its mission through area outreach, by educating the underserved Black communities and encouraging early breast cancer screening. The organization’s purpose is to save Black women’s lives, support survivors, amplify awareness and dialogue about the Black Breast Cancer Crisis. Ms. Hedgepeth and Links members continue to identify eligible women for free screening mammograms and to identify financial resources to support follow-up diagnostic mammograms. Her work has provided meaningful, impactful resources aligned with the Links in Pink 2.0 program.
2024 Emerald Award Recipients
Minnie Forte-Brown, Services to Youth
Dr. Laura Bethea, The Arts
Yvette Holmes, National Trends and Services
Dr. Christine Grant, International Trends and Services
Dr. Nerissa Price, Health and Human Services
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2023 Emerald Award Recipients
Paulette R. Dillard, PhD, Services to Youth
Tamara Holmes Brothers, PhD, The Arts
Cheryl Williams, National Trends and Services
Sandra K. Johnson, PhD, International Trends and Services
Terry W. Spicer, Health and Human Services
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2022 Emerald Award Recipients
Valerie Lynn Willis, Services to Youth
Lakeshia T. Reid, The Arts
Omisade Burney-Scott, National Trends and Services
Siobahn Day Grady, PhD, International Trends and Services
Marie Georgette Debnam, MD and Marjorie Lynette Debnam, MD, Health and Human Services
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2021 Emerald Award Recipients
Jacqueline L. Mims, Services to Youth
Nneena Freelon, The Arts
Yvonne Lewis Holley, National Trends and Services
Felicia Browne-Lherrison, International Trends and Services
Gayle Bridges Harris, Health and Human Services
2019 Emerald Award Recipients
Doris J. Bullock, Services to Youth
Monét Noelle Marshal, The Arts
Dawn Blagrove, National Trends and Services
Tsegga S. Medhin, International Trends and Services
Regina Y. Petteway, Health and Human Services
2018 Emerald Award Recipients
Syliva Wiggins, Services to Youth
Dr. Cicely E. Mitchell, The Arts
Jessica Holmes, National Trends and Services
Juni Asiyo, International Trends and Services
Dr. Wendy Brewster, Health and Human Services
2016 Emerald Award Recipients
Raquel Battle, International Trends and Services
Dr. Elsie Leak, Services to Youth
Nancy Pinckney, The Arts
Dr. Portia W. Rochelle, National Trends and Services
Dr. Kamala Latori Uzzell-Jones, Health and Human Services)
2015 Emerald Award Recipients
Kelly Starling Lyons, Services to Youth
Eleanora E. Tate, The Arts
Betty Camp, National Trends and Services
M. Iyailu Moses, Ed. D., International Trends and Services
Belinda Pettiford, Health and Human Services
2014 Emerald Award Recipients
Iris Peoples Green, Services to Youth
Lonieta Cornwal, Ed. D., The Arts
Cassandra Deck-Brown, National Trends and Services
Esteria J. Woods-White, International Trends and Services
Laura I. Gerald, Health and Human Services
2013 Emerald Award Recipients
Joyce Robinson, Services to Youth
Dr. Patricia Caple, The Arts
Octavia Rainey, National Trends and Services
Dr. Sheila Smith McKoy, International Trends and Services
Dr. Sharon Elliott-Bynum, Health and Human Services
2012 Emerald Award Recipients
Brenda High Sanders, Services to Youth
Beverly McIver, The Arts
Andrea Harris, National Trends and Services
Helen Asemota, PhD, International Trends and Services
Leah Brown, Health and Human Services*
*In 2012, Health and Human Services was added as an additional National Facet.
2011 Emerald Award Recipients
Symonetta Higgs, Services to Youth
Zelda Lockhart, The Arts
Eva Clayton, National Trends and Services
Yvonne Coston, PhD, International Trends and Services
2010 Emerald Award Recipients
Calla Bethel Wright, Services to Youth
Jaki Shelton Green, The Arts
Barbara Pullen-Smith, National Trends and Services
LaHoma Romocki, PhD, International Trends and Services