Nearly 500 Women You Need to Know: A complete history
There have been 470 women and young women recognized as part of the Tallahassee Democrat's 25 Women You Need to Know program since it started in 2006 and the Young Women were added in 2014.
This long standing tradition of honoring local women leaders has inspired a nonprofit organization called Club 25, made up of past honorees. Club 25’s mission is to harness the power of these amazing women and continue to do what they do best, help others in our community.
The 2024 class: Meet Tallahassee's 25 Women to Know, 5 Young Women to Watch in our rolling profiles
Here's a roll call of past honorees and the distinguished members of this exclusive alumni association.
A
Shirley Aaron
Asia Alexander
Cherry Hall Alexander
Kathy Anderson
Terrie Ard
Dr. Tiffany Ardley
Courtney Atkins
Quia Z. Atkinson
Kristel Avilus
Nominations open: 25 Women You Need to Know for 2024: It's time to nominate Tallahassee motivators
B
Joanne Baker
Tiffany Baker
Meg Baldwin
Wendy Barber
Lomar Carter Barkley
Barbara Barnes
Martha Barnett
Karen Bass
Caryn Beck-Dudley
Kathy Bell
Holly Bernardo
Sharon Gilmore Berrian
Mandy Stark Bianchi
Kim Bibeau
Dr. Cindy Bigbie
Taylor Biro
Laurel Blackburn
Lisa Blair
Emily Marie Blomeley
Samantha Boge
Alice Englert Bonn
Michelle Bono
Barbara Boone
Dr. P. Qasimah Boston
Leslie Powell Boudreaux
Georgia "Joy" Bowen
Stefanie Bowden
Ann Boyd
Ginger Barry Boyd
Janegale Boyd
Vernita Boykin
Vicki Bradley
Sally Bradshaw
Dr. Nolia Brandt
Carla Braverman
Kathleen Brennan
Dr. Asha Fields Brewer
Dana Brooks
Curtisa Brown
Dr. Lillie Anne Brown
Monesia Brown
Jean Bryant
Tonja Bryant-Smith
Carolyn Brown
Joanne Wadsworth Brown
Elaine Bryant
Rita Buck-Crockett
Cristin Burns
Susie Busch-Transou
Linda Butler
Pam Butler
Sally Butzin
Kathy Bye
C
Jennifer Calienes
Lauren Calmet
Gail Campbell
Krista Campbell
Joyce Carbonell
Joyce Chastain
Tonya Chavis
Sandy Chester
Brittany Christie
Faith Clarke
Susan Clarke
Amanda Clements
Nia Close
Wallisa Cobb
Eunice Cofie
Tracey Cohen
Erin Collins
Frances Conaway
Glenda Conley
Julie Conley
Carmen Conner
Beth Corum
Kristen S. Costa
Shelia Costigan
Betsy Couch
Berneice Cox
Carmelesa Crosby-Harley
Elsie Crowell
Christy Crump
Haley Cutler
Jeanne Curtin
Karen Cyphers
2018: A roll call of 2018's 25 Women You Need to Know and the 5 Young Women to Watch
D
Virginia Dailey
Valerie Dallas
Nancy Daniels
Jeanne Dariotis
Meredith DaSilva
Towanda Davila-Davis
Ann Davis
Dr. Elmira P. Davis
Nyla Davis
Pamela Davis
Sally Davis
Sharon Davis
Paula DeBoles-Johnson
Angela Dempsey
Stephanie Derzypolski
Janel Diaz
Sue Dick
April Dietz
Gail Dixon
Kimberly Dixon
Pamala J. Doffek
Carol Dover
Kelly Dozier
Dana Dudley
Abby Dupree
E
Linda Bond Edwards
Talethia Edwards
Monique Ellsworth
Elizabeth Emmanuel
Kim Kelling Engstrom
Erin Ennis
Lily Etemadi
Melanie Mowery Etters
F
Lauren Faison
Alison Faris
Kelly-Ann Fasano
Marsha Doll Faulkenberry
Ilona Faust
Anita Favors
Anika Fields
Linda Figg
Dr. Susan S. Fiorito
Kenan Fishburne
Cara Fleischer
Jocelyne Fliger
Theresa Flury
Kitty Flynn
Paula Fortunas
Linda Frazier
Margaret Franklin
Jeanne' Freeman
Andrea Friall
Emily Fritz
Karen Frost
Dr. Fanchon "Fancy" Felice Funk
Agnes Furey
G
Gabrielle Gabrielli
Kathy Garner
Dr. Michelle Gayle
Gina Giacomo
Renisha Gibbs
Becca Gilbert
Barbara Gilbertson
R. Jai Gillum
Virginia Glass
Audrey Goff
Barbara Goldstein
Jean Maynard Gonzalez
Lashawn Gordon
Mimi Graham
Dr. Saralyn Grass
Cecka Rose Green
Jane Greenfield
Judy Greenwald
Linn Ann Jones Griffin
Shelly Griffin
Patricia Grise
2019: Congratulations to the 2019 25 Women you Need to Know and 5 Young Women to Watch
H
Wendy Halleck
Brooke Hallock
Glenda Hamby
Tiffany Hamilton
Allison Harrell
Arsha Harris
Macey Hartman
Judith Hawkins
Judith Hayden
Aleah Henley
Christic Henry
Penny Herman
Patti Hilaman
Nan Hillis
Dot Hinson
Lucy Ho
Anne Holt
Myrna Hoover
Sandra Host
Roxanne Hughes
Abigail “Abby” Hugill
Deborah Hunt
Wanda Hunter
Anna-Kay Hutchinson
I
Janeia Daniels Ingram
Dorothy Inman-Johnson
Janelle Irwin
J
Lila Jaber
C. Sha'Ron James
Dr. Brenda Jarmon
Kaylin Jean-Louis
Priscilla Jean-Louis
Cassandra Jenkins
Connie Jenkins-Pye
Winifred Jenkins-Rice
Lisa Jernigan
Anne-Marie Johnson
Jane Johnson
Laura Johnson
Lillian Johnson
Dr. Zemoria A. Johnson
Zenani D. Johnson
Allison North Jones
Liz Joyner
Karen Jumonville
K
Terry Anne Kant-Rauch
Sally Karioth
Kelly Kearney
Cat Keen
Rebecca Kelly
Lauren Kelly-Manders
Terry Kemp
Jennifer Killinski
Christine Koontz
L
Judy Langston
Carla Laroche
Mary Lazor
Dorothy Ledbetter
Melanie Leitman
Debie Leonard
Maggie Lewis-Butler
Marina Lickson
Kyndra Light
Becky Liner
Yuh-Mei Lio
Alma Littles, MD
Jessica Lowe-Minor
Rebeccah Lutz
M
Calla MacNamara
Beatriz Suzette Malagon
Doris Maloy
Judy Mandrell
Cricket Mannheimer
Sandra Manning
Jane Marks
Ivette Marques
Pamela Marsh
Nicole "Nikki" Mauldin
Barbara Gill McArthur
Diane Cossin McCain
Rachelle McClure
Jana McConnaughhay
Patricia McCray
Melinda McDaniel
Liza McFadden
Candace McKibben
Ericka McKibbin
June McKinney
Holly McPhail
Jane McPherson
Corrie Melton
Kimberly Menchion
Laurye Messer
Lisa Miller
Deanna Mims
Dr. Michelle Mitcham
Heather Mitchell
Cari Blair Molinaro
Aliki Moncrief
Maxine Montgomery
Abi Moon
Karen Moore
Kimberly Moore
Betty Morales
Barbara Moro
Amanda Morrison
Marsha Morrison
Brenda Hannah Moss
Mila Mullin
Sally Musgrove
2020: Read about each of the 2020 25 Women You Need to Know and 5 Young Women to Watch
N
Liovani Nazario
Janet Nelson
Nga Nguyen
Shannon Novey
Donna Nudd
O
Cynthia “Cindy” O’Connell
Nancy Nix O'Farrell
Kelly Ann O'Keefe
Nan O'Kelley
Jeanne O'Kon
Martha Olive-Hall
Jeanna Olson
Kelly Otte
Heidi Otway
Kelly Overstreet
P
Mary Pankowski
Cristina Paredes
Holly Parker
Alyce Parmer
Jane Parsons
Tena Pate
Kara Payne
Donna Peacock
Stephanie Perkins
LaQuisha Persak
Adriane Peters
Canita Peterson
Pam Phelps
Alexis Phillips
Rachel Sutz Pienta
Audra Price Pittman
Annette Boyd Pitts
Corinne Porcher
Jacqueline “Jack” Porter
Susan Pourciau
Jennifer Powell
Gloria Pugh
Tammy Pulsifer
Q
Peggy Quince
Melanie Quinton
R
Sherill Williams Ragans
Mary Lou Rajchel
Penny Ralston
Paloma Rambana
Katelyn N. Reddick
Dr. Estrallita Redmon
Laura Reeves
Jade Reindl
Elizabeth Ricci
Darice Richard
Aida Richardson
Nina Ashenafi Richardson
Pam Ridley
LaShawn Riggans
Aja Roache
Lori Danello Roberts
Janel Robinson
Amy Garvin Rodgers
Laura Rogers
Katrina Rolle
Gigi Rollini
Cheryl M. Rollins
Ely Rosario
Vicky Rose
Kim Ross
Carolyn Ryals
S
Claudia Sachs
Robin Safley
Ranya Salvant
Becky Sauers
Nanette Schimpf
Stephanie Shumate
Ashley Scott
Valencia L. Scott
Sruthi Sentil
Samantha Sexton
Beth Shankle-Anderson
Diane Sheffield
Lisa Shuman
Alice Sims
Carly Sinnadurai
Audrey Smith
Britney Smith
Kara Palmer Smith
Patricia Smith
Donna Smithey
Dena Sokolow
Dr. Melissa Soldani-Lemon
Katherine (Katie) Sorrell
Joanna Southerland-Mele
Kathleen L. Spehar
Hella Spellman
Wendy Spencer
Lisa Sprague
Jayne Standley
Alyce Lee Stansbury
Dr. Adrienne Stephenson
Dena Strickland
Samantha Strickland
Martha Stubbs
2021: Revealed: The 25 Women You Need to Know and 5 Young Women to Watch for 2021
T
Allison Tant
Judi Taylor
Kristie Teal
Lauren Teal
Robin Tennille
Nia Terry
Anitra Thomas
Dr. Patty Ball Thomas
Courtney Thomas
Dr. Tracy Thomas
Amanda Karioth Thompson
Annie Thompson
Ida Thompson
Robin Thompson
Susan Thompson
Symone Thompson
Glenda Thornton
Rosalind Tompkins-Whiteside
Katrina Tuggerson
Marjorie Turnbull
Shairi Turner
Susan Turner
Pat Tuthill
Amber Tynan
U
Michelle Ubben
V
Melissa Valido
Samantha Vance
Victoria Vangalis-Zepp
Melissa Van Sickle
Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda
Alison Voorhees
W
Barbara J. Walker
Wendy Walker
Joy Watkins
Ying Wang
Amaya Waymon
Cindy Jackson Waymon
Jaimi Wacksman
Karen Walker
Marcia Warfel
Alexandria Washington
Victoria Weber
Barbara Wescott
Janay White
LaTanya White
Sylvia White
Meagan Wilkins
Harriet Williams
Inika Pierre Williams
Katie Britt Williams
Opal McKinney Williams
Dianne Williams-Cox
Barbara Wills
Denise Wilson
Jennifer Womble
Rosanne Wood
Pia Woodley
Jovita Woodrich
Gale Workman
Katie Wright
Y
Susan Yelton
Mary Jean Yon
Z
Gail Stansbury Ziffer
Carrie Englert Zimmerman
Dr. Dhyana Ziegler
UPDATED on Jan. 22, 2024: We added names for the class of 2023 and updated the totals leading up to this 18th year for the program in 2024. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this online roll call didn't include the Class of 2017 or 2021. We have added them to the list and apologize for their earlier omission.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: About 500 Women You Need to Know: A complete history
