YWCA Greater Pittsburgh Equity Awards
Join us on November 14, 2025 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at The Westin Pittsburgh for a celebratory luncheon honoring local leaders who support our vision of a world in which everyone has equitable access to personal and professional opportunities, free from injustice.
We welcome your Equity Awards nominations from May 15 to July 15.
Kindly contact Elizabeth Surgil to discuss sponsorship opportunities for the 5th Annual Equity Awards.
2024 Awardees
Award Categories:
Ally Award – Recognizes an individual or a group of any gender who has taken on the role of ally, advocate, and champion to women of color by contributing to the long-term engagement and emotional attachment needed to bring equity to Greater Pittsburgh.
Bridge Builder Award – Recognizes an individual or group that identifies as a woman or women whose work or organization remains true to their ethnic heritage and roots as they champion strategic initiatives so that the Greater Pittsburgh of our future centers and engages women of color.
Creativity and Innovation Award –– Recognizes the creativity of an individual or group that identifies as a woman or women involved in the arts or social media initiatives that bring public attention to the empowerment of women, especially women of color, and empower an audience through awareness, education, and inspiration.
Emerging Leader Award – Recognizes those who identify as a young woman, age 24 or younger, whose voice and actions interrupt the status quo to make a difference in their community by serving as a leader in any way to ensure that equity stays in the forefront.
Heroine Award – Recognizes those who identify as women and exhibits innovation in ensuring vital products or services reach those in need. They have exhibited courageous achievements while serving their community and are doing work that may be underpaid and undervalued by many.
2024 Selection Committee
Yazmin Bennett-Kelly
Damon Bethea
Brittany Boyd
Rosamaria Cristello
Rev. Patrice Fowler-Searcy
Mia Merideth
Ayisha Morgan-Lee, EdD, MAM, BFA
Leigh Solomon Pugliano
Madelyn Toliver
Adrienne Woodard
Christine Probert
Monica Ruiz, MSW
Juel L. Smith, EdD, MS
Past Awardees
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Carter, Kaila — Emerging Leader Award
Cunningham, Indira — Emerging Leader Award
Diaz, Rebekah — Creativity and Innovation Award
Merideth, Mia — Heroine Award
Tripp MD, MPH, Rickquel — Bridge Builder Award
Yow-chyi Liu, Sabrina — Ally Award
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Doerge, Rebecca, Ph.D. — Ally Award
Morgan-Lee, EdD, Ayisha A — Creativity and Innovation Award
Plaza, Luna — Emerging Leader Award
Pugliano, Leigh Solomon — Bridge Builder Award
Vidal-Phelan, Johanna, MD, MBA, FAAP, CHIE — Heroine Award
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Black Women for a Better Education (BW4BE) — Ally Award
Boyd, Brittany — Creativity and Innovation Award
Fowler-Searcy, Rev. Patrice L. — Bridge Builder Award
Mui, Abbey — Emerging Leader
Williams, Marisa C. — Heroine Award

Equity Awards 2024 Keynote
2024 Equity Awards Sponsors ↘
Presenting Sponsor
Equality Sponsors
Freedom Sponsors