PBN names 2016 Business Women honorees

PROVIDENCE – The longtime chief operating officer of Crossroads Rhode Island has been named the Career Achievement winner in the 2016 Providence Business News Business Women Awards program, while the Outstanding Mentor honoree is an entrepreneur who owns and operates three companies committed to equity in sports.
Michelle Wilcox has worked at Crossroads for 23 years, the last nine as chief operating officer. Her recognition as Career Achievement winner at PBN’s ninth Business Women event was earned by her key role in many projects undertaken by the nonprofit dedicated to helping the homeless, including construction of housing and the internal changes necessary to implement Crossroads “housing-first” model. Crossroads President and CEO Karen Santilli said in nominating Wilcox that “Michelle is certainly an example of an innovative leader who has been an inspiration not only to me, but to our entire organization.” Wilcox was honored in the first Business Women program in 2008 as an Industry Leader.
Digit Murphy, the owner and operator of the United Women’s Lacrosse League, the Play It Forward Sport Foundation and Digit Murphy Athletics, has been a pioneer in the sports world, and she has used that platform to mentor hundreds of women and girls. She played and coached college hockey (at Cornell and Brown University, respectively) and has used that beginning to mentor other women coaches and players. The Play It Forward Foundation was created to close the gender pay gap across professional sports.

Twelve other women were named either Industry Leaders or Women to Watch in six industry categories as well. In addition, the Business Women Achievement Honorees who have been profiled throughout the last year in the pages of PBN will be recognized at the Business Women Awards luncheon and Women’s Leadership Summit, to be held Thursday, May 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Providence Marriott Downtown. For information and to register to attend, click HERE.
Partner sponsors for the program are the Bryant University Executive Development Center, CVS Health Corp., Hope Global and LGC&D.
The 2016 winners by category are:

  • Creative Services – Industry Leader: Samantha O’Neil, senior vice president, head of marketing, Fidelity Investments
  • Creative Services – Woman to Watch: Kelly Taylor, principal, Kelly Taylor Interior Design
  • Financial Services – Industry Leader: Jeanne Lieb, senior vice president, information services, FM Global
  • Financial Services – Woman to Watch: Deborah Viveiros, vice president & associate relationship manager, Webster Bank
  • Health Care Services – Industry Leader: Dr. Angela Caliendo, vice president, University Medicine Foundation Inc.; executive vice chair, Department of Medicine, director of Division of General Internal Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University
  • Health Care Services – Woman to Watch: Ashley Sadlier, director, Rhode Island Skilled Pediatrics and Adult Nursing Office, BAYADA Home Health Care
  • Professional Services – Industry Leader: Melissa E. Darigan, partner, Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP; president, Rhode Island Bar Association
  • Professional Services – Woman to Watch: Jessica Bickoff, senior manager leadership development program, Textron Inc.
  • Social Services – Industry Leader: Shantha Diaz, chief operating officer, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island
  • Social Services – Woman to Watch: Joanne Dwyer, senior director, corporate social responsibility, CVS Health Corp.
  • Technical Services – Industry Leader: Leslie Taito, senior vice president corporate operations, Hope Global
  • Technical Services – Woman to Watch: Stefanie Taylor, president, Gennaro Inc.

The Achievement Honorees for 2016 are (listed alphabetically):

  • Stephanie Additon, Java Skincare
  • Sierra Barter, The Lady Project
  • Allyson E. Cote, Meg Wirth, Maternova
  • Maureen Cronin, Worldways Social Marketing
  • Nicole D’Andrea, D’Andrea Handbags
  • Elsa Dure, Rhode Island Mayoral Academies
  • Roberta J. Fagan, Anchor Fuel Inc., Oil Heat Institute
  • Stephanie Frazier-Grimm, Couture Parties LLC
  • Megan McGuinness, McGuinness Media & Marketing LLC
  • Natalie Morello, Shoppe Pioneer
  • Rachel C. Narodowy, Village Haven
  • Deborah Schimberg, Verve Inc.

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