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YWCA Women of the Year presented by Sanford Health

Be part of the year’s most inspiring event!

Seating is limited, so don’t wait!

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

Help us honor thirty-seven inspiring women who shape the Fargo-Moorhead community through their passion, service, and achievements at this widely-celebrated event!

Get your ticket today to attend in person in the Flint Group Gold Gallery for $110 or tune in online with a virtual viewing ticket for $75 - the cost of one night of shelter at YWCA Emergency Shelter.

During the 5:30pm social hour, mingle with other attendees, try your luck winning incredible raffle prizes, and take home a bottle of 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


Nominations have closed for YWCA Women of the Year 2025!

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


2024 YWCA Women of the Year Recipients

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.


See photos from the 2024 YWCA Women of the Year event on Facebook!


In 2023, we celebrated 50 years of YWCA Women of the Year! Watch to learn more about how YWCA Cass Clay honors, uplifts, and empowers women in our community.

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