The fifth annual STEP Ahead Awards are taking place Thursday, April 20, in Washington, D.C. and will honor the best and most inspiring women in manufacturing.
STEP stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Production. These awards recognize the exemplary women in manufacturing leading by example. STEP Ahead is a national honor that not only identifies the most inspiring women of today, but also encourages the most inspiring women of the future to press onward.
This year’s theme is IMPACT, of how women have made an impact on their companies, communities, and even themselves. Through industry advocacy, mentoring youth, leading the way as a manufacturing education ambassador, or a variety of other initiatives, these women “IMPACT” the world around us.
Congratulations to the chosen 2017 STEP Ahead Award winners. This year, The Manufacturing Institute will honor 100 Honorees and 30 Emerging Leaders who have demonstrated leadership and excellence. Click on their names to hear their stories.
Kristen Actis-Grande | Reka Aczel | Francisca Kokui Adesokan* |
Taylor Amponin* | Brigit Anthony | Nora Arellano |
Laura Basara | Kimberley Benca | Erica Benisch |
Mary Bergstrom | Jennifer Biggs* | Shannan Billings |
Mary Blair | Roselle Bleile | Nicki Bonczyk |
Connie Bradley | Michele Broekemeier | Laura Brown |
Kris Carroll | Kendra Carter | Wanda Cartrette Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. |
Frankie Casanas | Cynthia Casmay* | Sandra Chen* |
Luisa Chinchilla* | Jennifer Kaye Cisneros | Carol Click |
Valerie Coffman | Rachael Conrad | Amanda Corder* |
Erin Culver* | Madisen Dahl* | Debbie Dalley |
Stephanie Dean* | Christine Dooley | Skotti Fietsam |
Laura Fisher* | Barbara Fochtman | Sue Franz |
Ankur Ganguli | Michele Garigliano | Thomya Goode |
Elizabeth Gubrud-Howe | Jerrika Hall* | Brooke Hamilton |
Lynn Hancock | Emily Hardie | Stephanie Hayes |
Casey Hedlund* | Gentry Hoffman | Amber Holland |
Vicki Holt | Kimberly Howard | Lori Jafarjian |
Mary Jo (MJ) Jerome | Jeanette Johnson | Monica Jung |
Cindy Jurgens | Sarah Kaffenbarger | Laura Kay Kappler-Roberts |
Paige Kassalen* | Danielle Lancianese* | Susanne Lauda |
Lisa Lawrence | Christine Linder | Rebecca Lucore |
Romy Ludwig | Rochelle Maciejewski | Stacy Malecki |
Kalyani Mallela | Dana Manderfield | Laurie Markoe |
Colleen Meagher* | Kathryn Miller | Ashley Mohns* |
Regina Molisee | Natalie Monroe | Janet E. Morton |
Aneesa Muthana | Misti Nehus | Delia Noblecilla |
Kristin Okhuysen | Merry Parisotto | Mbeke Perez* |
Diana Peters | Jessica Phillips | Mary Kate Phillips |
Amber Pratt-Lum * | Stacie Rampe | Anita Rebarchak |
Caroline Richardson* | Hope Riggs | Heather Robinson |
Kara Roeder | Jessica Rogers | Melissa Ross |
Laura Ruiz-Santamaria | Sharon Ruppel | Elizabeth (Binky) Sargent |
Christi Saunders* | Lena Siegel* | |
Tammie Siracusa | Jennifer Slater | Rebecca Stehle* |
Janet Stephens | Pierrette Swan* | Lori Tapani |
Joanne Tetsill | Ashley Thompson* | Robin Tindall |
Amanda Tolhurst | Yulia Tyukhova* | Karla Valdes |
Carolee Vanicek | Katelyn Vara* | Sharon Vasher |
Caroline Villa* | Nitya Vittal | Kari Warberg Block |
Marcea Weiss | Kelsey Wensink* | Carol Wheeler |
Swee Har Wilcox | Diane Wilhelm | Melsha Winchester |
MaryAnn Winsemius* | Carla Yancy | Cindy Yielding |
*Asterisk indicates an Emerging Leader
2017 STEP Ahead Awards Agenda
April 19, 2017 JW Marriott, 1331 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004
5:30 p.m. STEP Ahead Welcome Reception (2017 Honorees & Emerging Leaders only)
7:30 p.m. Moonlight Bus Tour (optional – STEP Ahead Award winners only)
April 20, 2017 JW Marriott, 1331 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004
7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Networking Breakfast (STEP Ahead Award winners only)
8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. STEP Ahead Development and Leadership Program (STEP Ahead Award winners only)
April 20, 2017 Reception and Gala Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington, DC 20004
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. STEP Ahead Awards Reception
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. STEP Ahead Awards Dinner Gala
9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. STEP Ahead Awards After Party (Penn Avenue Terrace at the JW Marriott Hotel)
April 21, 2017 JW Marriott, 1331 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004
8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Family Breakfast
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. IMPACT Session and Personal Commitment (STEP Ahead Award winners only)
Manufacturing, The Fastener Museum