liveSAFE Resources honors women who are making a difference in their communities.
By Cory Sekine-Pettite
On Saturday, March 28, community leaders from throughout metro Atlanta will be gathering at The Fairmont in Midtown to celebrate the achievements of 15 local women who will be honored for their outstanding leadership in their personal and professional endeavors. This special event is Marietta-based liveSAFE Resource’s 35th annual Tribute to Women of Achievement.
For 35 years, liveSAFE Resources has annually honored local women who are leaders in business, trailblazers in the not-for-profit world, and generous volunteers for their communities. This year’s honorees join the prestigious list of more than 500 women who are forever part of the Academy of Women Leaders. Any worthy woman from Atlanta is eligible to receive this honor and become part of the Academy, liveSAFE says.
The organization has a committee of supporters of its cause who choose the 15 honorees each year. Anyone can nominate women they know who deserve recognition. Those nominees are then asked to fill out an application asking about their work, volunteerism, and community history and involvement, et cetera. The names from these applications are removed and the committee reviews and rates them. They then meet to discuss the ratings and who should be chosen as the 15 honorees.
In addition to the recognition, the annual awards dinner includes a silent auction, which is intended to raise funds for liveSAFE’s vital work. At last year’s event, the organization auctioned off nearly 200 items, such as purses, trips, and experiences/shows/concerts around Atlanta. The event’s hosts will include GBI Director Vic Reynolds and his wife, Holly; Cobb County DA Joyette Holmes and her husband, Bridges; and liveSAFE Board Member Jason Saliba and Executive Director Tracey Atwater.
If you’re not familiar with the organization (formerly the YWCA of Northwest Georgia), it was founded in 1917 and is committed to providing safety and healing to those impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, and elder abuse within our community. By providing an emergency shelter, transitional housing, counseling, legal advocacy, a 24-hour crisis line and many other services, the organization empowers those it serves to rebuild their lives. By raising awareness and fostering support, liveSAFE Resources is dedicated to building a community free from domestic violence, sexual assault and elder abuse.
For details on the liveSAFE Resources’ programs and services, or how to be part of the solution, contact 770-427-2902 or visit www.livesaferesources.org. To reach the 24-hour crisis line, call 770-427-3390.
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2020 Women of Achievement
LaSandra Boykin, lead project manager, Delta
Michelle Cooper Kelly, director Cobb Community Foundation
Heidi Dasinger, business development manager, City of Marietta
Kimberley Euston, national business development leader, PwC
Michelle Fernanders, Cobb County Firefighter
Andrea Foard, transit division manager, Cobb DOT
Kellie Hill, judge Cobb County Magistrate Court
Monique Honaman, CEO of ISHR Group and Contender Brands
Lee Hyaduck, operations manager, Center for Young Adult Addiction and Recovery Operations, KSU
Carla Jackson, Cobb County tax commissioner
Kari Love, CEO, The Atlanta Women’s Foundation
Cecelia Patellis, assistant VP of Community Education & Outreach, WellStar
Amanda Seals, senior manager and client relationship executive at Deloitte
Shannon Wallace, district attorney in the Blue Ridge Judicial Court
Caroline Whaley, executive director at Gateway Marietta CID
