More than a hundred women changemakers, including members of Congress, diplomats, journalists, and leaders in business, technology, and the arts, packed the first floor of Georgetown hotspot Cafe Milano on Wednesday afternoon for the inaugural DC Power Index Prize Luncheon.
2022 Honorees: Denyce Graves, Dr. Christine Grady, Sheila Johnson, Yaroslav Brisiuck (on behalf of Ambassador Oksana Markarova), Caroline Edwards, and Melora Hardin.Ambassador Oksana Markarova’s DC Power Index Prize.
Three industry leaders—acclaimed magazine editor Joanna Coles, Microsoft corporate vice president and cloud computing pioneer Teresa Carlson, and DeDe Lea, Paramount Global’s executive vice president for global public policy and government affairs—created the award series to celebrate “women who exemplify resilience, foster innovation, exhibit flexibility in times of crisis, and make a social and cultural impact.”
Deborah Rutter (President of the Kennedy Center) and Joanna Coles (magazine editor & luncheon co-host).DeDe Lea (Executive Vice President, Global Public Policy and Government Relations at Paramount Global & luncheon co-host) addresses the room.Jayne Sandman (Co-Founder and Co-CEO of the Brand Guild), Teresa Carlson (Corporate Vice President and Executive-in-Residence at Microsoft), Tammy Haddad (CEO of Haddad Media), and Crystal Bowyer (President and CEO of the National Children’s Museum).
This year’s inaugural class of honorees included:
Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova for “her tireless advocacy and representation of her country during this year of crisis and war in Ukraine.”
Dr. Christine Grady, Chief of the Department of Bioethics at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, for “her contributions to the field of bioethics, particularly surrounding ethical challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
United States Capitol Police Officer Caroline Edwards for “her bravery and sacrifice in defending the US Capitol during the insurrection of January 6th, 2021.”
Sheila Johnson, founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts and a partner in Monumental Sports & Entertainment, for “leading the way for women entrepreneurs, championing women in sports and her extensive philanthropic work.”
Denyce Graves, the Emmy and Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano, director, and alumna of the District’s Duke Ellington School of the Arts, for “her more than three decades of contributions to the musical arts, and for her leadership of the Denyce Graves Foundation, which shares the untold stories of underrepresented musicians who helped shape what American classical music is today.”
Melora Hardin, the Emmy-nominated actress, director, singer, and activist, known for her roles on The Office, The Bold Type, Monk, and Transparent, for “her authenticity in Hollywood, and for her groundbreaking and empowering performances.”
Congresswoman Sara Jacobs and Nigerian Ambassador Uzoma Emenike.Susan Tynan (Founder and CEO of Framebridge), Liz Hart (Deputy White House Social Secretary), and Barbara Martin (Co-Founder and Co-CEO of the Brand Guild).Honoree Denyce Graves and philanthropist Adrienne Arsht.
“DC is the most powerful city in the world, so you have to have the most powerful women congregating together, so it’s brilliant to bring this luncheon here,” said Lea.
Tammy Haddad (CEO of Haddad Media) and Kris Coratti (Executive Vice President & Head of Global Communications for CNN Worldwide).Goldy Kamali (Founder and CEO of FedScoop), Teresa Carlson (Corporate Vice President and Executive-in-Residence at Microsoft), and Heather Podesta (Founder of Invariant).Rima Al-Sabah (National Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR) and attorney Amy Ricchetti.
Yaroslav Brisiuck, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Ukraine, accepted the award on behalf of Markarova, who was called away in support of Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenskyy’s trip to Washington this week. He stated: “This means a lot. It shows recognition of [Markarova]’s role as an advocate of Ukraine at these most challenging times in our history. We’re at war, we’re fighting, and she’s advocating for more support of the United States for Ukraine in this fight.”
Senator Amy Klobuchar and Jordanian Ambassador Dina Kawar.Tisha Hyter (Vice President of Orr Group), Toni Bush (Executive Vice President and Global Head of Government Affairs at News Corp), and Stacee Crittenden (Senior Vice President at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management).Giardy Ritz (Chief of Staff to Sheila Johnson) and Kimball Stroud (President and CEO of Kimball Stroud & Associates).
“Every single one of these women has led by example and made an impact on our world,” concluded Coles. “They have not only inspired us, but collectively, they’ve touched the lives of millions of people in this country and around the globe. We are honored to showcase their accomplishments.”
Amna Nawaz (Chief Correspondent at PBS NewsHour) and Toni Bush (Executive Vice President and Global Head of Government Affairs at News Corp).Wendy Noss (President, Motion Picture Association-Canada), Gail MacKinnon (Senior Executive Vice President for Global Policy & Government Affairs at the Motion Picture Association), Emorie Broemel (Vice President, Government Relations at Paramount Global), and Allison Gray (Executive Vice President, General Counsel at Paramount Pictures).Aya Kanai (Head of Editorial & Creative at Google Shopping), Amanda Miller (Vice President, Corporate Affairs at PayPal), and Crystal Bowyer (President and CEO of the National Children’s Museum).Meredith Ross (Employees Political Action Committee Membership and Events Specialist at Chevron), Carrie Domnitch (Upstream Manager of Federal Government Affairs at Chevron), Meagan Neal (Development, Social Investment & Engagement Manager at Chevron), and Kim Sajet (Director of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery).A Cafe Milano place setting for the luncheon.Aba Kwawu (Founder of TAA PR) and Julie Kent (Artistic Director of the Washington Ballet).Amanda Katz (Opinions Editor at the Washington Post), Rachel Pearson (President of Pearson and Associates), and Katherine Bradley (Founder and Chair of CityBridge Foundation).Dannia Hakki (CEO and Co-founder of MoKi Media), Sheila Johnson (Founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts and 2022 honoree), and Maha Hakki (Co-founder of MoKi Media).2022 honoree Melora Hardin speaks to guests.Melanie Nakagawa (Special Assistant to the President and NSC Senior Director for Climate and Energy at the White House), Karen Knutson (Vice President and General Manager of Government Affairs at Chevron), and Missy Edwards (Founder of Missy Edwards Strategies).Payton Iheme (Head of Americas, Public Policy at Bumble) and Amanda Eversole (Executive Vice President & Chief Advocacy Officer at the American Petroleum Institute).Norah O’Donnell (Anchor & Managing Editor of the CBS Evening News), Caroline Edwards (US Capitol Police Officer & 2022 honoree), and Dr. Christine Grady (Chief of the Department of Bioethics at the National Institutes of Health and 2022 honoree).Heather Kulp (Manager Strategy & Analytics at Chevron), Zoraida Rodriguez Montenegro (Senior Manager, Federal Affairs at Uber), and Punya Krishnappa (Manager, Federal Campaigns at Uber).Sheila Johnson (Founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts and 2022 honoree) and Christine Brennan (USA Today sports columnist and author).Carol Melton (Founder and CEO of Adeft Capital) and Brandee Daly (CEO of KnightSwan).Ali Rubin (Director at Brunswick Group), Sara Fischer (Media Reporter at Axios), and Rachel Levitan (Communications Director for Senator Tom Carper).Zuhairah Scott Washington (President of Otrium), Kris Coratti (Executive Vice President & Head of Global Communications for CNN Worldwide), Julissa Marenco (Assistant Secretary for Communications and External Affairs for the Smithsonian Institution), and Betsy Fischer-Martin (Executive Director of the Women & Politics Institute and Executive in Residence for American University School of Public Affairs).Honoree Caroline Edwards addresses guests.Keenan Austin Reed (Vice President at Alpine Group Partners and Co-Founder/Chair of the Black Women’s Congressional Alliance Washington) and Senay Bulbul (Political Counselor at the British Embassy).Joanna Coles presents Dr. Christine Grady with her award.2022 Honorees Caroline Edwards and Melora Hardin.Jayne Sandman (Co-Founder and Co-CEO of the Brand Guild), Kimberly Grant (Global Head of Restaurants & Bars at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts), and Barbara Martin (Co-Founder and Co-CEO of the Brand Guild).Victoria Espinel (President and CEO of the Business Software Alliance), Jessica Nigro (Head of Global Public Policy at Lucid Motors), and Kim Sajet (Director of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery).Guests were treated to a gift bag as they departed overflowing with treats from both local and national partners, including a Sonos Roam wireless speaker, Shinola journal, a bottle of jam from Le Diplomate, and a premixed batch cocktail from the Riggs Washington DC hotel.Sally Quinn (author and journalist at the Washington Post), attorney Amy Ricchetti, and artist Maggie O’Neill.2022 Honoree Denyce Graves addresses the room.Carol Melton (Founder and CEO of Adeft Capital), Sheila Johnson (Founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts and 2022 honoree), and Jodie McLean (Chief Executive Officer of EDENS).DeDe Lea presents Sheila Johnson with her award.Senay Bulbul playfully takes a selfie with Melora Hardin.Artist Sophia Narrett and Dr. Erica Chemtob.
