WILMINGTON – The Delaware Commission for Women added four outstanding female leaders to the Hall of Fame of Delaware Women at its annual induction ceremony Wednesday evening.

This year’s inductees have each made substantial and meaningful contributions throughout their careers to improve the lives of countless Delawareans. They are retired Delaware Supreme Court Justice Carolyn Berger; State Representative Debra Heffernan; Dr. Janice Nevin, president and CEO of Christiana Care Health System; and the late Kendall M. Wilson, the first executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Delaware.

Governor John Carney praised each of the inductees during the ceremony at the Christiana Hilton in Newark.

“This year’s Hall of Fame inductees are a diverse group of innovators, freedom fighters, caregivers and public servants, all of whom who made great sacrifices throughout their careers and triumphed through their perseverance,” Gov. Carney said. “Carolyn Berger, Deb Heffernan, Janice Nevin and Kendall Wilson are true role models, and it is our honor to give them the recognition they deserve.”

Chosen from a list of nominees submitted by individuals and organizations from across the state, the inductees were selected based on their remarkable careers and the significance of their work. To date, 142 women have been inducted to this prestigious group.

“It’s an honor to be included among the many outstanding Delaware women who’ve been inducted into the Hall of Fame.” Said Justice Berger, the first woman to sit on Delaware’s Court of Chancery and Supreme Court. “I hope my service will inspire young women to seek judicial careers, and I look forward to the day that one of those women becomes the first female Chief Justice.”

Joan Isken attended the ceremony on behalf of her late mother Kendall McDowell Wilson, who championed the poor, the incarcerated and those who could not afford legal representation as a founder of the Delaware chapter of the ACLU.

“My mother fought hard under great adversity to advocate for others. With her warrior spirit, she never wavered from her quest for justice,” Ms. Isken said. “We remain proud of her and are now thankful for her public recognition as she joins the ranks of Delaware’s significant women.”

Debra Heffernan began her career in public service after 25 years in the private sector as an environmental toxicologist. After serving on the Brandywine School Board, she was elected to the Delaware House of Representatives in 2010.

“It is an honor to be among women who have made such exceptional contributions to Delaware. It’s important that we stand together to support women and women’s rights,” said Rep. Heffernan, D-Brandywine Hundred. “I will continue to advocate for those rights in Legislative Hall, as well as in the community, and do not take this honor lightly.”

As the leader of Delaware’s largest health care system, Dr. Janice Nevin has overseen a campaign of innovation at Christiana Care.

“I am deeply honored to be recognized by the Commission for Women, with its legacy of making great strides for the women of Delaware. I’m proud to join past and present recipients whom I respect and admire,” said Dr. Nevin. “I’m grateful for the Commission’s focus on women’s health as part of its core mission. Women’s health is vital for success in our work, in our families and in our society.

The Delaware Division of Libraries is delighted to announce Dr. Annie Norman, State Librarian, was inducted into the Hall of Fame of Delaware Women in March 2016.

Each year the Delaware Commission for Women inducts exemplary women into their Hall of Fame. Dr. Norman is the first librarian to be inducted, and she was selected due to her transformational leadership in crafting innovative strategies and partnerships for Delaware Libraries on behalf of Delawareans.  A Senate Tribute, sponsored by Senator Margaret Rose Henry, was also presented in recognition of “outstanding efforts and expertise in the arena of literacy and library technology.”

“I’ve worked with Annie for several years, beginning when I was State Treasurer, and I offer my congratulations,” said Governor Jack Markell. “She has brought extraordinary vision to Delaware Libraries. I am very proud that even during difficult times my administration was able to invest more than ever in libraries, which would not have been possible without the efforts of Annie and Secretary of State Jeffrey Bullock.”

In her remarks on behalf of Delaware Libraries, Dr. Norman noted, “2016 is the 115th anniversary of the Delaware State Library Commission.  Libraries have evolved over the past 115 years, and libraries support girls, and women, and all Delawareans in learning, and renewal, throughout life.”

“Annie’s pursuit of excellence is exhibited both in her personal quest to attain the highest level of professionalism by completing her doctorate while simultaneously expertly managing a state library agency and through her organization’s quest to identify and implement best practices drawn from the world of business as well as from the library world,” said William Wilson, of Himmel & Wilson, nationally recognized library consultants.

With the support of the Administration and General Assembly, as State Librarian Dr. Norman steers Delaware’s libraries in collaboration, expansion, and improvement of services on behalf of Delawareans.

• Library buildings have almost doubled in size overall, and are designed to deliver state-of-the-art services through the robust shared technology platform supported by the Delaware Division of Libraries;
• Using the live data that a shared technology platform makes possible, Delaware is first to develop an innovative library assessment model at scale across all public library services;
• The Delaware Library Catalog (delawarelibraries.org), celebrating its 10th year, includes all Delaware public libraries as well as several academic, school, and special libraries sharing 2.6 million items on behalf of Delawareans statewide;
• The Delaware Division of Libraries now supports statewide all public library technologies including the network, Wi-Fi, public access computing, catalog, electronic collections, program calendar, and more;
• Delaware Libraries Inspiration Spaces, first formed with federal funds and a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support Job Seekers, also expanded the capacity to support Entrepreneurs and innovators through maker technologies and events where people can enthusiastically learn about and experiment with technology and DIY activities;  and
• Partnerships with over 130 organizations and growing, expand the reach and capacity to meet Delawareans’ needs across all subject areas.

Dr. Norman has been State Librarian of Delaware since 2002.

• She received her Doctorate of Education in Innovation and Organizational Leadership from Wilmington University, and is the recipient of the Audrey K. Doberstein Award for Leadership for her dissertation entitled Librarians’ Leadership for Lifelong Learning;
• Her Master’s degree in Library Science is from Drexel University and she is a member of Beta Phi Mu, the international library and information studies honor society;
• Delaware Division of Libraries received the Delaware Quality Award of Merit and the Delaware Library Association Institutional Award in recognition of performance excellence principles and practices;
• She received the Delaware Library Association Distinguished Service Citation; and
• Her recent talk for TEDxWilmington, “Libraries and the American Dream” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDwndQ3qiSQ) conveys Delaware Libraries’ role in supporting the power of curiosity.

About

The Hall of Fame of Delaware Women, now celebrating its 35th anniversary, is the oldest annual celebration of Delaware Women, inclusive of all women throughout the State. Its purpose is to annually recognize and acknowledge the achievements of remarkable Delaware women.

The Delaware Division of Libraries, a state agency dedicated to unleashing the potential in all Delawareans in partnership with Delaware Libraries, offers free access to the online catalog (delawarelibraries.org); Wi-Fi; computers/internet; eBooks, programs/classes, community partnerships, and more.

Contact:
Beth-Ann Ryan
Deputy Director, Delaware Division of Libraries
302-257-2002
beth-ann.ryan@delaware.gov

The results are in and four phenomenal women were chosen as the 2016 inductees into the Hall of Fame of Delaware Women. From a pool of amazing women from throughout the State, an independent selection committee thoughtfully deliberated and ultimately selected the following nominees:

• Annie Norman, is a distinguished library professional. She established the statewide Delaware Library Catalog which provides seamless access to millions of items shared by more than 50 academic, special, and several public school libraries. She also led Delaware to the distinction of being the first state to implement an innovative statewide library technology platform.
• Chandra G. Pitts, a driven social entrepreneur and the founder & CEO of One Village Alliance. She is the creator of “Girls Can Do Anything!” that has engaged more than 1300 phenomenal females to redefine womanhood and what it means to be a girl! Chandra Pitts was named 2015 Hometown Hero by Glamour Magazine.
• Sonia S. Sloan, is an advocate and leader dedicated to strengthening the sustainability of organizations that serve an important public interest. She has worked with a number of organizations including the ACLU,Planned Parenthood, the YWCA, Public Allies Delaware, the Financial Literacy Institute, and the Wellness Community. She has raised over $100 million for Delaware non-profit agencies, and a reformation of program for youth released from Ferris School.
• Jamie L. Wolfe, is an effective and committed advocate for persons with disabilities. She is recognized as a pioneer in the disability movement at the University of Delaware where she worked tirelessly to ensure her success and the success of her peers with disabilities. When engaged in her advocacy she is equally at ease with a state senator, a college student with disabilities or a parent of a child with disabilities.

There is so much more to these movers and shakers who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame of Delaware Women, March 24, 2016, at the Dover Downs Conference Center. The awards and recognition festivities will begin with a meet and greet and a cash bar at 5:30 p.m. Dinner and presentation of awards will follow at 6:30 p.m. The media is invited to cover.

To date 139 women have been inducted. The public is encouraged to continue to nominate women, even if in a given year they were not selected.

The cost is still only $40 per person to keep this event affordable. Credit card payments can be made online.

For more information, visit www.commissionforwomen.delaware.gov or contact the Delaware Commission for Women at (302) 577-5287.

The Delaware Commission for Women is Delaware’s lead government advocate for women and women’s issues.

The Delaware Commission for Women (DCW) is now accepting nominations for the 35th Annual Hall of Fame of Delaware Women. This event is the state’s foremost event honoring women. Traditionally, held during Women’s History Month in March, the Hall of Fame honors Delaware women for their distinguished contributions and achievements toward improving the lives of others. Women have been inducted into the Hall of Fame of Delaware Women representing a variety of fields including advocacy, volunteerism, business, education, law, government and medicine, etc.

The deadline for submission is November 13, 2015. A selection committee will be appointed to review the nominations according to the criteria stated on the form. Nominees must be native-born Delawareans or have resided in the state for at least ten years. Nominees may also be deceased.

To be considered the form provided by the Delaware Commission for Women must be used and the guidelines followed. The nomination form includes a list of current members of the Hall of Fame of Delaware Women can be obtained via mail, e-mail, or on the State of Delaware or DCW website, commissionforwomen.delaware.gov.

For more information call the DCW at (302) 577-5287, or e-mail Carmen Gomez at Carmen.Gomez@delaware.gov.

The Delaware Commission for Women (DCW) – motivated by the Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Pushes Back from the Brink – is surveying Delaware women to learn about their experiences in life, the economy and the workplace. The statewide project involves learning from women – of diverse life and work and experiences – about making ends meet, opportunities to advance in the workplace, discrimination, personal and family considerations and what thoughts keep them up at night. The data and insights from the project will inform DCW’s advocacy agenda and guide its priorities on issues, resources, initiatives, best practices and partnerships that affect Delaware women.

“We want to hear directly from Delaware women about their experiences in the economy and the workplace and what support they need to push back from the brink,” says Sherese Brewington-Carr, DCW Chair.

The research in The Shriver Report informs us that:

• Forty-seven percent of the workforce is female; sixty-two percent hold minimum wage jobs.
• Balancing work and home, gender discrimination, sexual harassment, workplace bullying (from both genders) stall progress and present huge disadvantages for women.
• One in three women lives in poverty or teeter on the edge, pay-check to pay-check. That’s 42 million women; add to those numbers 28 million children and the unknown number of people who depend on them for caregiving.
• The wage gap cost the average woman between $700,000 to $2 million dollars over the course of her lifetime.

Women interested in learning about the Delaware Commission for Women and the project should call (302) 577-5287, or contact Carmen Gomez at carmen.gomez@delaware.gov.