WOMEN & WEALTH PRESENTS
THE WOMEN WHO LEAD GALA
Women & Wealth will host its second annual event, "Women Who Lead," a gala promoting women in leadership. The night will be a celebration for the women who lead in our community and will include a guest speaker, a formal dinner, and the presentation of awards honoring strong women in the community who advance women and exemplify leadership.
Join us on Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Rockford, Illinois, as we empower and propel women to impact social and economic change in our community. This gala is essential to our community as we invest in the power of women. Join us to ensure a successful celebration.
Saturday,
March 30, 2024
Social Hour 6 PM
Dinner & Program 7 PM
Cliffbreakers Riverside Hotel & Conference Center
700 West Riverside Blvd. Rockford, IL 61103
Congratulations 2024
Women Who Lead Honorees
The Spirit Of Leadership
The Spirit of Leadership Awards are represented by a flame. A flame is something or someone who bursts or breaks out passionately. Flames can burn forever and can consume others or become contagious. We consider a flame someone who pursues their endeavors with brilliance, brightness, and enthusiasm, igniting passion in others.
Honoree
Sharon Malone
Educator, Mentor, and Counselor
Mrs. Sharon Malone is a member of St. Luke Baptist church in Rockford, Illinois, where she serves as teacher, mentor, and counselor in a number of ministries.
Mrs. Malone serves as Ministry Leader and teacher of the Woman’s Bible Class. God led her to organize it in 1994. She now serves prayerfully as Ministry Leader for the Spiritual Guidance Ministry after Pastor Louis E. Malone asked her to organize it in 2010. The curriculum is through The American Association of Christian Counselors Light University. In addition to these ministries Mrs. Malone serves in the New Membership Ministry and is able to lead lost souls to Christ at her church. She is the Director of Minister’s Wives and Widows of Baptist General State Convention of Illinois Inc.
She shares her personal testimony that she first accepted Jesus Christ as her Personal Savior approximately 43 years ago: and since that time, her life has not been the same. She says that God has changed her desires and has given her a new purpose. She now looks forward to being used by Him.
A native of Rockford, Illinois, Mrs. Malone graduated from East High School, class of 1973. She attended Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Anthropology/Sociology with an emphasis on Social Work from Rockford College, Rockford, Illinois.
Mrs. Malone was a Counselor at Rosecrance until her retirement. She has received the “Employee of the Year Award” from Janet Wattles and the Distinguished Services award upon twenty-one years of service. She has served on the Board for The Literacy Council of Rockford, Illinois.
In addition to the ministries at St. Luke, Mrs. Malone has served as a teacher in the Minister’s Wives Division of the Baptist General State Congress of Christian Education. She has been invited as a Speaker for Women’s Day services, women’s retreats, and women’s conferences.
Sister Malone has been married for 49 years to Rev. Louis Malone, who serves as Pastor of the St. Luke Baptist Church as well as the Past President of the Baptist General State Convention of Illinois. They are parents of four children-Troy, Andre, Sidney, and Rebecca and have seventeen grandchildren .
“I must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.” John 9:7
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Honoree
Dorothy Paige-Turner
Author, Playwright, Performing Recording Artist, & Community Arts Activist
Dorothy Paige-Turner is a retired Music and Creative Arts educator from the Rockford Public School District #205. She is an author, playwright, performing and recording artist, and a community arts activist.
Ms. Turner has been recognized for her involvement in the community by the following: an inductee into the Fine Arts Hall of Fame from the Rockford Public School District; the Mayor's Award for the Arts; the Lifetime Achievement Award in the Arts from the Rockford Area Arts Council; the Blanche Ellis Starr YWCA Leader Luncheon Award for the Arts; the Rockford Area Music Industry Hall of Fame Inductee (to name a few over the span of her career.)
For more than 20 years she was producer and director for the All-City Children's Chorus, the Koraliers, up to its demise due to the pandemic. She volunteered her time and financed the youth ages 9 - 13 at no cost to them. Other volunteer opportunities include: founder, managing and artistic director of the Black Theatre Ensemble; Sinnissippi Sundays - a talent showcase for youth from diverse cultures; the Bethune Youth Performing Arts Festival for the National Council of Negro Women.
Ms. Turner served on the Board of Directors at New American Theater and the Rockford Area Arts Council and is a founding member of Artist's Ensemble Theater.
Other opportunities to serve have led her to the African American Resource Center at Booker, the Kantorei-Singing Boys of Rockford, workshops in Head Start and Early Childhood programs, the B.A.B.E.S. program at LifeScape and La Voz Latina
Currently, Ms. Turner is the coordinator and director of the Rockford Reader's Theatre which showcases the talents of local actors and highlights the works of African American playwrights and poets. She directed the first full-length concert on March 7, 2024 for the All-City Fine Arts Event for the high school choirs entitled "The Evolution of Gospel Music". Her hope was to increase awareness of the rich and lasting contributions of the African American culture to the history of American music.
THANK YOU TO THE
2024 WOMEN WHO LEAD SPONSORS
