Heroines of Washington 2025

Join us for the 25th Annual Heroines of Washington Awards Gala Thursday, November 6, 2025 at The Ritz Tysons Corner, VA.

2025 marks the 25th Anniversary of Heroines of Washington. More than just an awards gala, this initiative celebrates women who make a meaningful impact beyond their job titles. This year we look forward to a beautiful evening, recognizing female leaders whose service makes a difference in our communities. Over 20 finalists will be recognized, and 8 winners will be celebrated and honored. The event will attract more than 30 sponsors and 400 guests with a goal to raise critical funds for March of Dimes.

Congratulations to the 2025 Heroines of Washington Awards Finalists!

March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. We support research, lead programs, and provide education and advocacy so that every family can have the best possible start. Building on a successful 85-year legacy, we support every pregnant person and every family.

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2025 award categories:

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Nominating a woman for this award is a powerful way to recognize leadership, elevate women in your organization or network, and showcase their achievements. An award will be presented to the most outstanding individual within each category, and all finalists will be recognized during the event.

Real estate and construction Finance and banking Professional services and consulting Health and biotech Technology and cybersecurity

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2025 award recipients

Corporate Heroine — Cecilia Hodges, M&T Bank Legacy Heroine — Jennifer Felix, ARSC Federal Lifetime Achievement Heroine – Stephanie C. Hill, Lockheed Martin Heroine in Healthcare & Biotech — Ayana Martin, Veridian Therapeutics Heroine in Professional Services and Consulting— Leslie Merriman, Skin Memory Spa Heroine in Real Estate and Construction — Nora Abramson, Tower Companies Heroines in Technology and Cyber Security – Patricia Obermaier, Resigility Heroine in Finance & Banking – Kristyn King, Amazon

Event leadership

2025 Co-Chairs: Diane Nguyen and Carly Mitchell, Guidehouse

Holly McKenzie, PwC Jennifer Felix, ASRC Federal Julie Murphy, Sage Communications Lauren Dower, Carahsoft Carah Abod, Carahsoft Richard Wheeler, KPMG Deann O'Brien, M&T Bank Chaise Schmidt, Colliers Sumedha Mongia, Woddle Tonya Klause, Granicus Andrea Murray, JBG Kelly Kenney, Lockton

Executive Leadership Committee:

2025 Heroines of Washington

The Bernardo family

2025 Ambassador Family

Health & Biotech Aimee Liu, Guidehouse Gracelyn McDermott, Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States Nidhi Reva, Nested Ayana Martin, PhD, Viridian Therapeutics Finance & Banking Andrea Connolly, M&T Bank Kristyn King, Amazon Sherlonda Goode Jones, EY Professional Services & Consulting Charlyn Stanberry, National Association of Broadcasters Sinafik Gebru, Lockton Companies Leslie Merriman, Skin Memory Spa Valery Maya, PWC Real Estate & Construction Susan A Sonley, Kent Commercial Inc. Kristin Niver, Robinson+Cole Nora Abramson, Tower Companies Technology & Cyber Security Alisa Whyte, Merritt Group Jacqueline (Jackie) Malkes, SAS Patty Obermaier, Resigility Krysten Wicks, Amazon Robotics

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Legacy Award Recipient: Jennifer Felix, President & CEO, ASRC Federal Jennifer is the first to receive the Legacy Heroine Award. She was chosen for her exceptional commitment to the March of Dimes mission. Jennifer has been a driving force behind the Heroines of Washington Awards for years, and we're so grateful for her support. Jennifer served as co-chair for four consecutive years from 2018 to 2021, bringing the awards program to new heights. Since then, she has worked behind the scenes as a member of our Executive Leadership Team. Jennifer and the ASRC Federal team also participate in DC March for Babies, and have generated nearly $1M to support the mission of March of Dimes. We can't wait to honor Jennifer and award the rest of our Heroines on November 6 at our gala!

Read her bio here

Corporate Heroine Recipient: Cecilia Hodges, Regional President, M&T Bank Since 2023, March of Dimes has chosen a Corporate Heroine honoree. This award recognizes a woman who leverages her leadership to extend the reach of her company’s community service efforts. This couldn’t be truer in the case of Cecilia Hodges, who in addition to her daily tasks and responsibilities as Regional President of Greater Washington and Virginia at M&T Bank, is on the steering committee of M&T Bank's Women's Affinity Group and serves as the executive sponsor for the Bank’s Hispanic Affinity Group and the Veteran’s Resource Group. Cecilia also chairs M&T’s Charitable Foundation committees in Greater Washington and Richmond, allowing her to give back to the community in meaningful and lasting ways. Her involvement spans impactful initiatives including the Women’s Empowerment Luncheon for Women Giving Back, Bright Stars for Easterseals, and Angel Tree for the Salvation Army — all efforts that reflect her deep commitment to lifting others and creating positive change. Cecilia will be recognized for her incredible efforts at the Heroines of Washington gala on November 6th along with the other finalists and award winners.

Read her bio here

Lifetime Achievement Awardee: Stephanie Hill, President of Rotary and Mission Systems, Lockheed Martin Hill is a member of the board of directors of the business intelligence firm S&P Global and is a member of The Executive Leadership Council. She was listed among The Wall Street Journal’s Top Corporate Directors of 2025; Savoy Magazine’s 2020 Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America; Black Enterprise’s 2019 Most Powerful Women in Corporate America; EBONY Magazine’s Power 100; and Computerworld's Premier 100 IT Leaders. Hill was named as the U.S. Black Engineer of the Year by Career Communications Group in 2014 and was honored by The World Trade Center Institute in 2015 with their Maryland International Business Leadership Award. In 2013, she received the Corporate Heroine in Technology Award from the March of Dimes and as we celebrate this milestone year, we look forward to recognizing Stephanie as this year’s Lifetime Achievement honoree for her continued commitment to serving her community.

Read her bio here

The Dubas Family Leo was born at 29 weeks in February 2024 and spent more than 130 days in the NICU at Inova Fairfax, where he received exceptional care from a dedicated medical team. During this challenging and uncertain time, the March of Dimes provided his family with strength, compassion, and a sense of community. Research funded by the March of Dimes has played a crucial role in ensuring that Leo has a bright and healthy future ahead of him.

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