CALLING ALL WOMEN GAME CHANGERS
History can never be confined to textbooks and monuments. It lives alongside the people who push, fight, and claw their way to greatness. It silently nudges those who yearn to create the change they wish to see.
Last season, the Washington Mystics launched the Legacy campaign, dedicated to strong women who have always made the unthinkable possible, showing us that dreams that become reality require bravery. We call that Owning Your Legacy.
Do you know a local women who is a fearless leader, a change maker, a pioneer, an innovator, a rebel…a true citizen of the District of Change?
Nominate her for the second annual Dr. Sheila C. Johnson Game Changer Award. Winner to be announced later this season and celebrated at halftime during our game on Tuesday, September 17th .
Details
Nomination Deadline: August 30th, 2024
Please complete the following information to submit your nomination for the WNBA Washington Mystics 2024 Dr. Sheila C. Johnson Game Changer Award.
The information provided below will be used by our panel of judges to determine this year’s honorees.
Please note: your nomination will be the main factor the judges weigh when scoring all the nominees, so make sure it is thorough and detailed.
FAQ
WHAT INDIVIDUALS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS AWARD?
To be eligible, the woman should be a senior-level executive, CEO and/or entrepreneur based in the greater Washington, D.C. region.
We consider this region to include Washington D.C., Maryland,
Virginia, and Delaware.
WHO CAN NOMINATE?
Nominations can be submitted by anyone familiar with the nominee. We also accept self-nominations.
WHAT WILL THE JUDGES BASE THEIR SCORING ON?
Judges will review nominations based in the following areas:
- Business achievements (what has this woman accomplished within her industry?)
- Community involvement (how has this woman given back?)
- Game Changer (how has this women been a game changer?)
- Mentoring (how has this woman helped other people, especially other women, succeed?)
Please note
If selected, attendance is required at an editorial photo shoot the first week of September and attendance at the Mystics home game on Friday, September 17th (tip off 7:00pm) to be honored at halftime.
The information provided in this nomination form may be used for a Mystics article appearing on our website, in eNewsletters and in any media coverage of the Award. All facts provided will be verified.
For questions or to submit additional supporting documentation, contact the Washington Mystics at mysticscommunity@washmystics.com.
Sheila Johnson is Founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts. The company operates a collection of luxury properties centered around unique destinations in the US and the Caribbean that includes the luxurious Salamander Resort & Spa, in Middleburg, VA which has achieved Forbes Five-Star ratings for both its accommodations and spa.
The extensive portfolio includes Hotel Bennett in Charleston SC; Half Moon in Montego Bay, Jamaica; and Innisbrook Resort in Tampa Bay, FL, which is host to the annual PGA TOUR Valspar Championship on its famed Copperhead Course. In 2022, the company grew its portfolio by adding Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club in Rendezvous Bay, Anguilla; Aspen Meadows Resort in Aspen, CO; and the newly branded Salamander Washington, DC. Johnson’s award recognitions reflect her extensive track record in hospitality, and she was recently inducted into Hospitality Design’s Platinum Circle Hall of Fame and named Washington Business Journal’s CEO of the Year 2022.
As Vice Chairman of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, Johnson is the only African American woman to have ownership in three professional sports teams: the NBA’s Washington Wizards, the NHL’s Washington Capitals, and the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, for which she serves as President and Managing Partner. She also served on the Executive Committee of the United States Golf Association where she spearheaded efforts in increasing diversity in the game of golf.
In 2016, she spearheaded the formation of WE Capital, a venture capital consortium to support and invest in female-led enterprises with a goal of promoting social impact while generating financial returns. She served on the board of the Greater Washington Partnership (GWP), which seeks to strengthen the region’s global position as a center for commerce and innovation. Currently, she is Co-Chair of GWP’s Inclusive Growth Council, bringing together business leaders from across the region to work together to make the Capital Region a national model for advancing equitable economic solutions.
A fervent supporter of education and the arts, Ms. Johnson serves as chairman of the College of Performing Arts and Board member of The New School in New York. The Sheila Johnson Fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School supported a cohort of 50 fellows – emerging leaders dedicated to improving the lives of the underserved community. She is also a board member of the Metropolitan Opera, Jackie Robinson Foundation, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and Advisory Board Member of the NeuroArts Blueprint: Advancing the Science of Arts, Health and Well-Being.
Ms. Johnson has long been a powerful influence in the entertainment industry, starting with her work as co-founder of Black Entertainment Television. She has served as executive producer of documentary and feature films and is founder and chair of the Middleburg Film Festival.
About Sheila Johnson
