{"id":218918,"date":"2026-03-25T00:37:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T00:37:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/218918\/"},"modified":"2026-03-25T00:37:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T00:37:13","slug":"dallas-women-leaders-honored-at-influential-awards-luncheon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/218918\/","title":{"rendered":"Dallas Women Leaders Honored at Influential Awards Luncheon"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\tOverview:<\/p>\n

The 4th Annual Women of Influence Awards Luncheon was held at The Statler Hotel in Dallas, recognizing the achievements of impactful women in various fields. The event emphasized the importance of mentorship, visibility, and intentional support, and celebrated sisterhood as a strategy for progress. The honorees, including healthcare leaders, entrepreneurs, and cultural influencers, shared a commitment to impact and the importance of sustained action beyond International Women’s Month. The luncheon affirmed a shared vision where women rise and reach back, and where being seen, heard, and supported is the expectation.<\/p>\n

Honoring Influence in the Heart of Downtown<\/p>\n

Last Friday, March 20, the ballroom at The Statler Hotel transformed into a vibrant celebration of leadership, legacy, and sisterhood for the 4th Annual Women of Influence Awards Luncheon.<\/p>\n

Hosted by media powerhouse\u00a0and namesake of Cheryl Magazine, Cheryl Polote-Williamson, the event brought together a cross-section of Dallas\u2019 most impactful women\u2014from healthcare leaders and nonprofit executives to creatives, entrepreneurs, and cultural influencers. <\/p>\n

Timed with International Women\u2019s Month, the luncheon served as both a recognition of achievement and a call to sustain that influence far beyond March. <\/p>\n

Red Carpet Reflections: \u201cWhen Women Win, We All Win\u201d<\/p>\n

Before the program began, the red carpet offered a glimpse into the collective mindset shaping the afternoon: gratitude, purpose, and a shared responsibility to uplift others.<\/p>\n

For\u00a0Black Lives Matter Foundation Board Chairwoman Cicely Gay, the moment was about restoration as much as recognition. \u201cBlack women, we hold up the world on our shoulders,\u201d she said. \u201cTo take a moment and pause and be celebrated means everything\u2026 I\u2019m reignited to go and celebrate others.\u201d<\/p>\n

That sense of renewal echoed across interviews. Attendees consistently framed influence not as individual power, but as something deeply communal rooted in mentorship, visibility, and intentional support.<\/p>\n

Karan Staggers\u00a0and\u00a0Sharan Allen, twin nurse practitioners and honorees, emphasized the connection between influence and legacy. For them, it begins with care: both in the exam room and in the community.<\/p>\n

\"\"Karan Staggers (MSN, APRN, FNP-C) and Sharan Allen (MSN, APRN, AGNP-C), President and COO (respectively) of Alms Community Health Center. Credit: Ceara Johnson<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we educate one person, they go on to influence others,\u201d they shared. \u201cIt\u2019s about leaving something for the next generation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sisterhood as Strategy, Not Sentiment<\/p>\n

Throughout the red carpet, one idea stood out: sisterhood is not just emotional support, it is strategy.<\/p>\n

Kelley Cornish, honored as The Influential Catalyst, described the room as a \u201cpowerhouse\u201d of women capable of changing the world together. \u201cIf you can see what\u2019s possible in this room,\u201d she said, \u201cyou believe you can go out and do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Kelley Cornish, President and CEO of the TD Jakes Foundation. Photo Credit: Ceara Johnson<\/p>\n

That belief was reinforced by voices across industries. Whether in corporate spaces, nonprofit leadership, or creative fields, attendees emphasized that progress requires collective effort.<\/p>\n

Senior Manager of Client Services at Intuit, Adrienne Barrett,\u00a0distilled it simply: \u201cWhen you support another woman, when you say her name in a room where she isn\u2019t there- that\u2019s influence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Faith, Purpose, and the Personal Journey of Influence<\/p>\n

For many in attendance, influence was inseparable from purpose, and often grounded in faith.<\/p>\n

Actress and comedian\u00a0B. Simone\u00a0spoke candidly about stepping into a new season of identity, choosing to embrace her full name and deeper calling. \u201cPlatform doesn\u2019t always equal purpose,\u201d she said. \u201cPurpose is in the everyday moments.\u201d<\/p>\n

That sentiment resonated with entrepreneurs like\u00a0Tiffany Walker, who highlighted the importance of alignment, spiritually and relationally, in sustaining success.<\/p>\n

\"\"Pink Lucy founder and CEO Tiffany Walker. Credit: Ceara Johnson<\/p>\n

Across conversations, women described influence as evolving. It is not a fixed destination, but a lifelong process of growth, refinement, and rediscovery.<\/p>\n

Honorees Leading with Impact<\/p>\n

Inside the ballroom, the honorees reflected the event\u2019s central theme: influence as action. The afternoon\u2019s Dallas-based honorees included:<\/p>\n

Sharan Allen\u00a0\u2013 The Wellness Innovator<\/p>\n

Karan Staggers\u00a0\u2013 The Community Health Champion<\/p>\n

Kelley Cornish\u00a0\u2013 The Influential Catalyst<\/p>\n

Sara Madsen Miller\u00a0\u2013 The Creative Visionary<\/p>\n

Marnese Barksdale Elder\u00a0\u2013 The Strategic HR Powerhouse<\/p>\n

Each honoree represents a different lane of leadership, yet all share a commitment to impact: whether through expanding healthcare access, shaping economic opportunity, or telling stories that shift culture here in the DFW.<\/p>\n

\"\"Adrienne Barrett (L) and Cheryl Polote-Williamson (R) honor Sheila Eldridge (C) at the 4th Annual Women of Influence awards. Credit Tamyra Campbell<\/p>\n

The Media Sovereign Award was presented to Sheila Eldridge, CEO of Miles Ahead Entertainment and Broadcasting. <\/p>\n

\"\" Credit: Tamyra Campbell. | Williamson stands on stage ready to present The Media Sovereign Award<\/p>\n

Beyond the Moment: Why This Gathering Matters<\/p>\n

While the luncheon celebrated individual achievements, its broader significance lies in its timing. During International Women\u2019s Month, events like this serve as both reflection and reinforcement- reminding communities that recognition must translate into sustained action.<\/p>\n

Miss Black International 2026,\u00a0Shevann Steuben,\u00a0emphasized the importance of exposure for the next generation. \u201cKnowing what you can be is based on what you see,\u201d she said. \u201cSo be something that can be seen.\u201d<\/p>\n

That visibility, paired with mentorship and intentional community-building, was repeatedly cited as the key to long-term change.<\/p>\n

As one attendee put it: \u201cWe need each other to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Room That Reflects What\u2019s Possible<\/p>\n

By the close of the afternoon, the Women of Influence Awards Luncheon had done more than celebrate, it affirmed a shared vision. Walking in victory seems to be a large part of that vision for event host, Williamson: <\/p>\n

Cheryl Polote-Williamson on walking in victory, the meaning behind this year\u2019s theme. Credit: Ceara Johnson<\/p>\n

A vision where influence starts small but scales through community.
Where women not only rise, but reach back.
And where being seen, heard, and supported is not the exception, but the expectation.<\/p>\n

In a city as dynamic as Dallas, that vision feels less like aspiration and more like momentum.<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Overview: The 4th Annual Women of Influence Awards Luncheon was held at The Statler Hotel in Dallas, recognizing…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":218919,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[85414,85415,85416,6007,6008,6009,85417,85418,85419,102,104,103,6011,64,85420,85421,85422,85423,85424,66,78464,85425,223,85426,85427,85428,85429,85430,85431,27,85432,85433,85434],"class_list":["post-218918","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-dallas","tag-adrienne-barrett","tag-alms-community-health-center","tag-b-simone","tag-black-media","tag-black-news","tag-black-press","tag-blm-foundation","tag-cheryl-polote-williamson","tag-cicely-gay","tag-dallas","tag-dallas-headlines","tag-dallas-news","tag-dallas-weekly","tag-events","tag-ifluencers","tag-international-womens-month-2026","tag-karan-staggers","tag-karan-staggers-alms-community-health","tag-kelley-cornish","tag-local","tag-marnese-barksdale-elder","tag-miss-black-international","tag-news","tag-pink-lucy","tag-sara-madsen-miller","tag-sharan-allen","tag-sheila-eldridge","tag-shevann-steuben","tag-tammy-franklin","tag-texas","tag-women-of-influence","tag-women-of-influence-awards","tag-womens-month"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/218918","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=218918"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/218918\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/218919"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=218918"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=218918"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=218918"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}