A Gazette-led series of stories, events and experiences featuring women of Eastern Iowa.

WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

The Gazette’s HER Women of Achievement is an annual program that recognizes individuals who are leading, inspiring, and creating positive change in Eastern Iowa.

Nominations will be accepted now through March 15th.
The 2024 honorees will be announced in late spring with community celebration on June 13th.

Scroll down to see this year’s honorees!
See you at the celebration!

The Gazette and Presenting Sponsor FSB are excited to return HER Women of Achievement as an in-person community event. Join us Tuesday, June 13th from 11:30 – 1 at The Midnight Gem in Swisher to celebrate thirteen outstanding women who are making an impact in Eastern Iowa.

For table purchase, please contact [email protected]

Learn more about our sponsors:  FSB, Iowa Women’s Wrestling

Learn more about our Venue Sponsor:  DoubleTree by Hilton

EVENTS AND PROGRAMS

Inspiring connections and creating opportunities for women in Eastern Iowa

HER Women of Achievement

The Gazette’s HER Women of Achievement is an annual program that recognizes individuals who are leading, inspiring and creating positive change in Eastern Iowa.

Read on to learn more about HER Women of Achievement honorees and to watch their interviews.

For event questions, please contact [email protected]

A WORD FROM OUR PRESENTING SPONSOR

2024 Women of Achievement Honorees

Click each honoree’s name to read their bio and watch their interview.

Lynette Voss

Lynette Voss

Eastern Iowa Honor Flight

Outstanding Community Leadership Award Recipient

Angie Charipar

Angie Charipar

City of Cedar Rapids

Betsy Harrison

Betsy Harrison

Betsy Boos

Cecilia Roudabush

Cecilia Roudabush

New Harmony Line

Erin Erickson

Erin Erickson

Maquoketa River Watershed Management Authority

Felicite Wolfe

Felicite Wolfe

African American Museum of Iowa

Freda Sojka

Freda Sojka

Cedar River Haven

Holly Reeder

Holly Reeder

CRCSD – Hiawatha Elementary School

Jamie Toledo

Jamie Toledo

Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance

Dr. Jean Littlejohn

Dr. Jean Littlejohn

Family Folk Machine

Jess Novotny

Jess Novotny

Prestige Dance Studio

Dr. Sarah Hemming-Meyer

Dr. Sarah Hemming-Meyer

East Central Iowa Acute Care & UnityPoint Hospital

Zeinab Osman

Zeinab Osman

College Community Schools

2024 HER Women of Achievement Honorees

Angie Charipar, City of Cedar Rapids

Betsy Harrison, Betsy Boos

Cecilia Roudabush, New Harmony Line

Erin Erickson, Maquoketa River Watershed Management Authority

Felicite Wolfe, African American Museum of Iowa

Freda Sojka, Cedar River Haven

Holly Reeder, CRCSD – Hiawatha Elementary School

Jamie Toledo, Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance

Dr. Jean Littlejohn, Family Folk Machine

Jess Novotny, Prestige Dance Studio

Dr. Sarah Hemming-Meyer, East Central Iowa Acute Care & UnityPoint Hospital

Zeinab Osman, College Community Schools

Outstanding Community Leadership Award

Lynette VossEastern Iowa Honor Flight

2024 KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Clarrisa Chun

Clarissa Chun

University of Iowa – Women’s Wrestling Head Coach

Sponsored by:   Iowa Women's Wrestling Club

Clarissa Chun is the head coach of the University of Iowa women’s wrestling team, the first in the program’s history. In 2021, Iowa became the first NCAA Division 1 Power Five conference institution to offer women’s wrestling.  

Chun joins the Iowa women’s wrestling program from USA Wrestling, where she was an assistant coach on the women’s national team from 2017-21. Chun helped lead the United States to 17 World medals, including seven gold, four silver and six bronzes, as well as an Olympic gold, Olympic silver and two Olympic bronzes. 

Chun is a two-time Olympian, competing at 48 kg in the 2008 Beijing Games and 2012 London Games. Chun wrestled at five Senior World Championships, including a gold-medal performance at the 2008 Worlds in Tokyo.  

During her career, Chun won five U.S. Open titles; a 2011 Pan American Games silver medal; four gold medals at the Pan American Championships; and was a runner-up at four U.S. World Team Trials and three U.S. Opens. Chun competed for Missouri Valley College, where she was a star on one of the pioneer women’s college wrestling team programs.  

Chun has coaching experience at both the international and college levels. She was a member of the men’s wrestling staff at West Virginia University, serving as the program’s operations assistant while also training at the Regional Training Center. 

Chun was inducted in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in June 2022. She is one of only four females bestowed Distinguished Member honors. In 2018, Chun was inducted into the Missouri Valley College Hall of Fame, Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame, and Roosevelt High School Hall of Fame.

Thank you to our 2024 Table Sponsors

The Gazette
FSB
Cedar Rapids City of Five Seasons
IWWC - Iowa Women's Wrestling Club
Mr. B's, Sam's Pizza & Deli
Hills Bank
ccb Packaging
Courter Law, PLLC
Unity Point Health St. Lukes
Parks, Schmit & Fuller Orthodontics
ECIAC
University of Iowa Sports

Vendors attending HER Women of Achievement

Women of Achievement 2024 Event

Honoree Spotlights

Erin Erickson

Maquoketa River Watershed Management Authority Erin Erickson has worked as the watershed coordinator...

Read More >

Zeinab Osman

College Community Schools Zeinab Osman serves College Community Schools as a community engagement...

Read More >

Holly Reeder

Cedar Rapids Community Schools Holly Reeder is the instructional coach at Hiawatha Elementary...

Read More >

Jamie Toledo

Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance Jamie Toledo is the economic development relationship manager...

Read More >

Lynette Voss

Eastern Iowa Honor Flight Outstanding Community Leadership Award Recipient Lynette Voss is the...

Read More >