Inspiration Awards

benefiting Step Up’s mentorship programs

Inspiration Awards. One event. Two cities.

Inspiration Awards - Los Angeles

Friday, October 6

Beverly Hilton

This lunchtime fête is not-to-be-missed! Beginning with a red carpet reception, guests will enjoy connecting and celebrating 25 years of Step Up mentorship over a light lunch. Experience brand lounges hosted by our event partners and hear from girls and mentors involved with Step Up mentorship. Then, join us in honoring the women and girls who inspire us to define and pursue our dreams of success.

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Inspiration Awards – Chicago

Thursday, November 16

Artifact Events

Join us for an evening soiree designed to inspire! Sips and snacks will be served as guests connect with fellow thought leaders and celebrate 25 years of Step Up mentorship. Experience brand lounges hosted by our event partners and hear from girls and mentors involved with Step Up. Then, join us in honoring the women and girls who inspire us to define and pursue our dreams of success.

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Why Support Mentorship?

Offering support and mentorship for girls has never been more urgent. In early 2023, the CDC reported that today’s teen girls are experiencing sadness, violence and trauma at record levels-and at double the rate of boys. The report also underscored the important role mentors can play in offering support. When you purchase a ticket or commit to sponsor Inspiration Awards, you are directly supporting mentorship for Step Up girls and young women.

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SUBMIT SPONSOR FORM

Honoring

Suzanne Lerner
co-founder, president and CEO Michael Stars
Sonia Menon
chief operating officer
Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP

Past Step Up Presenters

Mandy Moore
activist, singer + actress
Gabrielle Union
actress, activist + author, You Got Anything Stronger?
Phoebe Robinson
actor, comedian + author, Please Don't Sit On My Bed In Your Outside Clothes
Julie Bowen
activist + actress
Lilliana Vazquez
host, style expert + tastemaker
RoseAnn Abraham
Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP
*Step Up Board Member*
Kelly Arias
Step Up Class of 2020
Francesca Batista
executive producer, Sr. director, MTV Entertainment Group
Kate Baxter
former executive director, teen programs, Step Up
Allison Beatty
partner, Winget, Spadafora and Schwartzberg
*Step Up Board Member*
Vanessa Salinas Beckstrom
forensics partner, PwC
*Step Up Board Member*
Claudia Benshimol
senior vice president + general manager, Estee Lauder + AERIN Beauty, North America
Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire
CEO, 50/50 Women on Boards, CEO, Berkhemer Clayton Retained Executive Search
Tamara Beverly
transformation engineer, enterprise portfolio management, corporate strategy, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services
*Step Up Board Member*
Celina Blanks
vice president, Lockton
*Step Up Board Member*
Felicia Brazil
director of business programs, Microsoft
*Step Up Board Member*
Angelica Campos
Step Up Class of 2016
Erin Carpenter
founder + CEO, Nude Barre
April Carr
transformation innovation design director PepsiCo Foods North America *Step Up Board Member*
Andrea Carter
principal, EY
Erica Chriss
Senior Director, Business Development and Partnerships Marketing Solutions, a division of T-Mobile USA
Elizabeth Cohen
associate general counsel, Crunchyroll
*Step Up Board Member*
Tara Crimin
senior consultant, entertainment industry, Compumark | Clarative Analytics *Step Up Board Member*
Maggie Ford Danielson
Chief Beauty Ambassador, Benefit Cosmetics
Shellsea De Leon
Step Up Class of 2019
Christine DeMott
associate general counsel and vice president, BMO Financial Group
*Step Up Board Member*
Amanda DeVito
VP of Marketing and Growth, Butler Till
CaSandra Diggs
president Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA)
Nicolle Echeverria
Step Up Class of 2019
Kimberly Evans
executive vice president Northern Trust
Quincy Evans
principal-investment analyst, Davidson Kempner Capital Management
*Step Up Board Member*
Tara Farnsworth
CFO, Bayshore Global Management
*Step Up Board Member*
Michele Fenice
vice president, EPLI claim leader, financial lines claims Chubb
*Step Up Board Member*
Jeanne Elfant Festa
producer, head of documentaries + director of features, White Horse Pictures *Step Up Board Member*
Aura Flores
Step Up Experienceship 2021
Heather Foster
head of policy engagement and strategic partnerships, Lyft Inc. *Step Up Board Member*
Taylor Foxman
vice president of brand communications, Parallel
*Step Up Board Member*
Sarah Fuller
first woman to play NCAA Power 5 Conference football
Rosy Garcia
Step Up Class of 2009 Marketing Operations, Golden Hippo
Tonya Garrett
head of independent agencies, LinkedIn
*Step Up Board Member*
Phoenix Gonzalez
co-founder, Silked
*Past Board Member, Step Up*
Abby Greensfelder
producer, LFG founder + CEO, Everywoman Studios
Meredith Hampton
VP compliance officer, associate general counsel, At Home Group Inc.
*Step Up Board Member*
Minda Harts
founder + CEO, The Memo LLC
*Step Up Board Member*
Hollis Heath
manager, Teen Programs
Malena Higuera
general manager Urban Decay
Baaba Holland
founder + CEO, Baaba Holland Agency
*Step Up Board Member*
Viviana Hurtado
Step Up Class of 2018
Brittany A. Hveem
head of business affairs, Originals, Hulu
*Step Up Board Member*
Kalen Isreal
Step Up Class of 2010 CEO, Mother's Desk
Kara Isreal
Step Up Class of 2010
Charity Johns
CEO, Illinois Café Services Company-Laredo Hospitality
*Step Up Board Member*
Marnie Kain
partner, Grey Group
*Step Up Board Member*
Dustyn Kim
chief revenue officer, Artsy
Dawn Kohler
master level executive coach, Kohler and Company
*Step Up Board Member*
Kaye Popofsky Kramer
founder, Step Up
*Step Up Board Member*
Meghan Birmingham Leader
evp, head of treasury solutions, Bank of the West, BNP Paribas
*Step Up Board Member*
Sofia Lilly
Director, Young Adult Programs
Marissa Lopez
The Football Sisters, The X League
Miriah Lopez
The Football Sisters, The X League
Molly Luetkemeyer
principal, M. Design Interiors
*former Step Up Board Member*
Mary Kathryn Lynch
chief financial officer, Renew Financial
Marta Martinez
managing director, agency platforms Google
*former Step Up Board Member*
Carlotta Mast
senior vice president and market leader, New Hope Network, a division of informa markets
*Step Up Board Member*
Ellie McCabe
associate at private equity firm, Madison Dearborn Partners
*Step Up Board Member*
Ashley Miller
wealth management professional Goldman Sachs
*Step Up Board Member*
Margie Moreno
international executive, YouTube Originals
*former Step Up Board Member*
Andrea Contres Moore
marketing solutions leader, practice development, ZS
*former Step Up Board Member*
Delores Druilhet Morton
CEO Step Up
Jessica Naves
Step Up Class of 2012 marketing manager, Wicked Bionic
Paul Nelson
manager, Mosaic Media Group
*Step Up Board Member*
Liz O'Connor
founder and managing director, Element Growth Management
*Step Up Board Member*
Paula Oyibo
VP finance, merchandising + marketing Ulta Beauty
Mark Page
AT&T executive (retired) *Step Up Board Member*
Emily Pena
Step Up Class of 2019
Amber Portillo
Step Up Class of 2019
Elle Lynn Quimpo
former manager, teen programs, Step Up
Elizabeth E. Radichel
partner, Neal, Gerber, & Eisenberg LLP
*Step Up Board Member*
Hrilina Rakhs
Step Up Experienceship
Melanie Remkus
Step Up Class of 2020
Camille Rustia
business affairs executive, Apple TV+
*Step Up Board Member*
Jenny Dinh Safransky
founder, JDS Projects
*Step Up Board Member*
Vanessa Salomon
Step Up Class of 2013 Risk Analyst, Upgrade, Inc.
Maria Salcedo
vice president, corporate strategy + program management Ulta Beauty
*Step Up Board Member*
Sheryl Sandberg
COO, Facebook
Naomie Saini
Step Up Experienceship 2021
Paris Scales
Step Up Class of 2014
Lauren Scrima
founder and CEO, Sonia
*former Step Up Board Member*
Symone Shinton
attorney, Goldman Ismail Tomaselli Brennan & Baum LLP
*Step Up Board Member*
Andrya Smith
Partner, PwC
*Step Up Board Member*
Hilary Smith
EVP, corporate communications and social responsibility, NBCUniversal
*Step Up Board Member*
Maggie Stockdale
VP of client success, MediaMath
*Step Up Board Member*
Ashley Taylor
senior scientist in products research Procter & Gamble
*Step Up Board Member*
Kimberly Teel
senior manager of partnerships, MediaMath
Helen Textor
program manager; diversity, equity & inclusion, Google
*Step Up Board Member*
Deborah Thomas
senior vice president, scripted communications & talent relations, NBCU Television and Streaming
Cheryl Thompson-Morton
Black media initiative director, Center for Community Media at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY
Mayra Vazquez
former manager, teen programs, Step Up
Judie Verb
EVP, consumer + business banking, U.S. Bank
Maria Walker
partner, Patient Square Capital
*former Step Up Board Member*
Danni Washington
science communicator + ocean advocate
Sheri Crosby Wheeler
vice president, diversity and inclusion, Fossil Group, Inc.
*former Step Up Board Member*
Joy Woo
Step Up Class of 2013
Tamera Woodard
vice president/associate general counsel, Legal, AT&T
*Step Up Board Member*
Selenis Leyva
actress, Lopez vs. Lopez
Deepti Vempati
social influencer, speaker, entrepreneur + reality TV star
Danielle Prescod
DEI consultant + author, Token Black Girl
Meagan Holder
actor, Fox's MONARCH
Liz Climo
cartoonist + author, I'm So Happy You're Here
Mary Dillon
CEO, Foot Locker
Ebonee Davis
brand ambassador, Kérastase
Bernadette Fitzpatrick
full stack marketer
*Step Up Board Member*
Raven Hernandez
CEO, Earth Rides
Mayan Lopez
actress, Lopez vs. Lopez
Julianna Peña
mixed martial artist
Barri Rafferty
interim CEO, C200
*Step Up Emeritus Member*
Debby Wolfe
showrunner + executive producer, Lopez vs. Lopez