2021 Recipients of the Women of Impact Award Announced
ANN ARBOR, MI, February 18, 2021 – The Joyce Ivy Foundation today announced the 2021 recipients of the Women of Impact award. This award recognizes the achievements of rising female leaders who have demonstrated professional talent and a commitment to improving their communities.
The 2021 Women of Impact award recipients include Megan Red Shirt-Shaw, Director of Native Services at the University of South Dakota and Founder of Natives in America; Sarah Politis, VP of Business Development and Creative at Wayfarer Entertainment; and Camille Stewart, Head of Security & Privacy Policy for Google Play & Android.
“We are honored to celebrate three amazing women who have made a large impact in their chosen fields very early in their career,” said Valerie Brader, member of the Joyce Ivy Board of Directors and Awards Selection Committee. “We want our Scholars to see how their talents can let them succeed in whatever they do, and these Women of Impact are an incredible example of leadership. We look forward to honoring them and connecting them with young women from across the Midwest so they can inspire each other to even more amazing accomplishments.”
Megan Red Shirt-Shaw (Oglala Lakota) earned her Bachelor’s from the University of Pennsylvania in English and her Master’s from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Higher Education. She is currently the Director of Native Student Services at the University of South Dakota and a PhD student in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development with a focus on Higher Education and a minor in American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota. She has worked in undergraduate admissions, college access, and college counseling at the University of Pennsylvania, Questbridge, Santa Clara University, Albuquerque Academy, and the 7th Gen Summer Program. She is the founder of Natives In America, an online literary publication for Native youth. Her favorite phrase her mother ever taught her in Lakota is “Weksuye, Ciksuye, Miksuye” meaning “I remember, I remember you, Remember me.”
“Always love each other.” These are the four words Sarah’s mother would tell her and her brothers every morning before they left the house for school as children. They are the four words that have had the greatest impact on Sarah’s life and the inspiration behind her desire to have a positive impact on the world. Growing up in a small town outside of Detroit, Sarah’s parents taught her to dream big and to help others do the same. When she was in high school, she created an online talk show called “The PoPo Show” that was centered on interviews with positive role models to share their stories of triumphs and failures in hopes of inspiring listeners to follow their own dreams, pursue their passions, and help make the world a better place along the way. Sarah was also named a Joyce Ivy Summer Scholar in 2008. While studying at the University of Southern California, Sarah interned for NBC at the London and Sochi Olympics, Fuel TV/Fox Sports 1, Carousel Productions, Young Hollywood, and WJR Radio – News/Talk 760. Upon graduating from USC with a degree in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Cinema Production, she moved to New York to work at SMAC Entertainment, a talent management and production company. She went on to work for the VP of the Global Business Group at Facebook and then worked as the VP of Business Development and Creative at Wayfarer Entertainment. She serves as the Vice Chair of the Wayfarer Foundation working to help end homelessness in Los Angeles and abroad. She is currently consulting for sports and entertainment management and production companies. Sarah resides in Los Angeles and believes the key to success is kindness, hard work, and dry shampoo.
Camille Stewart is an industry-recognized, cybersecurity expert with experience building programs & solutions to address complex technology, cyber, and national security, and foreign policy challenges across the public and private sectors. Named the Head of Security & Privacy Policy for Google Play & Android, Camille leads security, privacy, election integrity, and dis/misinformation efforts for Google’s mobile business. Prior to Google, Camille managed cybersecurity, election security, tech innovation, and risk issues at Deloitte. Camille was appointed by President Barack Obama the Senior Policy Advisor for Cyber Infrastructure & Resilience Policy at the Department of Homeland Security. She was the Senior Manager of Legal Affairs at Cyveillance, a cybersecurity company after working on Capitol Hill.
Camille is committed to empowering others in and through tech by elevating and working to solve the complex challenges at the intersection of tech, security, society, and the law. Her work goes beyond the corporate environment to leading change for the public good through a series of initiatives she has championed including #ShareTheMicInCyber, co-founding the Diversity in National Security Network, co-founding the Silicon Valley chapter of Women in Cybersecurity, and leading research on the important national security issues like national security-related technology and intellectual property being exfiltrated through the courts. Camille routinely writes and speaks on cybersecurity and national security topics.
Her professional achievements have earned her recognition from a multitude of entities throughout her career including her being selected as 2020 Cyber Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and the 2019 Cyber Security Women of the Year in the “Barrier Breaker” category. Camille serves on the Board of Directors for The International Foundation for Electoral Systems, GirlSecurity, and on the Advisory Board for Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security, & Conflict Transformation (WCAPS). You can find out more about Camille and her current projects at www.CamilleStewart.com and follow her on Twitter @CamilleEsq.
“In conjunction with the professional success they have each achieved, Megan, Sarah, and Camille have demonstrated a fierce commitment to breaking barriers for others,” said Allison Jegla, interim Executive Vice President of the Joyce Ivy Foundation. “We are honored to celebrate them and hope that our Scholars and alumnae look to their paths as examples of creating lasting impact in one’s life and community.”
The 2021 Women of Impact recipients will be honored at the 16th annual Summer Scholars Gala, which will be held virtually and live streamed from Detroit, Michigan on May 13, 2021 at 7 pm. The Gala also honors the Joyce Ivy Foundation Leader of the Year Rosalind Brewer, incoming CEO of Walgreens, who will address the 2021 Summer Scholars and Gala guests.
Past Women of Impact award recipients include:
2020: Denise Fair, Chief Public Health Officer, City of Detroit – Detroit Health Department and Amy Peterson, Co-Founder and CEO, Rebel Nell.
2019: Anna Clark, Journalist and Author of The Poisoned City: Flint’s Water and the American Urban Tragedy; Allison Drutchas, Policy and Product Counsel, Waymo; Dr. Asha Shajahan, Medical Director of Community Health, Beaumont Health; and Stella Safari, Director of gBETA Detroit.
2018: Nia Batts & Katherine Cockrel, Co-Founders, Detroit Blows; Cynthia Shih, Management Consultant & Performing Songwriter, McKinsey & Co; and Tiffany Taylor, Vice President, Deputy Chief People Officer, Teach For America.
2017: Veronica Scott, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, the Empowerment Plan; Linzie Venegas, Vice President, Ideal Group; Tiffany Brown, Communications Director, Mission Flint Office; and Allyson Carpenter, President of Student Government, Howard University.
For 2021 Gala sponsorship opportunities, please contact Allison Jegla at ajegla@joyceivyfoundation.org.
