2022 Recipients of the Woman of Impact Award Announced

Ann Arbor, MI, April 6, 2022 –  The Joyce Ivy Foundation today announced the 2022 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 2022 Women of Impact award recipients include Echo Brown, author of Black Girl Unlimited and The Chosen One; Kimberly Dowdell, Marketing Principal at HOK Architecture and Design firm; Christina Koch, NASA astronaut; and Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando, Olympic Gold Medalists and Founders of the Monique and Jocelyne Lamoureux Foundation.

“The young women comprising the 2022 Summer Scholars cohort possess incredible intelligence and leadership, and they have each impacted their schools and communities for the better, said Katharine Janes, JIF ’12 and Associate Board member. “We are thrilled that this year’s Women of Impact reflect these same qualities in their lives and careers. Through their examples, we hope that they will inspire the next generation of Midwestern young women to achieve all that is possible in their academics, their careers, and their service.”

Echo Brown is an award-winning scholar, writer, speaker, and storyteller from Cleveland, Ohio. Echo received her undergraduate degree in political science from Dartmouth College, and studied investigative journalism at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Echo became a full-time storyteller after working with high school students across the country, where she discovered the impact of words and performance.

Kimberly Dowdell is a licensed architect and frequent speaker on architecture, diversity, sustainability and the future of cities.  In her role as 2019-2020 national president of NOMA, she worked to increase opportunities for women and people of color in the building professions. She also more than doubled the organization’s membership and significantly raised NOMA’s profile during her two-year presidency. Kimberly’s career aspirations are rooted in her Detroit upbringing, where she was initially driven to utilize architecture as a tool to revitalize cities. She earned her bachelor’s degree in architecture at Cornell University and went on to get a master’s in public administration at Harvard University. In 2020, Dowdell received the 2020 AIA Young Architects Award, and Architectural Record’s Women in Architecture Awards program recognized her for her community activism.

Christina Hammock Koch was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 2013.  She completed astronaut candidate training in 2015.  Koch graduated from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Physics and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering.  She most recently served as flight engineer on the International Space Station for Expedition 59, 60 and 61.  Koch set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman with a total of 328 days in space.

Monique and Jocelyne Lamoureux are North Dakota’s first Olympic Gold Medalists, winning the gold medal in Women’s Ice Hockey with Team USA in Pyeong Chang in 2018. Together they also have multiple silver Olympic medals, six world championships, and many other individual awards and accolades. Growing up in Grand Forks, North Dakota, the Lamoureux twins had no opportunity to play on girls’ hockey teams, and they have spent much of their time on- and off- the ice advocating for opportunities for women in sports, especially in their home state. They were key leaders in negotiating Team USA’s first-ever contract that provided more opportunities, compensation and benefits for women and girls who play hockey in America. They continue to give back to the state of North Dakota through the Monique and Jocelyne Lamoureux Foundation, which helps serve underprivileged youth.

The 2022 Women of Impact recipients will be honored at the 17th annual Summer Scholars Gala, which will be held in person in Detroit, Michigan on May 14, 2022 at 6 pm. The Gala also honors the Joyce Ivy Foundation Leader of the Year Lisa Corless, President and CEO of AF Group, who will address the 2022 Summer Scholars and Gala guests.

Past Women of Impact award recipients include:
​
2021: Megan Red-Shirt Shaw, Director of Native Services at the University of South Dakota; Sarah Politis, VP of Business Development and Creative at Wayfarer Entertainment; and Camille Stewart, Head of Security and Privacy Policy for Google Play & Android.

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 2022 Gala sponsorship opportunities, please contact Nadia Schreiber at nadia.schreiber@joyceivyfoundation.org.