Illinois Women in Leadership

Illinois Women in Leadership Founded July 1, 2004

Illinois Women in Leadership (IWIL) promotes professionalism and develops members’ management and leadership abilities through education, mentoring, networking, participation, encouragement and support, and community involvement.

Our 2025-2026 IWIL year came to an end last night. We said goodbye to our Board President Debbie Cimarossa Thompson as s...
06/05/2026

Our 2025-2026 IWIL year came to an end last night. We said goodbye to our Board President Debbie Cimarossa Thompson as she transitions to the coveted “past president position” & we welcomed incoming co-presidents, Jen DeJong & Sarah Goleman! Thanks to our Past President Nakesha Rice & the nominating committee for all their hard work to fill all positions for the upcoming year!

This year was an amazing year. We were able to get a new web-site, thanks to the outside help of LRS Web Solutions & Maggie Gullo. We could not have done it without the team of Debbie, Macy Morrison (our incredible treasurer) & Lisa Miller (Communications Chair) who helped with content & all the important details. Our new web-site is www.iwil217.org if you want more info about us.

In the past year we have had about 58 new members join! Last night we had about 12 present! Our IWIL Membership Chair Ava Carpenter gave a great speech and gifts. Our membership is at 260.

We gave away over $10,000 in grants through our Community Health Giving Circle (chaired by Donna Jean Gibney & Cara Tabatabai. We gave away 5 ($2,000) scholarships to high school students & our Chrysalis recipient. The Scholarship Committee chaired by Angie Shook Satchivi & Michelle Shaver. Every $20 of our dues goes towards these scholarships!

We are looking foward to our next big event which is the Athena Awards on July 23rd. This is lead by Jessica Covey. (Last year’s recipient was Ava Carpenter our current Membership Chair.)

Last year our Hospitality Team (Amy & Savanna) hosted several pop ups at local establishments & our Annual Spring Social was a Charlie & the Chocolate Factory theme at The Brinkerhoff Mansion!!

We had fantastic luncheons throughout the year planned by our incredible Programs Team led Debra Darlene Stewart Sim. And if you came to a luncheon, you were probably greeted by our Registration Chair Amanda Bright Biggs. Our next luncheon is August 20th!! Always the 3rd Thursday!

We also support and promote diversity! Our DEI group was lead by Monica Walls-Butler.

And finally our Symposium - last year’s event was fantastic - this year’s is September 17th! Thanks to Sarah Brewer & her committee for taking this event on!

We have a group of a lot of hard working volunteers - all ages. We range from 20-75 & we will accept anyone older! Our group consists of professionals, business owners, lawyers, doctors, therapists, photographers, insurance agents, home makers, retired, students & beyond! All women welcome!

We have ladies that have traveled together, joined book clubs & become friends!

So last night, we celebrated together! Our theme was Margaritaville & Lakeyla Penny brought the theme to life with her fabulous balloon arch. The event was held at PBC Venue - Pole Barn Chic Events! & the space was fabulous!!! Food was catered by Nelson's Catering & so delicious! Thanks to Amy Deweese Peterson & Savanna Tighe for organizing & all who helped volunteer!

We had incredible door prizes for our guests compliments of Kidzeum of Health and Science, Hoogland Center for Arts, Whimsy Tea Company, Vondra Social House , Obed N Isaacs & St. Louis Cardinal tickets donated by Emily Lynch from News Channel 20.

We would love for you to join this group & get involved! This a great group of ladies!

The 2026 ATHENA Leadership Awards Ceremony is on July 23rd to honor these amazing women and celebrate the award winner w...
06/01/2026

The 2026 ATHENA Leadership Awards Ceremony is on July 23rd to honor these amazing women and celebrate the award winner which will be announced during the ceremony. Stay tuned for registration information!

Introducing our 2026 Chrysalis Scholarship Recipient - Vera RineyEach year Illinois Women in Leadership chooses a Chrysa...
05/28/2026

Introducing our 2026 Chrysalis Scholarship Recipient - Vera Riney

Each year Illinois Women in Leadership chooses a Chrysalis Scholarship Recipient. This award is for a woman returning to school after being out of high school for five years or more and is using education to transform herself.

Our 2026 recipient, Vera Riney, is full of energy and passion. She earned her GED in 2020 and graduated with her associates degree from Lincoln Land Community College, where she was a member of the National Honor Society. She is currently enrolled at the University of Illinois-Springfield, working towards her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. The scholarship award of $2,000 will help pay for her tuition.

Vera currently serves as a Senior Detention Officer at the Sangamon County Juvenile Detention Center, where she has discovered her passion - the minors of our community. In her application she states that through her job she has learned many minors make decisions without thinking, and most of them wish they could take back what they have done. She has also learned that many of the kids who are detained have extreme living conditions that contribute to their recurring delinquency. Her future goals are to offer temporary housing for youth and a program that focuses on restoring and rebuilding relationships. As she says, “This is not about me or us as adults; this is about the future of our children, and someone must say enough is enough. The generational curse needs to end.”

Ava Carpenter, Vera’s colleague and our IWIL membership chairperson, highly recommended Vera for this award and states that she has full confidence that Vera will achieve her goals.

The women of IWIL will be cheering for Vera every step of the way!

📸Photo Credit to Kristi Mitchell Photography
Pictured in photo is Vera, her sister Dominique Riney and her son, Wyatt White

Introducing our next 2026 IWIL Scholarship Recipient Chelsea Dekock. Chelsea will soon be graduating from Springfield Hi...
05/28/2026

Introducing our next 2026 IWIL Scholarship Recipient Chelsea Dekock.

Chelsea will soon be graduating from Springfield High School - Illinois Class of 2026 where she was very involved in student council and student government. Between the two, she served as public relations/social media manager, vice-president and treasurer.

During 2025 Chelsea was an extremely busy woman - She was in the Lieutenant Governor’s Girl’s Lead Program, completed an internship with Senator Doris Turner where she conducted research on community equity issues, specifically focusing on post-secondary access for low-income students in Illinois; AND she participated in the Sangamon County CEO Business & Entrepreneurship Program, where she designed branding and marketing initiatives for local businesses. During the CEO program she was able to increase Mel-O-Cream’s social media engagement by 760%!!!

As a first-generation college bound student and first American born child in both lines of her family, Chelsea has manifested the ability to go to college through research and hard work. Her advisor at SHS, Ben Kramer, affirmed her leadership skills and highly recommended her for this $2,000 scholarship.

Chelsea will be attending the Gies School of Business at University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana majoring in marketing. IWIL knows Chelsea’s future is very bright and is proud to support her!

Please note that every $20 of the IWIL Membership Dues goes towards the funding of these scholarships!

📸Photo Credit: Kristi Mitchell Photography

Introducing our next 2026 IWIL Scholarship Recipient Delaynie Raufer. She graduated this year from Rochester High Schoo...
05/27/2026

Introducing our next 2026 IWIL Scholarship Recipient Delaynie Raufer.

She graduated this year from Rochester High School and will be attending Illinois Wesleyan University, majoring in business with minor in music. Music, specifically the trombone, has been a huge part of Delaynie’s life. She has participated in the marching band, jazz band, concert band, and the Illinois Symphony Youth Orchestra.

Delaynie feels she discovered her leadership potential in the band room; often spending time there during her free periods so she could mentor other band students. Beyond music, Delaynie has participated in high school government, Chess Club, Debate Club, Environmental Wellness Club, along with being the vice-president of her German Club and German National Honor Society.

Currently, Delaynie works at Cocoa Blue Chocolates in Rochester.

Her high school mathematics and NHS teacher, Maggie Murray, state that she is, “one of the most outstanding students I have encountered in my teaching career. Her hard work, kindness, and dedication truly set her apart.” She goes on to say that she “possesses the qualities and determination that will contribute to her success in higher education and beyond.”

We couldn’t agree more and are excited to see what the future holds for Delaynie!”

📸Photo Credit: Kristi Mitchell Photography

Introducing our next 2026 IWIL Scholarship Recipient is Josephine Oke. Josephine will soon be a graduate of Springfield ...
05/27/2026

Introducing our next 2026 IWIL Scholarship Recipient is Josephine Oke.

Josephine will soon be a graduate of Springfield High School - Illinois. She has participated in many activities - including the co-founding of the International Union Club to promote cultural awareness & appreciation, serving on the Superintendent’s Student Round table, being named Miss Juneteenth for Springfield and Sangamon County, volunteering with St. Agnes Church, and serving as President for the Mayor’s Youth Council.

She also was a member of the inaugural class of District 186’s Army Junior ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corp) cadets and was chosen by her senior instructor, Marcell Upshaw, to be the Brigade Commander, the highest rank possible. He states that she “continuously demonstrates sound judgement, patience, vigor, integrity, accountability, sharp decision-making skills, effective communication and confidence.” These traits are going to serve her well as she pursues nursing in college on the pre-med track. She has already earned her CNA license and is currently working at Cedarhurst Senior Living in Springfield.

Josephine will be attending the University of Illinois - Chicago to obtain her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. Afterward, her plan is to attend medical school, supported by the US Air Force after completing the Air Force ROTC program. We are so proud to have Josephine be an IWIL scholarship recipient. Congrats!

Please note that every $20 of the IWIL Membership Dues goes towards the funding of these scholarships!

📸 Photo Credit: Kristi Mitchell Photography

Introducing Nyah Gronewold, one of our 2026 IWIL Scholarship Recipients. Nyah recently graduated from Lutheran High of S...
05/27/2026

Introducing Nyah Gronewold, one of our 2026 IWIL Scholarship Recipients.

Nyah recently graduated from Lutheran High of Springfield, Illinois this month. She has been very active and successful in many high school sports - golf, soccer, cheer and track & field. Within these sports she has held the titles of team manager, co-captain and team captain. She also has been All American Cheerleader and cheerleader at the Citrus Bowl half-time performance.

Nyah does way more than sports though! She raised over $16,000 for Variety of Illinois, a volunteer-driven organization committed to providing kids with disabilities adaptive equipment and opportunities that insurance does not cover. She has been a member of State Senator Steve McClure‘s Youth Advisory Council, the Youth FBI Academy, volunteered with Honors Flight, and is a peer tutor!

She will be studying political science and communication with a pre-law focus at Valparaiso University this fall. We wish her the best of luck!

Photo credit: Kristi Mitchell Photography

Congratulations to the 2026 IWIL Scholarship Winners! The Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln will transfer $2...
05/26/2026

Congratulations to the 2026 IWIL Scholarship Winners! The Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln will transfer $2,000 to each of our winners’ universities on behalf of IWIL. Thank you to all who attended our May luncheon held at Illini Country Club on 5/21/26 to celebrate our winners! We had around 70 IWIL members, guests and family members of the recipients attend the luncheon. A special thank you to Kristi Mitchell Photography for taking the photos and sharing her amazing skills with us.

2026 IWIL Scholarship Winners:

Nyah Gronewold: Graduate of Lutheran High of Springfield, Illinois. She will be attending Valparaiso University, majoring in Communications & Political Science with a Pre-Law focus.

Delaynie Raufer: Graduate of Rochester High School. She will attend Illinois Wesleyan University to major in music.

Vera Riney is our Chrysalis Scholarship recipient. She will be attending the University of Illinois, Springfield to receive a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice.

Josephine Oke: Graduate of Springfield High School - Illinois. She will be attending the University of Illinois - Chicago for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Chelsea Dekock: Graduate of Springfield High School - Illinois. She will attend the Gries School of Business at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, majoring in marketing.

IWIL is proud to be able to offer scholarships to these women! These scholarships would not be possible without your memberships! $20 of your membership dues goes towards these scholarships!!

One more week left to register for our IWIL Annual Meeting & Summer Social!!! Next Friday 5/29 is the last day! 🛑Please ...
05/22/2026

One more week left to register for our IWIL Annual Meeting & Summer Social!!!

Next Friday 5/29 is the last day!

🛑Please note that when you go to our web-site www.iwil217.org to register for this event…..you might be tempted to click “register now”. BUT if you are a member, DON’T DO it ☺️☺️☺️

💻Members please log in & then register at the Member Pricing!

😢We will get this fixed but for now, we are hoping this will help! If you have any troubles, please message us directly!

Hope to see many of you at this fantastic event catered by Nelson's Catering & hosted at PBC Venue - Pole Barn Chic Events!!

We also have fabulous door prizes!! It’s going to be a great night!!

🗓️ June 4th 5:30-8:00

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