Honoring trailblazing women who start, accelerate, fuel and steer others to excellence!


Networking Power Hour for Women Driving Excellence 2015 Facilitated by EPWNG & NAWBO #WDE15

The day’s festivities are in full swing and Networking Power Hour is a huge hit. Meet new friends and connections in a matter of minutes! Facilitated by Exclusive Professional Women’s Networking Group (EPWNG) and National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) – this morning is sure to be productive. We also heard a few words from sponsor, Verizon courtesy of AndreaRead More …


Women Driving Excellence 2015 :: Preparation in Full Swing

Preparation for Women Driving Excellence 2015 #WDE15 is in full swing complete with a beautiful backdrop of shiny automobiles, awards awaiting our beautiful Honorees, bags of goodies from our sponsors and even a space for photographs and social media shares! We can’t wait to see you soon!


#WDE14 | The 2nd Annual Women Driving Excellence [Videos & Photos]

The 2nd Annual Women Driving Excellence at the Chicago Auto Show was a full day event held on February 11, 2014 sponsored by Nissan. #WDE14 honored trailblazing women who start, accelerate, fuel and steer others to excellence. This year, eight amazing women – Karyn Calabrese (restaurateur and author), Mary Couzin (CEO and Founder of Chicago Toy and Game), Jory DesJardins,Read More …


Sponsors of Women Driving Excellence 2015 #WDE15

Women Driving Excellence is possible in large part because of the assistance from sponsors and this year is no exception! Here are major sponsors of this year’s Women Driving Excellence event on February 17th, 2015. #WDE15 #WDE15 Title Sponsor: Nissan: Innovation that Excites Many thanks to Nissan as our Title Sponsor for supporting Women Driving Excellence – Celebrating Women who start, accelerate, fuel and steer othersRead More …


Lucy May-Bartosik [Bio] – Women Driving Excellence 2015 Honoree

  One of Chicago’s finest, Chicago Police Department Commander Lucy Moy-Bartosik broke Chinese tradition and chose a career against her parents’ expectations. Since then, she now wants more Asian women to follow in her footsteps and continues to lead the way for women everywhere to pursue their dreams regardless of their background or circumstances. Ms. Moy-Bartosik, the child of Chinese immigrants,Read More …


Debi Lilly [Bio] – Women Driving Excellence 2015 Honoree

Entertaining & design expert and author, Debi Lilly believes in elegant and easy design ideas for all. She is on a one woman mission to inspire, educate, and share her twenty years of celebrity party planning and stylist tips, tricks and DIY designs to elevate celebrations for any occasion, everywhere, coast to coast. These and more of her stylist secrets areRead More …


Janet Davies [Bio] – Women Driving Excellence 2015 Honoree

Janet Davies has been with ABC 7 Chicago over 25 years. In addition to her feature and entertainment segments, which appear on ABC 7 News, Davies was the host and executive producer of 190 North a multiple Emmy award winning Chicago-based entertainment and lifestyle program. 190 North was the top rated program in its time period and the longest runningRead More …


Anita Alvarez [Bio] – Women Driving Excellence 2015 Honoree

The public service record of Anita Alvarez contains many “firsts.”  The first female and first Latina elected to the post of Cook County State’s Attorney, she is also the first career prosecutor ever elected to this important public safety position.  In her capacity as State’s Attorney, Ms. Alvarez leads the second largest prosecutor’s office in the nation, managing an officeRead More …


Dr. Suzet M. McKinney [Bio] – Women Driving Excellence 2015 Honoree

Dr. Suzet M. McKinney currently serves as Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Public Health Preparedness and Emergency Response at the Chicago Department of Public Health(CDPH), where she oversees the emergency preparedness efforts for the Department and coordinates those efforts within the larger spectrum of the City of Chicago’s Public Safety activities, in addition to overseeing the Department’s Division ofRead More …


Dorri McWhorter [Bio] – Women Driving Excellence 2015 Honoree

Dorri McWhorter became the CEO of the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago in March 2013. She has embarked upon a journey to transform the 138 year old social service agency to a 21st century social enterprise. Dorri is moving the agency into the digital age by re- launching the TechGYRLS program, which focuses on developing STEM awareness for girls ages 9 throughRead More …


"There are two ways of spreading light ... To be the candle, or the mirror that reflects it" ~ Edith Wharton, Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist