SC Women in Leadership (SC WIL) is pleased to honor Former Justice Kaye Hearn as their Leading Woman, The Honorable Gilda Cobb-Hunter for Leadership Legacy, and Municipal Judge Nancy Gutierrez of Hardeeville as their Rising Star, to be conferred at the annual Leading Women Dinner on September 24, 2024, at 701 Whaley Street in Columbia.
SC WIL is a statewide multi-partisan organization working to empower women to lead in appointed and elected office through training, connections, and resources. The Leading Women Dinner recognizes and celebrates South Carolina women who have stepped forward to seek elective (win or lose) and appointive office, honors women who have blazed trails in civic leadership, and builds a support network to encourage women to vie for civic leadership roles.
At the Leading Women Dinner, SC WIL presents the Leading Woman, Leadership Legacy, and Rising Star awards to women in elective and appointive public office that have devoted themselves to community service, demonstrated a commitment to working across party lines, and whose civic work has improved the quality of life for all South Carolinians. The award winners also must exhibit involvement in civic, charitable, and/or political organizations and a willingness to bring other women along, mentor, and otherwise support the advancement of women in leadership, and live, work, and/or serve in South Carolina.
Justice Kaye Hearn was announced as their 2024 Leading Woman for her instrumental role in the consideration of qualified female candidates to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court of South Carolina and advocating for the election of the third female Justice in the history of the Court.
S.C. State Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter was announced as the 2024 Leadership Legacy honoree. Widely respected on both sides of the aisle, The Honorable Gilda Cobb-Hunter is the longest-serving Representative in the South Carolina General Assembly and has made great strides in Orangeburg County and across the state.
Judge Nancy Gutierrez was announced as the 2024 Rising Star Honoree and is the first female Hispanic Judge for the City of Hardeeville and Jasper County and has a history of dedication to public service, civic engagement, and bipartisan partnerships. As a municipal judge, and through her devotion to community service and commitment to working across party lines, she has improved the quality of life for the S.C. citizens she serves.
The Leading Women Dinner includes a reception at 6 p.m., followed by a seated dinner and awards ceremony beginning at 7 p.m. Guests at the sold-out event will include some 300 current and former female candidates, elected and appointed officials, and supporters of equal representation in civic leadership. Proceeds from the event support SC WIL’s mission of recruiting and training women to run for elective and appointive office in South Carolina.
