“Linked In Friendship, Connected In Service”
EMERALD AWARD
2026 HONOREES
Congratulations to all of our distinguished honorees. During our 16th Annual Emerald Award Program, we proudly recognized five exceptional women whose contributions are making a lasting impact on society.
Honoree Facet Category: Services To Youth
Michelle Lanier - executive director
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Michelle Lanier served as the first executive director of North Carolina’s African American Heritage Commission (AAHC), which strives to preserve, promote, and protect the state’s African American history, arts, and culture for all young people. With roots in North Carolina on both sides of her family, she has familial ties to Historic Stagville, the state’s African American Music Trail, the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum (Palmer Memorial Institute), Black Wall Street, and many of the state’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Michelle earned her undergraduate degree from Spelman College, under the renowned Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole. Her graduate degree, in Folklore, with an emphasis on African Diaspora and Black Southern life, was attained at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her career in cultural heritage and youth preservation began with community-based initiatives in Orange, Durham, Wake, and Alamance counties, later extending into her work as a college educator at Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies. Michelle joined the Division of State Historic Sites as curator of multicultural initiatives in 2006. In 2008, with a team of colleagues, she helped to create, by general statute, the state's African American Heritage Commission (AAHC). From 2012 to present, she has served as a member of the senior staff of the North Carolina Arts Council, where the AAHC is based. Her work has taken her to Panama and Ghana to document African Diaspora funerary traditions, and her ethnographic work in a Carolina Gullah community led to her role as a liaison to the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor.
She has had the honor of growing the impact of two cultural heritage trails--The African American Music Trails of Eastern North Carolina and Freedom Roads. Additionally, she has worked in leadership roles with several initiatives funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, including the Gathering Place Project and the Green Books’ Oasis Spaces. In 2017, Michelle was invited by Yale's Gilder Lehrman Institute to join a collective of thought young leaders in public history. Michelle continues to use her background as a folklorist, public historian, documentary educator, oral historian, and cultural preservationist to connect communities to the rich and transformative power of North Carolina's African American heritage working closely with the historical development of the Youth along their initiatives for the support of HBCU’s She is also an outstanding Active Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
Honoree Facet Category: The Arts
Maestra D'Walla Simmons-Burke - Director of Choral and Vocal Studies and founder of choral ensembles
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Maestra D'Walla Simmons-Burke is the Director of Choral and Vocal Studies and founder of three of five choral ensembles currently existing within the department of music at Winston-Salem State University (Amazwi Treble; Complesso Voce' and the renowned Burke Singers). The other choral ensembles are the Grammy-nominated Winston-Salem State University Choir (aka WSSU Singing Rams) and Schola Cantorum. Her choirs have performed with local, regional and world symphony orchestras and are well sought-after for the performances of master choral works, social justice songs, spirituals, and world music. Maestra Simmons-Burke's ensembles have also performed on national stages such as Carnegie Hall (NY), The Washington National Cathedral, and the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (NY). These ensembles have performed internationally with her in Prague, Czech Republic; Nassau, Bahamas; Accra, Cape Coast & Kumasi, Ghana - West Africa; and Pilanesberg, Cape Town and Johannesburg – South Africa. She was named one of the national conductors for the 105 Voices of History Concert Choir in Washington, DC and Nassau, Bahamas. Soon, Maestra Simmons-Burke and the WSSU Singing Rams will perform in Vienna and Salzburg, Austria. She also received the 105 Voices of History John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center Medallion for her work with the 105 Voices of History Concert Choir. Simmons-Burke was appointed the national choral coordinator and one of three national conductors who lead the 105 Voices of History Concert Choir in their inaugural performance at the Grand Ole Opry…the first of its kind. Because of Maestra Simmons-Burke’s work with mass concert choirs, she was selected as co-conductor for the 2020 Inaugural Mass HBCU Concert Choir of the American Choral Directors’ Association Southern Region and guest conductor of the 2022 ACDA Southwestern Region Mass HBCU Honor Concert Choir. Her choral ensembles have performed for and/or with regional, national, and international dignitaries. Simmons-Burke is the recipient of several teaching, community service, and performance awards for her national achievements in music and research. Recently, Winston-Salem State University recognized Maestra Simmons-Burke with the Champion of Education Award and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building the Dream Service Award. She is listed in Outstanding Young Women of America and holds memberships in several professional organizations such as the Music Educators National Conference; American Choral Directors Association; Chorus America; National Association for the Study and Performance of African-American Music; National Association of Negro Musicians; Intercollegiate Music Association; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and The Moles. Maestra Simmons-Burke has made numerous guest appearances as a conductor and adjudicator for high and middle school All-State/All-County festivals and collegiate choral festivals/workshops. She is often sought-after as a choral music clinician/lecturer/vocalist and coach.
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Honoree Facet Category: National Trends and Services
Rev. Jennifer Jackson – nonprofit executive, reentry advocate, ordained Interfaith minister
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Ms. Jackson serves as Chief Executive Officer of Arise Collective, a 45-year-old Raleigh-based nonprofit that equips women with tools and support to heal, grow, and thrive, both in prison and in the communities to which they return. Under her leadership, the organization has grown fifteenfold, from four part-time staff to 19 mostly full-time staff, serving over 500 women annually with recidivism rates as low as 7–9%. Ms. Jackson launched the Women’s Reentry Project through which women receive safe and supportive housing coupled with trauma-informed and holistic wraparound services. She led a merger with the Mothers and Their Children (MATCH) organization, expanding services to incarcerated mothers and justice-impacted families, and she has championed expressive arts initiatives such as Conviction: Songs of Faith by Women in Prison and the Stitching Stories Reimagined public art project. A 30-year nonprofit veteran, Ms. Jackson previously served as Vice President of Human Resources at Safe Horizon, one of the nation’s leading victim services organizations, and directed a U.S. Department of Justice-funded project on public-private partnerships in victim assistance. She serves on the Bob Barker Company Foundation Advisory Committee and previously served on the Wake County Local Reentry Council Executive Committee, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation’s Community Leadership Council, and the Oberlin College Alumni Leadership Council. An ordained Interfaith Minister, mindfulness meditation teacher, and yoga instructor, Ms. Jackson holds dual degrees from Oberlin College and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and a Master of Arts from Indiana University. She believes deeply in the power of forgiveness to transform hearts and minds.
Honoree Facet Category: International Trends and Services
Dr. Gwendolyn Bookman, JD - faculty advisor at Bennett Colllege
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Dr. Gwendolyn Bookman has dedicated her academic and professional career to advancing international awareness, civic engagement, and global citizenship among students and communities. As a distinguished faculty member at Bennett College, she has consistently championed initiatives that bring the world into the classroom and the classroom into the world. Dr. Bookman serves as faculty advisor for Bennett College’s Model United Nations (Model UN) program, where she mentors students in diplomacy, policy analysis, and international relations. Under her leadership, the program has flourished, empowering young women to engage confidently in global leadership and international problem-solving. She has guided generations of young women of color as they explore issues of peace, human rights, sustainable development, and global governance. Her mentorship has led Bennett students to earn recognition at regional and national Model UN conferences, establishing the college as a respected presence in competitive diplomatic forums. Beyond campus, Dr. Bookman collaborates with organizations across North Carolina to promote international dialogue and cross-cultural understanding. She has developed and facilitated initiatives introducing high school students to the principles of the United Nations and global policymaking, helping to cultivate early interest in global citizenship.
Her influence extends well beyond academia. Dr. Bookman has represented Bennett College at international forums centered on women’s leadership and global policy, including engagements with the United Nations and the United States Department of State. Through these platforms, she has amplified the voices of women in spaces where international policy decisions are debated and shaped. In North Carolina, Dr. Bookman frequently lends her expertise to civic and educational organizations advancing international education and multicultural awareness. She has organized international awareness seminars and symposiums that bridge academic theory with real-world diplomacy, partnered with community leaders to promote the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and mentored numerous students who have pursued graduate studies, public service, and careers in international development.
Her measurable impact includes expanding international literacy among youth — particularly young women of color and fostering sustainable networks for global dialogue throughout the state. Dr. Bookman embodies the mission and spirit of international engagement through her lifelong dedication to global learning, diplomacy, and cultural exchange. She models the intellectual rigor, social consciousness, and commitment to international goodwill that inspire communities to connect local action with global impact.
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Honoree Facet Category: Health and Human Services
Dr. Oludamilola ‘Lola’ Olajide - hematologist and medical oncologist
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Dr. Oludamilola ‘Lola’ Olajide is a board-certified hematologist and medical oncologist at UNC Cancer Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, and an adjunct professor with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is an active clinical investigator with the Division of Hematology and Oncology at UNC Health Care and has participated in multiple clinical trials aimed at advancing cancer treatment and improving patient outcomes. Her professional work is grounded in service, health equity, and community empowerment, with a particular focus on reducing disparities in cancer care. She is deeply committed to community health education, with particular emphasis on breast cancer awareness, early detection, and increasing clinical trial participation among historically underrepresented populations. Through lectures, community forums, and patient-centered educational initiatives, she regularly partners with civic, faith-based, and professional organizations to increase awareness of breast cancer prevention, early detection, and the critical importance of clinical trial participation to ensure equitable advances in cancer care. An enthusiastic advocate for health equity, Dr. Olajide consistently bridges the gap between academic medicine and the community, to demystify cancer care and to empower individuals to make informed decisions about their health.
Through her outreach, Dr. Olajide exemplifies a commitment to service that uplifts communities, strengthens families, and advances health justice.
2025 Emerald Award Recipients
Lisa Williams, PhD, Services to Youth
Carly P. Jones, The Arts
Kristi Jones, National Trends and Services
Morgan Ray, International Trends and Services
Portia Scott Hedgepeth, Health and Human Services
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2024 Emerald Award Recipients
Minnie Forte-Brown, Services to Youth
Dr. Laura Bethea, The Arts
Yvette Holmes, National Trends and Services
Dr. Christine Grant, International Trends and Services
Dr. Nerissa Price, Health and Human Services
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2023 Emerald Award Recipients
Paulette R. Dillard, PhD, Services to Youth
Tamara Holmes Brothers, PhD, The Arts
Cheryl Williams, National Trends and Services
Sandra K. Johnson, PhD, International Trends and Services
Terry W. Spicer, Health and Human Services
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2022 Emerald Award Recipients
Valerie Lynn Willis, Services to Youth
Lakeshia T. Reid, The Arts
Omisade Burney-Scott, National Trends and Services
Siobahn Day Grady, PhD, International Trends and Services
Marie Georgette Debnam, MD and Marjorie Lynette Debnam, MD, Health and Human Services
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2021 Emerald Award Recipients
Jacqueline L. Mims, Services to Youth
Nneena Freelon, The Arts
Yvonne Lewis Holley, National Trends and Services
Felicia Browne-Lherrison, International Trends and Services
Gayle Bridges Harris, Health and Human Services
2019 Emerald Award Recipients
Doris J. Bullock, Services to Youth
Monét Noelle Marshal, The Arts
Dawn Blagrove, National Trends and Services
Tsegga S. Medhin, International Trends and Services
Regina Y. Petteway, Health and Human Services
2018 Emerald Award Recipients
Syliva Wiggins, Services to Youth
Dr. Cicely E. Mitchell, The Arts
Jessica Holmes, National Trends and Services
Juni Asiyo, International Trends and Services
Dr. Wendy Brewster, Health and Human Services
2016 Emerald Award Recipients
Raquel Battle, International Trends and Services
Dr. Elsie Leak, Services to Youth
Nancy Pinckney, The Arts
Dr. Portia W. Rochelle, National Trends and Services
Dr. Kamala Latori Uzzell-Jones, Health and Human Services)
2015 Emerald Award Recipients
Kelly Starling Lyons, Services to Youth
Eleanora E. Tate, The Arts
Betty Camp, National Trends and Services
M. Iyailu Moses, Ed. D., International Trends and Services
Belinda Pettiford, Health and Human Services
2014 Emerald Award Recipients
Iris Peoples Green, Services to Youth
Lonieta Cornwal, Ed. D., The Arts
Cassandra Deck-Brown, National Trends and Services
Esteria J. Woods-White, International Trends and Services
Laura I. Gerald, Health and Human Services
2013 Emerald Award Recipients
Joyce Robinson, Services to Youth
Dr. Patricia Caple, The Arts
Octavia Rainey, National Trends and Services
Dr. Sheila Smith McKoy, International Trends and Services
Dr. Sharon Elliott-Bynum, Health and Human Services
2012 Emerald Award Recipients
Brenda High Sanders, Services to Youth
Beverly McIver, The Arts
Andrea Harris, National Trends and Services
Helen Asemota, PhD, International Trends and Services
Leah Brown, Health and Human Services*
*In 2012, Health and Human Services was added as an additional National Facet.
2011 Emerald Award Recipients
Symonetta Higgs, Services to Youth
Zelda Lockhart, The Arts
Eva Clayton, National Trends and Services
Yvonne Coston, PhD, International Trends and Services
2010 Emerald Award Recipients
Calla Bethel Wright, Services to Youth
Jaki Shelton Green, The Arts
Barbara Pullen-Smith, National Trends and Services
LaHoma Romocki, PhD, International Trends and Services