Fort Worth Commission for Women Announces Outstanding Women of Fort Worth

The Fort Worth Commission for Women continues its annual tradition of honoring exemplary women in the field of advocacy for women’s issues at a presentation of Outstanding Women of Fort Worth on March 3 at 5:30 p.m. in the cafeteria on the third floor of City Hall. Honorees will also be presented at a City Council meeting at 7 p.m. that same day.

The Fort Worth City Council created the Fort Worth Commission for Women in 1983 to act in an advisory capacity to the Council and to study women’s issues that are important to the community. The Outstanding Women of Fort Worth recognize women in the community for their efforts, talents and skills addressing issues of importance to women as well as for their advocacy.

The Outstanding Women Awards for 2009 will be presented to:

Outstanding Women in the Workplace
Heidi Cox, General Counsel, Gladney Center for Adoption

Heidi Cox has served the Gladney Center for Adoption as general counsel for nearly 20 years. She has impacted thousands of lives for the better — adoptive parents, birth parents and adoptees. The legal process is critical to a successful adoption. Cox’s professionalism has consistently provided all members of the adoption triad with the confidence they need to move forward with their plans. She has helped facilitate more than 2,000 adoptions; not a single one has encountered a successful legal challenge.

Cox’s impact extends nationally. She has influenced pro-adoption and pro-family legislation in Austin and Washington, D.C., and has used her position as a board member of the National Council for Adoption as a platform to advocate for positive change for American families.

Sue Mahoney, Housing & Volunteer Coordinator, Samaritan House

Sue Mahoney’s position at Samaritan House as Housing and Volunteer Coordinator means much more to her than finding housing for individuals and families with HIV and AIDS. Her days and nights are filled with visiting families’ onsite at the Villages of Samaritan House and going into the field where residents live in apartments and homes. The purpose of her visits to clients is to make sure they are healthy, clothed, paying their bills, keeping their medical appointments, attending group meetings and that their kids are going to school.

“I have been with Sue when she received a call from one client who had just left court to regain custody of her daughter. I’ve been with Sue when she received a call from a hospital informing her that one of her clients had died. I was with Sue when a story written by an 11-year-old boy was read as part of a children’s book on AIDS,” said Marcy Paul, chair of the Fort Worth Commission for Women.

The story was about Sue Mahoney. “We (four children and two parents) were living in a one-bedroom house and when we kids got cold we had to lie in front of the stove to get warm. And then one day, an angel appeared at our door. She had a smiling face and wore khaki pants. She moved us to a three-bedroom house in a rich neighborhood (Meadowbrook and 820) and it had a basketball hoop.”

Outstanding Woman Volunteer
Kathryn T. Bryan

Kathryn Bryan has been a mentor and role model in Fort Worth for more than 30 years. She encourages women to use education and service to achieve healthy self-esteem and an image that benefits them professionally and personally. Bryan has worked tirelessly to facilitate change, encourage teamwork to solve problems and remain positive.

She has served as president (and founder) of the American Association of University Women, Tarrant County branch, Women’s Policy Form, Central Area Council of the Fort Worth Chamber, YWCA of Tarrant County and the Texas Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. She has served on the board of Sister Cities International Fort Worth, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Fort Worth Commission for Women, Rotary Club of Fort Worth, Fort Worth Business and Professional Women’s organization, the City of Fort Worth’s Minority & Women Business Enterprise Advisory Committee, Leadership Fort Worth, Electrical Advisory Board, Fort Worth Women’s Club and First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth.

Outstanding Young Woman Volunteer
Alexandra Brown

Alexandra Brown, a senior at Fort Worth Country Day School, discovered her passion for helping others when she tutored children at Metro Academy of Math and Science. Since then she has been devoted to leaving a positive and lasting impact in her community. Brown believes that performing community service is one of the most rewarding experiences in life. “Volunteering has provided me with a joy unparalleled to any other,” said Brown.

She recently began a fundraiser to help bring books to the undersupplied library at Metro Academy of Math and Science. She has collected more than 2,000 books and nearly $700 in donations. Her volunteer experience includes the Presbyterian Night Shelter, Cowtown Brush Up, and Habitat for Humanity and Link Crew, a national mentoring program designed to keep high school freshmen drug- and alcohol-free.

In addition to her volunteer activities, Brown is an excellent student and athlete. She has qualified all four years in high school for the National Art Honor Society, National French Honor Society and National Honor Society. She’s a player and manager of the junior varsity volleyball team and a letterman on the varsity golf team.

Outstanding Organization in Advocacy for Women
The Fort Worth/Dallas Birthing Project

Babies should not die.  The Fort Worth/Dallas Birthing Project was created by Kim Parish Perkins to meet a critical need in our community, infant mortality.  For many years, Fort Worth has struggled to understand and find solutions to infant mortality.  In 2003, Fort Worth had the highest infant mortality rate among all large Texas cities, higher than Tarrant County and national rates.

The Fort Worth/Dallas Birthing Project is a community-based organization with the mission of reducing the infant mortality rate in North Texas by encouraging better birth outcomes for teenagers and women in the highest risk demographics, African Americans and Hispanics, providing practical support during pregnancy and for one year after the birth of their children.

The SisterFriend and Aintie-Tia programs match a community volunteer with a high-risk pregnant woman to provide her with emotional support.  Women leading other women in one-on-one relationships have proven to be successful.  These programs differ from most outreach and support programs by placing volunteers as individual case managers using the concept of the extended family.  SisterFriends are over 21 years of age and from all walks of life.  They attend childbirth education, breast feeding and parenting classes with their “little sisters” and participate as a birth partner, if appropriate.  Over the last 11 years, the Fort Worth/Dallas Birthing Project has trained more than 200 SisterFriends.  In addition, full-time Aintie-Tias have supported more than 50 high-risk pregnant women each year.

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The Fort Worth Commission for Women includes nine citizens appointed by the mayor and City Council and representatives from 10 women’s organizations. Its mission is to increase visibility of women’s issues in Fort Worth through collaboration and education.