St. Louis, Missouri | September 8, 2025 –YWCA Metro St. Louis is thrilled to announce its 2025 Leaders of Distinction, who will be honored at the 45th Annual YWCA Leader Lunch on Friday, December 12. This milestone event continues a tradition of recognizing exceptional women whose leadership has shaped the St. Louis region and beyond for nearly half a century.
Since its inception in 1979 as the “Limelight Luncheon,” YWCA’s Leader Lunch has grown into one of the region’s most prestigious celebrations of women’s leadership. Over the past 45 years, more than 480 trailblazing women have been inducted into the YWCA Academy of Leaders, a distinguished network of changemakers shaping the future of St. Louis through their contributions in the workplace and the region.
While the accomplishments of these honorees reflect tremendous progress, the broader landscape still reveals persistent gaps. According, to LinkedIn’s Economic Graph report, The State of Women in Leadership (2025), women hold just 30.6% of leadership roles globally—a sobering reminder that true parity remains elusive (LinkedIn Economic Graph).
Publicly acknowledging the achievements of these honorees—and amplifying their stories—sends a powerful message to women of all ages and backgrounds that women can rise, lead, and thrive, despite the challenges they face along the way.
The central theme of YWCA’s Leader Lunch, as exemplified by the accomplishments of the honorees, is one of talent, dedication, and sisterhood. Nominees are put forth by their peers and selected by an independent panel based on their achievements.
“This year’s honorees shine a light on the power and diversity of women’s leadership—across business, innovation, philanthropy, civic engagement, media, and beyond,” said Dr. Cheryl Watkins, MBA, YWCA Metro St. Louis President and Chief Executive Officer. “As we commemorate 45 years of uplifting trailblazers in our community, we’re thrilled to celebrate these extraordinary women who inspire change, break barriers, and embody our mission to eliminate racism and empower women.”
The 2025 YWCA Leaders of Distinction are:
Flavia D’Souza, Co-Founder/Head of Quality, Sentio BioSciences LLC
Dr. Misty Farr, Area Director of Pharmacy, The Rehabilitation Institute of St. Louis
Katie Fischer, Market Executive, Bank of America
Alexis Hershey, EVP, Chief Digital Officer, Midwest BankCentre
Margaret McDonald, Founder & Principal, Motive + Method
Gabriela Ramirez-Arellano, Vice President, Entrepreneurship, Cortex Innovation Community
Cassandra Sanford, Co-Founder & CEO, KellyMitchell Group
Amy Shaw, President & CEO, Nine PBS
Carol Staenberg
Leader Lunch 45, YWCA’s primary fundraiser, will be held at the Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel on Friday, December 12. A private Holiday Bazaar featuring women-owned businesses will precede the program. Individual tickets and tables are on sale now. All proceeds support YWCA, which provides its services free of charge to more than 10,000 women and their families each year. This event typically sells out, so early purchase is highly recommended. Sponsorships are also available. For more information, visit ywcastl.org/LL45