[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 5517-5518]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       THE WOMEN OFFICIALS NETWORK FOUNDATION WONDER WOMAN AWARDS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. KERRY L. BENTIVOLIO

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 2, 2014

  Mr. BENTIVOLIO. Mr. Speaker, the Women Officials Network Foundation 
will be honoring five extraordinary women at the WONder Woman Awards 
banquet April 30 at the San Marino Club in Troy. The award honors women 
who have improved the quality of life in Southeast Michigan through 
their civic, philanthropic and professional accomplishments. This year 
marks the 30th celebration of WONder Women and many past honorees will 
attend. The 2014 WONder Women are: Debra Ehrmann, Lisa Gorcyca, Mattie 
McKinney Hatchett, Ruth Holmes, and Cynthia Walker.
  The Honorable Debra Ehrmann has held elected and appointed office 
including service on the State Commission on Spanish Speaking Affairs 
and the Oakland County Employment Diversity Council. Debra has been 
Vice President of Centro Multicultural since 2007 and previously worked 
as the Health Care Coordinator of Clinica Santa Teresa. She is well

[[Page 5518]]

known and respected for developing networks of stakeholders and 
volunteers. She is recognized for her dedication to vulnerable 
populations and for providing interpretation, relationship-building and 
vital connections for their connection with community services. Debra 
currently serves on the Genisys Credit Union Board of Directors-VP 
Supervisory Committee.
  The Honorable Lisa Gorcyca is Presiding Judge of the Family Division 
of the Oakland County Circuit Court. Before her election to the bench 
in 2008, she spent fifteen years working at the Oakland County 
Prosecutor's Office as Chief of the Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse 
Unit. She chairs the Oakland County Coordinating Council Against 
Domestic Violence and is founder and member of the Oakland County 
Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team. She was recently recognized as 
a Top Circuit Court Judge for 2014.
  The Honorable Mattie McKinney Hatchett was first elected to the 
Oakland County Board of Commissioners in 2002 and made history in 2011, 
when she became the first African-American woman to serve as President 
of the Michigan Association of Counties. Known as ``The Mother of 
Pontiac,'' Mattie served as Deputy Mayor and has spent more than fifty 
years advocating for her community. Since 1963, she has been actively 
involved with the Pontiac School District as an employee and volunteer. 
Presently, she is a Trustee on the Pontiac Board of Education.
  Ruth Elliott Holmes is President of the International Women's Forum--
Michigan which brings together a global membership of women to exchange 
ideas, to learn, to inspire and to promote better leadership for a 
changing world. In eleven years overseas, she worked for the African-
American Institute in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast and was active in the 
international community in Brussels, Belgium. She serves on many 
professional boards and is a Trustee for the National Association of 
Document Examiners. A handwriting examiner and personnel consultant, 
Ruth owns her own business and was named 2010 Innovator of the Year, 
one of Michigan's Top 10 Women Business Owners and, in 2002, Corp! 
magazine listed her among Michigan's 95 Most Powerful Women.
  The Honorable Cynthia Thomas Walker currently serves as Chief Judge 
of the 50th District Court in Pontiac and has been a district judge 
since 2003. Before taking the bench, she worked as Court Administrator 
of that court, as Pontiac City Attorney, and as a staff attorney for 
UAW Legal Services and for Legal Services of Eastern Michigan. She 
serves on the board of the Oakland County Bar Association and is active 
in judicial, professional and civic organizations. She supports the 
Teen Court program at her court and volunteers her time at local 
schools, churches, and non-profit organizations.
  All WONder Women demonstrate achievement in each of the following 
areas: contribute to the community beyond that which is required in 
their employment; demonstrate character, commitment and leadership; and 
assist women/girls in reaching full leadership potential through civic 
engagement, personal and professional contacts, or resources.
  The WON Foundation advances the vision and mission of the Women 
Officials Network: empowering leaders of today and mentoring women 
leaders of tomorrow. The Women Officials Network envisions more women 
in Leadership positions at all levels of government.

                          ____________________