Ten Burlington County women will be recognized for their leadership and service to their communities during this year’s 2022 Outstanding Women of Burlington County Awards reception.
For more than two decades the Burlington County Women’s Advisory Council has honored county women for their contributions to elevating women and making local communities better. This year’s group will be honored on Sept. 21 during a reception at the Riverton Country Club and will once again provide an opportunity for community members to learn more about the often unknown or unpublicized accomplishments of women leaders. The reception will start at 6 p.m.
“For far too long the contributions of women were down-played or ignored so it’s incredibly gratifying to help lead a county that is home to so many outstanding women and to continue this tradition of celebrating their achievements and community service,” said Commissioner Felicia Hopson, who serves as liaison to the Women’s Advisory Council. “Each of these women has their own unique story and background, but they each have had a great and lasting impact on our county.”
This year’s honorees are:
- Military Service: Marguerite Sylvester Hellwich, retired Air Force Chief Master Sergeant from Bordentown City who served as the Superintendent of the 514th Aerospace Medicine Squadron on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst
- Social Services: Shirla Simpson, Mount Laurel resident and director of the Burlington County Department of Human Services
- Law/Law Enforcement: Jennifer Appelmann, detective with the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crimes Unit
- Business leadership: Amy Smith, Evesham resident and founding partner of Weinberg, Kaplan & Smith PA
- Government: Eve Cullinan, Burlington County Administrator
- Health: Christine Carlson-Glazer, Vice-President of Government and Community Relations at Deborah Heart and Lung Center
- Education/Mentorship: Marguerite Miller-Hodges, Burlington Township resident and Director of the Life 4 Corners Child Development Center in Burlington City
- Community Service: Claudine Archer, Willingboro resident and founder of the Beloved Project
- Diversity/Inclusion: Shelja Touri, Evesham resident and founder of the Diversity & Equal Opportunity Network, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting inclusive education
- Volunteerism: Vicki Conaway, President of Tabernacle Baptist Church of Burlington Mission Ministry
The award recipients were selected by a panel of Advisory Council members from nominations submitted by the public. This year marked the first time the council recognized women in the categories of military service and leadership in social services.
“This impressive list of honorees are the latest in a long line of female leaders and trailblazers who have gone above and beyond for their communities and continue to do so,” said Commissioner Allison Eckel, who is also a liaison to the Women’s Council. “Spotlighting these outstanding mentors and role models will hopefully inspire more women – and especially our next generation – to take on leadership roles and carry on Burlington County’s legacy of outstanding women.”
Tickets for the awards reception are $80 and are now available. They can be purchased online at outstandingwomenburlco2022.eventbrite.com.
The council has sponsorship opportunities available for the event. Those interested in a sponsorship or message should email [email protected] for ad rates and sponsorship levels or visit outstandingwomenburlco2022.eventbrite.com and click on the tickets tab.
The Burlington County Women’s Advisory Council works to identify and address issues that affect women in Burlington County, raise public awareness of the special needs and roles of women and enhance the quality of life for all women. For more information, follow the Council on Facebook at @BurlingtonCountyWomen or visit http://co.burlington.nj.us/263/Womens-Advisory-Council.
