After much research and networking, we have received updates from a number of our alumnae!  Thank you to everyone who responded to our updating efforts.  This is just a small sample of the great things your fellow participants are up to:

• Sheryl Simms Foster (1965 Mississippi) is the Vice-President and co-founder of DFA Intercultural Global Solutions in New York. She has been married to Dean for 40 years and they have two children and three grandchildren.  
• Carleen Mlynarek Crawford (1970 Michigan) lives in Grand Rapids, MI with her husband Guy and is the Vice-President of Marketing and Communications for Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services.  
• Lisa Paden Gaines (1973 Alabama) and her husband Rad have two sons and live in Birmingham, AL.  Lisa spends time giving of herself as a community volunteer and arts advocate.  
• Colleen DuPlissie (1981 Maine) is the owner of and lead choreographer for The Maine Dance Academy in Caribou, ME.  
• Dotty Jo Brown Davis (1984 Georgia) teaches dance, drama, and film at Lee County High School in Leesburg, GA.  She is director of her local Distinguished Young Women program, is married to Robby, and has two children.  
• Angela Smith Ballard (1993 Tennessee) is a radio personality on WDEF-FM Chattanooga's Sunny 92.3, a professor in the Communications Department at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, a freelance voice over artist, and a doctoral student at the University of Tennessee.
• Sharon Beaman Dees (1995 North Carolina) and her husband of over ten years, Frank, are the Directors of the non-profit organization Youth On Mission.  Sharon also volunteers with her local Distinguished Young Women of Rocky Mount (NC) program as MC and judge.  
• Reena Mehta Sahai (2001 Rhode Island) is a Pediatrican with a sub-specialty in Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology at the University of Texas Medical Branch.  She lives in Houston, TX with her husband, Achal, whom she married in June 2011.  
• Jesica Speed (2002 Missouri) earned her PhD in Communication Studies from UNC-Chapel Hill in August 2012.  She now lives in Boston, MA and works as a Postdoc Teaching Associate at Northeastern University.  
• Meredith Simoneaux (2004 Louisiana) is a lawyer at a litigation firm, Frilot, LLC, in New Orleans, LA.  She graduated magna cum laude from Loyola University College of Law in May 2011 and was named a Crowe Scholar (top 10% class).
• Katie Smart (2005 Arkansas) is currently the Marketing Director for Axis Communications in New York.  Before moving to New York, Katie graduated from Stephens College and was a professional dancer for artists such as Taylor Swift, Alan Jackson, and Dierks Bentley.  
• Kathleen Voss (2007 Ohio) graduated from Marymount Manhattan College in NYC in 2011 and now performs at Hershey Park in a Tap show through Matt Davenport Productions in Pennsylvania.  
• Nichole Iacuzio (2009 New Hampshire) is currently finishing her Bachelor's degree in Social Studies Education at Troy University in Troy, AL.  
• Laura Elizabeth Moore (2009 Florida) is a Senior at Birmingham-Southern College pursuing a BS in Business Administration, an Economics Minor, and a BA in Dance.  

Stay tuned for our next newsletter with more updates!  Have you gotten married, had a baby, graduated from school, started a new job, or had anything exciting happen in your life lately?  Please submit an update and include a picture if you would like, to Erin@DistinguishedYW.org. 

By donating as a Distinguished Alumnae, you have the opportunity to support all levels of the program and make a direct impact on the 5,000 young women who participate nationwide every year.  Don't wait another minute to give back to this organization that positively impacted your life! We accept donations through PayPal or a check mailed to the National Office.