Distinguished Leaders to be Honored on October 9th as Positively Powerful Launches Its Next Genesis
Positively Powerful has announced its 2026 Woman Awards honorees, recognizing four distinguished leaders whose impact spans technology, education, justice, business, and economic development. The honorees will be celebrated during the 17th Annual Positively Powerful Education Summit & Woman Awards Conference, October 9, 2026, at the George Washington Carver Museum & Cultural Center in Phoenix, and presented by the Positively Powerful Development Corporation nonprofit (PPDC).
During the VIP reception, a room full of corporate sponsors, community partners, business leaders, and friends of the nonprofit celebrated 17 years of the Positively Powerful movement. During the standing-room-only event, Positively Powerful founder, Dr. Joel P. Martin, announced the 2026 honorees and awardees with tremendous fanfare. The evening also provided attendees with a sneak peek into Dr. Martin’s vision, the Next Genesis of Positively Powerful, and provided a framework for what the community can expect to see in the coming months and years as the movement expands. The 2026 Positively Powerful Woman Award Honorees are:
2026 Positively Powerful Woman Awards Honorees
The Honorable Carol Scott Berry — Positively Powerful Woman Leader of Justice Award
A retired judge and founding member of Arizona Lawyers for Equal Justice, Berry has built a distinguished legacy in law and public service. She has been inducted into the Maricopa County Bar Association Hall of Fame and the Council on Legal Education Opportunity Hall of Fame.
Dr. Sharon Lamm-Hartman — Positively Powerful Woman Education Leadership Award
President and CEO of Inside Out Learning and author of The Authenticity Code, Lamm-Hartman is a leadership development expert who helps executives and professionals strengthen their authenticity, influence, and impact.
Dr. Mónica S. Villalobos — Positively Powerful Woman Visionary Leadership Award
President and CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Villalobos is a leading advocate for entrepreneurship and economic opportunity. Her work connects businesses with capital, resources, relationships, and opportunities for sustainable growth.
Dr. Barbara H. Whye — Positively Powerful Woman Technology Leadership Award
An engineer, board director, and technology executive, Whye is a recognized leader at the intersection of technology, artificial intelligence, leadership, and ethics. She is a global leader and was formerly in senior leadership as Corporate Vice President of Intel and VP of Apple. Her experience and academic work in AI and ethics bring an important perspective to the technologies reshaping business, the workforce, and society.
“These extraordinary women represent what Positively Powerful was created to celebrate: leadership that reaches beyond individual accomplishment and creates opportunities for others,” said Dr. Joel P. Martin, founder of Positively Powerful. “As we enter our Next Genesis, what began as a vision has grown into an award-winning tradition. For sixteen years, that mission has grown from a single awards event into an award-winning movement, and now into the Positively Powerful Development Corporation, a nonprofit, built to carry this work all year long.”
New Awards Recognize Corporate Leadership and Allyship
This year, Positively Powerful is expanding its recognition with three new awards.
Southwest Airlines will receive the inaugural National Corporate Leadership Award. Salt River Project (SRP) will receive the inaugural Regional Corporate Leadership Award. Both organizations are being honored for their long-standing support of the program, long before the PPDC nonprofit was formed.
“Celebrating successful women is important, but celebration alone does not create lasting change,” Martin said. “Education transforms. Access creates opportunity. Representation matters. Corporate investments accelerate progress.”
NBA legend, former Phoenix Suns star, and television analyst Eddie Johnson will receive the inaugural Positively Powerful Ally Award, honoring a man who visibly supports the advancement of women through his actions. Through his work with Helping Hands for Single Moms, Johnson has raised more than $3 million dollars to support their organization’s efforts to make college degrees possible for single mothers.
Education, Leadership and Connection
The October 9 conference will also feature two Education Summit conversations: Women Leading AI, Technology & STEM, examining women’s roles in rapidly evolving technologies, and
Certifications & Corporate Connections, focused on helping entrepreneurs strengthen corporate relationships and pursue business opportunities.
The conference will bring together corporate executives, entrepreneurs, educators, civic leaders, and community changemakers for education, recognition, and relationship-building. This year’s gathering also coincides with the 100th anniversary of the George Washington Carver Museum & Cultural Center.
Event Information
17th Annual Positively Powerful Education Summit & Woman Awards Conference
Date & Time: October 9, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Location: George Washington Carver Museum & Cultural Center, Phoenix, Arizona
Registration: bit.ly/17thPosPowConf
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About Positively Powerful Development Corporation
Positively Powerful Development Corporation (PPDC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering women through education and transformational leadership development. Through programs, partnerships, entrepreneurship initiatives, and community engagement, PPDC expands access, inspires achievement, and creates pathways for personal and professional success.
About the Positively Powerful Education Summit & Woman Awards Conference
Positively Powerful exists for one reason: to acknowledge the accomplishments of women in ways that empower all people to live their dreams and change lives and businesses for the better.
