Recipients will be honored during a March 3 luncheon that anyone can attend; the keynote speaker is author Amy Sample Ward

MEMPHIS, Tenn., February 13, 2023 – Leadership Memphis announced the award recipients that will be recognized during its Leadership Awards Luncheon, which will take place Thursday, March 3, at 11:30 a.m. at the Renasant Convention Center. The awards include the Kate Gooch Leader of the Year, Distinguished Alumni of the Year, the Community Champion, and the 2023 Change Makers. Tickets are available on Leadership Memphis’ website, https://leadershipmemphis.org/2023-leadership-awards-luncheon/, and table sponsorships are also available by calling 901-278-0016.

“Leadership Memphis is honored to be able to recognize some of the leaders that have made a tremendous difference in our city,” said Reggie Crenshaw, President and CEO of Leadership Memphis. “Our award winners, along with this year’s Change Makers class, exemplify our organization’s mission of making a lasting, positive impact on Memphis for the good of all communities.”

The Leadership Awards recipients are listed below:

·       Kate Gooch Leader of the Year: Reginald Porter Jr., Senior Vice President, Development and Corporate Social Responsibility, ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

·       Distinguished Alumni of the Year: David Williams, Regional Director, Vitalant

·       Community Champion: Greater Memphis Chamber

The 2023 Change Makers were part of a large pool of nominees submitted by the public, reviewed by a panel of judges, and 10 were selected to be 2023 honorees. This year’s recipients include:

·       Sudhir K. Agrawal, CPA, CDFA™, CFP®, Founder and CEO of Ami Financial Group

·       Austin Crowder, Founder, Know Your Rights EDU, Commercial Account Executive, Zoom

·       Michalyn Easter-Thomas, Founder, Our Grass Our Roots, Memphis City Councilwoman, District 7

·       Claudia Haltom, CEO, A Step Ahead Foundation

·       David Jordan, President and CEO, Agape Child and Family Services

·       The Reverend Dr. Mark Matheny, President, United Methodist Neighborhood Centers of Memphis (UMNCM)

·       Dr. Bartholomew Orr, Senior Pastor, Brown Missionary Baptist Church

·       Henry Reaves, III, Founder & CEO, Reaves Law Firm

·       Sharon Williams, Executive Director, Starting All Over Outreach Resource Center

·       Shane Young, Co-Founder/Executive Director, Memphis Inner City Rugby

The keynote speaker for the Leadership Awards Luncheon is Amy Sample Ward, author of “The Tech That Comes Next, How Changemakers Philanthropists and Technologists Can Build an Equitable World.” Ward is CEO of NTEN, a nonprofit creating a world where missions and movements are more successful through the skillful and equitable use of technology. Following her keynote address, Ward will be joined by Young Wallstreet and Code Crew representatives for a panel discussion around equity in the technology space in Memphis. 

The Leadership Awards Luncheon will honor some of the Mid-South’s most impactful leaders during a ceremony Friday, March 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Those interested in purchasing a table sponsorship can contact Leadership Memphis at 901-278-0016.

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About Leadership Memphis:

Leadership Memphis is a non-profit, community leadership development organization. Its mission is to prepare and mobilize leaders to work together for the good of the whole community. Originally founded in 1979 as The Memphis Institute of Public Responsibility, Leadership Memphis has graduated more than 3,900 leaders from its programs. For more information, please visit LeadershipMemphis.org.

About Volunteer Memphis:

Volunteer Memphis builds capacity for effective volunteering and connecting people with opportunities to serve throughout Memphis and Shelby County. The organization helps individuals, families, corporate teams, and community groups strengthen Memphis and the Mid-South through service at more than 300 nonprofit organizations and schools. Our volunteers are at work every day of the year, tutoring and mentoring children, helping individuals and families make pathways out of poverty, improving our Memphis and Shelby County environment, and more. Volunteer Memphis is an affiliate of the Hands-On Network, an association of 250 volunteer service organizations across 16 countries and an action Initiative of Leadership Memphis. For more information, please visit VolunteerMemphis.org.