Felicia Davis, founder of The Black Women’s Collective at the 2024 Power Up Conference.

It’s red carpet season known for awards and applause given to so many deserving winners across entertainment and business arenas.

At Take The Lead, it is also time to celebrate the Power Tool Champions, those entrepreneurs and individuals who will be honored at the Power Up 2025 Concert & Conference with the theme of Courage To Lead. The awards will be given on Women’s Equality Day in Washington, D.C. to deserving entrepreneurs, founders and creators making real change in their lives and the world.

Learn more about Power Up 2025 Concert & Conference

“Too many awards programs celebrate the same familiar faces—the ones who are already visible, already well-connected, already getting recognition. Meanwhile, incredible women are doing transformative work in communities, organizations, and movements without fanfare or spotlight,” says Felicia Davis, founder of the Black Women’s Collective, Take The Lead ambassador and creator of The Power Tool Champion Awards.

“Incredible women are doing transformative work in communities, organizations, and movements without fanfare or spotlight,” says Felicia Davis @takeleadwomen #BlackWomensCollective #powerup2025 ”

Learn more in Take The Lead on 9 Leadership Power Tools

The 9 Leadership Power Tools were created by Gloria Feldt, co-founder and president of Take The Lead, and are at the core of leadership training and the mission of reaching gender parity in leadership across all sectors.

“Women without a clear leadership presence are often overlooked. But even more importantly, those with bold ideas and big visions can find themselves stuck without a clear strategy to soar,” Feldt says. “The 9 Leadership Power Tools Course gives you the mental reset and strategic foundation to rise—whether you're navigating change or building toward something bigger.”

The 9 Leadership Power Tools are “practical, profound, and essential for any woman ready to lead with intention and impact,” says Davis.

The Champions this year include consultants, founders, STEM leaders, filmmakers, authors, disability advocate, realtor executive, global leader and producers across the country and the world. They are women representing different generations, sectors, identities, race and ethnicities and geography—the goal of Take The Lead’s mission.

“Representation isn't just about who we see—it's about what we affirm as powerful,” says Davis. “When we celebrate Power Tool champions, we're saying that leadership can look like clarity, courage, strategic thinking, boundary-setting, or truth-telling—not just corner offices and conference keynotes.”

The Visionary Award for Power Tool #1, Know Your History, is awarded to Dr. Randee Sanders, creator of Design Not Default, and the DecodeHer newsletter. Sanders is “The Catalyst Architect" who delivers unfiltered truths that help women rewrite the rules of leadership. With over 20 years transforming organizations and individuals, she embodies the truth that this world is ours to design and redesign. She assists women to "challenge outdated systems" and "create a legacy on their own terms."

Davis continues, “These women model leadership that's intentional, authentic, and deeply human. They prove that you don't need a platform or title to create lasting change. By recognizing them, we validate different paths to power and inspire other women to see their own impact and potential.”

The Trailblazer Award for Power Tool #2, Define Your Own Terms, goes to Dr. Winter A. Okoth, PhD, ScM, a globally recognized infectious disease scientist. Through her nonprofit, PAKEMA, and groundbreaking malaria research, she proves that breaking barriers isn't just personal—it's a catalyst for generational change across Africa and beyond.

“The #Trailblazer award @takeleadwomen goes to @WinterOkoth bc, “Through her nonprofit, PAKEMA, and groundbreaking malaria research, she proves that breaking barriers isn’t just personal—it’s a catalyst for generational change across Africa and beyond.””

The significance of each champion “ means they’ve stopped waiting for permission to lead. Mastering a power tool means you’ve internalized a practice that shifts how you move, speak, decide, and advocate — not just for yourself, but for others. It’s a leadership muscle, not a moment,” says Davis, who will be presenting the Champion awards at the Power Up Conference.

The Maximizer Award for Power Tool #3, Use What You've Got, goes to Elisabeth Ness, an award-winning filmmaker who maximizes resources to create meaningful change. She leveraged her network to crowdfund "Lady Kings of Texas," inspiring others to pursue their own projects. Her more than 65 productions through Good Porpoise Productions and viral series "Redheads Anonymous" prove that creators don't need studio backing to make impact—just creativity, community, and the courage to use what they’ve got.

“Maximizer Power Tool Award @takeleadwomen goes to Elisabeth Ness, an award-winning #filmmaker who maximizes resources to create meaningful change. @Redheadsanon ”

“Every Power Tool champion represents countless other women doing similar work who deserve to be seen, celebrated, and reminded that their contributions matter. That's why these awards aren't just recognition—they're a statement about the kind of leadership our world needs more of,” Davis explains.

The Disruptor Award for Power Tool #4, Embrace Controversy, is awarded to Joy Donnell, cultural strategist, writer, co-founder of CIME and author of "Beyond Brand" and "Show Us Your Fire." Donnell’s award-winning fiction and documentary work disrupt false binaries while creating space for Black aliveness and complexity. In a world of spectacle, she rewires what we think power, freedom, and futures can be—from the inside out.

Through CIME, she examines how narratives shape beliefs, and her fiction "resists dystopia" while "disrupting the false binary between ecology and intimacy." Her work doesn't just embrace controversy - it transforms it into liberation.

“Power Tool Champion Awards deliberately shine light on the unsung leaders—the quiet powerhouses, the behind-the-scenes changemakers, the women who are creating real impact without PR teams or personal brands. These are the leaders who embody the Power Tools in their daily work, often without even realizing how extraordinary their approach is.”

The Change Catalyst Award for Power Tool #5, Carpe the Chaos, goes to Kathy Jefferson, artist, advocate, Chair of Tempe Commission on Disability Concerns and founder of a nonprofit for mothers of special needs children. Jefferson turns personal adversity into community change as her advocacy for body acceptance in the art world and accessibility across generations proves that chaos isn't something to avoid, but rather to transform into lasting change..

“#Carpethe Chaos Power Tool award @takeleadwomen goes to Kathy Jefferson, Chair of Tempe Commission on #Disability Concerns, as her #advocacy proves that chaos isn’t something to avoid, but rather to transform into lasting change. #powerup”

This Power Tool offers important lessons for not just personal change, but possible cultural transformation. “Because traditional leadership frameworks often assume everyone starts from the same place with the same access and opportunities. Power Tools give women across all backgrounds and industries a practical language and structure for claiming power authentically,” Davis says.

The Truth Seeker Award for Power Tool #6, Wear the Shirt, is awarded to Dr. Tanu Ghosh, director, author, and Intel’s Global Diversity and Inclusion Advocate Award winner. With her award-winning books and Her Rights Inc. nonprofit, Ghosh has made gender and social justice "the central pillar of existence" in both personal and professional domains. As winner of the Laadli Media Award, she embodies change, wearing her convictions as both strategy and birthright.

“The 9 Leadership Power Tools help women define success on their own terms rather than adapting to existing models; build influence strategically instead of waiting to be recognized; create movements and drive change from wherever they are; and transform challenges into competitive advantages,” says Davis.

The Movement Maker Awards, Power Tool #7, Create a Movement, has two winners. The first is Tammy Bosse, eco-entrepreneur who creates movements that merge business success with environmental stewardship. As a three-time "Best Green Realtor" winner and solar consultant, she transforms how people think about sustainable living. From serving as VP of Arizona Green Chamber of Commerce to her appointment as Scottsdale Environmental Advisory Commissioner, Bosse orchestrates large-scale change by connecting ecosystem health to economic prosperity—proving that living in concert with the earth is both profitable and essential.

The second winner of this award is Dr. Joel Martin, global transformational leadership expert who has impacted lives across 13 nations over 30 years. As founder of Positively Powerful Development Corp. and creator of education summits, she specializes in fostering unity, inclusion, and belonging in municipalities and corporations. Her genius lies in building movements that don't just change policies—they transform hearts and minds, creating sustainable cultures where diversity isn't just welcomed but celebrated as essential for success.

What these changemakers do is take the Power Tools and put them to good use. According to Davis, “These aren't theoretical concepts—they're actionable strategies that work whether you're navigating corporate boardrooms, entrepreneurial ventures, nonprofit leadership, or any space where your voice and vision matter.”

The Influencer Award, Power Tool #8, Employ Every Medium is awarded to Michelle Genece Patterson, Peabody and six-time Emmy Award-winning content innovator at MindFire Productions. For 18 years, she led CNN Heroes, a global campaign that redefined philanthropy and empowered everyday changemakers. Drawing from her Haitian heritage and elite education, she bridges worlds through authentic narratives that inspire action. She created a "cross-platform, multi-network, global initiative" that leveraged high-profile talent, social media, streaming, and traditional television.

Patterson’s global approach brings attention to voices through authentic storytelling, and embodies her ability to influence so many, an exemplary example of the Power Tools’ reach. According to Davis, “They're universal principles that honor the reality that women's leadership journeys aren't linear, predictable, or one-size-fits-all. Power Tools meet women where they are and give them concrete ways to step into their full potential—regardless of industry, background, or career stage.”

“@Takeleawomen 9 Leadership Power Tools “meet women where they are and give them concrete ways to step into their full potential—regardless of industry, background, or career,” Felicia Davis, founder, Black Women’s Collective. #leadership #women #genderparity ”

The Activator Award, Power Tool #9, Tell Your Story, is given to Anise Fuller, a filmmaker, Board Director for Alliance of Women Directors and Events Chair for Black Directors Advancement Initiative. Fuller’s production company, Walk by Faith Productions, uses her story as a single mother and entertainment entrepreneur to drive industry-wide change. With an EMBA from Howard University, Fuller fuels her mission to increase diversity behind the camera, proving that authentic storytelling and lived experience are the most powerful tools for systemic change.

What this award means in the larger scope of all the Power Tools Champions is “they’ve stopped waiting for permission to lead. Mastering a power tool means you’ve internalized a practice that shifts how you move, speak, decide, and advocate — not just for yourself, but for others. It’s a leadership muscle, not a moment,” says Davis.

Davis explains the critical importance of celebrating the Power Tool Champions at this moment in history and particularly on Women’s Equality Day. “Every time I witness a Power Tool champion share their story, I’m reminded that power is not distant — it’s already in us,” Davis says.

“These women don’t just master tools, they multiply them by leading openly and boldly. Elevating their voices is my way of expanding the blueprint for what power can sound like, feel like, and look like.”

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About the Author

Michele Weldon is editorial director of Take The Lead, an award-winning author, journalist, emerita faculty in journalism at Northwestern University and a senior leader with The OpEd Project. @micheleweldon www.micheleweldon.com

You Are The Champions: How The 9 Leadership Power Tools Change Lives

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