SC Women in Leadership announces the Honorable Nancy Gutierrez as 2024 Rising Star

Annual Leading Women Dinner Honors Women Who Have Blazed Trails in Civic Leadership

SC Women in Leadership (SC WIL) announced the Honorable Nancy Gutierrez, City of Hardeeville Municipal Judge, as their 2024 Rising Star honoree to be conferred at the annual Leading Women Dinner on September 24, 2024, at 701 Whaley Street in Columbia. SC WIL is a statewide multi-partisan organization working to empower women to lead in appointed and elected office through training, connections, and resources.

The Leading Women Dinner recognizes and celebrates South Carolina women who have stepped forward to seek elective (win or lose) and appointive office, honors women who have blazed trails in civic leadership, and builds a support network to encourage women to vie for civic leadership roles.

The Rising Star award is bestowed to a young civic leader between 25 and 45 years of age who demonstrates positivity, commitment to community, and resilience to bring South Carolinians together in a political climate that threatens to divide us. The award winner also must exhibit involvement in civic, charitable, and/or political organizations and a willingness to bring other women along, mentor, and otherwise support the advancement of women in leadership and live, work, and/or serve in South Carolina.

Judge Gutierrez is the first female Hispanic Judge for the City of  Hardeeville and Jasper County and has a history of dedication to public service, civic engagement, and bipartisan partnerships. As a municipal judge, and through her devotion to community service and commitment to working across party lines, she has improved the quality of life for the S.C. citizens she serves. She is a graduate of the Clemson University and University of SC Salkehatchie Leadership programs and serves as vice president of the Jasper County Chamber of Commerce, in addition to leading on numerous other judicial and non-profit boards and associations.

“Judge Gutierrez is a next generation woman leader for South Carolina, showcasing to young women across the state the positive impact that dedicated public service can achieve,” said Sara Ballard, SC WIL Executive Director. “She exemplifies SC WIL’s values of collaboration, integrity, and civility and we are proud to lift her up as our 2024 Rising Star.”

Justice Kaye Hearn was previously announced as their 2024 Leading Woman for her instrumental role in the consideration of qualified female candidates to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court of South Carolina and securing the unanimous election of the third female Justice in the history of the Court.

Additionally, S.C. State Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter was announced as the 2024 Leadership Legacy honoree. Widely respected on both sides of the aisle, the Honorable Gilda Cobb-Hunter is the longest-serving Representative in the South Carolina General Assembly and has made great strides in Orangeburg County and across the state.

All three of these women will be honored at The Leading Women Dinner which includes a reception at 6 p.m., followed by a seated dinner and awards ceremony beginning at 7 p.m. Guests at the sold-out event will include some 300 current and former female candidates, elected and appointed officials, and supporters of equal representation in civic leadership. Proceeds from the event support SC WIL’s mission of recruiting and training women to run for elective and appointive office in South Carolina.

 

About SC Women in Leadership

SC Women in Leadership (SC WIL) is a statewide multi-partisan group that empowers women to lead in elected and appointed office by providing training, connections, and resources. SC WIL’s vision is for South Carolina’s public leadership to be representative of the communities they serve.

SC WIL holds the following values:

1) Fostering partnerships and cooperative efforts to achieve common goals, emphasizes the importance of working together and sharing resources;

2) Building trust and credibility by consistently adhering to strong moral principles and ethical behavior throughout all aspects of our work;

3) Encouraging participation from across the political spectrum and focusing on representative leadership rather than party politics; and

4) Promoting open, respectful communication and embracing diverse perspectives, fostering a culture of understanding essential for a harmonious society.

Visit scwomenlead.net to learn more.

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