Women of Tomorrow: Stark County and Beyond

Celebrate Women’s History Month by immersing yourself in the inspiring stories of influential women from our local area. They’ll be joining us at the Cultural Center for the Arts on March 21 at 6:30 pm in a special panel discussion to empower today’s young women.

Have you ever wondered how the women who live and work in Stark County overcame overwhelming odds and discovered their purpose in the world while paving a road to success? These women provide an abundance of motivation, drawing from their varied backgrounds and experiences in social services, business, and more!

Maureen Ater will lead this discussion. Maureen is the Incoming CEO of Arts in Stark. Previously she was the Vice President of Marketing and Development for Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio, one of the largest charitable organizations in Northeast Ohio. She also serves on the boards of the YMCA of Central Stark County, the Stark Education Partnership, and the Stark Library Foundation.

PANELISTS:

Michelle L. Cordova has been a judge with the Stark County Family Court since January 2023. She previously served as an Asisstant Prosecuting Attorney for 26 years in Stark and Summit County. She is currently the President of the Board of Directors of Refuge of Hope Ministries and serves meals to hungry men, women, and children on the weekends.

Lisa Grubbs is a Licensed Social Worker and Professional Clinical Counselor. Her career began as a crisis counselor at the Stark County Crisis Center. She founded Phoenix Rising Behavioral Healthcare and Recovery Inc. with a group of colleagues 18 years ago, beginning with 6 employees and 100 clients. Today, the organization employs 110 people and serves 7,500 clients.

Betty Smith founded Multi-Development Services of Stark County (MDS) in 1999, where she created programs for women and children in need of shelter, transitional housing, parenting classes, food assistance, and a neighborhood revitalization program. She funded and produced Canton Idol, Gospel Joins Symphony, and Downtown NuZone Festivals, as well as 20 years of hosting "On Track with Betty Mac" on the Canton City Schools TV Channel. Betty was inducted into the Senior Olympic Hall of Fame in 2013.

Cathy Wyatt has been the Owner/Operator of Carpe Diem Coffee Shop since November 2003. Previously she served as the Canton Palace Theatre President, Board Chair of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Race, and Board Member of the Canton Chamber of Commerce. Cathy is a current member of Women’s Impact and Aultman Women’s Board.

This program, brought to you by Stark Library and Women's Impact, Inc., is an excellent way to recognize the important role women play in society. We encourage you to spend Women's History Month at this inspiring event.