The Birmingham Urban League recently honored Birmingham female leaders at the 2022 Empower Her Awards Show.

“The purpose of the Empower Her Awards Show is exactly in the title,” said Kelli Solomon, vice president of Operations and Programs. “We look forward to honoring the women who do so much in the local community. These women are local leaders, businesswomen and even your local community members.”

The awards show, hosted by TeAndria Ellis, also recognized the 2021 recipients after last year’s ceremony was held virtually because of the pandemic.

“The women honored last year didn’t receive an in-person experience like the women this year did … so we wanted to make sure they were included,” Solomon said. “The future of this show is looking strong. We are looking forward to keeping the good works of highlighting our community’s leadership and good deeds, as well as keeping the community engaged as we keep the awards show fresh and exciting.”

Kerri Pruitt (contributed)

The 2022 award recipients are:

Key Community Contributor, Kerri Pruitt

Pruitt is an author and entrepreneur. She is the founder and executive director of The Dannon Project, a nonprofit organization serving multiple elevated-risk people including adults and youths, unemployed, underemployed, undereducated, homeless and previously incarcerated people returning from prison or jail.

Under Pruitt’s leadership, the White House in 2016 recognized The Dannon Project as one of the four most “effective career readiness programs in the nation.” In 2019, Pruitt was invited to speak in Washington, D.C., on behalf of the First Steps Act legislation. In 2022, Pruitt and The Dannon Project hosted U.S. Secretary of Labor Martin Walsh while he made an announcement about increasing wages for federal contractors.

Kimberly Alexander (contributed)

Outstanding Leadership, Kimberly Alexander

Alexander is a Bessemer City Council member in the city where she was born and raised. Alexander is a registered nurse with more than 14 years of experience. She was a health care provider in New York City, taking care of patients with COVID-19 and working 12-hour shifts.

Alexander is a member of New Jerusalem Baptist Church. Her community involvement includes Dunbar Abrams Alumni and Save the Youth.

April Benetollo (contributed)

Women’s Empowerment, April Benetollo

Benetollo joined Momentum as chief executive officer in 2017 with a vision to expand opportunities to advance women in leadership. Prior to joining Momentum, Benetollo was senior vice president of marketing at Daxko, a market leader in software for the health and wellness industry. As an original member of the Daxko leadership team, Benetollo’s 16-year tenure included positions in general management, marketing, sales, product strategy, human resources and career development.

Benetollo is a frequent public speaker on leadership development, employee engagement, healthy teams, inclusive culture and emotional intelligence. She is a founding board member of TechAlabama and is on the Marketing and Sales Advisory Board for the UAB Collat School of Business, the Bronze Valley Board of Directors and the Mixtroz Advisory Board. In 2019, Benetollo was named “Woman to Watch in 2020” by the Birmingham Business Journal.

Myla Calhoun (file)

Outstanding Leadership, Myla Calhoun

Calhoun is vice president of the Birmingham Division for Alabama Power, where she is responsible for the company’s economic and community development, and external affairs activities for more than 430,000 customers across six counties in north central Alabama.

Calhoun most recently was president of the Alabama Power Foundation and vice president of Charitable Giving for Alabama Power, awarding grants to Alabama nonprofits, education institutions and community organizations. She is on the boards of directors for Children’s of Alabama, the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, Opportunity Alabama, Ed Farm, the Birmingham Museum of Art, Indian Springs School, the United Way of Central Alabama and the Birmingham Business Alliance.

Martha Reeves Cook (contributed)

President’s Award, Judge Martha Reeves Cook

Cook has served the people and businesses of Jefferson County as a District Court judge since March 2019, when Gov. Kay Ivey appointed her to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge John Amari. Upon winning the primary election and general elections in 2020, Cook continues to serve for a full six-year term. Prior to becoming a judge, Cook practiced civil law and mediated cases, mostly real estate-related, for almost 23 years.

Cook has held various leadership roles in the legal community, including chair of the Diversity and Inclusivity Committee of the Birmingham Bar Association and Chair of the Dispute Resolution Section of the Alabama State Bar. She continues to serve on the executive boards for the Alabama State Bar and the Birmingham Bar Association’s women’s sections.

Martha May Ophelia Moon-Tucker (contributed)

Lifetime Achievement, Martha May Ophelia Moon-Tucker

Tucker has been a tireless advocate encouraging Blacks to register to vote, reminding them of their right to vote and applauding them for fighting for change with their vote.

She has witnessed a number of firsts in Birmingham politics. She witnessed Arthur Shores becoming the first Black on the Birmingham City Council, Carole Smitherman becoming the first Black woman on the Birmingham City Council and Richard Arrington Jr. becoming the first Black mayor of Birmingham. Her dream became a reality when she witnessed the United States elect a Black president in Barack Obama. And recently she cast a vote for a woman to become vice president in Kamala Harris.

Dana ‘Lady Woo’ Woodruff (contributed)

People’s Choice (winner): Dana ‘Lady Woo’ Woodruff

Woodruff has been heard on Birmingham radio for 15 years and is now on V94.9 WATV. She is the creator and host of the award-winning “Vital Show” that discusses people, places, things and initiatives that are relevant to the listening audience. Woo is the founder of Vital Entertainment and Media Associates, a company created to capture the arts through service, community events, consulting and partnerships.

She is director of the Mental and Behavioral Health Program at The Dannon Project and owner and operator of Vital Life Family Counseling.

Deanna ‘Dee’ Reed (contributed)

People’s Choice (nominee): Deanna ‘Dee’ Reed

Reed was born and raised in Birmingham but has made the world her workspace. A seasoned organizer and political operative, Reed specializes in voter engagement, mobilization and grassroots organizing. She leads in the development and implementation of community-based initiatives to enhance people’s quality of life through accessibility and advocacy.

Reed has worked in media outlets in the Birmingham and Tuscaloosa area. Not long after graduating from Miles College with a bachelor’s degree in public relations and journalism, she became marketing/promotions director for WBHJ 95.7 Jamz and WALJ 105.1 Jamz, where she used her platform in radio to support and advocate for young people, families and seniors.

2021 award recipients

• Social Justice and Advocacy, Celida Soto.
• Community Impact and Support, Kelly Klehm.
• Community Impact, Star Robb.
• Key Community Contributor, Sara Newell.
• Community Influence, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell.
• Community Empowerment, Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Tyson.
• Outstanding Leader on Corporate Platform, Bobbie Knight.

This story originally was published by The Birmingham Times.