The 2023 Women of Distinction event honored Lesli McGee, Chief Strategy Officer and Senior Vice President of the Continuum of Care, and Octavia Williams Blake, Chief Human Resources Officer and Senior Vice President, with the 2023 Mary Dean Brewer Women of Distinction award. Donna Isgett, CEO and President of McLeod Health, served as emcee for the event.

The annual Women of Distinction event is a recognition and fundraising dinner of the Girl Scouts that celebrates and honors outstanding women for their professional accomplishments, service to others, and impact on their community. Each year, the Girl Scouts call upon the public to help identify women who exemplify excellence both through their professional achievements as well as their community volunteerism. Honorees are chosen based on four criteria: professional/community leadership, professional/ community service, strong role model for girls and community visibility.

Over the past 25 years, several leaders with McLeod Health have been honored with the Mary Dean Brewer Women of Distinction award including Donna Isgett, Barbara Brooks, Sandra Bridgers, Marie Saleeby, Beverly Hazelwood, Dr. Carol Adams, Jill Bramblett and Jumana Swindler.

In 1998, Mary Dean Brewer, former Vice President of McLeod Regional Medical Center and Girl Scout, had the idea of honoring women who have taken the principles and values they learned in Girl Scouting and applied them successfully in their adult and professional lives.  She saw an opportunity to increase awareness of women leaders, while helping raise funds for an organization she loved. After Mary Dean’s passing, this event was renamed in her memory and it has continued to grow and thrive for 25 years.

McGee and Williams Blake, the 2023 recipients, were honored for carrying on the fine example and wonderful tradition set by Mary Dean Brewer.