2009 Marie Arana
Award-Winning Author
Journalist
2008 Teresa Woodruff
Professor, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University
Professor, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University
Director of the Institute of Women's Health Research, Northwestern University
2007 Nancy Gustafson
Opera Singer
Artist-in-Residence, Northwestern University
2006 Christine Brennan
Sports Writer
Author
2005 Carole Segal
Co-founder, Crate & Barrel
Founder, Foodstuffs
2004 Martha Lavey
Artistic Director, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
2003 Lois Weisberg
Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs
2002 Laura Washington
Print and Broadcast Journalist
2001 Barbara Gaines
Founder and Artistic Director, Chicago Shakespeare Theater
2000 Augusta Reed Thomas
Composer-in-Residence, Chicago Symphony
1999 Mary Zimmerman
Director
Playwright
MacArthur Genius Grant Award Recipient
1998 The Founding Members and Original Professors of the Northwestern Alumnae Continuing Education Program
1997 Grace Bumbry
Opera Star
1996 Geneva Overholser
Newspaper Executive, The Washington Post
1995 Jeanette Wagner
President and CEO, Estee Lauder International
1994 Lynn Nesbit
Partner, Janklow & Nesbit
Literary Agent, Janklow & Nesbit
State Department Spokesperson
1992 Sondra Gair
Public Radio Host
1990 Nancy Dussault
Actress
Singer
Talk Show Host
1989 Sherry Lansing
Hollywood Film Producer
1988 Wendy Lee Gramm
Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chair
1987 Neena Schwartz
Deering Professor of Neurobiology and Physiology, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University
1986 Lois Wille
Pulitzer Prize Winner
Journalist
1985 Barbara Uehling
Chancellor, University of Missouri
1984 Maria Comnineau
Civil Engineer
1983 Mable Smythe
Ambassador
Educator
Author
Lecturer
1982 Ardis Krainik
Director, Lyric Opera of Chicago
1981 Georgie Anne Geyer
Journalist
Author
Columnist
1980 Patricia Neal
Actress
1979 Olga Jonnasson
Physician, Cook County Hospital Chief of Surgery
1978 Carole Kamin Bellows
Attorney
President, Illinois Bar Association
1977 Joan Beck
Journalist
Columnist
1976 Lee Phillip
Television Personality
Updated January 7, 2010.