Alumnae Association Awards

2023 Distinguished Alumna Award

Barbara Tiane Mitchell-Gordon 1973 (posthumous)

Tiane's sister, Minerva Mitchell '78, accepted the award on her behalf

Fifty years ago, among the Class of 1973 carrying the Daisy Chain were the first two African American students to graduate from St. Catherine’s, one of whom was Barbara Tiane Mitchell-Gordon. Sadly, after a life distinguished by professional achievement and community contributions in diversity and inclusivity in education, employment, and business, Tiane passed away in 2020 from cancer. We were honored to have Tiane’s sister, Minerva Mitchell ’78, accept the 2023 Distinguished Alumna Award on behalf of Tiane Mitchell-Gordon.

A boarder from North Carolina, Tiane attended St. Catherine’s from 10th-12th grade. An excellent student, she went on to Wesleyan University, graduating with honors in 1977 followed by post-graduate studies at Trinity College (USA), She continued professional development through the University of Michigan Ross School of Business Executive Education and American Management Association.

Tiane’s long career in human resources began at Newfield Publications, publisher of Weekly Reader, and at Aetna Life & Casualty. Subsequently she served as the Diversity Expert-in-Residence for both East Carolina University and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. She also served on the board of Women in Community Service (WICS), a national nonprofit organization whose goal is to reduce the number of women and children living in poverty by promoting economic independence.

A fifteen-year career at AOL culminated in her appointment as Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, heading the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, where she managed initiatives to foster inclusive attitudes and opportunities among all employees. Tiane also served as chair of AOL's Diversity Leadership Action Team, dedicated to shaping an AOL culture that respects diversity and promotes inclusion in the workplace as well as in the marketplace. The Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) named her one of the 100 Global Thought Leaders in Diversity & Inclusion. Upon leaving AOL, Tiane founded Square One Consulting, focused on the impact of diversity and inclusion on human resources management, organizational development and strategy formulation.

In the decades following graduation, Tiane maintained her ties with St. Catherine’s, serving as a class correspondent, assisting with Reunions, speaking at Career Day and serving on the Board of Governors. In the latter role, her guidance and input led to the hiring of the School’s first Director of Diversity. A theater lover, Tiane also served on the board of directors of a D.C.-area playwrights collective, The Welders, an alternative platform for play development and production. Tiane positively touched many lives. In an interview, another Human Resources professional named her as the most important mentor in their career, aside from their own father. We are proud to name Tiane Mitchell-Gordon as the 2023 Distinguished Alumna Award recipient.

Distinguished Alumna Award

The Distinguished Alumna Award was established by the Ellett-St. Catherine’s Alumnae Association in 1969 to honor, annually, an alumna who has helped to make her city, state or world a better place by giving of her talents in the true spirit of the school motto: What we keep, we lose; only what we give remains our own. The award is intended to honor a St. Catherine’s alumna who has distinguished herself in her field, either as a professional or as a community volunteer, and who is an outstanding example of what one can achieve when grounded in the St. Catherine’s experience.

From suffragists, dramatists, artists and writers to preservationists, ministers, lawyers, doctors and entrepreneurs, St. Catherine’s distinguished alumnae from every decade have exemplified the school motto through their good works and generous spirit around the world.

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Past Recipients of the Distinguished Alumna Award

2023
Barbara Tiane Mitchell-Gordon 1973 (posthumous)

2022
Audrey Taylor Gonzalez 1957

2021
Catherine Currin Hammond 1971

2020
Nell Cox 1955

2019
Katherine Swtiz 1989

2018
Yiota Souras 1988

2017
Jane Hyde Williams 1967

2016
Louise Jenkins Maybank 1956

2015
Margaret "Mimsy" Wood Jones 1955
Anne "Panny" Gregory Rhodes 1960

2014
Kimberly Lichtenberg 1994
Katherine Short Clarke 1949

2013
Meridith Leigh Rentz 1988

2012
Helen Turner Murphy 1952
Mary Zayde (“Bucci”) Rennolds Zeugner 1977

2011
Geline Bowman Williams 1941
Liz Gilbert 1986

2010
Ann Reeves Reed 1950

2009
Louise Lewis Foster 1959
Elizabeth McMillan Hagood 1979

2008
Dina Farley Foster 1983

2007
Sally Womack Hruska 1957
Betty Baugh Harrison 1977

2006
Sue Walden Wieland 1956

2005
Frances Johnson Lee-Vandell 1960

2004
Kate Harwood Gooch 1959
Nathalie Ward 1969

2003
Janet Patton Lewis 1938
Dorothy Robertson Parrish 1938

2002
Anne Stanley Chatham 1937

2001
Betty Bowe Wallace Hendrix 1946
Sally James Michel 1956

2000
Penny Baldwin Williams 1955

1999
Gene Davidson Dahmen 1959
Gene Brumfield Edmunds 1959

1998
Ada Gaye Gregory 1988

1997
Margaret Davison Block 1950

1996
Eliza Scott Nevin 1966

1995
Pamela Tucker 1966

1994
Minnie Bassett Lane 1949
Jane Bassett Spilman 1949

1992
Ella-Prince Trimmer Knox 1952

1991
Pocahontas Wight Edmunds 1921

1988
Anne Whitfield Kenny 1951

1987
Jean Staples Showalter 1930
Margaret Ferguson Gibson 1962
Caroline Armistead Riely 1962

1984
Viola Hubbard Woolfolk 1939

1983
Mary Tyler Freeman Cheek 1933

1975
Lee Smith 1963
Elizabeth Davenport Hayter 1948
Carolyn Buhrman Nettleton 1941

1974
Molly Haskell 1957
Carolyn McCue Osteen 1960
Mary Allen McCue (Honorary 1959)

1973
Fanny Graves Crenshaw 1908
Annie Leigh Hobson Broughton 1926
Cynthia Ann Billings 1950

1972
Mary Caperton Bingham 1923
Florence Turner McCullough 1940
Vienna Cobb Anderson 1953

1971
Anna Hill Johnstone Robinson 1930
Fortunata Sydnor Trapnell Vanderschmidt 1947
Katharine Kniskern Mather 1932

1970
Frances Laughlin Wadsworth 1927
Elinor Fry Phillips 1920
Edith O’Keefe Susong 1909
Nancy Langhorne Cone 1944

1969
Adele Clark 1901
Mary Wingfield Scott 1913
Natalie McFaden Blanton 1913
Emma Gray White Trigg 1909

2023 Distinguished Young Alumna Award

Vaughan Gallins Gilmore 2003

Vaughan Gallins Gilmore ’03 is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, and Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners Board-Approved Supervisor.

Vaughan was a 4-year boarder at St. Catherine’s, where she was involved in activities ranging from theatre, student activities and Altar Guild to serving as Student Ambassador co-head and Boarding Prefect.

With a 2007 bachelor’s in social work from Texas Christian University and a 2009 master’s in social work from the University of Texas at Arlington, Vaughan has specialized training in treating co-occurring addictive and mental health disorders for adults and adolescents. She has deep experience in group, individual, and family therapy interventions, and provides supervision, training, consultation, and presentations on a range of topics related to the assessment and treatment of substance use disorders for behavioral health and medical professionals.

As Director of Addiction and Recovery Services at Houston’s Menninger Clinic, one of the top-ranked psychiatric hospitals in the country, Vaughan led a team focused on providing integrated treatment and recovery support services for co-occurring psychiatric and addictive disorders.

Currently Vaughan is Chief Clinical Officer at Santa Maria Hostel, one of Texas’ largest multi-site residential and outpatient substance use disorder treatment centers for women. Santa Maria provides critical and life changing services for low-income and uninsured women age 18 and above and their children. These women face many challenges to their recovery, including histories of trauma, criminal justice and Children’s Protective Services involvement, and homelessness or housing instability. Santa Maria supports the entire family on their recovery journey using a Trauma Informed Care model. As a leader she has experience with clinical and staff supervision, program evaluation and development, multi-site management, implementing research outcome measures, and quality and training initiatives. Her professional interests include expanding access to recovery pathways and reducing stigma associated with addictive disorders.

Millie Graham Taylor ’03 shares, “Thinking back to our high school years, not only were Vaughan and I friends and roommates, but she always made me and others feel valued and important. I always felt like I could be my true self around her and I'm so thankful for those years. I'm not surprised that she has continued into a career based on relationships that encourage people to feel empowered and value themselves.”

A passionate crusader focused on empowering others, we are delighted to present the 2023 Distinguished Young Alumna award to Vaughan Gallins Gilmore.

Distinguished Young Alumna Award

In honor of St. Catherine's 125th Anniversary, the Distinguished Young Alumna Award was established by the Alumnae Association to recognize an alumna who is celebrating a 20th reunion or younger. The award is given to an alumna who has demonstrated distinction through her volunteer work or through her leadership, achievements and accomplishments in her career or community.

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Past Recipients of the Young Alumna Award

2023
Vaughan Gallins Gilmore 2003

2022
Elaine Minor 2002

2021
Anna Woodmansee 2011

2020
Elizabeth Redford 2005

2019
Julia Warren 2014

2018
Holly Ziskal Habimana 1998

2017
Darley C. Newman 1997

2016
Carrie D. Wortham 2008 (awarded posthumously)

Past Recipients of The Adelaide Rawles Goolsby Flippen '30 Outstanding Service Award

Helen Hamilton Horsley '83

Seldom does someone combine seamlessly the skills of a leader with a truly gentle, modest spirit. Helen is that person. Helen has been a steadfast and enthusiastic volunteer, leader and cheerleader for St. Catherine’s. She was a 13-year day student, and is a parent to three alumnae - Selina (class of 2013), and twins Margaret and Lily (class of 2016). Her service to the school, always joyously given, includes helping with her class Reunions and year upon year making calls for Annual Giving. Given her aptitude for drawing people closer and getting the job done, she was invited to join the Richmond Alumnae Board and subsequently the Ellett-National Alumnae Board, where she tackled every duty as if there was nothing she would rather do. Helen was a member of the Board of Governors from 2016-2022, serving as Chair of the Development Committee. With a passion for and understanding of the importance of Health and Wellness for our School, Helen was instrumental in pushing these initiatives while she was on the Board.

She’s been a Daisy Days Volunteer (following in the footsteps of her mother, who co-chaired the first Daisy Days in the spring of 1977); participated with her family in the "Adopt-a-Boarder" Program; served as an Athletic Booster; a charter member of the planned giving group, The Arcade Society; a member of the 2016 Senior Parent Committee; she served on two campaign committees- the first in 2013, and most recently as the Chair of the largest capital Campaign in the School’s history, Unleashing Creativity, which has magnificently reimagined the southern third of campus, including Endeavour Hall where this award was conferred.

Although the list is long, it is the actions, not the titles, that set Helen apart. She never asks other volunteers to do anything she doesn’t do herself. She rolls up her sleeves and gets to work. She surprises members of the faculty and staff with words of support, and she pops in with treats or flowers from her garden to brighten their day. Helen’s 40th Reunion Weekend was the perfect time to recognize her for her decades of outstanding service to our School. Thank you to Helen for her support and love of St. Catherine’s.

The Adelaide Rawles Goolsby Flippen '30 Outstanding Service Award

The Adelaide Rawles Goolsby Flippen '30 Outstanding Service Award was created in 1994 to honor that individual (not necessarily an alumna) who shows an outstanding level of commitment and service to St. Catherine's School. The recipient will have spent a great deal of productive time, energy and thought in helping the school on a particular project or will have demonstrated continuing dedication to St. Catherine's over many years. This award will probably not be given to a present school employee. The presentation of the award normally takes place at Graduation.

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Past Recipients of The Adelaide Rawles Goolsby Flippen '30 Outstanding Service Award

2023
Helen Hamilton Horsley 1983

2022
Tyler Bird Paul 1977

2021
Sue Baldwin

2020
Anne Howell McElroy 1978

2019
Jean Hill Davenport 1958

2018
Chris Williams

2017
Missy Gullquist

2016
Dee Dee Butler Sutton 1976

2015
Lucy Stockdell

2014
Jean Cameron Grainger 1966

2013
Katherine MacNaughton Whitney 1975

2012
Elizabeth Cabell Jennings 1981

2011
Margaret and Dave Bloor

2010
Lang and Molly Gayle Meem 1973

2009
Jackie Wilkins

2008
Cal and George Jennison

2007
Gussie Johns Bannard 1973

2006
Susan Pfefferkorn 1973

2005
Annabel Morgan Edge 1964

2004
Bill Armstrong

2003
Mert Jones

2002
Jack Kenny

2001
Virginia Jones

2000
Frances Brown
Peggy Ross

1999
Wesley Wright, Jr.

1998
Mason New (awarded posthumously)

1997
Dixon Christian

1996
Ted Price

1995
Betty Molster

1994
Cabell Goolsby West 1964