Alumnae Association Awards

2021 Distinguished Alumna Award

Audrey Taylor Gonzalez 1957

Six-time author; adventurer; art gallery owner; cancer survivor; TV host; FBI Citizen’s Academy graduate; rock climber, rappeler, paraglider, and zipliner; flower design judge; Camino del Santiago Compostela trekker; equestrienne and racehorse breeder; fashion editor and art critic; stakeholder in the first woman-owned professional bull riders outfit; needlepointer of 120 bears for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; world traveler; first woman to be ordained in Uruguay; tiger tracker and elephant rider; police precinct chaplain and founder of support for policewomen dealing with cancer; volunteer at Mother Teresa’s Hospital for the Destitute and Dying in Calcutta; Commissioner of the Tenn. Commission on Childhood and Youth and Commissioner of the Consortium for Juvenile Court; recipient of countless awards including “Twelve Women of the Century in Uruguay”; selected by women journalists in Uruguay as one of seven “Viejas Bravas” (which means “brave old women”), probation officer for abused children, Founder of Juvenile Detention Alternative program in Memphis.

Is your head spinning yet? 

Sustaining such unflagging service to others and inquisitive seeking seems unimaginable, but even at the tender age of 83, Audrey Taylor Gonzales is still going, doing, helping. Out of the incredible amalgam of talents, accomplishments, and passions that make up Audrey’s life, one theme emerges: a joyful embrace of life, making deep human connections from the world’s most marginalized to the Pope. She truly lives the words “What we keep we lose; only what we give remains our own,” and we are proud beyond the telling to call her one of our own.


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

    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
    Sally 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

2021 Distinguished Young Alumna Award

Elaine Minor 2002

For more than a decade, Elaine Minor, class of 2002, has worked to support and counsel underserved children in the Richmond community. After earning her master’s degree in education in school counseling, Elaine worked in Richmond Public Schools, then worked as a school group counselor and later as the Youth and Community Outreach Coordinator for Full Circle Grief Center, a nonprofit that provides bereavement counseling to children, adults, and families. It was during her work at Full Circle that Elaine began partnering with the Richmond Police Department (RPD) on outreach work with underserved youth. For five years she has served as Program Manager for L.I.F.E. (Law Enforcement Intervention Focused on Education), a program aimed at reducing the number of juvenile arrests in the city of Richmond. Facilitators from the Richmond Police Department like Elaine lead sessions for at-risk youth to address their challenges and to empower them to achieve success. 

In addition to her work with the RPD, Elaine volunteers with various nonprofits supporting Richmond’s at-risk and underserved children. She is a member of the Board of Young Professionals of Greater Richmond SCAN (Stop Child Abuse Now). As a trained volunteer with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Elaine serves as an advocate for abused or neglected children who end up in the care of social services. Gathering valuable information to assist judges in making decisions about placement and permanency, CASA volunteers help to reduce the time children spend in the court system and/or foster care and serve as their voice.

She is also Board Chair for REAL LIFE, a local organization that supports those impacted by incarceration, homelessness, or substance use disorder, helping them to overcome their challenges and get on the path to a “thriving life.” Of her work with REAL LIFE, Elaine says, “I believe in second chances. Life is full of challenges, and too often individuals who are struggling with addiction, mental health, and trauma find themselves in an ugly cycle where they are in and out of prison because they are unable to get the support they need. REAL LIFE’s holistic approach prepares individuals for a successful second chance with comprehensive support.” Elaine has helped foster meaningful connections between REAL LIFE clients and RPD police officers. By gaining perspective into clients’ lives, officers are better able to act with compassion and empathy in their law enforcement work. Similarly, these connections allow REAL LIFE clients to be more trusting and empathic toward the officers, resulting in better community relationships.

Echoing the tenet of service to others that is fundamental to our School Motto, Elaine says, “I am passionate about helping others and promoting resiliency in the community. To do this, I work to advocate for underserved youth and families who lack access to resources. With the belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to achieve personal success, I am dedicated to creating an even playing field for all.” 

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

    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)

2021 Outstanding Service Award

Tyler Bird Paul 1977

Tyler was a 13-year girl. The 1977 Quair lists her pursuits in various sports and organizations, including the mysteriously named “Lounge Club” in her senior year.  Lounging is not something anyone who knows her would say was in Tyler’s DNA. An inveterate walker, she has by now worn holes in the sidewalks of Grove Avenue and Virginia Beach, always impeccably dressed and coiffed as if she is headed to a cocktail party. A self-taught artist, she has quietly given of her talents to family and friends and even painted, at the School’s request, a watercolor of Ellett, Bacot, and Washington Halls that was sent to boarding alumnae following the School’s decision to end the boarding program in 2008.   

Tyler is that most precious and rare of “Birds” — a dream volunteer and one whose actions are always louder than her soft spoken words. She joined the Richmond Alumnae Board in 1989 and served as its president in 1990-1992. She has worked countless reunions and phonathons, served on reunion committees and hosted her class reunion. Upon the retirement of School Archivist Virginia Jones in 2000, Tyler was a shoo-in successor. Like her predecessor, Tyler is organized, detail-oriented, conscientious to a fault, and devoted to St. Catherine’s. To clinch the deal, she also possesses perfect, distinctive handwriting like Virginia. The Archives grew, flourished and became infinitely more accessible under Tyler’s watch. It was to the School’s everlasting benefit that Tyler remained in this role for 12 years, even jumping in to assume the duties of Alumnae Director for several months in 2002.

While St. Catherine’s has claimed the large preponderance of Tyler’s time, talent, and treasure, she has also blessed other organizations with her attention, including St. James’s Episcopal Church, where she has been a vestry member and supporter of Children’s Christian Education. Following the death of her beloved son Buck in 2012, Tyler, her husband Ray, and their daughter Margaret ’07 became very involved with the American Society for Suicide Prevention, “with hope that they can honor Buck's life by heightening public awareness of depression and suicide, eliminating the stigmas attached, researching causes and cures, helping other families in their bereavement, and saving the precious lives of countless others.” It says everything about Tyler that she took an unimaginable heartbreak and turned it into service to others. Throughout her life, Tyler has remained a stalwart supporter of our School. 

Tyler is the epitome of "What we keep we lose; only what we give remains our own,” and the very deserving recipient of the 2022 Outstanding Service Award. 


The Adelaide Rawles Flippen '30 Outstanding Service Award

The Adelaide Rawles 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. 

List of 1 items.

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

    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
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