Positively Powerful names 2026 Woman Awards honorees for Phoenix conference

Positively Powerful announced four 2026 Woman Awards honorees, plus new corporate and ally awards, ahead of its 17th annual conference on Oct. 9 in Phoenix. The event marks the group’s Next Genesis push as it expands from an annual celebration into year-round nonprofit programming.

Why it matters: - Positively Powerful is using its 2026 conference to expand beyond recognition into year-round leadership development through Positively Powerful Development Corporation. - The awards spotlight leaders in justice, education, economic development and technology, with a focus on women’s advancement and corporate allyship. - The Oct. 9 event also aligns with the 100th anniversary of the George Washington Carver Museum & Cultural Center.

What happened: - Positively Powerful announced four 2026 Woman Awards honorees ahead of the 17th Annual Positively Powerful Education Summit & Woman Awards Conference. - The conference is set for Oct. 9, 2026, at the George Washington Carver Museum & Cultural Center in Phoenix. - The honorees are The Honorable Carol Scott Berry, Dr. Sharon Lamm-Hartman, Dr. Mónica S. Villalobos and Dr. Barbara H. Whye. - The organization also introduced three new awards recognizing corporate leadership and allyship.

The details: - Carol Scott Berry will receive the Positively Powerful Woman Leader of Justice Award. - Berry is a retired judge and founding member of Arizona Lawyers for Equal Justice. - Berry has been inducted into the Maricopa County Bar Association Hall of Fame and the Council on Legal Education Opportunity Hall of Fame. - Sharon Lamm-Hartman will receive the Positively Powerful Woman Education Leadership Award. - Lamm-Hartman is president and CEO of Inside Out Learning and author of The Authenticity Code. - Mónica S. Villalobos will receive the Positively Powerful Woman Visionary Leadership Award. - Villalobos is president and CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. - Villalobos focuses on entrepreneurship, economic opportunity and business growth through capital, resources, relationships and access. - Barbara H. Whye will receive the Positively Powerful Woman Technology Leadership Award. - Whye is an engineer, board director and technology executive with experience at Intel and Apple. - Whye’s work centers on technology, artificial intelligence, leadership and ethics. - Southwest Airlines will receive the inaugural National Corporate Leadership Award. - Salt River Project will receive the inaugural Regional Corporate Leadership Award. - Both companies are being honored for long-standing support of the program before PPDC was formed. - Eddie Johnson will receive the inaugural Positively Powerful Ally Award. - Johnson is an NBA legend, former Phoenix Suns player and television analyst. - Johnson has raised more than $3 million for Helping Hands for Single Moms to support college degrees for single mothers. - The conference will include two Education Summit conversations: Women Leading AI, Technology & STEM and Certifications & Corporate Connections. - The event is designed to bring together corporate executives, entrepreneurs, educators, civic leaders and community changemakers. - Registration is available at bit.ly/17thPosPowConf. - The event runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Positively Powerful Development Corporation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on empowering women through education and transformational leadership development. - The organization says its mission is to acknowledge women’s accomplishments in ways that help all people live their dreams and improve lives and businesses.

Between the lines: - Founder Dr. Joel P. Martin is framing the event as a transition from a single awards program into a broader nonprofit platform. - The new corporate and ally awards signal that Positively Powerful wants to reward institutions and men who support women’s advancement, not only individual honorees. - The AI, STEM and corporate-connection sessions suggest the conference is leaning into practical career and business outcomes, not just celebration.

What’s next: - Positively Powerful said the Next Genesis effort will roll out over the coming months and years as the movement expands. - The Oct. 9 conference will serve as the public launch point for that broader push. - More recognition and partnership programming is expected through PPDC’s year-round nonprofit work.

The bottom line: - Positively Powerful is turning a signature awards event into a larger platform for leadership, access and corporate partnership.