It was a "red carpet" affair when BPW/North Sarasota hosted their annual H'attitude Scholarship Luncheon and Hat Show at The Grove in Lakewood Ranch on Saturday, May 29, 2021.  Pictured are Women of the Year, Diane Gaines and Angie Stringer, with president, Deanna Manigo.

Our 2021 Women of the Year were Diane Gaines and Angie Stringer. Diane has been employed by the Sarasota County School District for 41 years and works as a supervisor in the transportation department. She is a certified trainer and parent-student liaison and has been an advocate for the children she comes in contact with, both on and off the job. She plans to retire in December of this year. Gaines has been a member of Bethel CME Church for 54 years and serves on the Trustee Board, the Willing Workers Club and is a member of the Voices of Praise choir. She serves on the board of Booker High School’s Advisory Committee and is a board member of the Boys & Girls Club.

Angie has been president and CEO of Girls Inc. of Sarasota County since August 2015. She has more than 21 years of experience in the non-profit sector, including direct program supervision, program development, strategic planning, staff management, fiscal planning, fundraising, and marketing. Girls Inc. of Sarasota earned the 2019 Outstanding National Girls Inc. Affiliate Award and received an Expansion Grant from National Girls Inc. in 2017 to expand programs into local schools and community centers. Girls, Inc. currently serves 17 schools and the Sarasota Housing Authority. Stringer is a past president of the Junior League of Sarasota, and has been a board member since 2007. She is also a member of the Association of Fundraising Professions, past president of the Sarasota County Literacy Alliance, and on the advisory committee of SCOPE – Sarasota County Openly Planning for Excellence.