Notable Women

Poughkeepsie AAUW and Dutchess County
Notable Women

Poughkeepsie Branch AAUW, Inc. honors women each year in several ways. Below you will find a record of these awards:


1) Woman of Year

2) Poughkeepsie AAUW Honorees

Contribution to National AAUW are given in the name of  members with any length of tenure, awarded primarily for current/very recent activity. It is important to note, though, that recent activity might have a decades-long trail.

1968      Sarah Hook
1969      Patricia Cook, Virginia Torsone
1970      Catherine E. Hexel
1977      Phyllis McEnroe
1978      Eileen Drennan
1980      Harriet McGinnis
1981      Elizabeth Carter
1982      Margaret Nijhuis
1985      Joan Fay
1986      Thelma Morris
1989      Cleona Sprague
1990      Elva Kingston, Ethel Torgenson
1991      Betty Harrel
1992      Minerva Davis, Catherine Albanese
1993      Marilyn Hoe
1994      Phyllis Teasdale, Lila Mitchell
1995      Niki Saji, Dr. Kathleen Stafford
1996      Marilyn Hoe, Betty Harrel, Erin Teichman
1997      Nancy Smith
1998      Peggy Kelland,  Barbara Markell
1999      Cynthia Smith, Mary Cioko
2000      Mary King
2001      Ellenora Oberhofer, Laura Graceffa
2002      Catherine Kinn, Catherine Albanese, Phyllis Teasdale
2003      Cynthia Averill, Sandy Checklick, Klara Sauer
2004      Joan Fay, Margaret Nijhuis
2005      Barbara Hespenheide, Mary Lou Davis
2006      Trudy Briggs (In Memoriam); Mariellen Pangia
2007      Jill Edmonds and Cleona Spraque (In Memoriam); Betty Harrel, Peggy Kelland
2008      Gene Botsford, Anna Buchholz  and Natalie Dickstein (In Memoriam);
Lillian DePasquale, Marcine Humphrey
2009      Geeta Desai, Gloria Gibbs, Irene Keyes; Vivian Erdreich (In Memoriam)
2010      Lula Allen, Marcine Humphrey, Bergie Lebovitch, Margaret Ruggeri,
DCC – Elise Gelibtier of Lisa Libraries
2011      Eleanor Skov (In Memoriam), Linda Beyer, Gwen Higgins, Carol Loizides,
Sue Osterhoudt, Pat Luczai
2012      Mary King, Dave King, Mary Coiteux; Irene Keyes, Susan Kemp and
Elizabeth Moesel (In Memoriam)
2013      Mary Lou Davis, Geeta Desai, Cecilia Dinio-Durkin, Doris Kelly, Margaret Nijhuis, Barbara Van Itallie
2014      Jeanette Cantwell, Cathleen Kinn, Ruth Sheets, Jane Toll, Diana Gleeson, Linda Freisitzer
2015      Jacqueline Goffe-McNish, Mary Ann Ryan, Linda Ronayne, Kay Saderholm,
Ann Wade; Peggy Hansen (In Memoriam)
2016      Ellie Burch, Mary Jo Cottrell, Karen Haynes, Ann Pinna, Linda Roberts, Linda Roy
2017      Diana Babington, Mary Ann Boylan, Mary Ann Hogarty, Barbara Lemberger, Lori Scolaro, Barbara Van Itallie
2018      Pat DeLeo, Sabashnee Govender, Eileen Hayden, Sandy Lash, Judy Linville, Joanne Scolaro
2019      Lula Allen, Bonnie Auchincloss, Maria DeWald, Claudette Hennessy,
Donna Reichner, Linda Roberts
2020      Cynthia Averill, Susan Doyle, Diane Jablonski, Monique Jones, Ruth Sheets, Dick Granda
2021      Monique Jones, Marcine Humphrey, Sandy Lash, Mary Scalise-Annis, Sheila Zweifler
2022      Catherine Albanese (In Memoriam), Blanche Bergman, Catherine Kinn, Judith Longacre, Vivian Rose, Mary Ann Williams
2023       JoAnne Abraskin, Susan Doyle, Elizabeth Harrel, Claudette Hennessy, Gwendolyn Higgins, Maticia Madory

3) Poughkeepsie Branch AAUW Emerging Leader

An Emerging Leader is either a new member who has quickly moved into a leadership position, or a member of long-standing who has finally found the time to assume a leadership role.

2008     Geeta Desai
2009     Sherre Wesley and Wendy Maragh Taylor
2010     Liz Moesel
2011     Jacqueline Goffe-McNish and Kim Butwell
2012     Cecilia Dinio-Durkin
2013     Linda Roberts
2014     Susie Blecker
2015     Christie VanHorne
2016     Katherine Friedman
2017     Sheila Zweifler
2018     Monique Jones
2019     Sabashnee Govender
2020     Alyssa Covelli
2021     Barbara Durniak
2022     Celia Serotsky

4) Cornerstone Award

The Cornerstone Award is given to a more experienced member who is always supportive but never in the limelight. This new award was presented the first time in June 2016.

2016     Margaret Nijhuis
2017     Gloria Gibbs
2018     Mary Coiteux
2020     Barbara Van Itallie
2022     Diane Jablonski
2023     Patricia Luczai

Other Notable Women

There are many women in New York State who have made a difference in our lives. The accomplishments of some of these women have been documented and preserved for future generations, a project launched by AAUW-NYS History Consultant committee, Helen Engel and Marilyn Smiley. The project resulted in the publication of the book “Remarkable Women in New York State History” which was edited by Ms Engel and Ms Smiley. See below for a link to purchase the book.

AAUW is uniquely qualified to undertake a project to identify women who through their courage, convictions, expertise and perseverance made a difference in so many lives. Many thanks to the women in our AAUW Poughkeepsie Branch who volunteered to do the research and to write about these notable women. The biographies listed have been submitted for the project and are a part of the book “Remarkable Women in New York State History”:

Read more about great woman in the National Women’s Hall of Fame  Seneca Falls, NY

Historical Journey Of Remarkable Women In The Hudson Valley

On March 12, 2015 Poughkeepsie Branch AAUW joined with Poughkeepsie Public Library District in the celebration of Women’s History Month. We heard stories of Maria Mitchell from Rita Alterman. Wendy Maragh Taylor gave glimpses of Madame Catharyna Brett and Poughkeepsie native, Jane Bolin. Mary Louise Van Winkle reminded us of the contributions of Eleanor Roosevelt. Barbara Mindel gave a very personal story of Anna Buchholtz for whom she was the Executive Assistant. Lastly, we were treated to a rare look at Lucille Pattison through the eyes of her daughter Elise.  It was a most inspirational event.

To purchase Remarkable Women in New York State History go to Amazon.com