# National Association of Women Business Owners

The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) is an organization in the United States founded in 1975 that has the purpose of networking the approximately 10.6 million women-owned businesses so as to provide mutual support, share resources, and provide a single voice to help shape economic and public policy. As of 2025, the president of the organization is Jen Earle.

## History

According to its official timeline, NAWBO was founded in 1975 by a group of like-minded businesswomen in Washington D.C. area. It was incorporated as the Association of Women Business Owners (AWBO) before evolving to its current name.
In 1982, NAWBO held its first conference in Houston, Texas. Its first National Public Affairs Day saw the attendance of then-US Vice President George H. W. Bush and nine members of the U.S. Congress. Eight years later, it moved its headquarters from Chicago to Silver Spring, Maryland.
NAWBO has chapters in all 50 states, including several chapters in a single state, such as Illinois and California.

## Remarkable Woman Award

NAWBO presents the annual Remarkable Woman Award. The first award was given out in 1996 to women who contributed time and talent to their organization and community.

## Members
### Phoenix chapter

* President: Tanaha Hairston
* President-Elect and DEIB Chair: Joanna Horton McPherson
* Treasurer: Amy Foeller
* Secretary: Suzi Glover
* Next Gen Chair: Kimberly Mitchell
* Operations & Events Chair: Andi Hess
* Programming & Events Chair: Debra Lee Murrow
* Community Alliances Chair: Tish Times
* Marketing and Communications Chair: Alexandria Alecci
* Marketing and Communications Co-Chair: Jaryn Dominique
* Corporate Partner & Sponsorship Chair: Jana Martin

### Charlotte chapter

* President: Marise Kumar, C2B Strategies
* Brenda Harris, BPN Healthcare Concepts
* Carolina Aponte, Caja Holdings LLC
* Vilma Betancourt-O'Day,
* Carol Bondy, Center for the Healing Arts, LLC
* Lauren Cantor, The Entrepreneuers Source
* Mindy Hinson, M3 Real Estate Group
* Laurie Johnson, Financial Therapist
* Suzy Johnson, Employer Benefit Advisors of the Carolinas, LLC
* Melinda McVadon, McLynn Group
* Donna North, McLynn Group
* Elaine Piraneo, Accubill/Tele-Vantage Inc
* Stacey Randall, Growth By Referrals
* Pam Secrest, Pentagon Group
* Michelle Smith, MBS Custom Business Solutions, LLC

### New Orleans chapter

* President: Shelly Grimm-Latino, LUTCF - Pinnacle Financial Strategies
* Tonia D. Aiken - Breezzangel, LLC
* Jennifer F. Brimm - Foster-Brimm Consulting
* Miriam Browns - Browns Tax Services, Inc.
* Georgia Collier-Bolling
* Deanna Causey - Sankofa Record Retrieval, LLC
* Elizabeth "Dee" Clubb - Omni Advertising
* McKenzie Coco - FSC Interactive
* Myra L. Corrello - Find Your Spice Seminars, LLC
* Sheila M. Craft - OfficeLink LC and FileLink
* Nicole Dennis - XOCOMP, LLC
* Patricia R Hightower CEO - Bayouequity Mortgage
* Terri Hogan Dreyer - Nano, LLC
* Robin G. Kaplan - Inn The Quarter, LLC
* Teresa Lawrence - Delta Personnel, Inc.
* Barbara Ann Locklear - Hotel Storyville
* Ashley Machen - Treasure Travel, LLC
* Martha Madden - M Madden Associates, LLC
* Tina Dandry-Mayes, CLU, ChFC, CLTC - NYLIFE Securities, LLC/ New York
* Cheryl Meral - MCS Software, LLC
* Brenda Prudhomme - K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen
* Jessica Rareshide CPC CSP - Rare insight, LLC
* Gina N. Ruttley -Ericksen, Krentel, &LaPorte, LLC
* Jeffrie Schultis Fricke - Paramount Shows
* Janet Fabre Smith - Fabre Smith & Co.
* Dorothy L Tarver - Taggart Morton, LLC
* Judy Weitz - Compucast Web, Inc,
* Melissa Mitchel Willis - Mary Kay Cosmetics
* Trevor Wisdom - Wisdom & Witticisms, LLC

### New York City chapter

* Sophie Wade