Purdue women to be honored at annual YWCA event

YWCA Greater Lafayette honored a Purdue Board of Trustees member, three current Purdue employees and one retired Purdue employee Tuesday (March 4) at the 40th Annual Salute to Women banquet.

The event honors women in Greater Lafayette who have made outstanding and inspirational achievements in volunteer and/or professional roles, are involved in their communities and display leadership and role modeling qualities.

This year, Tenecia Waddell, a Purdue police officer, is the recipient of the Woman of Innovation award. JoAnn Brouillette, member of the Purdue Board of Trustees; Pam Mow, administrative assistant to the department head of Botany and Plant Pathology; and Jeanne Norberg, former instructor in the Brian Lamb School of Communication, are among five women who will receive the Women of Distinction award. The 2014 recipient of the Mary Keller Ade Woman of Wisdom award is Leah Jamieson, the John A. Edwardson Dean of the College of Engineering.

Tenecia Waddell has served as an officer on the Purdue Police Department since 2008. She also works as a self-defense instructor to teach women and children how to defend themselves. Waddell is also an active member of the community and volunteers in many local community service programs such as the Ultimate Pink Party committee for the YWCA Women’s Cancer Program and Shop with a Cop. She is co-founder of Delivering Smiles Tippecanoe, which raises money to assist local public safety employees in times of emergency need, and she serves on the executive board of the Purdue University Black Caucus of Faculty and Staff.

JoAnn Brouillette was appointed to the Purdue Board of Trustees in 2006 and has been reappointed to the position twice. She also serves as managing partner and president of Demeter LP, a privately owned grain and commercial warehouse business in Fowler, Ind. In addition to her trustee position, Brouillette serves on the board of directors of Greater Lafayette Commerce and the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. She was appointed to the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiation by President George W. Bush in 2003 and 2005 and received the AgriVision Award from the state of Indiana in 2010. Brouilette also volunteers in Habitat for Humanity.

Pam Mow has served as administrative assistant to the department head of Botany and Plant Pathology for 22 years. In addition to her professional duties, she is the state president of Indiana Gold Star Mothers, co-president of Greater Lafayette Honor Flight and a former Army medic. In memory of her son who died in combat in 2007, Mow became one of the co-founders of Greater Lafayette Honor Flight in 2011. These flights allow World War II and Korean War veterans to travel to Washington, D.C., to see their war memorials.

Jeanne Norberg retired from her almost 30-year position as Purdue’s spokesperson in 2013. She was the first woman to take on the role. Norberg also taught journalism and public relations classes in the Brian Lamb School of Communication before her retirement. Through her work with the Food Finders Food Bank School Backpack Program and the creation of the First United Methodist Church Furniture Bank, Norberg has been an active volunteer in the community.

Leah Jamieson has served as the John A. Edwardson Dean of the College of Engineering since 2006. She is a co-founder of the Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) program, which has helped many organizations in the community. As an advocate for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), Jamieson has won numerous awards including the Helen B. Schleman Gold Medallion, the Violet Haas Award and the Title IX Distinguished Service Award from Purdue. She currently chairs the board of trustees of the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology.