[Editor's Note: This press release has been updated on April 20, 2026, to reflect the addition of Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton as a 2026 Lucretia Mott Honoree.]

WOMEN'S WAY Celebrates 50 Years of Gender Equity Leadership with Anniversary Event Honoring Three U.S. Congresswomen and Pennsylvania's First Woman House Speaker

Landmark anniversary event on May 7 marks five decades of the nation's first women's umbrella funding federation.

For Immediate Release

PHILADELPHIA, PA (March 31, 2026) — WOMEN'S WAY, the Greater Philadelphia region's leading nonprofit dedicated to achieving gender equity through education, research, advocacy, and grantmaking, will celebrate its 50th Anniversary with a celebration and fundraising event on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at The Crystal Tea Room in Philadelphia. The event, honoring 50 years of collective action for gender equity, will honor three Pennsylvania Congresswomen, Pennsylvania’s first woman House Speaker, and two longtime organizational allies who have advanced the cause of gender equity in the region and beyond.

Founded in 1976, WOMEN'S WAY holds a singular place in American philanthropic and feminist history as the first women's umbrella funding federation in the country. A pioneering model, WOMEN’S WAY has demonstrated the power of collective action to advance women's rights and gender equity at a time when this infrastructure barely existed. Over five decades, WOMEN'S WAY has been a cornerstone of the region’s movement for women’s rights and gender equity, mobilizing resources, spurring action, and investing in organizations on the frontlines of change.

“Fifty years ago, WOMEN’S WAY was founded to challenge systems that limited women’s rights, freedom, and power. That mission is just as urgent today. In this moment of heightened inequality and backlash, we are called not just to protect progress, but to accelerate it with bold, unapologetic action,” said Diane Cornman-Levy, WOMEN'S WAY Chief Disruptor. “The work ahead demands that we build collective power, invest in those most impacted, and build an economy and society where all women and marginalized genders can truly thrive.”

2026 HONOREES

This year's celebration will recognize six honorees whose contributions reflect WOMEN'S WAY's legacy of collective action for gender equity:

U.S. Representative Madeleine Dean (Lucretia Mott Honoree): Now in her fourth term representing Berks and Montgomery Counties, Congresswoman Dean ran for Congress in 2018 when Pennsylvania's 18 Congressional seats had zero women representatives. She serves on the House Appropriations and Foreign Affairs Committees, focused on gun violence prevention, healthcare, and the common good.

U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan (Lucretia Mott Honoree): An Air Force veteran, engineer, entrepreneur, and educator, Congresswoman Houlahan is serving her fourth term representing Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District. She is the first female veteran named Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee's Military Personnel Subcommittee and serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

U.S. Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (Lucretia Mott Honoree): Representing Pennsylvania's 5th Congressional District since 2018, Congresswoman Scanlon has dedicated her career to protecting the most vulnerable, championing voting rights, access to justice, education, women's rights, and ending hunger.

Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton (Lucretia Mott Honoree): A lifelong southwest Philadelphia resident and public defender turned elected official, Speaker McClinton has broken barriers at every level of Pennsylvania's legislative leadership, becoming the first woman elected Democratic Caucus Chair, the first woman elected Democratic Leader, and Pennsylvania's first woman House Speaker. Elected to serve communities in Philadelphia and Delaware County in 2015, she is a graduate of LaSalle University and Villanova University School of Law.

Mary Scout (Mary Scout Legacy Award): A foundational leader of WOMEN'S WAY since 1981, Scout served as Board Chair from 1985 to 1988 and has served as Controller since 1997. Her decades of stewardship across generations of leadership have been central to sustaining the organization's mission and impact.

Ballard Spahr LLP (Corporate Ally Honoree): A partner to WOMEN'S WAY since its early days, Ballard Spahr provided critical pro bono legal support to establish the organization's early structure and has maintained a trusted counsel relationship for 50 years.

EVENT DETAILS

WOMEN'S WAY 50th Anniversary Celebration | Thursday, May 7, 2026 | The Crystal Tea Room, Philadelphia | Cocktail Reception, Plated Dinner, and Anniversary Program | Tickets from $150 | womensway.org/celebrate50

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ABOUT WOMEN’S WAY

WOMEN'S WAY is the Greater Philadelphia region's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to achieving gender equity through education, research, advocacy, and grantmaking. Founded in 1976 as the first women's umbrella funding federation in the country, WOMEN'S WAY has spent five decades building collective action for women, girls, and gender-expansive people in the region and beyond. To learn more, visit womensway.org and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.

Click here to download this press release. Learn more about our 50th Anniversary Year here.

CONTACT: For press inquiries, please contact Misha Rodriguez, WOMEN’S WAY Director of Communications at mrodriguez@womensway.org or (215) 985-3322, ext. 221.