At Women Connect4Good, we’re still celebrating! On July 23, 2025, Dr. Nancy was honored as Community Leader of the Year by the Greater Missouri Leadership Foundation (GMLF) at their prestigious Women of the Year luncheon. Awards are always meaningful, but when a respected organization known for cultivating women’s leadership across Missouri recognizes your hard work, it’s more than an honor; it’s a powerful affirmation of purpose, progress, and impact.
For over 35 years, GMLF has united women leaders from throughout the state to help expand their horizons, learn new leadership skills, and build a statewide network. To date, over 1,000 women have expanded their impact into worldwide influence. Noted for its marquee event, The Greater Missouri Leadership Challenge, the foundation honors four women each year who are “driven to lead.”
While introducing Dr. Nancy, GMLF Board President, Dr. Julia Gaines-Montag, said, “Dr. Nancy O’Reilly embodies what it means to lead with courage, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to uplifting others,” and “creating a world where every woman and girl can thrive.” Further outlining Dr. Nancy’s life’s work developing the Women Connect4Good Foundation as “a powerful force for change” by uniting “countless organizations to address gender inequality and empower women around the globe,” Dr. Gaines-Montag pointed out how “through every avenue—Dr. Nancy has amplified a message of equity and possibility.”
After thanking Dr. Nancy for supporting GMLF, Dr. Ganes-Montag focused on the heart of her work, saying, “Dr. Nancy’s journey reminds us that leadership is not just about titles or accolades—it is about empowering others, building community, and inspiring future generations to dream bigger and reach higher. She shows us that when we lift each other up, we all rise.”
At the conclusion of her introduction video, Dr. Nancy stressed her mission to support others, touching on why GMLF has been important for women’s leadership, especially in Southwest Missouri, where she raised her three daughters. “When I think of a good leader, it’s someone who can listen well and develop relationships, but the most important thing, lift as you rise. As you rise in a corporation or an organization, take women along with you. As you rise, you have a great network, a great community, and great collaboration and partnership developing along the way. You pass it on. That’s the key to leadership. You continue to grow,” she said.
Three other outstanding Women of the Year honorees also received awards at the luncheon:
Darline Mabins was honored as the 2025 Inspirational Leader of the Year. An alumna from the GMLC Class of 2016, Darline has served as Secretary of the GMLF board and is dedicated to “keeping the Leadership Challenge dynamic, relevant, and transformative.” Now serving as Director of Community Engagement with the Community Partnership of the Ozarks, Mabins continues the important work of building stronger communities, and according to Dr. Ganes-Montag, “She embodies the spirit of possibility, showing us all what is possible when we lead with courage, authenticity, and heart.”
Zora Mulligan was awarded the 2025 Civic Leader of the Year for her work as a champion of education and civic leadership. Mulligan has a long history of shattering glass ceilings and opening the doors for others. Her distinguished record of leadership and service to Missouri’s higher education landscape includes numerous leadership roles, most recently as Chancellor of Missouri State University—West Plains, where she continues her commitment to advancing education and opportunity in Missouri.
Thalia Cherry, an alumna of the GMLC Class of 2012, received the 2025 Alumna Leader of the Year award for turning her passion into a powerful platform for change and building a thriving company, CHERRY, that is a shining example for how business success and community impact can go hand in hand. Her trailblazing spirit is building a legacy to inspire future GMLC class members and young people, especially through her founding of Entrepreneurship KC, partnership with the Chiefs, and as she said in her acceptance speech, “being the best version of herself every day.”
All of these amazing women leaders represent both the results and the purpose of the GMLC foundation. As Melissa Miller-Young reported in 2021, “The Greater Missouri Woman of the Year Award recognizes a prominent female in Missouri who exemplifies the definition of the Greater Missouri Woman who is ‘recognized as accomplished in her field.’ This extraordinary professional woman has reached a level of success, which is demonstrated by her leadership, civic contributions, and ability to inspire and support others.” For most of them, their legacy began with their participation in the Greater Missouri Leadership Challenge.
In her Smart, Amazing Conversations with Dr. Nancy podcast appearance, GMLF Executive Director, Katie Steele-Danner described the organization as “a traveling symposium with a class of 30-40 women who meet for a dozen days in four, three-day sessions.” Each session conducts a deep dive into the host community’s specific issues, often uncovering problems that require solutions both locally and statewide, as well as those that intersect with national and global trends. It focuses on emerging women leaders, educating them about the state of Missouri and helping them realize where their strengths and leadership can make a difference.” She described the Challenge more thoroughly at the award luncheon:
Through the Greater Missouri Leadership Challenge, we empower our cohort to understand how personal experiences shape values and priorities, articulate how purpose connects to civic engagement, and embark on a journey of personal growth. We strive to normalize empathy, resilience, and representation in the workplace and ensure that women leaders continue to invest in one another’s success.
We do this through the Leadership Challenge’s year-long traveling symposium. Participants are selected annually in a competitive process to travel the state and expand their horizons through our educational sessions, where we visit four regions of the state. After this transformative experience, women leaders have expanded their horizons, learned new leadership skills, and built a statewide network. We encourage you to learn more about the Challenge at GreaterMO.org and nominate or apply for our Class of 2026.
The process is indeed competitive, and positions fill up fast. If you know someone who would benefit from participation in the Greater Missouri Leadership Challenge, nominate them now. Applicants can also nominate themselves. Every alumna says that it’s the opportunity of a lifetime. Steele-Danner was a young Missouri State Representative when she accepted the challenge. She went on to serve three terms and says that she, “had the opportunity to get to know the state of Missouri in a way that without that experience, I never would have learned the vast diversity of opportunities, and frankly, the challenges of the state of Missouri.” Beyond that unparalleled experience, she speaks to the vast network she has acquired working with over 1300 Challenge alumnae, now serving as women leaders. Check out the Greater Missouri Leadership Foundation website for more information about the organization’s work, the Challenge, and how you can support their work or nominate someone for the next Greater Missouri Leadership Challenge. It’s one way to support an organization that gives much more than it receives, paving the way for outstanding leadership in the future.