Celebrating the 2025 Women of Distinction!
On May 16, 2025, the Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County welcomed over 680 supporters to the Brookfield Conference Center for the 41st annual Women of Distinction Luncheon.
Each year, this event honors women and girls in Waukesha County who lead with purpose, serve with compassion, and create lasting impact. We were proud to recognize three Women of Distinction, one Young Woman of Tomorrow, and a featured artist whose creativity helped us celebrate them.
Read on to meet our 2025 honorees!
Meet Maria Watts: 2025 Women of Distinction Honoree
Maria Watts serves the community as a mentor, sponsor, leader, and advocate who has spent decades uplifting women and strengthening the Waukesha County community. She has helped shape policies and initiatives that improve housing, education, and economic opportunities for underserved populations.
Maria has spent two decades working for WHEDA and is now a community and economic development officer helping hundreds of public and private entities leverage the organization’s knowledge, resources, and programs. Her work at La Casa De Esperanza laid the foundation for her lifelong commitment to affordable housing and community development.
Meet Deanna Marincic: 2025 Women of Distinction Honoree
Deanna Marincic, MSW, LCSW, founded Gals Institute LLC, where she serves the community as a psychotherapist clinical supervisor and prevention specialist.
In 2017, she launched Gals On The Go Project Foundation to meet the growing demand for prevention workshops in school settings. By 2023, she had partnered with nine school districts. She now reaches over 1,000 children each year, equipping them with tools to build resilience, strengthen relationships, and boost self-esteem.
Deanna has supported single mothers, helped families navigate mental health challenges, and shared her story after losing her brother to a drug overdose.
Meet Judie Taylor: 2025 Women of Distinction Honoree
Judie Taylor is the president and CEO of Journey21, Inc., where she leads initiatives to provide safe, supportive, and enriching living and learning options for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
She was a recognized leader at DUECO and a founding member and chair of the Manufacturing Alliance within the Waukesha County Business Alliance. She also supported women-owned businesses and led the successful sale of Enterforce, a women-owned staffing firm.
Her impact includes mentoring young women and service with ProHealth Care, the Waukesha County Community Foundation, and United Way of Milwaukee & Waukesha County. Her honors include the Milwaukee Business Journal’s Woman of Influence Award, the Wisconsin Governor’s Trailblazer Award, and BizTimes’ Corporate Executive Volunteer of the Year.
Meet Sophia Martin: 2025 Young Woman of Tomorrow Honoree
Sophia Martin is a dedicated Oconomowoc High School student who demonstrates exceptional academic excellence, leadership, service, and character.
She maintains a 4.0 GPA as an International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme student, Spanish Honor Society member, and Youth in Government member. She leads by example in cross-country, track and field, and alpine skiing.
Sophia has served on the Oconomowoc Public Library’s Teen Advisory Board for three years and co-created the junior advisory board, SmACK. She also organized Blankets for Christmas as a community service project. Sophia’s strong public speaking abilities, integrity, and love for service make her a true role model.
Meet Carmen De La Paz: 2025 Featured Artist
Carmen De La Paz holds many titles: artist, designer, carpenter, DIY expert, and TV personality.
Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and raised in Waukesha, she is an alumna of Syracuse University and also studied broadcast journalism through the UCLA Certificate program.
Carmen volunteered countless hours for the Waukesha Parade Memorial tile project and designed a sculpture that’s yet to be installed. She also serves on the Waukesha Library Public Art Board.
She is the owner of De La Paz Designs and currently serves as the senior producer of Family Handyman magazine. Carmen’s carpentry and design skills were featured on six seasons of HGTV’s Hammer Heads. Currently, you can find her on the Spanish version of Ask This Old House on Roku.
She was excited to bring her artistic abilities and passion to honor those chosen for Women of Distinction and Young Woman of Tomorrow 2025.
Want to be a part of next year’s celebration?
Learn more about the Women of Distinction luncheon.
