Independent Women
Cincinnati is home to many strong, talented, and accomplished women. During the YWCA Greater Cincinnati Career Women of Achievement luncheon on Wednesday, May 8, 10 of those women were honored for their diverse contributions to our community.
This year’s luncheon, chaired by Peg Moertl and Regina Russo, is the single largest fundraiser for YWCA. Proceeds directly support YWCA community-wide programs in the areas of safety, racial justice and inclusion, and empowerment and economic advancement. Yvette Simpson delivered a powerful keynote address, calling all of the attendees to action.
With programs centered on safety, racial justice and inclusion, and empowerment and economic advancement, the YWCA Greater Cincinnati makes a difference in the lives of local women and girls.
Each year, the YWCA recognizes women in the community who embody the organization’s mission. This year’s 2024 YWCA Greater Cincinnati Career Women of Achievement are trailblazers in their fields.
Tracey Artis
CEO, I Hear Music
Honoree, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber “We Are Making Black History,” 2024
Recipient, John F. Barrett Entrepreneur Vision Award, 2023
Inductee, African American Chamber Women’s Business Hall of Fame, 2023
Honoree, NAACP Cincinnati WIN Award, 2023
Board, LHOI, and member, Cincinnati Chapter of the LINKS Inc.
As an African American Woman in a male dominated industry, Tracey is a role model for success. She is the first woman to reach over 40 number one songs on the Billboard Gospel Charts and the first African American VP of gospel promotions for GospoCentric Records. She also served as VP of gospel promotions at Sony Music. Her own firm represents high profile artists, paving the way for women of color to pursue award-winning opportunities. While Black Family Reunions in other cities have diminished, Tracey is determined to continue this Cincinnati tradition in her additional role as Executive Director of Cincinnati’s annual Midwest Black Family Reunion.
Bridgit Chayt
Executive Vice President, Head of Wholesale Payment,
Fifth Third Bank
Founder, Women in Commercial, 2023
Awardee, One of 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking by American Banker, 2023
Chair, Fifth Third’s ArtsWave Campaign exceeding fundraising and participation goals with $1 million pledged and an 84% participation rate.
Bridgit oversees Treasury Management (TM) and Commercial Payments. She is one of four executive leaders in the Commercial Bank area and the only female executive VP in that business line. Recently, TM and Commercial Payments represented 9% of Fifth Third’s total revenue and 23% of the bank’s total non-interest income. Businesses of all sizes use her team’s technology. Her superiors believe it’s led to business growth, a story shared with investors and Wall Street.
She launched Fifth Third’s Women in Treasury Management (WITM) for officer-level women’s networking and personal growth. Since 2021 participants received nine prestigious President’s Circle Awards and 50 members were promoted.
Chara Fisher Jackson
CEO, Cincinnati Preschool Promise
Board, Leadership Council for Non-Profits, 2021–present
Board Chair and Current President, Found House (formerly Interfaith Hospitality Network), 2020–present
Board, Holly Hill, 2023–present
All-In Cincinnati Equity Coalition, 2015–present
Chara Fisher Jackson is an integral part of the Cincinnati community. Since she moved to Cincinnati from Atlanta, she has served as executive director and interim President & CEO of a mid-size nonprofit to her current role as Executive Director & CEO of Cincinnati Preschool Promise, managing multimillion-dollar budgets in each organization. Her legal skills, strategic thinking, advocacy, and advances in civil rights and equity reflect her deeply personal mission to improve her community and innovate early childhood education.
Over 240 Providers and 10,000 children have benefitted from Cincinnati Preschool Promise's work. Chara's goal is to make sure every child has a chance to thrive by supporting the early childhood education ecosystem. She goes beyond traditional boundaries to encourage broader involvement in supporting the youngest learners in Cincinnati.
Christie Kuhns, Esq.
President & CEO, Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio
Advisory Board, Major League Baseball Cincinnati Reds Diversity, 2012–present
Board of Directors, Bethesda, Inc., 2021–present
Board, Ohio Poverty Law Center, 2020–present
Ohio Black Caucus Foundation, 2018–present
Board of Directors, YWCA Greater Cincinnati, 2021–2023
In her current role Christie aims to disrupt generational poverty and drive equity and financial empowerment. She oversees a $13.5 million dollar budget and staff of over 80 to advocate, educate, and encourage economic development in the community. An experienced attorney, Christie served in the Ohio House of Representatives on behalf of the 32nd District. She went on to use her background as VP of UC Health. Her many contributions also include: the Cincinnati Planning Commission, former Chair of the Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce Board, and the City of Cincinnati Human Services Advisory Committee. She is a founding member of the Avondale Development Corporation.
Kimm M. Lauterbach
President and CEO, REDI Cincinnati
Woman of Influence, Venue/Lead Magazine, 2023
Board of Directors, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, 2024
Board of Directors, University of Cincinnati Research Institute, 2024
Board of Directors, Cincinnati Experience
Board of Directors, BE NKY Growth Partnership
Business Advisory Council, Federal Reserve, Southwestern Ohio/Northern Kentucky
As leader of the Regional Economic Development Initiative Kimm drives job creation and economic development through business attrition, retention and expansion in 15 counties in Southwestern Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Southwest Indiana. REDI’s projects created more than 40,000 new jobs and $2.2 billion in new payroll while retaining over 71,000 jobs and generating $4.8 billion in capital investment. Kimm ensures that REDI is inclusive, especially assisting under represented companies in distressed locations where 80% are either minority, woman or veteran owned. She has committed REDI to work with the Minority Business Accelerator. Through The Women’s Fund she helped create a toolkit to help companies change culture and uplift women in the workplace.
Jill Miller
President & CEO, Bethesda Inc./b13
Cincinnati Business Courier Women Who Mean Business, 2023
Cincy Business Magazine Rising Star, 2023
Venue Magazine Most Influential Women of Greater Cincinnati, 2023
Mercy McCauley Women Who Inspire, 2022
Smart Business Magazine Medical Mutual Pillar Award for Community Service, 2021
Philanthropy Ohio Innovation Award, 2019
As the inaugural leader in this position, Jill has made an indelible mark on Bethesda’s strategic structure for grant making and governance. She has captured national attention as the first funder in the region to practice trust-based philanthropy (TBP). This innovative approach encourages multi-year unrestricted funding, streamlined reporting and transparent, responsive communication. It also ensures that every person has a fair opportunity to be as healthy as possible, reflecting Jill’s passion for accelerating birth equality, improving youth mental health, and fueling health equity and innovation at Tri-Health. She credits her mentors for encouraging her to fight for pay equity to close the gender gap in organizational leadership.
Alicia Reece
President, Hamilton County Commission
Founder, Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame, 2023
Founding Member, Cincinnati’s National Urban League of Young Professionals
Board of Directors, National Action Network With Rev. Al Sharpton
Member, NAACP
Board of Directors, United Way of Greater Cincinnati
Board of Directors, Cincinnati Health Collaborative
Board of Directors, Greater Cincinnati Health Foundation
Alicia is the first local woman and first African American to successfully run in city, state and county races. Currently she oversees a $1.2 billion budget for Ohio’s third most populous county. Alicia served as vice mayor on Cincinnati City Council and four-terms as an Ohio state representative where she was elected president of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus and championed projects to increase funding for minority businesses. She collaborated to create the first Office of Small Business. More than $14 million in federal relief has been granted to over 1,400 small business owners due to her efforts. Alicia also served as deputy director of Ohio Tourism and host of “Alicia Reece Soulfood,” a national radio show and podcast.
Kristen Schlotman
Executive Director, Film Cincinnati
Erich Kunzel Queen City Advocate Award
Organizer, Women in Film, Cincinnati
Movie Maker Magazine Best Places to Live and Work in the Movies: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023
40 Under 40, Cincinnati Business Courier
20 Women to Watch, Cincinnati Enquirer
Women Who Mean Business, Cincinnati Business Courier, 2018
Kristen catapults Cincinnati into the international limelight by managing all aspects of Film Cincinnati. She woos producers to make their films here, reads scripts, scouts locations, identifies local crew and talent to employ, finds housing and acts as a liaison between the production and our region. Kristen weathered the pandemic and WGA and SAG strikes by organizing fundraisers, providing resources, and creating behind-the-scenes galas to showcase the film industry. Between 2019 and 2022, she brought 25 productions to the region resulting in $258 million in economic impact and 1,873 jobs. Kristen also works with Drew and Lea Lachey to produce the U.S. tour of the musical “Label:less” which showcases themes of inclusion and acceptance.
Alicia Townsend
Vice President & Regional Community Development Mgr
for U.S. Bank’s East Region
Board of Directors, Brighton Center, 2024
Chair, YWCA Racial Justice Breakfast, 2023
Member, Economic and Community Development Institute, Columbus, Ohio
Member, Local Initiatives Support Corporation
Board Member, The Center for Closing the Gap
Board Chair, Affordable Housing Advocates
Board, Women Helping Women
Extending to 16 states, Alicia drives strategy to mitigate reputation risk, ensures the bank meets the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) requirements, and manages $5.3 million in philanthropic giving. A long list of women have supported her career journey, helping Alicia believe that giving back is a mandate; it is not an option. She has held numerous roles in her professional assent, starting with administrative assistant, assistant VP for Visa check cards, retail branch manager, and administrator in personal and corporate trust. Her growing wealth of experience and humble beginnings enabled her to establish programs for entrepreneurs that positively impact small business owners and the local economy.
Kelly Wittich
Senior Vice President, Wealth Management for
UBS Financial Services
Forbes America’s Top Wealth Management Teams, 2022–2023
Forbes Best in State Wealth Advisors, Ohio, 2022–2023
Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams, 2023
Forbes/Shook America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors, 2020–2023
UBS President’s Council, 2021–2023
Kelly is a financial advisor at UBS Financial Services and works with FTB Financial Services team. They deliver financial planning and wealth management services for corporate executives and their families. FTB is ranked by Forbes among the top 100 wealth advisors in the nation, with an estimated $3.3 billion in assets under management. Early on Kelly earned her Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation. Only 24% of CFPs are women.
In 2010, Kelly became the first female financial advisor on the FTB Financial Services team. As a mentor she invites colleagues, friends and clients to join her in community activities where she serves on the Board: ArtsWave and ProKids, a nonprofit where she was also a Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteer for children.