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WOVI, Inc., proudly presents:

Event Details:

Join Us for the 2026 Pauline Shirley Mentor of the Year Awards!

WOVI’s Annual Mentor of the Year Awards Celebration is our opportunity to meet and honor outstanding women mentors who encourage and promote women in organizations, corporations and throughout our community.

Join us as we recognize Mentor of the Year Candidates and their nominators, and announce the award recipient of the Pauline Shirley Mentor of the Year for 2026. 

Register today to join us on Zoom, Friday, October 23, 7:00-9:00 pm CT!   JUMP TO REGISTRATION

Friday’s virtual event will be moderated by Debra Sanford, President of WOVI’s Management Council, and will feature an inspiring keynote speaker to be shared soon!

Come ready to be inspired and delighted by our nominees, women who have made a difference in the lives of their coworkers and the community through mentoring. Hear about the history of WOVI and the Mentor of the Year Award! This is an evening you’ll want to share with other women in your life, so invite them to register as well, and Zoom in on Friday evening, October 23, 2026! REGISTER or SPONSOR BELOW!

Women of Visionary Influence, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that seeks to educate, inform, enhance, enrich, and inspire women through mentoring and leadership development, and was established in 2001 by a group of twelve dedicated women led by Pauline Shirley, Past International President of Toastmasters and founder of Leaders on Fire, and Teresa Smith. WOVI is the first women’s organization dedicated to mentoring. We encourage, empower, and support a multicultural group of women to do extraordinary things and create a permanent confidence in all aspects of their personal and professional lives. All women seeking to maximize their influence are invited to join and participate in this membership organization to gain and enhance leadership and mentoring skills. We help you find your path and stay on it. 

Coming soon: Our Keynote Speaker for the Mentor of the Year Awards Event!

Meet our Moderator for the Mentor of the Year Awards Event!

Debra Sanford
WOVI Management Council President

Debra Sanford is a dynamic force within Women of Visionary Influence, where she currently serves as President of both the WOVI Management Council (2024–2026) and the Arlington Mid Cities Chapter. A member since 2017, she exemplifies this year’s theme: Ordinary Women, Achieving Extraordinary Success.

With over 25 years in Toastmasters, Debra is a Distinguished Toastmaster known for mentoring clubs, leading Youth Leadership programs, and inspiring others to step into leadership. Her signature strengths—Strategic, Belief, Responsibility, Positivity, and Learner—shine through in every role she takes on.

Professionally, Debra’s career spans NASA, Boeing, UNT, DFW International Airport, and Danone North America, where she currently works as an accountant. She holds an MBA from Texas Woman’s University and a BBA from the University of Minnesota.

At DFW Airport, Debra led the Women’s Employee Resource Group (WIN) as President and Vice President, served on the Diversity Executive Leadership Board, and was honored with the Leadership in Diversity and Inclusion Award and the DFW C.A.R.E.S. Volunteer of the Year Award. She was also named a Distinguished Toastmaster and received Distinguished Recognition from the National Management Association.

Debra is also a board member of the Fort Worth Voices a semi-professional cappella choir and serves as music director and Sunday school leader at her church. A wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she lives by the words of Mahatma Gandhi:

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

As WOVI celebrates 25 years of empowering women, Debra brings her visionary energy to this milestone event—honoring mentors who turn everyday moments into extraordinary impact.