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Williams and Tulsa Shock Honor Women of Inspiration

June 23, 2014 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Tulsa Shock News Release


TULSA, Okla. - For the fourth consecutive year, Williams and the Tulsa Shock are proud to honor five inspirational women with the 2014 Williams Women of Inspiration ceremony on Saturday, June 28. These women serve Tulsa and the surrounding area with dedication and passion, while impacting the lives of area youth and the community. Women's Basketball Hall of Famer and Langston Women's Basketball Head Coach Cheryl Miller will speak at the pre-game reception for the nominees prior to the Shock hosting the Los Angeles Sparks at the BOK Center at 5:00 p.m.

New for the 2014 season and in addition to the Williams Women of Inspiration program is the Tomorrow's Women of Inspiration essay contest. Young women students at KIPP Tulsa College Preparatory submitted essays of an inspirational woman, such as a family member or teacher. The four students selected as Tomorrow's Women of Inspiration are Taryn Davis-Booker, Polaris Jadyn Cherry, Tehya Fisher and Diamond Mack. The winners receive tickets to the game, an invitation to the pre-game reception, inclusion in the Williams Women of Inspiration awards ceremony and will be featured in short videos throughout the game.

The 2014 Williams Women of Inspiration Top Five Honorees are:

Mia Fleming:

Fleming is an award-winning television personality and the founder of "Mia's Million Reasons Why €žÂ¢" (MMRW), an innovative business and philanthropic movement for social change.  MMRW is a unique charitable giving movement about changing millions of lives for the better by sharing stories, news and interviews about giving on various multimedia platforms. The MMRW movement helped change more than 3,500 lives in the past year. As the co-founder of the MVP Foundation, Mia has helped raise over $150,000 to support programs for inner-city kids. Mia has helped raise awareness and, in some cases, funds for a myriad of organizations close to her heart, such as the Salvation Army North Mabee Boys & Girls Club, the Mental Health Association, H.O.P.E  (benefiting HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C awareness, prevention and education), the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, the Tulsa Dream Center, and the MS Society, to name a few.

Becky Frank:

Frank serves as chairman and CEO of Schnake Turnbo Frank, a strategic communications and management consulting firm. She combines a strong business network and public relations savvy with a relentless passion for the Tulsa community. It was during her inaugural speech as 2012 chair of the Tulsa Regional Chamber where she declared an infectious statement: "I love this town." Her love for Tulsa and Oklahoma is shown through her leadership in organizations including the Tulsa Area United Way (TAUW). Frank is the 2014 board chair for TAUW and chaired the record-breaking 2013 TAUW campaign. In addition, she serves on the advisory committee and is a past chair of the TAUW's Women's Leadership Council. Frank's community involvement also includes past leadership roles at The Salvation Army, Leadership Oklahoma, Tulsa River Parks Authority, Tulsa Zoo Friends, Summit Club and the Tulsa Press Club. For her dedication to the community and her contributions to the business world, Frank was recognized as the 2014 TulsaPeople Tulsan of the Year, the Tulsa World "12 to Watch" in 2012, the Association for Women in Communications 2012 Newsmaker Award and the Tulsa Business Journal's Women of Distinction in 2011.

Sharon King Davis:

King Davis is proud to be a fourth generation Tulsan that was taught by her family to make the world a better place by instilling the values of helping people, especially those that are less fortunate. Sharon has served on numerous Tulsa non-profit boards, as well as city and state boards, authorities and commissions. One of her favorite places to serve is at The Little Lighthouse. Sharon says that miracles happen daily at Little Lighthouse, a tuition free academy, especially with special needs children. Sharon feels it has been her civic honor to serve the City of Tulsa by leading three successful voter initiatives. She was the chair for Tulsa's year long Centennial Celebration and Oklahoma's Kickoff Celebration, which included the unearthing of the 1957 Time Capsule containing "Ms. Belvedere", the Plymouth Belvedere. Her greatest joy has been teaching her preschool Sunday school class for the past 33 years.

Nancy McDonald:

McDonald has served the Tulsa Community as a volunteer for over 45 years. She has been active on many non-profit boards and served as president of the Magic Empire of Girl Scouts, Margaret Hudson, Community Service Council, Rainbow House, Tulsa Boys' Home, RSVP and PFLAG Tulsa as well as National President of PFLAG and V.P of the National Association of Partners in Education.  She has testified in Congress on behalf of equal rights for LGBTQ persons and met with President Bill Clinton. President H. W. Bush honored her as one of the outstanding directors of community engagement in public schools. Nancy was one of the architects for Tulsa Public Schools voluntary integration plans for Booker T. and Carver Middle schools.  Presently she serves on the boards of the Community Service Council, the Metropolitan YMCA and Booker T. Hall of Fame. Nancy also coordinates the partners program for her church serving Gilcrease and Jackson Elementary and McLain Seventh Grade Academy. She is on the advisory council for the Assistance League and Girls Art School. 

Sabrina Ware:

Ware is the Director of the TulsaWORKS program at Goodwill Industries of Tulsa, Inc. and has been there for 30 years. She is responsible for the occupational skills training programs at Goodwill which are Life Skills, Workplace Computer Skills, Employment Essentials, Private Security, Forklift and the Job Connection program. The Goodwill mission is to provide work opportunities, job training and support for people with disabilities or other employment barriers. In other words, Goodwill helps people obtain the skills needed to maintain and retain employment. Sabrina serves as a Rotarian for the Rotary club of North Tulsa and various Tulsa committees.

All of the 2014 Williams Women of Inspiration nominees will be invited to attend a pre-game reception hosted at the BOK Center before the June 28 game with a keynote address by Cheryl Miller. In addition, nominees and honorees receive tickets to the game. The Top Five Honorees will receive a concourse table to promote an organization or cause of their choice, on court recognition during halftime of the game, $50 gift certificate to Wild Fork and an appreciation award from Williams and the Tulsa Shock. The 2014 Top Honoree will be announced on court during halftime and will receive, in addition to the previously mentioned awards, an all expenses paid trip with a guest to the 2014 WNBA Women of Inspiration Luncheon.

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