Jacqueleen Crittle is a cultural architect with a profound commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion advocacy for over two decades. Jacqueleen is a passionate leader who has worked with youth 90% of the time focused on supporting women and girls. In 2003, when she started her first entrepreneurial endeavor supporting children with the Bookworm Academics & Fine Arts Center (supporting academic enrichment, music, and foreign language instruction), she realized that her female audience would be a focal point. Later, she would create the World of Girls entertainment space and Mobile Footprints European children's shoes for girls.

Jacqueleen has been responsive to culture change with innovative programming by creating The Midwest College Project, where she has served 1,000+ students providing career and college planning, mentorship, internship, and college touring. She continues to provide empowerment programming via the annual Miss Bronze Beautiful contest that focuses on empowering young women to be comfortable with their natural self. For greater than a decade, it has been her role to empower young adults (primarily female) to pursue their passion while making informed decisions about their career and life trajectory. Many refer to her as “The Career Doctor”, or she is affectionately known as “Mama Crittle.” Her stories unfold in her book, Raising a Winner: The Grow and Go Theory. Chicago Sun-Times columnist and ABC 7 Chicago political analyst Laura Washington said it best, “with wit and charm, Jacqueleen Crittle shares perceptive, ground-up lessons on growing children who will not only survive but thrive.”

The Impact Award honors three leaders working to improve the lives of women and girls by expanding economic security, ensuring freedom from violence, and/or enhancing access to health services and information.