Beth Bixby accepting the Women of Achievement Award

Beth Bixby accepting the Women of Achievement Award

15th Annual Women of Achievement Awards Luncheon recognizes accomplishments of women across industry, culture and public service

WOONSOCKET – YWCA Rhode Island hosted its 15th annual Women of Achievement Awards luncheon on Thursday, November 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Kirkbrae Country Club, Lincoln.

Over 400 people joined YWCA in honoring 13 women for their accomplishments in industry, culture and public service. Selection was based on the YWCA’s mission of eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.

YWCA Rhode Island’s Women of Achievement Awards are recognized nationally, and bring attention to the accomplishments of women in industry, culture and public service in local communities.

Women honored included local leader Beth Bixby, along with Marcela Betancur, Lorén M. Spears, Dr. Barbra Mullen, Christine McDermott, Kibbe Reilly, Aniece Germain, Linda Katz, Angela Bannerman Ankoma, Ana Novais, Anne Conway, Robin Murphy, and Bev Wiley.

“Beth Bixby is among a group of exceptional women who demonstrate exceptional skills as leaders, role models, and mentors. She’s extraordinary,” said Deborah L. Perry, YWCA Rhode Island CEO.

Beth Bixby is the CEO of Tides Family Services, the 1st woman to hold this title for a youth and family organization in District of Eastern North America, Brothers of the Christian Schools. She started her career at Tides Family Services over 18 years ago as a community and home based Social Worker. Throughout her tenure, her passion has been working with families to enhance their overall well being. She has dedicated her career to building a comprehensive, community based framework that not only addresses individual family needs, but to work on addressing underlying factors ultimately leading to sustainable change. Her advocacy ensuring that their needs don’t fall through the cracks simply because they lack the resources or education required to advocate. A voice for the voiceless, Beth is willing to force difficult truths to be heard when a person or a system is not valuing someone as an individual. She consistently brings the conversation back to the strengths of the families and to the basic understanding of the as human beings, refusing to look only at labels. Among her many achievements, the most rewarding was the design and implementation of the intensive community based program for child welfare youth, Preserving Families Network (PFN). Beth is a member of the Executive Committee of RI Coalition for Children and Families, the Chair of the Workforce Development Committee and member of the Mission Executive Council for DENA, Brothers of the Christian Schools. In 2011 she received the NASW Robert S. Burgess Community Service Award, in 2015 Distinguished Lasallian Educator Award and in 2018 received the Community Champion Award through the Community Care Alliance.

Beth earned an undergraduate degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Rhode Island and a Master’s degree in Social Work from Syracuse.

YWCA R.I. honors local women at annual luncheon – The Valley Breeze, Lincoln, RI