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The Woman of the Year awards have been given annually since 1983.

The "LaFrance Muldrow" Woman Making a Difference award has been awarded since 2014. Muldrow—a retired County social worker, community activist and longtime member of the Commission—made enormous contributions during her 40-year career. In both professional and volunteer capacities, she served to improve the welfare of socially and financially disadvantaged children and families, always promoting social, educational and cultural opportunities. She passed away in July 2013.

2022 Woman of the Year

Charlotte Buoolck, 2022 Woman of the Year

Charlotte W. Bullock and her husband began their residency in Baltimore County in 1976 with the purchase of their first home. After five years as a Baltimore City elementary school teacher, Charlotte and her sister Beatrice became owners and operators of a preschool program, Save the Children Developmental Day Care Center, which opened in 1974 and offered an exceptional program designed with innovative strategies in early childhood development. Cultural enrichment and diversity were an integral part of the children’s curriculum, exposing each child to new and well-planned pre-school experiences. 

Later in life, Charlotte worked for McNeil Consumer Products and Key Pharmaceutical, where she was one of the first African American females to become a District Manager. Other positions she’s held included sales, hospital representative and national trainer, where she earned several awards.

Active in the Community

Presently, Charlotte works part-time as an Outreach Manager for P-B Health Home Care Agency where she assists the sickly, infirmed, surgical patients, seniors and young adults who are caring for their elderly parents. She is involved in working as a Voter’s Registrar (2019), Sickle Cell and Breast Cancer Awareness, March of Dimes and a supporter of St. Jude. Additionally, she never lost her love of working with children. This is one of the many reasons why reading in schools is an ongoing project that she’s been involved with over the years. Her presence in the schools is important in getting children exposed to volunteerism in their community and to expand their knowledge of the world.

Many of Charlotte’s community projects are done through her involvement in Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Alpha Zeta Chapter (52 years), Jack and Jill of America, Baltimore County, The Society, Incorporated Supporting the Arts and ASALH, Inc. 

Awards

  • Citations from the Governor, State’s Attorney Office, Comptroller of the Treasury
  • County Executive Award
  • Fulwood Award
  • Organization Presidential Award
  • Zeta of the Year three times for her outstanding community service and scholarship

LaFrance Muldrow Woman Making a Difference Awardee

Laurie Taylor-Mitchell, 2021 Woman Making a Difference

Dr. Laurie Taylor-Mitchell is the founder and President of the Student Support Network and has been an advocate for public education in Baltimore County for 17 years. 

In 2008, she and other education advocates founded Advocates for Baltimore County Schools (ABC Schools) to work on infrastructure issues within the school system. After retiring from teaching, she ran for the Baltimore County Council. Though she lost the election, she was not deterred from making change locally. Laurie began doing research on poverty and food insecurity after discovering that 300 students at her son’s former high school, Loch Raven High School, lived in severe poverty. 

In 2016,  Laurie founded a nonprofit organization, now called the Student Support Network, which assists students in need at 15 Baltimore County schools with the essentials they need to attend classes and thrive, i.e. food, clothing and school supplies. 

Unwavering Help During the Covid-19 Pandemic and Beyond

From March 2020 to June 2021, when schools were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Student Support Network ran a weekly, all-volunteer distribution operation from three BCPS school parking lots, resulting in over $7 million dollars in food, household supplies and personal care items being provided to Baltimore County residents in this time of need. Community groups, houses of worship, businesses, and hundreds of donors provided funds and conducted drives for these distributions, and they continue to support the Network after schools reopened in the fall of 2021. The Network was formally recognized by the Baltimore County Council, members of the Maryland State Legislature and by Congressman John Sarbanes for this massive effort to help Baltimore County residents. Laurie advocates with local and state government officials on eliminating fees for reduced price meals in schools, implementing the Community Eligibility Provision in schools and expanding the Summer SNAP for Children Program in Maryland. 

Awards

  • 2010—Meritorious Service as an Outstanding Educator from the Teachers Association of Baltimore County
  • 2017—Education Service Award from the Baltimore County Democratic Central Committee
  • 2018— Community Activist of the Year Award in Annapolis at the Maryland Food Access Nutrition Conference 

Young Woman of the Year

Miriam Talalay, Young Woman of the Year 2021

Miriam Talalay is a senior at Dulaney High School, where she leads Dulaney’s Horticulture and Environmental Issues clubs and manage the school’s greenhouse. She plays violin and is a dedicated member of the National Honor Society, as well as the honor societies for Art and Science. She has maintained straight As throughout her high school career.

A Passion for Volunteer Work

As a leader in Dulaney’s Key Club, she has spent more than 100 hours collecting food and clothing for women’s shelters, volunteering at events, planting trees and collecting supplies for the Maryland SPCA. She also participated in events where she brought foster puppies to Greater Baltimore Medical Center healthcare worker events to thank them for their service during COVID-19. She has volunteered more than 3,000 hours with the Maryland SPCA, fostering more than 250 animals. 

Her passion for animals led her to study Latin at Dulaney High School so she could master binomial nomenclature for flora and fauna, and she took courses with Cornell’s Ornithology Lab. To gain experience in the cross disciplines of visual arts and environmental studies, she interned with the Blue Hill Heritage Trust (BHHT) in Maine, where she created an educational course on scientific illustration and the connection between the arts and the natural world. Many elementary school students and community members took her course, and it was adopted by educators in Maine and used to enhance elementary art education during COVID-19.

Miriam attends the Honors College at the University of Maine, majoring in Zoology.

Awards

  • Daily Point of Light Award
  • Duke of Edinburgh USA’s Silver Award
  • Governor’s Citation for Voluntarism
  • President’s Volunteer Service Award
  • Prudential Spirit of the Community Award
  • Recently named one of five national honorees of the Duke of Edinburgh USA Infinite Potential Award
  • US Congressional Gold Medal Award for Voluntary Service and Personal Development

Learn More

See more past winners below. Contact the Commission to learn about previous award winners for years prior to those listed below.

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Contact Us

Commission for Women

400 Washington Avenue
Towson, Maryland 21204

Hours

Monday through Friday
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Phone

Liaison

Carmen Christiana