Since 2020, the Carson City Chamber Board of Directors has annually honored our community’s women of distinction during Women’s History Month celebrated each March. To date, 43 deserving women from all walks of life have been honored with the prestigious Woman of Distinction Award. This year another 11 incredible women will be honored on March 25.
The designation is awarded to women, working or retired, who have made — and continue to make — a difference in the lives of others. They are respected within our community because of their job performance, charitable contributions, volunteerism, and commitment to advancing women who represent the very best of Carson City.
March is designated as Women’s History Month in the U.S. to celebrate the amazing women everywhere who stand out in their communities. This year, March 8 is set aside to honor women worldwide.
The 2026 theme for International Women’s Day is “Give to Gain,” an apt slogan “emphasizing that investing time, resources, mentorship, and advocacy into women’s advancement brings reciprocal, collective benefits, accelerating gender equality and strengthening communities.”
The women chosen for 2026 recognition give of their time, talent, resources and support to build a stronger Carson City. These are women who have learned even small actions can lead to meaningful change for a better tomorrow.
To be honored on Wednesday, March 25 at the awards luncheon to be held at the Casino Fandango are:
Bekah Bock is a trained social worker who has been instrumental in building the Carson City Mobile Outreach Sheriff’s Team referred to as the MOST team. As a full-time employee, she proudly wears a deputy badge working three shifts per week beside trained officers to assist those in mental crisis. She provides a soft approach which includes sympathetic listening helping to solve the situation at hand thus keeping the dignity of the individual in mental crisis and possibly out of jail or mental facility.
Jeanne Freeman is the Director of Carson City Health and Human Services overseeing all the programs needed for a healthy Carson City. She was first hired by the city to lead the COVID-19 field response team for the Quad-County Region which led her to her appointment as Deputy Director of CCHHS in 2022. She was promoted to Director in May of 2025 and oversees all departments to keep Carsonites healthy and informed.
Angila Golik has served as a popular teacher at Carson High since 2004 and served 15 years as the Future Business Leaders of America advisor helping students ease their way into the world of business. In her years FBLA Advisor, she received four statewide awards naming her FBLA Advisor of the Year. Last year, she helped students create and launch their first in-house business magazine, Entrepreneurs in Action raising over $70,000 in ad sales to fund student programs.
Stephanie Hicks serves as the Deputy City Manager for Carson City. In her position, she oversees various departments to assure each department runs smoothly and staffs various citizens committees. She is a certified planner and floodplain mitigation planner. She is a graduate of the Chamber’s Leadership Institute Class of 2024.
Janelle Hoover is the vice president and chief nursing officer at Carson Tahoe Health focusing on inpatient and crisis behavioral health services. Her commitment to expanding adolescent care and ensuring quality patient experiences speaks to her dedication to the well-being of others. She began her career at Carson Tahoe as a physical therapy rep and today is an integral part of the senior CTH management team focusing on youth mental health awareness.
Dolly Kaur is the owner of Flavors of India in North Carson City and founder of the Flavors Foundation. She strongly believes that to give is her calling. All monies raised through the restaurant are deposited into the foundation to assist those who may need assistant with food, clothing, rent or other pressing needs. The foundation also funds local non-profits and student activities. She has an open door policy for anyone entering her establishment and a big heart for helping those in need.
Dr. Sandra Koch is a retired board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist whose career has been guided by a deep commitment to women and their babies, caring for generations of families. She proudly helped pass legislation improving access to reproductive health care services. Her heart belongs to Carson City and she proudly supports the work of the Boys and Girls Club of Western Nevada, Advocates To End Domestic Violence, the Greenhouse Project, FISH, WNC, and Muscle Powered and is an active member of the Carson City Citizens Climate Lobby where she helped start a scholarship for WNC students to travel to Washington DC to learn the power of lobbying.
Lucia Maloney is a small business owner and strategic leader with over 25 years combined experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. She currently serves as the general manager for the non-profit Nevada State Prison Preservation Society (NSPPS) to guide the way for the prison to become a major historical attraction in our city. As the president of the non-profit C-Hill Foundation, her mission is to find ways to preserve and fund the restoration of the C-Hill flag, an iconic symbol of Carson City she hopes to have finished in time for the summer celebration of the 250th Anniversary.
Dr. Jan Marson is a nationally respected pediatric occupational therapist and executive director/founder of the newly formed Carson City Rural Child Advocacy Center. Her focus centers on care for children and families impacted by developmental differences, abuse, and unmet mental health needs, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Her long list of credits include serving as a long-time member and chair for Nevada Rural Children’s Mental Health Consortium. She is highly respected by the Sheriff’s Office both believing communities are strongest when children and families have timely access to the support they need to heal and thrive.
Teri Green-Preston is a real estate professional and currently the chair of the Carson City Chamber having worked her way up the board ladder. She serves on a number of local boards and commissions including the Carson City Planning Commission.
Dana Ryan is Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs for Western Nevada College. Her primary focus is to create programs to prepare students for emerging job markets as defined by local businesses and manufacturers. She has expanded programs for English language and adult learners to increase their success in the workplace and fully believes community colleges are the key to continuing education and skill development.
Dr. Kyle Dalpe, President of Western Nevada College and Brett Zunino, President of the Boys and Girls Club of Western Nevada, will serve as Masters of Ceremony.
The keynote speaker will be Carson High senior Kaitlyn Nguyen who will regale the audience with how she was able to compete for one of the top full-ride scholarships to a top-tier university. She presents an interesting story and may be a future Woman of Distinction as she makes her way into adulthood and the world.
This year’s Women of Distinction will be honored at a special luncheon at Casino Fandango beginning at 11:30 am on Wednesday, March 25. Tickets are $40 per person. Tickets may be purchased online under the spotlight section of carsoncitychamber.com or by calling the Chamber at 775-882-1565.
— Ronni Hannaman is the Executive Director of the Carson City Chamber of Commerce.
