CT Women's Hall of Fame to Honor Hamden's Lynne DeLucia

In addition to inducting Rebecca Lobo, Jane Pauley, and Joyce Yerwood, M.D., at its 23rd Annual Induction Ceremony & Celebration, “Women’s Wellness: Awareness, Advocacy & Action,” on November 2, 2016, the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame (CWHF) will recognize a group of Women’s Wellness Honorees. Connecticut Health Investigative Team co-founders Lynne DeLucia (of Hamden) and Lisa Chedekel are among the Honorees.

Lynne DeLucia and Lisa Chedekel are Co-Founders of the Connecticut Health Investigative Team (C-HIT), one of the nation’s only women-run non-profit news sites. Both part of a 1999 Pulitzer Prize-winning team, Ms. Chedekel is a former Hartford Courant investigative journalist while Ms. DeLucia is a former editor at the Hartford Courant. They founded C-HIT in 2010 as a non-profit news service to provide in-depth stories on health and safety, funding their project through foundations and bringing on board a group of experienced health journalists. Within a year, C-HIT stories were being picked up by nearly all major newspapers and media outlets in Connecticut and content is now distributed to more than 1.2 million readers through unique media partnerships.

C-HIT stories cover a wide variety of health-related topics including women’s health and health disparity. Ms. Chedekel and Ms. DeLucia have each received numerous awards. Together they run summer journalism bootcamps at Yale University and UConn to train the next generation of watchdog journalists and sponsor free community forums on women’s health issues.

“Women throughout the state are changing history every day, and this year’s Honorees are doing that by empowering other women to make informed decisions about their own wellbeing,” says Kathryn Gloor, executive director of the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame. “Whether they’re providing direct care, advocating for better health outcomes, or working to increase public awareness, they are inspiring all of us to advance women’s wellness.”

The other Women’s Wellness Honorees are:

Nancy M. Cappello, Ph.D., Director & Founder, Are You Dense, Inc. & Are You Dense Advocacy, Inc.

Tireless breast health advocate raising awareness of dense breast tissue and securing legislation and funding for expanded mammography

Manon M.J. Cox, Ph.D., MBA, President & CEO, Protein Sciences Corporation

Internationally recognized expert in innovative vaccines to treat influenza and other illnesses

Maria Ellis, M.D.. Physician & OBGYN, Woodland Women’s Health Associates

Dedicated women’s health innovator, educator, and mentor celebrated among Connecticut’s top OBGYNs

Sally G. Haskell, M.D., Deputy Chief Consultant for Clinical Operations & Director of Comprehensive Women’s Health in Women’s Health Services, Veterans Health Administration; Associate Professor, Yale School of Medicine

National leader in healthcare for female veterans, focusing on gender-specific outcomes after combat exposure

Karen M. Jarmoc, Chief Executive Officer, Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Influential policy-maker and statewide advocate for victims of domestic violence

Margo Maine, Ph.D., Founder, Maine and Weinstein Specialty Group, LLC

Award-winning author and internationally recognized expert in the treatment and prevention of eating disorders

Linda Richetelli-Pepe, MBA, CHC, Senior Director, Healthcare Economics: Payer/Employer Solutions, Medtronic

Innovative leader in delivering aligned value-based healthcare solutions and internationally recognized advocate for ergonomic medical devices and business acumen for female surgeons

Marlene Schwartz, Ph.D., Director, University of Connecticut Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity

Award-winning researcher and advocate for improved food and nutrition policy focusing on factors that shape children’s eating attitudes and behaviors

Virginia Stuermer, M.D., Retired OBGYN and Clinical Associate, Yale School of Medicine

Pioneer in providing reproductive services for women and first practicing female OBGYN in New Haven

Made possible by platinum sponsor Aetna and other distinguished sponsors, the CWHF’s 23rd Annual Induction Ceremony & Celebration will take place on Wednesday, November 2, 2016, at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. This year’s event will recognize three remarkable who have made tremendous contributions to advance awareness of health and wellness issues facing women and whose work inspires others to advocacy and action. They are: Rebecca Lobo, award-winning athlete, Olympic Gold Medalist, successful television analyst, author, and advocate for breast cancer awareness and research; Jane Pauley, one of broadcasting’s most respected journalists and longtime advocate for children’s health, education and mental health; and Joyce Yerwood, M.D. (1909-1987), first African American woman physician in Fairfield County, founder of the Yerwood Center and pioneer in drug treatment programs.

The mission of the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame (CWHF) is to honor publicly the achievements of Connecticut women, preserve their stories, educate the public and inspire the continued achievements of women and girls. Founded in 1994 in Hartford, CWHF is a provider of innovative educational programs and tools that inspire women and girls to believe in their unlimited potential. The 112 Inductees are role models for women of all ages, and their stories are proof of all that women can accomplish. CWHF leverages these powerful stories and makes history relevant through programs for educators, multi-media presentations and traveling exhibits offered free-of-charge. This work fosters the courage and confidence women need to overcome barriers and advocate on their own behalf. Each year, CWHF shows 50,000 women and girls what’s possible and empowers them to take an active role in shaping their future. The CWHF website, www.cwhf.org, is a “Virtual Hall” where visitors can explore all that CWHF has to offer. To join CWHF via social media, find and like ctwomen on Facebook and follow @ctwomen on Twitter.