YWCA Minneapolis Honors Chanda Smith Baker and Gayle Fuguitt with 2025 Leadership Awards
Twin Cities leaders honored for advancing racial justice, mentoring women of color and building equitable communities.
MINNEAPOLIS, June 11, 2025 – YWCA Minneapolis announces the organization's annual leadership awards recipients: Chanda Smith Baker was named the Woman of Power and Gayle Fuguitt received the Kate Berman Leadership Award.
“Chanda and Gayle represent the kind of bold, visionary leadership our communities need,” said YWCA Minneapolis President and CEO Shelley Carthen Watson. “Their work embodies the values of YWCA Minneapolis—equity, empowerment and justice. We are proud to honor their contributions.”
Woman of Power: Chanda Smith Baker
Chanda Smith Baker’s commitment to visibility and representation—especially for Black women in leadership—exemplifies the values of the Woman of Power Award. She drives systems of change and social impact across philanthropy, the social sector, business and grassroots communities in the Twin Cities.
Throughout her career, Smith Baker has received numerous accolades, including the Mary Lee Dayton Catalyst for Change Award from the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota and recognition as a “Groundbreaker” by the Chronicle of Philanthropy. An active member of our community, Smith Baker serves on the Philanthropy Committee of the Allina Foundation Board, as board chair of Public Allies and board trustee of the Minneapolis Institute of Art, demonstrating her commitment to civic engagement and leadership.
As President and CEO of Pillsbury United Communities, she led transformative efforts including launching North Market, a health-focused grocery store in North Minneapolis, and acquiring the North News, a community newspaper amplifying neighborhood voices. She also co-founded the Black Collective Foundation in 2020 in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, focusing on systemic change through philanthropy.
Smith Baker’s work shows the power of community and the endless possibilities that emerge when people come together with purpose.
Kate Berman Leadership Award: Gayle Fuguitt
Gayle Fuguitt has shown a tremendous commitment to mentoring the next generation of leaders, especially women of color. Based in the Twin Cities, Fuguitt champions gender equity and inclusion in both local and national spheres. She serves on multiple boards in our community, consistently working to make organizations and those who attend more inclusive.
She serves as External Relations Co-Chair for Centro Tyrone Guzman where she’s dedicated to advancing racial and social justice for Latinx families. She chairs the Gala Revenue Committee as a board member with the Minnesota Opera and is a former trustee at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Her board service exemplifies her steadfast commitment to the values upheld by YWCA, making her a deserving candidate for recognition and continued leadership within the organization.
Fuguitt has been a dedicated and influential member of YWCA USA Board of Directors since June 2020. As the governance chair, she guided the organization’s strategic direction and fostered a culture of accountability and transparency. In her final year as chair, she intentionally transitioned into a co-chair role in order to mentor and develop a younger leader, reflecting her dedication to creating opportunities for emerging voices.
In addition to her stellar leadership at YWCA USA, Fuguitt is widely recognized as one of the most influential leaders in the field of consumer insights and is a member of the Market Research Hall of Fame. Over three decades at General Mills, she led more than $70 million in early venture investments and quadrupled team diversity. Later, as the first female CEO of the Advertising Research Foundation, she spearheaded the landmark “How Advertising Works Today” study and launched a global “Women in Analytics” network.
Both women exemplify the power of leadership rooted in equity, impact and community empowerment. YWCA Minneapolis will present the awards at Empower Possible, the organization's signature fundraising event, on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, at the McNamara Alumni Center in Minneapolis. For tickets or more information, visit ywcampls.org/empower-possible.
About the Woman of Power Award
In 2018, YWCA Minneapolis established the Woman of Power Award to honor women from the private and public sectors across the Twin Cities who have demonstrated commitment, enthusiasm and support for our mission. Award recipients are recognized leaders and inspiring role models who have championed racial justice and gender equity throughout their careers and community work.
About the Kate Berman Leadership Award
In 2022, YWCA Minneapolis established the Kate Berman Leadership Award in honor of a former board chair who passed away unexpectedly in April 2020. During her board service, Berman was a passionate advocate for the mission of YWCA Minneapolis and led multiple initiatives. She was a tireless advocate of those who have no voice, a fierce defender of civil rights, a proud feminist and a loving and caring mother, wife, friend and mentor.
About YWCA Minneapolis
YWCA Minneapolis is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating racism and empowering women and girls. For more than 130 years, YWCA Minneapolis has led initiatives to challenge social injustices, particularly at the intersections of race and gender. Each year, the organization serves more than 15,000 people through high-quality programs and advocacy focused on racial justice, early learning, youth development and wellness.