Nominate Your Candidate for the 2026 Onyx Woman Leadership Awards

I am honored to nominate LaRae Cullens, a transformative leader whose impact on early childhood education, family engagement, and community partnership in Pittsburgh is unmatched. As Executive Director of The Learning Loft, LaRae leads multiple childcare and out of school time programs with a level of vision, discipline, and integrity that has elevated the standard of care for hundreds of children and families across the region.

LaRae is not simply a manager. She is a system builder and a strategist. She has expanded The Learning Loft’s footprint, strengthened school partnerships, and created culturally responsive programs that center the needs of Black children and families with intention and excellence. Her initiatives such as extended day school partnerships and innovative family engagement practices demonstrate her ability to bring together high quality education and meaningful community connection.

What truly distinguishes LaRae is her rare talent for bringing clarity, stability, and direction to challenging situations. She is the person organizations rely on when something complex needs to be resolved quickly and effectively. Whether the issue involves staffing, compliance, family concerns, or operational crises, LaRae has an exceptional ability to assess the situation, make sound decisions, and guide everyone toward a solution.

She brings calm where there is urgency, order where there is confusion, and accountability where it is needed most. Her leadership style blends firmness with compassion and creates an environment where people feel supported while still being held to high standards. She does not shy away from difficult conversations. She approaches them with honesty, emotional intelligence, and grace. Her presence is grounding and her judgment is trusted. Her follow through is unwavering.

Beyond operational leadership, LaRae is deeply committed to uplifting the broader community. She serves on boards, provides professional development for educators, and champions initiatives that amplify the voices of families and childcare professionals in Pittsburgh. Her work empowers children, supports parents, and mentors staff in ways that create a lasting ripple effect.

LaRae leads with purpose, authenticity, and a deep commitment to excellence. Her vision, her resilience, and her dedication to the wellbeing of children and families make her an outstanding candidate for the Onyx Woman Leadership Awards. Pittsburgh is stronger because of her leadership and countless families have benefitted from her work.

It is with great pride that I nominate LaRae Cullens, a powerful example of what it means to lead with brilliance, courage, and heart.

Rhonda Fischer holds quite a few titles, but I have the honor to work with her at Carnegie Mellon University – Tepper School of Business. Rhonda is a seasoned leader who is motivated to help mission-based organizations increase their impact through operational excellence. She joined the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University as its inaugural Chief Operating Officer in June 2019. At Tepper, she is responsible for the effective management of the school’s administrative functions – including Finance, Technology Services, Facilities and Human Resources. She partners closely with the school’s deans, faculty and staff members to operationalize the school’s strategic and educational priorities. Rhonda values collaboration and partnership and has worked with stakeholders across the University in support of Tepper’s goals, on search committees for key leadership roles, and most recently on CMU’s strategic planning committee.

Dedicating nearly 20 years of her career to serving mission-based organizations committed to addressing societal challenges and is a committed civic leader. Currently, she serves on the Board of Trustees for the POISE Foundation, and the Advisory Board for the Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI), where she has also been an Executive Mentor. Rhonda is an active member of the Pittsburgh chapter of the Links, Inc. and Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Through both organizations, she has been active in planning and executing programs that support the community. She was named a 2024 Woman of Excellence by the New Pittsburgh Courier; 2021 Woman of Distinction in Business by the Girls Scouts of Western Pennsylvania; and is a recent graduate (2025) of Leadership Pittsburgh (LP XLI).

Rhonda has lived in Pittsburgh six and a half years and has made a profound impact within the community and at the Tepper School of Business. She leads by example, serving as a beacon of positivity and integrity. Her dedication, compassion, and tireless commitment to uplifting others have made her a source of inspiration to colleagues and community members alike.

I am nominating Rhonda Fischer because she is a pillar of Black excellence not only in Pittsburgh, but beyond. Through her leadership, mentorship, and unwavering spirit, Rhonda continues to inspire not only me but others, empowering those around her to strive for excellence and lead with purpose. Her presence brightens every space she enters, and her influence leaves a legacy of hope, strength, and community.

Nicole Connell exemplifies the true Spirit of Leadership and Entrepreneurship. She is a dynamic, visionary, and purpose-driven Black woman whose work has transformed behavioral health systems and strengthened communities across Pennsylvania.

Before joining Merakey, Nicole served in multiple executive leadership roles within the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS), including Chief of Operations and Chief of Innovation. In these capacities, she helped shape system-wide strategies that expanded access to care, elevated community partnerships, and advanced culturally competent service delivery across the city. Her leadership at DBHIDS built the foundation for many of the innovative and person-centered approaches that continue to influence behavioral health throughout Philadelphia.

Currently, as the Senior Executive Director for Southeast Pennsylvania at Merakey, Nicole leads one of the company’s largest and most complex behavioral health portfolios, managing programs and services that reach thousands of individuals each year. Under her leadership, Merakey launched Philadelphia’s first and only Adult Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center, a groundbreaking model that has served more than 3,000 individuals in its first year of operations and earned the 2025 Mental Health Partnership Bell of Hope “Paving the Way” Award.

Nicole’s leadership extends beyond operations. She is a trailblazer who shapes systems of care, drives policy advocacy, and mentors the next generation of health leaders. She collaborates with city, county, and state officials to expand access to care, integrate housing, health services, and behavioral health supports, and ensure sustainability for community-based providers.

As a proud Black woman executive, Nicole uses her platform to elevate others. She serves on several boards and commissions, including the R.W. Sorrell Scholarship Fund, which provides four-year college scholarships to minority students. This reflects her deep commitment to developing and supporting the next generation of leaders.

Beyond her corporate role, Nicole is the founder of Lead With Nicole, an executive coaching, professional development, and consulting brand dedicated to empowering executives of color and nonprofit organizations to lead boldly and authentically. Through workshops, coaching, and strategic consulting, she helps professionals embrace confidence, purpose, and power in their careers and communities.

Her achievements have been recognized with numerous honors, including City & State Pennsylvania’s “40 Under 40” Award (2025) and Influential Women Magazine (2025). These distinctions reflect her excellence, integrity, and unwavering commitment to service.

Nicole’s leadership is not defined by titles but by her impact. She builds systems that heal, partnerships that empower, and opportunities that inspire. She is a model of what it means to lead with heart, innovation, and courage, and a beacon for Black women who continue to change the world.

In every way, Nicole Connell embodies the Onyx Woman Leadership Awards’ mission: breaking barriers, building community, and inspiring generations through the spirit of leadership and entrepreneurship.

Email: nicoledconnell@gmail.com

Dr. Virginia Hill’s story represents the power of returning to one’s roots and transforming them for the future. A proud graduate of Westinghouse High School, she now serves as the school’s principal—an honor she calls the pinnacle of her 35-year career in education.

Nationally recognized for her leadership and featured on The View for her innovative and justice-driven work, Dr. Hill has long been a respected voice in education. Her journey reflects not only professional achievement but a deep commitment to equity, mentorship, and community. Leading her beloved alma mater is both symbolic and personal: the same halls that nurtured her now echo with her leadership, vision, and care for a new generation of Bulldogs.

Dr. Hill’s career has been defined by her dedication to dismantling systemic barriers and creating opportunities for all students. After years in the classroom and district leadership, she earned her doctorate in education from the University of Pittsburgh in 2014, sharpening her expertise as an anti-racist educator and leader. Her work has consistently centered on restorative practices, culturally responsive teaching, and ensuring that schools serve as places where all children can thrive.

As the inaugural principal of the Environmental Charter School (ECS), Dr. Hill helped launch and shape one of Pittsburgh’s most innovative schools. Her leadership there set a lasting foundation for academic excellence, inclusion, and critical engagement with the world. She proved that a principal’s vision could transform a school culture and ripple outward into the community.

Returning to Westinghouse High School represents both a professional milestone and a personal calling. Dr. Hill leads not only with the authority of experience but also with the heart of someone who knows what it means to grow up within those very walls. She is visible and accessible, greeting students daily, celebrating their achievements, and holding high expectations for their futures. Her leadership has fostered pride, resilience, and renewed energy within the school community.

Beyond her school, Dr. Hill has emerged as a sought-after advisor and public voice on equity in education. Her national recognition underscores her ability to blend scholarship with practice, leading both in thought and in action. Yet, despite her accolades, she remains grounded in her mission: to serve her students, uplift her community, and model what it means to lead with courage and love.

The Onyx Awards honor those whose lives embody resilience, excellence, and a deep commitment to others. Dr. Virginia Hill reflects all of these values. Her career demonstrates not only professional achievement but also a rare devotion to giving back. She embodies the spirit of full-circle leadership: a student who became a principal, a dreamer who became a mentor, and a leader who inspires generations of Bulldogs to reach higher.

For her groundbreaking career, her unwavering fight for equity, and her transformative leadership at Westinghouse High School, Dr. Hill is a most deserving nominee for the 2026 Onyx Awards.

In a world often defined by headlines of hardship, Sharaiyah Williams stands out as a light, an unwavering force of compassion, service, and community transformation. Sharaiyah’s impact is far from symbolic, it’s deeply practical and profoundly life-changing. Through her transitional housing programs for homeless families, she provides more than shelter; she offers hope, stability, and a fresh start. Families who once faced uncertainty now find safety, healing, and the opportunity to rebuild. Many report improved mental health and a greater ability to secure employment—evidence that safe housing isn’t just a need, it’s a catalyst for change.

Her outreach doesn’t stop there. Sharaiyah’s team serves over 150 hot meals to the community regularly. What might seem like a simple act of service is actually a cornerstone of connection. These meals nourish not just bodies, but spirits offering warmth, dignity, and a space for community members to feel seen, supported, and united.

In response to the growing opioid crisis, Sharaiyah also leads the distribution of harm reduction kits, which include life-saving resources like naloxone. Her work has contributed to a measurable decrease in overdose incidents, making her community safer and helping families avoid the tragic toll of addiction.

And during the most emotionally charged time of year, Sharaiyah ensures that no child is forgotten. Her annual holiday toy giveaway brings joy, inclusion, and relief to hundreds of families struggling with financial hardship. For many, it’s the difference between feeling left behind and knowing someone cares.

Sharaiyah Williams embodies the very meaning of humanitarianism—not through grand gestures, but through consistent, grassroots acts of kindness, advocacy, and love. Her work proves that compassion is not passive, it is active, deliberate, and deeply transformative. With measurable outcomes, heartfelt testimonials, and a community forever changed by her dedication, Sharaiyah is more than deserving of the Humanitarian of the Year nomination. She is living proof that one person, rooted in purpose, can help an entire community rise.
Her email is: yahcarehomesinc@gmail.com