Dr. Paola Ehrmantraut has won a CBIZ Women Transforming Business Award for her work as founding director of the Master of Arts in Diversity Leadership (MADL) program at St. Thomas. Her award was earned in the Community Impact category and she was nominated by Sharon Stein ’13, a member of the College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Board.
The CBIZ Women Transforming Business Awards, powered by CBIZ Women’s Advantage, recognize and celebrate visionary women in business across the country for their success in advancing financial, cultural, innovative and community-focused initiatives. “By recognizing the invaluable contributions of these leaders, we can celebrate their achievements and pave the way for future generations,” said Lori Novickis, National Leader of CBIZ Women’s Advantage.
Among 15 honorees in five distinct categories, Ehrmantraut was the only representative from higher education, which speaks to the unique work she is doing at St. Thomas. The MA in Diversity Leadership is inspiring students to be changemakers who will work for the common good in their communities, businesses and organizations. The cumulative impact of this innovation will take years to understand, but Ehrmantraut’s work is already changing lives, careers and communities.
In addition to her role as director of the MADL, Ehrmantraut is Endowed Chair in the Humanities and associate professor of Spanish at St. Thomas, as well as the chair of the Race Equity Advisory Council for Hennepin County.