Girls Inc. will honor inspirational leaders María Martinez, Ali Stroker, Minerva Tantoco, and Joanne Wright.
NEW YORK, March 4, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Girls Inc., the longest-running girls' leadership organization, is hosting its annual national luncheon in New York City celebrating women whose leadership and impact serve as powerful inspiration for the new generation of girl and women leaders.
The event will take place on March 10 at Guastavino's, located at 409 E. 59th Street, New York, NY. A reception will begin at 11:15 a.m., followed by the luncheon at 12:00 noon.
Honorees include:
María Martínez, Corporate Board Member & Strategic Advisor
María Martínez is a transformational technology leader, board director, and Managing Director of her strategic advisory firm, where she guides high-growth and global companies through digital transformation and artificial intelligence–driven change. A former Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Cisco, she has held senior leadership roles at Motorola, Microsoft, and Salesforce, and currently serves on the boards of McKesson, Bank of America, Tyson Foods, JumpCloud, and Fiddler AI. With more than four decades at the forefront of innovation — from pioneering engineering work at AT&T Bell Labs to leading large-scale global operations — María brings a rare 360-degree perspective spanning startups to the Fortune 500, while remaining deeply committed to mentorship and expanding opportunity for women and underrepresented communities in technology.
Ali Stroker, Tony Award-Winning Actress & Advocate
Ali Stroker is a Tony Award-winning actor with a groundbreaking career that has redefined representation in the performing arts. Stroker is the first actor in a wheelchair to appear on Broadway with stage and screen credits that include Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, Deaf West's acclaimed revival of Spring Awakening, Netflix series, Echoes and Ozark, Hulu's Only Murders in the Building, Lifetime's holiday film, Christmas Ever After and her one-woman show that she performed all over the country.
Stroker is also a children's book author and has a personal mission to improve the lives of others through the arts as captured in her motto: "Turning Your Limitations Into Your Opportunities."
Minerva Tantoco, CEO City Strategies, Former First CTO of New York City
Minerva Tantoco brings a remarkable track record founding AI startups, co-founding digital financial institutions like Grasshopper Bank, and in 2014 was appointed as New York City's first-ever Chief Technology Officer leading the Office of Tech and Innovation. In addition, Tantoco holds four U.S. patents in intelligent workflow design and has recently been recognized by Constellation Enterprise's Business Transformation 150, City & State's Queens Power 100, and the AI Summit Decade of AI Influence Award in 2025.
Joanne Wright, Senior Vice President of Transformation and Operations at IBM
Joanne Wright is a global leader in enterprise transformation - driving innovation, operational excellence, and cultural change at scale. Wright's "Client Zero" vision has positioned IBM as its own first customer, piloting AI and hybrid cloud solutions internally to drive enterprise-wide transformation to demonstrate the real-world impact of its solutions before bringing them to market.
In addition to developing transformational operational efficiencies, she's a champion for creating spaces of belonging as the founder of IBM's Women's Business Resource Group. Her leadership has been recognized with a Stevie Award for Female Executive of the Year, and two Fortune Most Powerful Women Next-Gen Awards.
"We are proud to honor María, Ali, Minerva, and Joanne—extraordinary leaders who embody what is possible for girls," said Girls Inc. President & CEO Dr. Stephanie J. Hull. "They exemplify achievement at the highest levels while modeling something even more powerful: leadership that lifts others. Through their example, girls see not only what they can become, but also how they will inspire others as they rise."
The Luncheon supports Girls Inc.'s mission to provide life-changing programs that equip girls with the skills, confidence, and opportunities to thrive.
About Girls Inc.
Girls Inc. is a network of local organizations that works with schools and in communities across the United States and Canada. Through direct service and advocacy, Girls Inc. equips girls with the knowledge and skills to effect positive changes in their lives and to become leaders who will change the world. Professionally trained staff and volunteers provide mentorship, supportive spaces, and research-informed programming that address the challenges girls face and are proven to help them succeed. Together with partners and supporters, Girls Inc. is building the new generation of leaders. Join us at girlsinc.org.
Media Contact
Liz Velez, Girls Inc., 1 212.269.4630, [email protected], www.girlsinc.org
SOURCE Girls Inc.
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