At Sophia Partners, we gather to inspire and remind ourselves of our inherent leadership potential. 

We invite you to join us in celebrating two remarkable leaders whose lifelong commitment to servant leadership motivates and inspires us all to be the best leaders possible for those we serve.

On Friday, November 8, 2024, over 50 dedicated servant-leaders from across the country convened at Celebration Restaurant in Dallas, TX, to honor Duane Trammell and Deborah Welch for their impactful work in creating caring communities in their respective ways.

What Servant Leadership Makes Possible

Before we dive into Duane and Deborah’s stories, first – a bit of backstory…

Since 2012, Sophia has been recognizing and uplifting impactful stories of leadership from individuals and organizations with the Caring Community Award.

In honor of Sophia’s 20th anniversary in 2022, this award was renamed the Virginia L. Gilmore Caring Community Award, in tribute to Virginia “Ginny” Gilmore, the founder of the Sophia Foundation (now Sophia Transformative Leadership Partners).

These Caring Community Award recipients exemplify what servant leadership can achieve in workplaces and communities. This recognition serves as a reminder to celebrate our capabilities as individuals, organizations, and a collective community.

Celebrating Duane Trammell

Duane Trammell, founding partner, president, and COO of Trammell McGee-Cooper and Associates (TMCA) in Dallas, TX, was awarded the 2024 Virginia L. Gilmore Caring Community Award.

Duane excels in writing, research, and developing materials centered on servant leadership. For over 30 years, he collaborated with Ann McGee-Cooper and has been involved in pioneering research on “genius/giftedness,” integrating these insights with Robert Greenleaf’s principles of servant leadership.

About Ann McGee-Cooper

Ann McGee-Cooper was mentored by Robert Greenleaf, who coined the term “servant leadership” in his influential essay, The Servant as Leader, published in 1970. He noted that “spirit is the animating force that disposes one to be a servant to others.” 

Isabel Lopez beautifully articulated this, saying, “If you are more positive, more energized, more hopeful, and more productive, you may be in the company of a servant-leader or ‘spirit carrier.’”

Following Greenleaf’s legacy, Ann dedicated over 50 years to nurturing the spirit of servant leadership in various esteemed organizations. She passed away in 2016 after a courageous four-year journey with breast cancer.

In 2018, Duane, Ginny, and Isabel co-created the Ann McGee-Cooper Spirit of Servant Leadership Award in her memory, honoring those who exemplify extraordinary commitment to living and promoting the spirit of servant leadership.

Celebrating Deborah Welch

Deborah Welch, a leadership coach, author, and educator at Capella University in Phoenix, AZ, was awarded the 2024 Ann McGee-Cooper Spirit of Servant Leadership Award.

Deborah employs a diverse range of reflective practices to support her clients and students. In 2008, she co-created a virtual servant leadership learning community with Ann and Ginny, long before virtual learning became mainstream, which inspired participants to be more positive, energized, productive, and hopeful.

What Ripple Will You Make?

Through these annual impact awards, Sophia recognizes and celebrates the inspiring and transformative individuals, organizations, and groups who are making a difference in the lives of others as servant-leaders. 

Watch Ann’s Soul Biography to see what ripples you can make!

What if your spirit was set free; 

What would you create, do, be?

What ripple will that create in the world?

We invite you to Create a Ripple and be a transformative leader. Let’s see how far our intentional ripples can go!