The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce hosted its November WomanUP Celebration & Awards Ceremony at the Crowne Plaza Resort in Asheville. WomanUP is an initiative designed to meet the needs of professional women and strives to build a platform of connecting that enables the dynamic female entrepreneurs and professionals in our region to empower, inspire, and support one another.

The list of recipients includes:

• Women Entrepreneur, Best in Business — Laura Wagenknecht, CEO of Mosaic Business Consulting

• Outstanding Woman in Nonprofit Leadership — Teresa Stephens, Vice President of Affordable Communities, Givens Communities

• Woman Executive of the Year — Carol Steen, Vice President of Talent and HR, Biltmore Farms, LLC

• Impact Award — Heather Johnson, Principal and Brand Strategist at Kudzu Brands

• Rising Star Award — Gwendolyn Dare Hageman, Founer/CEO of Darë Vegan Cheese

• Suzanne DeFerie Lifetime Achievement Award — Janet R. Cone, Director of Athletics and University Enterprises, UNC Asheville

 Photo Credit: Julieta Fumberg