Women's Empowerment Luncheon

Third Annual Women's Empowerment Luncheon

Women United: Investing in Women, Transforming Our Future.

United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region was thankful that the winter weather did not cancel their third annual Women’s United Empowerment Luncheon on February 25th at The Grandview in Poughkeepsie. Over 225 women and a few good men enjoyed the dramatic views of the Hudson River and the beautiful ballroom of this exceptional venue.

The guest speaker, Tara Rosenblum, a veteran anchor, host, and investigative reporter for the News 12 Network, participated in a Q&A with the event emcee, Anne Marie “Annie” Leamy. Questions included how she got into broadcasting, whether there have been obstacles as a woman in journalism, how she manages work-life balance in such a demanding field, how she avoids burnout, and the most profound story she has reported on.

The luncheon also featured two nonprofit leaders who shared how they have served women and families in our community: Kim Dangerfield, Director of Outreach and Supportive Services, shared the free, confidential services Grace Smith House provides to domestic violence survivors in Dutchess County. Cristina Saito, MSW, the Director of Human & Social Services at Catholic Charities Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster, spoke about their housing, food security, and emergency assistance programs that help vulnerable families.

This year, United Way was proud to announce a Women’s Empowerment Scholarship that was presented at the luncheon. The scholarship recipient was Danielle Kalinowski. Danielle is pursuing her nursing degree at Mount Saint Mary College.

At last year’s Women’s Luncheon, United Way launched their partnership with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Amenia and Pine Bush. At the luncheon, they announced that they have expanded to seven towns and have 239 children currently enrolled in the program. Imagination Library provides a free book to a registered child by mail each month from birth to age 5. It is a program to encourage early literacy and long-term academic success.

As a special highlight, local author Andrea Simon generously donated copies of her latest book, Rethink: Smashing the Myths of Women in Business, for the luncheon. Each table featured one giveaway copy for a guest to take home.

The atmosphere was electric! Between sipping mocktails and enjoying a delicious lunch, guests rallied together to support a fantastic cause. With a wine raffle, in-person prizes, and an online auction, the fundraising was a hit. More importantly, the event served as a powerful space to uplift women-owned businesses and fuel United Way’s ongoing mission to empower vulnerable women and their families.

“This event continues to exceed expectations year after year,” says Jeannie Montano, President and CEO of United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region. “It has become a personal highlight for me to see women from the corporate and nonprofit sectors unite to empower one another and reinforce a shared mission. 
We are deeply grateful to our sponsors, whose generous support makes this event possible.”  
 

Thank you to Tara Rosenblum, our guest speaker. 

Tara Rosenblum is a veteran anchor, host and investigative reporter for the News 12 Network, specializing in political reporting, breaking news and long-form investigative journalism. She is one of the most award-winning local TV reporters in the nation, with more than 300 industry accolades, including two National Edward R. Murrow Awards (2017, 2022), 71 Emmy wins and 221 Emmy nominations. From 2014 and in every year between 2016 and 2024, she was the most Emmy-nominated TV reporter in the New York market. She has been recognized as New York’s top general assignment, political and investigative journalist.

Her reporting has taken her across the country and overseas, covering major national and international events such as Hurricane Katrina, the Virginia Tech Massacre and every U.S. presidential election from 2008 through 2024. A 2005 Walter Cronkite Political Fellow, Tara has interviewed presidents, governors and world leaders and anchored coverage from both state and national political conventions.

Her investigative reporting has exposed corruption, influenced public policy and made international headlines. She led News 12’s coverage of major crime stories including the Bernie Madoff scandal, the Ben Novack Jr. murder and the Robert Durst case, which was instrumental in his indictment in Westchester. She is a host of News 12’s Crime Files, focusing on criminal justice and public safety. Tara has also appeared on dozens of national programs including 20/20, Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, Snapped, Oxygen’s Dying to Belong and CNBC’s Deadly Rich.

Her contributions to local journalism extend far beyond the newsroom. Tara has been honored with 12 days named in her honor across New York communities, keys to two Westchester cities and numerous civic and humanitarian awards, including:

Cynosis Media's "Top 100 Women in American Media" (2023)
New Rochelle Police Foundation "Woman of the Year" (2025)
City & State Magazine's "Power 100" (2019 & 2025)
Voted "Top Media Personality" by Westchester Magazine readers for six years
MPAC’s "Woman of the Year" (2019)
RDC Center’s "Spirit of Compassion" award (2020)
Additional accolades for her in-depth coverage of the heroin outbreak, awarded by the Guidance Center of Westchester, the Rockland Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, The Alliance for Safe Kids and the New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce for her in-depth coverage of the heroin epidemic
Before joining News 12, Tara worked as an anchor and reporter at NBC stations in Iowa and Elmira, New York. She began her career with internships and jobs at The White House, Capitol Hill, CNN’s White House unit, CBS News during the 2000 presidential election, and as a travel writer for the Miami Herald.

Outside of journalism, Tara is passionate about space exploration and dreams of one day boarding a Virgin Galactic flight to the final frontier.

Thank you Anne Marie "Annie" Leamy, event the emcee

Annie has been hosting mornings on the radio for close to 20 years. Her rock all these years has been her husband, Sean. He’s an elementary school teacher and collegiate basketball coach at Pace University. She has three boys, Michael, Christian and Aidan. Being outnumbered by the boys, she’s grateful to have her rescue dog, Maple. She resides in the Hudson Valley. She’s always ready to make new friends. Find her @annieonair on social media.