During the annual CGR Charity Sneaker Ball, CGR highlights innovative women who are the epitome of our four key initiatives: Creative Arts, Mental Health & Wellness, Women Empowerment and Youth Development. In addition, CGR will present a special award to a recipient that has a major influence within the community and inspires others to achieve their personal and professional aspirations: the Influencer Innovator Award.
CREATIVE ARTS INNOVATOR: An individual who has demonstrated unparalleled creativity and innovation in the arts. This prestigious award celebrates those who push boundaries, challenge conventions, and introduce groundbreaking ideas and practices within the creative arts community. Honorees of this award are visionary artists, designers, performers, and creators who have made significant contributions to their respective fields. They inspire through their originality, ingenuity, and dedication, creating works that captivate audiences and drive the creative arts forward. Their innovative approaches not only elevate their craft but also influence and shape the broader cultural landscape.
MENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS INNOVATOR: An individual that is dedicated to advancing mental health and wellness through creative and pioneering approaches. This distinguished award celebrates those who have made significant contributions to promoting mental well-being, reducing stigma, and providing support for mental health through innovative programs, practices, or initiatives. Honorees of this award are leaders and advocates who have demonstrated a deep commitment to improving mental health outcomes in their communities.
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT INNOVATOR: An individual who has made significant strides in empowering women through creative and innovative initiatives. This prestigious award celebrates those who champion gender equality, advocate for women's rights, and create opportunities that uplift and inspire women to achieve their full potential. Honorees of this award are visionary leaders and change-makers who have demonstrated unwavering commitment to advancing the status of women in various spheres, including the arts, business, education, and technology. Their work breaks barriers, challenges stereotypes, and fosters an inclusive environment where women can thrive and lead.
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT INNOVATOR: An individual who is dedicated to empowering and nurturing the next generation of creative leaders. This esteemed award celebrates those who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to youth development through innovative programs, mentorship, and educational initiatives. Honorees of this award are passionate advocates for young people, creating transformative opportunities that foster creativity, leadership, and personal growth. They work tirelessly to bridge gaps in access to creative resources, provide platforms for young voices, and inspire youth to reach their full potential.
INFLUENCER INNOVATOR: An individual who has made significant contributions to the creative community through innovative and influential work. This prestigious award recognizes those who harness their creativity to inspire, educate, and uplift others, setting new standards in their respective fields. Honorees of this award are trailblazers and visionaries, often at the intersection of art, technology, and social impact. They demonstrate exceptional creativity, originality, and a commitment to using their platform to drive positive change.
2026 Innovator Award Recipients
Creative Arts Innovator
Katie Delmez has been a curator at the Frist Art Museum since 2001. She has organized numerous exhibitions, including In Her Place: Nashville Artists in the Twenty-First Century; Multiplicity: Blackness in Contemporary American Collage; Terry Adkins: Our Sons and Daughters Ever on the Altar (with Jamaal Sheats, Director and Curator, Fisk University Galleries); We Shall Overcome: Civil Rights and the Nashville Press, 1957–1968; Nick Cave: Feat.; Murals of North Nashville Now; Vadis Turner: Tempest; Shinique Smith: Wonder and Rainbows; and Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons: Journeys. She was also the curator of a major retrospective on photographer Carrie Mae Weems that traveled to the Guggenheim Museum in New York.
Ms. Delmez has overseen the presentation of more than 40 touring exhibitions at the Frist, including Jeffrey Gibson: The Body Electric; Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists; and 30 Americans. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University (BA) and Boston University (MA).
Mental Health & Wellness Innovator
Maria Bush, LPC-MHSP, AS, is a licensed therapist, author, and mental health and wellness facilitator with 19 years of experience in behavioral health. Her career has centered on creating culturally responsive, trauma-informed spaces where individuals feel seen, supported, empowered, and worthy—while transforming how communities understand, approach, and experience mental health and wellness.
As the owner of Kindness Connects Us Therapy Services, Maria provides mental health, wellness, and movement therapy services across the lifespan, with a focus on trauma, self-worth, mood disorders, memory care, and holistic well-being. Her leadership and advocacy extend beyond clinical practice. She is the former Assistant Director of the Office of Crisis Services and Suicide Prevention for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, where she contributed to statewide crisis intervention and suicide prevention efforts serving Tennesseans.
Maria earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Fisk University and her graduate degree in Mental Health Counseling from Argosy University. She became a Licensed Professional Counselor–Mental Health Service Provider (LPC-MHSP) in Tennessee in 2013 and has since obtained additional professional credentials in Florida, Arizona, and Missouri. As a Clinical Supervisor, Maria mentors and supports emerging counselors and serves as Co-Founder of The Triad of Healing, an initiative dedicated to empowering and equipping mental health professionals.
Maria’s commitment to destigmatizing mental health and helping individuals recognize their inherent worth is at the heart of her work. She is the author of The Audacity to Heal: Self-Worth Recovery Journal for Adults. Through Worthyish, LLC, Maria facilitates mental health and emotional wellness workshops for women and children, creating meaningful spaces for conversations around mental health, stress, domestic violence and sexual assault, and healing.
Women Empowerment Innovator
Midori Lockett serves as Vanderbilt University's Chief Community Impact Officer for Community Relations, where she builds bridges between the Vanderbilt community and the local nonprofit sector. She directs the university's Community Impact Fund, Vanderbilt's community contribution program. She works to deepen the university's engagement by cultivating relationships across the nonprofit and public sectors while advancing understanding of critical community issues.
Throughout her career, Midori has been driven by a commitment to addressing inequity, facilitating meaningful connections, and fostering transformational change. She approaches her work with purpose and collaboration, believing that lasting impact is achieved through strong partnerships and shared vision.
A Nashville native, Midori earned an A.B. from Brown University and an M.S. from Drexel University in nonprofit administration. Her commitment to community extends beyond her professional role through extensive nonprofit leadership. She has served on nine nonprofit boards and is a 2024 graduate of the Mosaic Changemakers Fellowship.
Youth Development Innovator
The Honorable Sheila Calloway, originally from Louisville, KY, moved to Nashville in 1987 to attend Vanderbilt University, earning her Bachelor's in Communications in 1991 and her Juris Doctor in 1994. Afterward, she dedicated herself to a career in law, starting at the Metropolitan Public Defender’s Office before becoming a Juvenile Court Magistrate in 2004, appointed by Judge Betty Adams Green. Sheila served until November 2013, when she ran for Juvenile Court Judge, winning the election and assuming office in 2014. Recognized for her integrity, she was re-elected in 2022.
Alongside her judicial duties, she teaches Trial Advocacy at Vanderbilt University Law School and Juvenile Law at Belmont College of Law, fostering the next generation of legal professionals. Sheila Calloway is known for her innovative approach to justice, blending humor, passion, and wisdom to challenge norms in the legal system, leaving a lasting impact on her community.
Sheila Calloway serves the legal community and the juvenile justice community through her service on the Executive Committee of the Tennessee Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (TCJFCJ), where she serves as the Vice-President. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), and on the Judicial Leadership Council of the National CASA/GAL Association. She is also involved in the community, donating her time to organizations such as Leadership Nashville, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Napier Looby Bar Association, Nashville Public Education Foundation, and the Nashville Repertory Theater.
Judge Calloway has been recognized by various community agencies for being a leader in her field.
Influencer Innovator
Tequila Johnson is an award-winning civic architect, enterprise strategist, and international keynote speaker who helps leaders evolve influence into industry-shaping impact. She co-founded The Equity Alliance, where she transformed a grassroots idea into a multimillion-dollar organization, registering tens of thousands of voters, building statewide coalitions, and shaping civic participation across Tennessee. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, NPR, The Washington Post, Essence, and honored by the NAACP and Echoing Green.
A Harvard Kennedy School–trained practitioner in Power & Influence, Tequila is known for her exceptional ability to merge boardroom strategy with grassroots insight. She has advised executives, foundations, universities, and advocacy organizations on leadership alignment, community strategy, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable systems of influence.
As the creator of The Power Profile™ and The Power Shift™ Framework, Tequila equips leaders and organizations to understand the power they lead from, the power they underuse, and the power they need next. Her speaking, advising, and Power Labs™ help leaders move from urgency to intentionality and from instinct to mastery.
