Two individuals with history in Mid-America territory were among the five people who received awards from the Association of Adventist Women during its hybrid awards program held at Loma Linda, California, on Oct. 30, 2021.
Phyllis Ware Lee
Phyllis Ware Lee, MBA, CPA, received the Woman of the Year Award for Administration and Leadership for her work as treasurer in several conferences including Central States and for being the first woman of color to serve as interim president of the Central States Conference. She was also the first woman to hold such a position since 1905.
In addition, Ware Lee, who accepted the award via zoom, served as CFO for the Office of Regional Conference Ministry and the Regional Conference Retirement Plan. After faithfully serving God and the Seventh-day Adventist Church for over 35 years, she recently retired to Toney, Alabama.
Charles Sandefur
Elder Charles Sandefur, DMin., received the Champion of Justice Award for his work with EndItNow. Sandefur was celebrated as a strong lifetime advocate for equal treatment of women in ministry. He has served as a pastor, chaplain, president of Hawaii and Rocky Mountain Conferences, president of the Mid-America Union Conference, president of ADRA, and Vice President for Mission at Adventist Health.
Sandefur cofounded the ENDITNOW campaign to stop violence against women, along with General Conference Women’s Ministries Department director Heather Dawn Small. Materials for local churches to download and distribute are on the GC Women’s Ministries website.
Since 2014 Sandefur has been chairperson of the Versacare Board of Directors, a philanthropic Adventist-affiliated organization which gives grants to Seventh-day Adventist missions, schools, students and other select projects. Versacare is designed to have 60 percent female board members. Versacare gave $100,000 to Time to Educate for Adventist Ministry for female theology student scholarships. Versacare also funded a DVD titled “Called,” produced by TEAM (available at TEAM.org), to address barriers for placement of female pastors in churches.
Additional Awardees
Dr. Helen Hopp Marshak’s Woman of the Year Award category is for Leadership and Administration. Dr. Hopp Marshak previously served as Dean of LLU’s School of Allied Health Professions. Currently she is vice president for public health education at LLU, has served on 22 LLU committees, and taught in LLU’s School of Public Health, School of Medicine, and Graduate School.
Dianne Sika-Paotonu, MD, received the Woman of the Year Award for Scholarship via zoom. She is associate dean at the University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand, where she is a stellar immunologist. She received the Sir Thomas Davis Te Patu Kite Rangi Ariki Health Research Fellowship, is on the Council of the Royal Society Te Apārangi, and was a Fulbright scholar.
The Champion of Justice Award given posthumously to Henry Fordam III, MTh, was accepted by his son Donovan Fordham. As Allegheny East Conference president, he passionately advocated for women in ministry and women’s ordination, despite severe criticism. Two women were ordained in his conference in 2020. He gave selfless service to God and the Adventist Church for over 45 years.
Visit associationofadventistwomen.
Photos: Linda Becker
