Behind the Scenes at WBDC's 2026 Women Rising Gala

By Gilda Bonanno

What does it take to bring together more than 650 business leaders, entrepreneurs, elected officials, and community supporters for an inspiring afternoon celebrating women's achievements?

A great deal of preparation, coordination, collaboration—and a shared commitment to making every moment count.

On October 23, I had the pleasure of returning as Emcee for the Women's Business Development Council (WBDC) Women Rising 2026 Gala and Awards Celebration at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich.

The annual Gala celebrates the remarkable accomplishments of women entrepreneurs and the important work WBDC does to help women start, grow, and strengthen their businesses.

Gilda emceeing at the lectern

Celebrating Extraordinary Leaders

This year's celebration recognized five inspiring Women Rising honorees—Avery Beamon, Sarah Gromko, Danielle Lutsky, Gloria Montoya, and Odette Staple-Brown—whose stories demonstrated the determination, creativity, and resilience of women entrepreneurs.

We also celebrated Impact Award honorees Katherine Saunders, MD, and Susan Muigai, and David Wezdenko, recipient of the Patricia Billie Miller Award for Outstanding Community Service.

Each honoree brought a different perspective and story, but all reinforced the power of opportunity, community, and supporting one another.

 Fran Pastore with the Women Rising honorees

What Happens Before the Emcee Steps on Stage

One of the things I enjoy most about serving as Emcee is the opportunity to help shape the experience long before the audience arrives.

For an event of this size, preparation goes far beyond reviewing a script.

It involves understanding the purpose of the event, coordinating with organizers and speakers, reviewing remarks and transitions, anticipating potential challenges, and making sure the program flows smoothly.

At this year's Gala, I collaborated with the WBDC team and several presenters to review remarks, refine introductions, and coordinate the program's many moving parts. 

And, of course, even the best-planned events require flexibility. Timing can shift, last-minute changes arise, and unexpected situations need to be handled without disrupting the audience's experience.

That's where preparation, experience, and a strong production team make all the difference.

Addressing a record crowd of over 650 people

A Team Effort

I'm grateful to Fran Pastore, CEO of WBDC, and the entire WBDC team for their continued trust and partnership.

Special thanks to LongPoint Group for their thoughtful planning, coordination, and attention to detail, and to Legend Productions for their professionalism, technical expertise, and ability to handle last-minute changes seamlessly.

Having such experienced partners behind the scenes makes all the difference.

And thank you to the generous sponsors, supporters, honorees, presenters, and guests who helped make the Gala such a meaningful celebration.

Fran Pastore with Impact Award honorees Katherine Saunders and Susan Muigai

More Than an Event

What stays with me after an event like this isn't simply the applause or the program's successful conclusion.

It's the stories shared, the connections made, and the opportunity to bring people together around a mission that matters.

Congratulations to all the honorees, and thank you to WBDC for another memorable celebration.

I'm proud to continue supporting this extraordinary organization and its commitment to helping women entrepreneurs thrive.

Photography: Aviva Maller Photography

Learn more about my Emcee & Moderator services

© Gilda Bonanno LLC - Gilda Bonanno serves as a trusted advisor to executives and entrepreneurs to transform their communication, presentation and leadership skills.  She has worked with companies on 4 continents, from Chicago to Shanghai and Rio to Rome.  The instructional videos on her YouTube channel have received over 1.5 million views and her e-newsletter has reached subscribers in over 45 countries since 2008.  For other articles or to receive Gilda's e-newsletter, visit www.gildabonanno.com