We would like to spotlight some of our outstanding O∆K female members in honor of Women’s History Month!
Yvette Nicole Brown
University of Akron, 1993
Yvette Nicole Brown (University of Akron, 1993) is an Emmy-nominated actress, comedian, host, and author. Most recently, she starred as Shirley Bennett on the NBC sitcom Community, Dani in the 2015 version of The Odd Couple on CBS, and Dina Rose on the ABC sitcom The Mayor. Yvette Nicole has had guest roles on numerous other shows and has been in films, including Avengers: Endgame and (500) Days of Summer. She has guest-hosted shows such as The View and The Talk. She received a primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for the role of Judge Anita Harper on the HBO series A Black Lady Sketch Show. Yvette is the 2023 recipient of Omicron Delta Kappa’s Pillars of Leadership Award in Creative and Performing Arts.
Tara Dawn Holland Christensen 
Florida State University, 1993
Tara Dawn Holland Christensen (Florida State University, 1993) won the Miss America pageant in 1997, representing the State of Kansas. In addition to earning her undergraduate degree at FSU, Tara earned a master’s degree in music education from the University of Missouri – Kansas City. During her reign as Miss America, she advocated for literacy education for individuals of all ages. In addition to speaking, Tara has been a vocal performer at numerous events. Tara currently resides in Franklin, Tennessee, and remains active in her community and with women’s organizations.
Lara O’Connor Hodgson
Georgia Institute of Technology, 1990
Lara O’Connor Hodgson (Georgia Institute of Technology, 1990) is a noted businesswoman, volunteer, and author. Lara was Omicron Delta Kappa’s National Leader of the Year in 1993. As a stellar Georgia Tech student, she served as the school’s circle president, ran track, and was involved in numerous campus activities. Today, Lara is the chief executive officer at NowCorp, a business-to-business (B2B) payments company headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 2010, her firm’s mission is to create a world without accounts receivable. In 2022, Lara, Stacey Abrams, and Heather Cabot released their new book Level Up: Rise Above the Hidden Forces Holding Your Business Back. In addition to her professional pursuits, Lara is also involved with several educational organizations and is a member of the Georgia Tech Foundation Board of Trustees.
Sandra B. Thurmond
University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1987
Sandra B. Thurmond (University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1987) earned her undergraduate degree from Birmingham-Southern College (BSC) before receiving her master’s degree from UAB. Sandy joined the Society’s Board of Trustees in 2019 and currently serves as its chair and the head of the Executive Committee. Professionally, Sandy is the vice president for primary care services at Children’s of Alabama and, as such, is responsible for the operations and development of Children’s primary care network, Pediatric Practice Solutions (PPS), as well as for maintaining and improving relationships with pediatricians around the State of Alabama. She is a leader with the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama. Sandy also serves on the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, is a past president of its alumni board, and is a 2019 Distinguished Alumna.
