The 2022 recipients of the Andrea C. Silbert Rising Star Award are recognized for the success and growth their companies have seen as a result of their relationship with the Center for Women & Enterprise.

Boston, MA – April , 2022 – The Center for Women and Enterprise (CWE) celebrated its annual Andrea C. Silbert Rising Star Award winners during its annual fundraiser and celebration. The award, launched in 2000, is presented annually to a small business who has been economically empowered due to their relationship with CWE.

2022 recipients of the Andrea C. Silbert Rising Star Award include a representative from each of CWE's five Women Business Centers:

• Emily Barnaby, owner and founder of HIRS, a family-run, woman-owned home improvement company offering small to large residential remodeling. Founded in 2022 in Derry, NH.
• Donna Childs, founder of Prisere LLC, which builds capacity for climate and disaster resilience with improved risk tools, including risk communications, risk mapping and software apps, technical training and consulting services. Founded in 2011 in Cranston, RI.
• Alicia Haddad, founder of Alicia's Spice Co., an all-natural, gluten-free, kosher, keto, vegan, sodium, spice company founded in 2015 in Worcester, MA.
• Widline Pyrame, CEO and founder of Fusion Dolls , a multicultural toy company with a mission to promote self-love and diversity awareness founded in 2019 in Brockton, MA.
• Jennifer Vascotto, owner of Trenchers Farmhouse, which uses a regenerative farm system to create artisan farm to table pastas, sauces, breads and desserts: all the Italian traditional specialties with a Vermont twist. Founded in 2019 in Lyndonville, VT.

"Each of these business leaders are incredibly resourceful and talented in their own right, and we at CWE are honored to be able to support them on their journeys to even greater levels of success," said Gaby Morse King, President and CEO for the Center for Women & Enterprise. "Beyond that, we know that lifting up women benefits everyone—families and communities thrive when we empower women to succeed economically."

Each of the recipients has accessed the resources, tools, and support offered by CWE, which range from workshops and webinars, to connecting aspiring and developing business owners with the one-to-one business consulting.

About the Andrea C. Silbert Rising Star Award

In 2000, the Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE) began awarding clients annually with the Rising Star Award. The award was named after CWE cofounder Andrea C. Silbert, when she left the organization for other endeavors. The award is presented annually to clients who have been economically empowered because of their relationship with CWE.

About the Center for Women & Enterprise

The Center for Women & Enterprise is a nationally known nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people start and grow their businesses. CWE has worked with more than 65,000 Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont entrepreneurs since 1995. CWE also operates the Veterans Business Outreach Center of New England (VBOC of NE) that focuses on assisting veterans, active-duty service members and their families with starting and growing their business.