The Women’s Foundation of Arkansas is closing out Women’s History Month by announcing the 2025 honorees for its signature event Power of the Purse: Elizabeth Burns Anderson as Woman of the Year in Business, Gayatri Agnew as Woman of the Year in Public Service and Dr. Sherece West-Scantlebury as Woman of the Year in Philanthropy.
Now in its 27th year, Power of the Purse will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 1, at 11:30 a.m. at the Statehouse Convention Center in downtown Little Rock. The popular annual luncheon recognizes Arkansas women who are breaking barriers and opening doors for others to do the same. The event also raises funds to support WFA’s year-round work to create economic opportunity for women and girls across the state.
According to WFA, the 2025 honorees are “a powerful reflection of what leadership looks like in Arkansas: grounded in community, driven by service and committed to making space and paving the way for the next generation.”
Anderson is senior vice president of Farmers Bank & Trust and executive director of the Farmers Bank Foundation. A fifth-generation banker and Magnolia native, she’s known for her tireless advocacy for rural development, education and public service. Anderson serves on the boards of the Arkansas Community Foundation, The CALL and the Arkansas State Police Foundation, where she is board president. She also leads the Lonoke School Board and was recently appointed to the St. Louis Federal Reserve Board’s Little Rock branch.
Agnew is senior director and head of the Walmart Accessibility Center of Excellence. She also serves on the Bentonville City Council, focusing on growth, infrastructure and inclusive opportunity. Her career spans government, nonprofit and corporate leadership, and she’s known for finding common ground and building practical solutions that improve lives in Arkansas communities.
West-Scantlebury leads the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation as president and CEO, guiding investments that aim to build a stronger, more prosperous Arkansas for all. From her early work as a housing advocate in New York City to leadership roles at major foundations across the Southeast, she has spent her career championing lasting solutions to some of the country’s most pressing challenges. Before joining the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, she served as the founding CEO of the Foundation for Louisiana and held leadership roles at the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Co-chairing Power of the Purse 2025 are Cori Keller and Ebony Mitchell, two women whose journeys from the Miss Arkansas stage to their professional careers reflect leadership with both heart and purpose.
Keller is a physician liaison with Baptist Health and a doctorate of health care administration student at Oklahoma State University. A Stuttgart native and Miss Arkansas 2023, Keller placed in the top 10 at Miss America and now works to raise awareness for heart health through the American Heart Association.
Mitchell is director of external affairs for the Arkansas Advanced Energy Association. She served as Miss Arkansas 2022 and has spent nearly a decade advocating for online safety for children and educators. Mitchell also serves on the Arkansas 250 Commission and remains a powerful voice for public service and civic engagement.
“For more than 25 years, we’ve believed in the power of being first and in the responsibility to ensure no one is the last,” WFA CEO Anna Beth Gorman says. “Our 2025 honorees and co-chairs reflect the progress we’ve made and the future we’re building. They’re leading in ways that create lasting change — not just for themselves, but for the women and girls coming next.”
Tickets, tables and sponsorships for Power of the Purse 2025 are available now. Visit the WFA website for more information, and follow along on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
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