Mayor Garner Honors Three Local Women for International Women's Day
Published on April 06, 2022
On Thursday, March 31, 2022, Unified Government CEO and Mayor Tyrone A. Garner issued a proclamation, declaring March 8, 2022, International Women’s Day and honoring three Wyandotte County women who are making a significant impact in our community and beyond.
“Mayor Carolyn Caiharr, Nastasia Williams, and Stephanie “Pyet” DeSpain are being honored for their excellence in each of their respective fields and for representing Wyandotte County positively, both locally and beyond,” said Mayor Garner. “It is important that we celebrate the determination, achievements, and resilience of not just these three honorees, but all women and young girls in Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KS. As Mayor, it is my goal to support the advancement of women and girls across our community so they can live with the respect they deserve and thrive every day. Today, I want it to be known they have a champion in my administration and the Unified Government as we work daily to support their success.”
2022 International Women’s Day Honorees
For Visionary & Engaged Leadership: Mayor Carolyn Caiharr
As of January 2022, Carolyn Caiharr is serving as the Mayor of Edwardsville and is a lifelong resident of Wyandotte County with her husband, Joe and two sons. Prior to being elected Mayor, she served four years on the Edwardsville City Council. Mayor Caiharr serves on the Vaughn Trent Board, the Wyandotte County Economic Development Council Board and runs the Edwardsville Mobile Pantry. As a professional realtor, Mayor Caiharr has assisted many in the purchase and sale of their homes in the KC Metropolitan area. Whether representing clients or her city, Mayor Caiharr strives to do everything with integrity and hopes to make Edwardsville an even better place to live, work and play.
For Organizational & Managerial Excellence in the Private Sector: Nastasia Williams
Nastasia Williams is the Store Director for Nebraska Furniture Mart in Kansas City, Kansas. Ms. Williams grew up in the Kansas City, KS community and graduated from Washington High School, where she also began working at Nebraska Furniture Mart. Through hard work and unwavering commitment, Ms. Williams worked her way from cashier to Sales Manager and to now the first African American Store Director with Nebraska Furniture Mart.
For Cultural & Culinary Excellence: Stephanie “Pyet” DeSpain
Stephanie “Pyet” DeSpain is an award- winning traveling private chef. Most recently, she was the first winner of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s “Next Level Chef,” a televised cooking competition in 2021. Ms. DeSpain’s culinary dedication focuses on Indigenous Fusion Cuisine, where she incorporates the food from her heritage, both Native American and Mexican. Ms. DeSpain spent her childhood on the Osage Indian Reservation and then in Kansas City, Kansas. She is a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Tribe and has a passion for promoting wellness and nutrition through food.