The Leading Women Dinner honors women who have blazed trails in civic leadership. This year’s honorees have demonstrated in their unique ways how much can be accomplished when people work together. We hope you and others will be inspired to follow their examples and step into future leadership roles. See photos from the event here.
Leading Woman Honoree
Former Supreme Court Justice Kaye Hearn
Justice Kaye Hearn retired from the bench in 2023, the longest serving member of the South Carolina state court judiciary. Her judicial career, which spanned 37 years, included 13 years on the South Carolina Supreme Court, 15 years on the South Carolina Court of Appeals, and nine years on the family court bench. She was the second woman to sit on this state’s highest court and the only former law clerk to return to the court as a justice. During her 15 years on the Court of Appeals, she was the chief judge for 10 years and also served as president of the National Association of Chief Judges. While a family court judge, she served as president of the Family Court Judges’ Association. She now practices law with the Wyche Firm in Greenville and Columbia, concentrating on litigation and appellate matters.
Justice Hearn graduated cum laude from Bethany College and cum laude from the University of South Carolina School of Law. She clerked for Justice J.B. “Bubba” Ness on the South Carolina Supreme Court before moving to Horry County. She was a trial lawyer with the firm of Stevens, Stevens, Thomas, Hearn & Hearn from 1979 until her election to the family court bench. During her years of practice, she was a member of the South Carolina Board of Bar Examiners. After going on the appellate bench, Justice Hearn earned an L.L.M. From the University of Virginia School of Law.
Justice Hearn has been the recipient of numerous honors, including four honorary degrees, a portrait from the South Carolina Association for Justice, the Jean Galloway Bissell Award from the South Carolina Women Lawyers Association, and the American Board of Trial Advocates Jurist of the Year Award. She is married to Conway attorney George Hearn, and they have one daughter, Kathleen Hearn, who is also a Conway attorney. Justice Hearn enjoys singing in her church choir, community theater, and cooking.
Leadership Legacy Honoree
S.C. State Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter
Widely respected on both sides of the aisle, the Honorable Gilda Cobb-Hunter is the longest serving Representative in the South Carolina General Assembly and has been dubbed as “The Conscience of The House.”
Her historic public service portfolio includes becoming the first African American woman elected to statewide office, where she still serves today representing Orangeburg County; the only freshman legislator appointed to the powerful House Ways and Means Committee where she is now the ranking member and 1st Vice Chairwoman; and the first person of color elected to lead a legislative caucus as former House Minority Leader. She is also a member of the Joint Bond Review Committee.
Her political leadership extends nationally as former President of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators; National Committeewoman to the Democratic National Committee; member of the National Conference of State Legislatures Executive Committee; and the first woman color Chair of the Southern Regional Caucus.
Rep. Cobb-Hunter’s longstanding commitment to community service and advocacy is reflected in her active participation on numerous boards and commissions, including the Community Development Advisory Committee for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond; Center for Women Policy Studies; Grassroots Leadership; Planned Parenthood of South Carolina; South Carolina Fair Share; South Carolina Low Income Housing Coalition; and South Carolina SAFEKIDS.
She currently serves as Social Work Administrator & Chief Executive Officer of CASA/Family Systems, a private, not-for-profit organization serving Bamberg, Calhoun, and Orangeburg counties whose primary focus is providing prevention, advocacy, and intervention to individuals and families who have been affected by sexual assault, family violence, and/or child abuse and neglect. She is a former teacher and caseworker for the Orangeburg Department of Social Services.
She is a director at The ReGenesis Institute which helps deprived communities access federal dollars to assist in restructuring.
Representative Cobb-Hunter holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Afro-American History from Florida A&M University and a Master of Arts degree in American-History from Florida State University.
She is a native of Gifford, Florida and is proudly married to Dr. Terry K. Hunter, Executive Director of the Fine Arts Cultural Enrichment Teaching Studios.
Rising Star Honoree
Municipal Judge Nancy Gutierrez of the City of Hardeeville
Nancy Gutierrez was born in the Bronx, New York and lived there until the age of 9. Nancy was raised in Dominican Republic where she graduated at the age of 18 from an all-girls Catholic Technical School, earning a certification in Administrative Assistant with a focus in Introduction to Accounting. Nancy pursued further her education at the U.S. Career Institute, Technical College of the Lowcountry, and Palmetto College, specializing in Criminal Justice and Office Management.
In 2007, Nancy graduated from the Clemson Leadership Class and most recently, from the USC Salkahatchie Leadership program enhancing her ability to manage and lead.
Nancy’s career in the court system began in 2003 when she was hired as a civil clerk at the Hardeeville Magistrate Court. In 2006, she transferred to the Jasper County Central Traffic Court as a traffic court clerk, where she deepened her understanding in the court system. Her journey continued as she took on the role of a Criminal and Civil Court Clerk at the Jasper County Magistrate Court. During this time, she was a part of the new court management system for criminal, traffic, and jury trials, becoming a “Super User”.
In 2007, Nancy accepted a position as the Assistant Clerk of Court at the Hardeeville Municipal Court. Her passion for justice and community service fueled her aspirations to become a judge. In 2011, she was appointed as the first Ministerial Recorder for the city of Hardeeville, where she managed dual roles as court clerk and Ministerial Recorder. Shortly thereafter, she became the Assistant Judge to Judge John M. Carroll, and in 2014 after his retirement she became the Chief Municipal Judge, a role in which she proudly continues to serve the citizens of Hardeeville.
As the first Hispanic female judge for the city, Nancy is deeply committed to upholding justice and fairness to community. She also serves as an alternate Judge for the town of Ridgeland and is actively involved in various community organizations. Her dedication extends to serving on several boards, such as Habitat for Humanity, Festival on Main Committee, Gopher Hill Society, and Conecta Business Expo for the Hispanic Business Association of the Lowcountry. Furthermore, she is the vice president for the Jasper County Chamber of Commerce where she serves a 3-year term. She is an active member of the SC Summary Court Judges Association and National Judges Association. She also served on the Access to Justice committee in 2016 appointed by the Chief Justice Costa M. Pleicones. As the first Hispanic female Judge for the city of Hardeeville and Jasper County, she is passionate about justice, fairness and serving to her community. She is married to her husband of 18 years Juan Luis and is a proud mother of two, Isaac and Gabriella. She loves to travel and on her off time she dedicates herself to her family, her balloon business and church where she leads mainly young girls in praise dancing.