Friday April 24th, 2026
The Plaza Hotel 770 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10019
11:30 AM Reception | 12:00 PM Luncheon
Keynote Speaker Breanna Stewart
Emcee Taryn Delanie Smith
About the Event
Each year, over 400 of New York City’s most influential and dedicated leaders come together for the Women Mean Business Luncheon, benefiting the Coalition’s First Step Job Training Program. The event showcases inspiring stories from program graduates. Past events have featured prominent speakers such as Eve Ensler, Arianna Huffington, Hillary Clinton, Anna Quindlen, Ashley Graham, Darlene Love, Adenah Bayoh, Alicia Graf Mack, Jennifer Egan, and Maya Wiley.
First Step empowers homeless and low-income women with the skills and confidence they need to achieve financial stability. Our comprehensive 14-week program offers computer and job skills training, internships with leading organizations, mentorship, job placement support, and ongoing post-graduate assistance.
First Step Advisory Board
Cindy Arnold, Chair Yvette Arsenec-Weir Vanessa Barnett Christy Burke Marisol DeLeon Austin Fremont Sara Fusco Barbara Kolsun Deborah Krulewitch Natalie Lederman Susan C. Lerner Natsayi Mawere Rachel Noel Ruth Pryor Wendy Samuel Joan M. Sapinsley Jane Singer
Donate
Patrons Friends of Barbara Kolsun Friends of Deborah Krulewitch and Jane Singer
Supporters Andy and Laila Kramer
Friends Austin Fremont
Luncheon Committee Kimry Blackwelder Susan Brundage Liz Daly Liz Lindenmeier Nikki MacCallum Anna Panettiere
If you are interested in sponsoring this year’s event, please contact cohara@cfthomeless.org
At just 31 years old, Breanna “Stewie” Stewart has established herself as the ultimate champion—a once-in-a-generation athlete whose dominance on the court is matched only by her transformative impact off it.
A basketball legend in the making, Stewie’s journey to greatness began in Syracuse, New York, and accelerated at the University of Connecticut (UConn), where she led the Huskies to four consecutive NCAA championships (2013–2016). She remains the only player in history, of any gender, to be named NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player four times—an achievement that speaks to her unparalleled excellence under pressure.
Selected first overall in the 2016 WNBA Draft, Stewie wasted no time proving herself, winning WNBA Rookie of the Year and quickly becoming the face of the league. She secured two WNBA MVP titles (2018, 2023) and three WNBA championships (2018, 2020, 2024), leading the New York Liberty to their first-ever title in 2024. A perennial All-WNBA and All-Star selection, her international résumé is equally impressive, boasting two EuroLeague titles (2021, 2023), three Olympic gold medals (2016, 2020, 2024), and three FIBA World Cup golds—a testament to her global dominance.
Beyond her accolades, Stewie is a champion in every sense. Since becoming a mother to Ruby (2021) and Theo (2023), she has spoken about motherhood making her a more focused, resilient, and intentional athlete. Her journey has fueled her advocacy, as she fights for gender equity, athlete empowerment, and investment in women’s sports. As Vice President of the WNBPA, she is a powerful voice for players’ rights. As a co-founder of Unrivaled, a groundbreaking 3v3 women’s basketball league, she is helping create domestic opportunities for top WNBA talent while advocating for fair pay and equality.
Off the court, Stewie is a trailblazer in fashion, using her platform to champion genderless, inclusive design. She frequently styles looks utilizing pieces from both traditional men’s and women’s lines, while often collaborating with brands that embrace unisex silhouettes, pushing the boundaries of traditional, binary styling. Whether rocking tailored streetwear, oversized suits, prints, or sleek athleisure, Stewie’s fashion sense reflects her belief that clothing should be fun and an expression of individuality. Her partnership with Puma has further advanced these principles, with the Stewie 1 designed as a performance-driven, unisex, signature shoe for all athletes.
With influence extending far beyond the hardwood, she has been featured in Forbes’ “30 Under 30” for sports, named a 2025 CNBC Changemaker, and honored as the 2025 Sports Illustrated Innovator of the Year as well as the 2020 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year. When she launched her Puma Stewie 1 signature shoe in 2022, it became the first new women’s basketball signature shoe in over a decade, setting a new standard for the brands we see offering women’s signature shoes today.
With relentless drive, a championship mindset, and an unwavering commitment to growing the game, Breanna Stewart is not just a basketball star—she is a pioneer, a leader, and the ultimate champion, shaping the future of the sport for generations to come.
Taryn Delanie Smith moved to New York City in 2018 with $310 in her bank account. A first generation college student, she completed her Bachelors and Masters of Science while waitressing full time. When the pandemic hit, Smith lost her university housing and job waitressing and cleaned apartments to stay afloat. She moved to a $700 a month room in Bedstuy, and split her time between her studies, cleaning houses, and volunteering at her local shelters as well as handing out care packages to individuals experiencing street homelessness.
As the pandemic eased, in 2021 Taryn found a job in a call center, and moved to a (crumbling) walk up apartment on the Upper East Side. At her mother’s urging, she randomly made her first TikTok video – making fun of her beat up apartment with cabinets that didn’t open and lukewarm shower water. The next morning she awoke to her first ever video amassing over 21 million views and a wave of followers demanding more content. She quit her job and began content creation full time in 2021. She would go on to win Miss New York 2022, and placed first runner up to Miss America that same year.
Today, Smith has amassed more than 3.8MM friends and fans. Known as the internets friendly, quirky NYC gal pal and the creator of several original characters including Denise, Heaven’s receptionist (as seen on The Today Show, Washington Post, NPR and more).
Taryn’s goal is simple: to encourage folks, especially her loyal community of Chaos Goblins™ to have fun, do good, and be themselves.
She is proud to be on the board of directors at Trinity Place Shelter, ambassador for Coalition for the Homeless, and is an advocate for children and families experiencing homelessness. She also works closely with Food Bank for NYC where she recently raised $30,000 through sales of her custom Merchandise. Taryn donated 100% of her profits to Food Bank for NYC, which helps make more than 450,000 meals happen (See video).
Online ticket sales for the 2026 Women Mean Business Luncheon will open in February.
If you would like to Sponsor the event or purchase a ticket before online sales open, you may download and complete this form and email it to Casey O’Hara at Coalition for the Homeless at cohara@cfthomeless.org.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call us at (212) 776-2002.
Thank you so much for your support of the 2026 Women Mean Business Luncheon and the incredible women of the First Step Job Training Program.
