About our Founder

Dianne Dunkelman
Founder
The National Speaking of Women’s Health Foundation

Dianne Dunkelman, Founder and CEO of the National Speaking of Women’s Health Foundation, founded the organization in 1995 as a one-day women’s health event. Her leadership has been the inspiration for the expansion of Speaking of Women’s Health to a national foundation with more than 40 conferences and events in cities nationwide, including two national minority health initiatives, Universal Sisters and Hablando de la Salud de la Mujer.

Speaking of Women’s Health reaches women with a national in-store health initiative in partnership with Wal-Mart Stores and weekly through Lifetime’s Speaking of Women’s Health telelevision program, now in its fourth season.

Dianne has been a driving force of bringing information to women so they understand and recognize their health care choices. She has caught the eye of celebrities such as Florence Henderson, Valerie Simpson and Mary Wilson who joined Speaking of Women’s Health in their mission to "educate women to make informed decisions about their health, well-being and personal safety". Dianne inspires women to empower themselves to make positive changes in their lives.

Dianne’s efforts have been recognized throughout the country. In 2004, Dianne was honored with The National Conference for Community and Justice Citation Award, and in 2003, she received the Northwood University Distinguished Women Award. Dianne received the YWCA Career of Achievement Award in 2001 and the Athena Award from the Partnership for Women’s Health at Columbia University in 2000. In 1999, Dianne was recognized as one of Cincinnati’s Leading Women for her advocacy in women’s health, and in 1996 she received the Charles W. Vaughan Award for her work with public television. Dianne was selected by the National Society of Fund Raising Executives for the National Philanthropy Award in 1992, was honored with a Post Corbett Award in 1991, and was named Cincinnati Enquirer Woman of the Year in 1989.