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A Charlotte nonprofit that creates pathways to employment for women is honoring ���ϲ����� President Connie Ledoux Book with its 2026 Change Maker Award.

will recognize Book on March 6, 2026, at the organization’s annual Change Makers Conference, where Book also will deliver remarks during a luncheon fireside chat with CEO LaToya Faustin ’04 G’10.

Book was named the 2026 award honoree for her leadership in higher education and her commitment to creating systems that include high-quality child care that support working families, equity and access.

Under Book’s leadership, in 2025 the opened on campus in Alamance County to provide high-quality child care for university employees. Book said at the Acorn Academy ribbon-cutting ceremony that she aims for ���ϲ����� to be an employer of choice known for an environment where families of employees thrive.

That philosophy is part of what She Built This City wished to recognize with its 2026 award.

“(President Book’s) work demonstrates what is possible when leaders invest in people and build institutions where individuals can thrive,” the nonprofit shared in its January announcement on Facebook. “We hope her example inspires the construction and trades industry to follow in her footsteps and create workplaces that support families, opportunity, and long-term success.”

Book has expressed gratitude for her honor and praises She Built This City for the important work at the heart of its mission.

“Organizations like She Built This City are showing what real progress looks like by opening doors for women in the trades and building the conditions that allow them to succeed,” Book said. “One of the most important of those conditions is safe, accessible child care, which is essential infrastructure for working families. When institutions and employers recognize that reality and act on it, we create opportunities that strengthen entire communities.”