2024 Distinguished Daughters - Inducted November 8, 2024

The Honorable Deborah Batts (June 1965/209)
The first openly gay Federal judge in the U.S. and was Appointed by President Bill Clinton.

Diane Cameron Feinberg (1971/215)
As camera operator on the nationally syndicated Mike Douglas Show, she became the first female camera operator in Philadelphia.

Denise A. Council-Ross (1979/223)
Principal Deputy General Counsel U.S. Army, the #2 attorney in the Department of the Army, Lt. Colonel (retired).

Dorothy Cousins (June 1948/175)
One of the first African American female Philadelphia Police officers. Obtaining the rank of Captain, Inspector, and District Commander during her illustrious career.

Madeline deLone (1977/221)
Is an attorney and experienced nonprofit leader specializing in civil rights litigation. She helmed the nationally recognized Innocence Project.

Archbishop Mary Floyd Palmer (1980/224)
The first female archbishop in the country. She is a minister and outspoken advocate for those without a voice.

Ruth Naomi Floyd (1982/226)
Internationally acclaimed Vocalist, Composer, Educator & Activist. The first African American woman to serve as Founding Director of a University Jazz Studies Program in the United States.

Mattie Humphrey (June 1947/173)
Media personality, advocate for prison reform, education reform, and maternal and community health. Her work in health saw the Public Health Center 9 renaming as the Mattie L. Humphrey Health Center.

Marcia Pendelton (1973/217)
Founder of Walk Tall Girl Productions and the Backstage Stories radio program. A theater professional making Broadway, Off-Broadway, and beyond accessible to underserved audiences throughout the nation.

The Distinguished Daughters Court of Honor is the prestigious platform of the Philadelphia High School for Girls and the Alumnae Association that celebrates the exceptional achievements of Girls’ High alumnae. It is a careful, reverent, and thoughtful process that considers those who embody the 'Intangible Spirit' of our school, having studied intensely and achieved notable success within their chosen professions.

The Distinguished Daughters Committee, a group of six dedicated Alumnae Association members, (three current Distinguished Daughters and three Alumnae Association board members) is entrusted with the crucial task of evaluating each candidate's body of work. Their unwavering expertise and dedication, as the backbone of our selection process, ensure that we recognize each candidate's outstanding contributions and impact.

Additionally, the Distinguished Daughters Committee evaluates the unusual accomplishments of the nominees, i.e., the first in her chosen career path, breakers of glass ceilings, or success in an unusual profession for a woman, has had an impact on the city in which the nominee resides, has an impact on the nation and or has established a global footprint. Our hope for the graduates of the Philadelphia High School for Girls is that they go on to have a career (or more than one) that is fulfilling to the individual and an inspiration to future generations of women, not just Girls’ High girls. Our Distinguished Daughters have gone beyond that in providing essential services in their disciplines to the community/state, the nation, and possibly the world.

Distinguished Daughters Committee
(in alphabetical order)

Valerie V. Gay (1983/227) Distinguished Daughter Class of 2022
Marcia Hinton (1974/218)
Joy Pollock (June1961/201)
Oren Shaw (1967/211) Distinguished Daughter Class of 2014
Vanessa Thomas Smith (1973/217) Distinguished Daughter Class of 2008
Gail Titus (1977/221)