PALM BEACH, FL – Today, Independent Women announced the recipients for its 2025 Annual Awards Dinner, which was held on Thursday, April 17, in Palm Beach, Florida. Independent Women presented Payton McNabb with the Resilience Award, Cynthia Fisher with the Diana Davis Spencer Lifetime Achievement Award, and FBI Director Kash Patel with the Gentleman of Distinction Award.
Cynthia Fisher, who founded the medical company ViaCord in 1993 and co-founded ViaCell in 2000, has spent her career bettering the lives of people throughout the world by revolutionizing health care. Now, Fisher advocates for price transparency in health care through two organizations, PatientRightsAdvocates.org, which she founded in 2018, and Power to the Patients, which she co-founded in 2021.
Upon receiving the Diana Davis Spencer Lifetime Achievement Award, Cynthia Fisher said:
“We need all of you again to raise your voices to say, ‘We will not tolerate this absolute lack of integrity. We want prices, We want bills just like in a restaurant that match the prices. We want payments that match those prices.’ We want accountability, integrity, and—Heather Higgins gave me this term—to restore trust once again in our healthcare system. And so thank you, Heather, for that, because it is the only way we can restore trust because the truth is in the numbers. And it’s a fight worth fighting for for your families, for everyone’s future. So, thank you.”
TO WATCH IW FEATURES CHAMPION WOMEN VIDEO OF CYNTHIA FISHER, CLICK HERE
TO READ CYNTHIA FISHER’S REMARKS, CLICK HERE
TO WATCH CYNTHIA FISHER’S CONVERSATION WITH HEATHER R. HIGGINS, CLICK HERE
FBI Director Kash Patel has dedicated his career to protecting Americans and defending the U.S. Constitution. He has fought to bring criminals and terrorists to justice, served as a public defender, protecting the rights of the accused, and uncovered the abuse of our justice and intelligence systems. Today, Patel is an outspoken advocate of the need for transparency, accountability, and integrity in the American justice system and of equal application of law without fear or favor.
Upon receiving the Gentleman of Distinction Award, FBI Director Kash Patel said: in a video acceptance:
“I’m also grateful that as I continue my work today, I have a partner in the Independent Women. As a Director of the FBI, I’m working every day with our brave agents and staff and law enforcement partners around the country to get the worst violent criminals off our streets, to root out public corruption and make sure our country is safer.”
TO READ FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL’S REMARKS, CLICK HERE
TO WATCH FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL’S REMARKS, CLICK HERE
Payton McNabb, a three-sport athlete and then-high-school senior, was seriously injured in September 2022, when a male volleyball player on the opposing women’s team spiked a ball at her head. The injury caused permanent paralysis and other cognitive issues that doctors say may never resolve. Shortly after the incident, however, McNabb began using her voice to call for change, joining Independent Women as an ambassador alongside Riley Gaines and other female athletes.
Upon receiving the Resilience Award, Payton McNabb said:
“I really just want to thank Independent Women’s Forum. They believed in me, they elevated my story, and they really just gave me the courage to keep going, and they helped me learn how to do what I’m doing. So I just want to thank them very much for that. They don’t just talk about champion women, they live it, and I would not be here without them for sure. Courage begets courage, and we’ve seen that firsthand as more and more girls continue to speak out and more stories come to light.”
TO READ PAYTON MCNABB’S REMARKS, CLICK HERE
TO WATCH PAYTON MCNABB’’S REMARKS, CLICK HERE
BACKGROUND ON INDEPENDENT WOMEN’S ANNUAL AWARDS:
Resilience Award
The Resilience Award recognizes a woman or man who exhibits bravery, courage, and inner strength and helps create stronger, more vibrant communities by encouraging more respectful dialogue and civic engagement.
Diana Davis Spencer Lifetime Achievement Award
The Diana Davis Spencer Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates an individual who, through her talents, hard work, and dedication, has made a lasting contribution to our country and to the cause of freedom.
Gentleman of Distinction
The Gentleman of Distinction Award celebrates a gentleman who is committed to protecting and defending our American ideals and works to create a stronger and healthier society. He also exemplifies a commitment to respect and civil discourse, showing generosity and kindness to critics, while remaining steadfast in his beliefs. He is an advocate for limited government, economic liberty, and personal freedom, and promotes equal opportunities for women and men.
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