Woman Of Influence 2023

Pearl S. Buck International is thrilled to announce that Yvette Dapremont Bright, founder and President of Brighter Horizon Foundation, has been selected as the 2023 Woman of Influence Award honoree.  

Originally established in 1978 as the Woman of the Year Award, the Woman of Influence Award honors women who follow in the footsteps of Pearl S. Buck, a Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, activist, and humanitarian, who used the spotlight on her to shine a light on the plight of vulnerable and marginalized people everywhere and to advocate for the civil rights movement in the U.S. Pearl Buck also founded Welcome House (the world’s first international biracial adoption agency) and established The Pearl S. Buck Foundation (now Pearl S. Buck International) to provide international humanitarian aid. 

An inspirational leader in the healthcare industry, Bright brings a holistic perspective built on 35 years of experience in operations, marketing, IT, human resources and finance to inspire actions leading to winning results. She recently retired from the role of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Philadelphia-based Independence Blue Cross, where she was the first woman and business leader of color to have responsibility for the Commercial and Medicare P & Ls, with revenues exceeding $6 billion.  

Bright spent the first 10 years of her career with IBM in the United States and Europe. A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree at Tulane University’s School of Engineering and a Master of Business Administration in Healthcare from St. Joseph’s University. She currently serves on several Boards of Directors including National Life Group, Independence Health Group, CSAA Insurance Group, Myers Industries (MYE), Cityblock Health, and Maven Clinic. Bright is now President of Brighter Horizon Foundation, based which she founded to assist first generation minority students from the Greater Philadelphia area to reach the goal of attaining a college degree or an associate degree in the trades – debt-free. 

Throughout her entire career, Bright has mentored students and young professionals, providing invaluable guidance to develop their skills and unwavering support to facilitate success in their academic or professional careers. Bright’s work through Brighter Horizon exemplifies and puts into action Pearl Buck’s belief that education is the most important tool for individuals, families, and communities to lift themselves up and achieve a better future. 

She joins a long line of distinguished and accomplished women who have received the Pearl S. Buck Woman of Influence Award, including former First Lady Laura Bush, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Toni Morrison, award-winning actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, TV personality Nydia Han, and former President of the Philippines, Corazon Aquino. 

“I am honored and humbled to be recognized by the Pearl S. Buck Foundation as a Woman of Influence,” said Bright. “Humanitarians such as Ms. Buck have been an inspiration in my quest to help break the cycle of poverty in our communities. Over her lifetime, Ms. Buck demonstrated the power of a hand up, not a hand-out. We are proud to continue that legacy by enabling debt-free post-secondary education to first-generation scholars through the Brighter Horizon Foundation.” 

Bright will be celebrated at an award presentation and dinner on Thursday, September 21, 2023 at Pearl S. Buck International’s headquarters in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Tickets are available now at: https://pearlsbuck.org/woman-of-influence/