Zeta Phi Beta Names Pamela Champion, Patti Phillips and Lateefah Simon to Honorary Class

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority has welcomed its 2026 Alpha Omega Chapter honorary member class, naming a broad group of women across government, advocacy, entertainment, journalism, public service, faith leadership, health and entrepreneurship during Grand Boule in Nashville. The induction took place on 11 July and the organization described honorary membership as its highest recognition for non-members whose work has had significant professional, community and social impact.

The class is notable because it treats leadership as a cross-sector practice. Tennessee State Representative Karen D. Camper was recognized for public service, veterans' advocacy and her role as the first African American woman to lead a caucus in the Tennessee General Assembly. U.S. Representative Lateefah Simon was included for civil rights advocacy, community organizing and public service focused on criminal justice reform, economic equality, housing, voting rights, climate resilience and access to healthcare and public transportation.

Several women whose work sits close to health, education and community safety are also included. Pamela Champion, founder of the Be A Champion Foundation, was recognized for anti-hazing advocacy after the death of her son, Robert Champion, and for work around prevention education and institutional change. Kellee Stewart was named for advocacy around reproductive health, fertility awareness and family building. Elise Neal was recognized for breast-cancer awareness and early detection advocacy after the loss of her mother to metastatic breast cancer.

Patti Phillips, chief executive officer of Women Leaders in Sports, adds a workplace and leadership-development angle. Zeta said Phillips has expanded mentorship, leadership development and career opportunities for women in sports, with a focus on moving more women into executive and decision-making roles. That fits a wider trend: women's leadership stories are increasingly about pipeline design, sponsorship and institutional access, not only individual achievement.

The honorary class also includes cultural and creative figures whose work reaches into community advocacy. Sheila E. was recognized for music and humanitarian work connected to youth arts education. Niecy Nash-Betts was named for entertainment work as well as advocacy around school violence prevention, breast cancer awareness, HIV education and representation. Jenisha Watts, a staff writer at The Atlantic, was recognized for journalism exploring culture, identity and social issues.

There is a risk with large honorary classes that the announcement becomes a list rather than a leadership story. The stronger reading is that Zeta Phi Beta is defining influence across institutions: public office, health advocacy, sports leadership, journalism, arts, ministry, entrepreneurship and community safety. That definition matters for women who do not sit in conventional corporate power seats but still shape policy, culture, services and public trust.

For readers, the useful takeaway is not simply who was honored. It is what kinds of contribution are being elevated in 2026: women building safer schools, broader health awareness, stronger sports leadership pipelines, more equitable public policy and more visible cultural representation.