This International Women’s Day, we’re taking a look back at some of the inspiring women recently featured in Delaware Today. Women in the First State are doing amazing things. From charity work and wildlife rehabilitation to business ventures and academia, these women’s skills and stories are sure to leave you feeling refreshed and inspired.
Hilary Taylor Is the Woman Behind Delaware Wildlife Rehabilitators Association
Hilary Taylor, a wildlife rehabilitator and educator in Bear, maintains a thriving oasis of healing in her backyard. Taylor runs the Delaware Wildlife Rehabilitators Association — Bear Station out of her home on Red Lion Road, where she has been rehabilitating wildlife since 1969, when she came to Delaware from her native England. She gets help from a number of local veterinarians. “We only have half an acre, and I average about 1,000 animals a year,” she says.
Meet the Woman Behind Delaware Wildlife Rehabilitators Association
Darien and Emma Donovan Are Young Entrepreneurs Who Found Sweet Success
When Darien and Emma Donovan started selling baked goods out of their parents’ kitchen in 2020, the girls had no idea it would soon become their full-time job. Emma—just 16 at the time—was still in high school, and 19-year-old Darien was studying to become a teacher. Today, Sprinkles Italian Bakery & Market serves up baked goods alongside grab-and-go meals, house-made and locally-sourced Italian classics like fresh bread, tomato pie and pasta.
Linda Collier Builds Homes and Hope With Habitat Global
In a typical week, Linda Collier sells wine and spirits and teaches wine classes at her store in Centreville. When she’s not behind the counter, she’s at work with Habitat for Humanity. To date, she’s helped construct dwellings in 13 countries on five continents.
Mariah Calagione Is a Leader in Both Business and Public Service
Milton’s Mariah Calagione received one of just five national Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Awards for outstanding local public service. Philanthropy was part of Calagione’s upbringing in Sussex County. The Dogfish Head co-owner grew to be an impressive philanthropist, founding the Red Wagon Calagione Family Foundation, a nonprofit that has granted over $3.7 million to organizations and people in the Delaware community.
Annie Jump Cannon Blazed a Trail for Women in STEM in the 1900s
Dover native Annie Jump Cannon (1863–1941) was a groundbreaking astronomer at Harvard University known for her simplified system of classifying stars based on their light. She had many firsts during her career, illuminating the way for other women in her field. At the outset of her career in the 1800s, the words “woman” and “astronomer” were not synonymous in many people’s minds; by the time Cannon retired, she had secured a faculty position at Harvard, shifting perception along the way.
Annie Jump Cannon Boasts a Stellar Legacy in Delaware’s History
Brandi Gregge Supports Survivors of Domestic Violence
Brandi Gregge, founder of Mint & Needle, is a local beauty expert and style icon who supports local and national women’s groups like the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Mint & Needle also offers pro-bono aesthetic services to help survivors of domestic violence remove the physical reminder.
Elena Delle Donne Diversified Her Already Impressive Resumé With a Wine Brand
WNBA superstar Elena Delle Donne—a Wilmington native, Olympic gold medalist and the first woman to join NBA stars like Steph Curry and Steve Nash in the 50/40/90 club—launched the first-ever wine brand by a WNBA star. In 2023, Delle Donne released the first Deldon Wines produce, serving as not only a business venture, but also yet another philanthropic project. Proceeds go to both Delle Donne’s namesake foundation, which benefits Lyme disease research and special needs programs, and the DD Entrepreneurial Foundation, which provides start-up capital to support women’s entrepreneurship.
Claire van den Broeck Transformed a Market Street Building Into an Oasis for Readers
A fateful meeting led Claire van den Broeck and her friend Ryan Eanes to open their Huxley & Hiro bookstore on Wilmington’s Market Street. The shop showcases a varied book collection meticulously curated by its founders, and serves as a venue for local events like art showcases and book club meetings. Along with her work running a bustling bookstore, van den Broeck is also an adjunct professor in Southern New Hampshire University’s graduate program in literature and teaches Dutch remotely for the University of Oregon.
Related: These Women in Business Lead the Way in Delaware
