Our History

Sixteen women were inducted for membership into the newly chartered Montgomery County chapter of Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. (TLOD) on January 26, 2019, at the Silver Spring Sheraton in Silver Spring, Maryland.

The founding purpose of Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. was to sponsor a youth organization after school integration was initiated. Since its founding on September 8, 1964 in Tyler Texas, the objectives have been expanded to include, not only a focus on its youth organization known as Top Teens of America, but to improve the Status of Women, service to Senior Citizens, Community Beautification and Community Partnerships.

TLOD is a nonprofit humanitarian service organization that has five major programs listed above and many ongoing projects. We partner with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the National Council of Negro Women, the United Negro College Fund, the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation and March of Dimes to name just a few. TLOD also focuses on scholarships, awards and literacy. Our motto is serving youth and adults.

The Montgomery County Chapter of Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. Charter members include: Diana Raynor – chapter organizer, Rena Batts-Elmore, Shelly Brown, Shelly Casey, Angela Cook, Debra Correia, Bernadette DeBerry, Rhonda Dedmond, Dr. B. Michelle Harris, Patricia Harris, Josephine James, Tamara Li, Terri Molyneaux, Mary Outlaw, Brenda Pullen, Tiffany Stepney, and Suzanna Williams-Valentine.

The Montgomery County Chapter of Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. members include: Rena Batts-Elmore, Shelly Brown, Shontee Bryant, Adrian Burney, Angela Cook, Debra Correia, Bernadette DeBerry-Kadushin, Jennifer Dixon-Craven, Deborah Emerson, Shebra Evans, Teressa Godley-Chase, B. Michelle Harris, Kendra Harris, Patricia Harris, Tamara Li, Shaunta Mitchell, Terri Molyneaux, Brenda Pullen, Diana Raynor, Yolanda Stanislaus-Blucker, Tiffany Stepney, Kimberly Stevenson, Alia Waheed-Ky, Aqila Waheed, Ayesha Waheed, Cynthia Watson, Jamila Watson, Karen Williams, Suzanna Williams-Valentine, and Milie West-Wiggins.