Banking Executive and Community Leader Michele A. Newman-Lawrence Inducted as Honorary Member of Sigma Gamma Rho

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. has inducted banking executive, minister, and community leader Michele A. Newman-Lawrence as an Honorary Member. The sorority announced the induction today, Friday, July 24, 2026, during its 61st Biennial Boule in Tampa, Florida.

Michele A. Newman-Lawrence has spent decades in financial services, rising through senior leadership in the banking industry. She led Wells Fargo’s Philadelphia retail market as a senior vice president, overseeing dozens of locations, and has continued her corporate career as an executive with JPMorgan Chase.

Newman-Lawrence has also stepped onto the public stage. In 2018, she ran for Congress in Pennsylvania’s 2nd Congressional District, a campaign the sorority recognizes as making her the first Black woman to seek the seat. Her platform grew out of a long record of civic engagement and community uplift.

An ordained minister, Newman-Lawrence left full-time banking to found Michele Speaks, a platform for workshops, empowerment seminars, and leadership development. She has also founded a mentoring organization for at-risk young men and served on community boards including Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Urban League of Philadelphia, extending her work in youth development and strategic innovation across the region.

Newman-Lawrence was inducted as part of Sigma Gamma Rho’s Honorary Membership Class of 2026, a group of women recognized during the 2026 Boule Honorary Membership Ceremony for achievements spanning sports, entertainment, education, public service, advocacy, entrepreneurship, and global humanitarian work.

The ceremony took place as Sigma Gamma Rho gathered in Tampa, Florida, for its 61st Biennial Boule under International President Marica T. Harris. In announcing the class, Harris said the 2026 honorees “embody the spirit of service, the power of purpose,” carrying forward the sorority’s mission of Greater Service, Greater Progress.

We at Watch The Yard would like to congratulate Michele A. Newman-Lawrence on her induction as an Honorary Member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.

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