WE ARE a group of 500+ amazing women of all ages and backgrounds in Wilmington and the surrounding areas. What defines us is our love and dedication to MOVE through a variety of athletic adventures and MOTIVATE each other to try new things all while GIVING back and making a difference in our local community together. We are volunteers, tennis players, walkers, triathletes, runners, paddlers, yogis, cheerleaders, bikers, swimmers, boot-campers, pilates lovers, surfers and more! Together with over 40 of our very generous corporate sponsorships, we have been able to provide over $100,000 and countless volunteer hours to 10 New Hanover local charities to date.
500+ Women Involved
40+ Sponsors
$100,000+ Donated
Board of Directors
Eliza Blackwell
President and Founder
eliza@thepinkladies.org
What started as a dare to do a triathlon in 2010 has turned into a passion for motivating others and giving back to select local charities annually. By encouraging a group of 12 women to do a triathlon together in 2011, she then surprised them with some t-shirts proclaiming them “The Pink Ladies.” Wanting more than just a club, in 2012, it became an official non-profit offering the charity aspect as the conclusion to their motto: MOVE, MOTIVATE & GIVE. Eliza graduated from UNC-CH in 1996 with BA in Communications Studies. She went on to work for Alexander Ogilvy PR firm in Atlanta before launching her e-commerce website. In 2000 Eliza moved to Wilmington with her husband John and began her family. She has three children, Walter (18), Ali (17), and Taylor (15). She is a past board member of Good Friends of Wilmington and a founding member of Airlie Gardens Art Festival, the Wrightsville Beach School Foundation, and Families4FamiliesILM. She has also been a past member of the Junior League of Wilmington, WBS PTA President, and The National Charity League. She volunteers throughout the community as needed and most recently worked with Paws4People helping prepare puppies as future service dogs. She is active with her church Wrightsville United Methodist as well as at all her children’s schools. When she’s not working out with friends, raising money, or volunteering with our charity, Eliza is devoted to her three kids and husband, John. Her other passions include cheering on the UNC Tarheels, walking the loop with her dogs, cooking and eating dinner with her family on their front porch, dreaming of her next travel adventure, working in her garden, and entertaining friends while boating.
“Life is like riding a bike. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” – Albert Einstein
Jane Ellison
VP & Treasurer
jane@thepinkladies.org
Jane and her husband Lucien are the proud parents of 3 active teenage boys, and she is obsessed with her 2 precious pups, cat, and chickens. She loves to spend her time with her family, in her garden, on the water, on a tennis court, practicing yoga, traveling, or walking outside with friends. After having worked for years as a Registered Nurse before her children were born, Jane is now back at work part- time on the Pediatric floor at NHRMC, and she loves community service. Jane serves on the Board of the Pink Ladies, Camp Schreiber foundation, One Way Out Kenya, UNC- CH Board of Visitors, Board of Advisors at UNC-CH School of Nursing, UNC-CH Next-Gen Committee, and UNC Women’s Leadership Council.
Jane raised over $65,000 for Amani Children’s Foundation in Kenya (https://www.amanichildren.org/) by recruiting sponsors for each of the 25+ triathlons she raced between 2010-2018. Although the triathlons may now be a thing of the past, Jane remains inspired to support, motivate, and encourage other women to find happiness and health through moving forward and giving back. She is in it for the long haul- to stay fit, set a healthy example for her children, and enjoy her time with her girlfriends and their families serving our community.
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” - Ghandi
Elizabeth Hinshaw
Charitable Liaison & Secretary
elizabeth@thepinkladies.org
Having grown up in Whiteville, NC, Elizabeth discovered her passion for running as a young girl, logging countless miles down the small town streets with her Dad. She was active in sports throughout high school and continued to run throughout her college days at UNC-CH. It wasn’t until she entered physical therapy school that she decided to tackle her first marathon. She ran the Chicago Marathon in 1998 and was hooked! She has run 10 marathons since, and celebrated her 40th birthday while running her third Boston Marathon in 2014. Triathlons were Elizabeth’s next challenge and though she’s not much for swimming, she has completed 5 Half-Ironman races and competed in two full Ironman’s. Though Elizabeth still occasionally participates in races, her real love is getting outdoors and exercising with family and friends (and her sweet labradoodle, Camden). Her focus is on her family – raising two teenage sons, Will (13) and Davis (11) with her wonderful husband and best friend, Todd. She loves to volunteer at her son’s schools, is very active in her church and community bible studies, and currently works 20 hours/week as a physical therapist, specializing in oncology and lymphedema.
"Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us" Hebrews 12:1
