2006 Lincoln Leadership Prize Recipient

Sandra Day O'Connor

Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman to serve as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, has committed her life to principled service to this country and the rule of law. For the 24 years Justice O'Connor served on the Supreme Court, she sought sensible outcomes on a case-by-case basis, becoming the "swing vote" on some of the most notable cases of the last two decades.

A pragmatic woman, devoid of pretense, she was described by Forbes Magazine as the fourth most powerful woman in the United States and the sixth most powerful woman in the world. In 2009 she as awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor of the United States by Barack Obama. Justice O'Connor has quietly broken through the barriers of gender, leading the way for generations of women aspiring to leadership in politics, the law, and life.

Justice O'Connor's award was presented by Bill Kurtis.