Last year, POWER UP modified the award to look for Amazing Gay Women who are working, creating and changing lives as they continue their way up the ladder of success, which POWER UP thought flushed out their mission statement even more.

"I am nothing short of proud to be a part of this group. The work that POWER UP has accomplished over a very short time is absolutely incredible. Women supporting women in the workplace...what a concept, and having the support of the gay community behind such an organization and all of the creativity that has come with it is even better," stated producer/manager Dannielle Thomas.

POWER UP’s main purpose has been producing films though its filmgrant program. POWER UP’s successes include having a film as an Official Selection of the Sundance Film Festival in 2002, 2003, 2004 & 2005 and winning the PlanetOut Grand Prize Short Film Award in 2002, 2003, 2004 & 2005. The individual success stories that have sprung from the group include writer/director Angela Robinson (HERBIE: FULLY LOADED), writer/director Jessica Sharzer (untitled DUSTY SPRINGFIELD project), writer Cherien Dabis (writer L WORD.) “We have modeled POWER UP after the studio system with all of the benefits of an independent production company,” Founder and Executive Director Stacy Codikow stated, “bringing together the best of the best. We are extremely proud of POWER UP’s many accomplishments.”

“I’m delighted to be considered for inclusion in your 10 Amazing Gay Women…! I remember fondly what I think was one of your earliest galas honoring Jerry Offsay and Melissa Etheridge. I was so into the evening I almost bid on one of those adorable golden retriever (or were they yellow lab) puppies you were auctioning off until Nancy reminded me if I gained a dog, I’d lose a wife,” quipped Showtime Executive VP Gwen Marcus.

With the members votes tallied, here is the second year, 2005 Ten Amazing Gay Women in Showbiz…you need to know. In alphabetical order.

JAMIE BABBIT – Director. BUT I’M A CHEERLEADER, NIP/TUCK, THE BERNIE MAC SHOW, MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE, and POPULAR. Currently Jamie is in post production for THE QUIET, starring Elisha Cubert and Edie Falco.

LAUREN LLOYD – Manager/Producer. CELLULAR, MERMAIDS, DROP ZONE, THE BUTCHER'S WIFE, DREAM LOVER, THE FIRES WITHIN and FREDDIE GOT FINGERED. Lauren is in pre-production on SMOKE for Gold Circle, DIARY at Sony Pictures starring Jennifer Aniston, and POP WARNER with Mel Gibson.

JANE LYNCH – Actor/comedian. MIGHTY WIND, BEST IN SHOW, TWO AND HALF MEN, THE L WORD, CELESTE and BAM BAM by Margaret Cho, THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN, FIFTY PILLS and POWER UP’s PROM-troversy and LITTLE BLACK BOOT. Jane wrote and starred in the award winning play OH SISTER, MY SISTER.

GWEN MARCUS – Executive Vice President, Showtime Network, Inc. Gwen is the company’s chief legal officer in charge of the Network’s Human Resources and Administration department. Gwen was a part of the management team that created the groundbreaking series QUEER AS FOLK and THE L WORD.

ROBERTA MARIE MUNROE – Writer/Filmmaker/Programmer. Roberta is one of three Short Film Programmers at the Sundance Film Festival. This past year she wrote/directed her first short film DANI & ALICE through the Fox Searchlab program.

EILEEN OPATUT – Senior Vice President of Original Programming, LOGO TV. Eileen began at Nickelodeon where she developed and acquired material for Nickelodeon, then she moved to the BBC and then to the Food Network. Currently Eileen is at LOGO, the new gay and lesbian channel set to launch this summer.

ANGELA ROBINSON – Writer/Director/Editor. POWER UP’s multi award winning short D.E.B.S. to Screen Gems feature D.E.B.S. to Disney’s HERBIE: FULLY LOADED. Recently, Angela signed a two-year, first look pact with Disney that covers her work as a writer, director, and producer.

JENNY STEWART – Entertainment Editor. Jenny is the industry insider for the Entertainment channel on PlanetOut and Gay.com. Jenny is also the creator and driving force behind RockOut, the first-ever music channel to spotlight and highlight up and coming gay and lesbian musicians.

DANNIELLE THOMAS – Manager/Producer. In the spring of 2006, Dannielle will
produce the DUSTY SPRINGFIELD project with Universal Pictures, Marc Platt
and Kristin Chenoweth. POWER UP film grantee Jessica Sharzer (FLY CHERRY) will write/direct. Dannielle is part of the management company Untitled Entertainment.

JENNY WALL – Entrepreneur/Marketer. Jenny marketed HBO’s ANGEL’S IN AMERICA, Sundance Channel’s OUTLOUD and Paramount Picture’s MEAN GIRLS. She is an owner in Crew Integrated Marketing where HBO, TNT, the Discovery Channel, Sony, the Sundance Channel, Samuel Goldwyn, and CBS are clients.