12 Remarkable Women Revealed As Honorees for NWPC LA Westside Calendar Gala in October

by Catherine Hood and Karriann Farrell Hinds

Current and previous Calendar honorees (left to right):
Robyn Ritter Simon, Amy Howorth, Barbara Ruskin, Kristie Holmes,
Jane Hasler Henick, Lindsey P. Horvath, and Lee Saltz

With three months remaining until the NWPC LA Westside Calendar event, the "12 Remarkable Women Leaders" were announced last Thursday morning in the Garden at Factors Restaurant in Beverly Hills.

Loyola professor and radio personality, Jessica Levinson, delivered remarks at the well-attended breakfast meeting where anxious politicos and activists gathered to hear which “12 remarkable women” will grace the pages of the organization’s celebratory 2016 calendar.

The Remarkable Women Leaders Calendar seeks to honor 12 women who have made significant contributions to the betterment of our communities, particularly in regards to issues impacting women, and who serve as role models and mentors to women in public service.

  

After the announcement, Prof. Levinson shared a few special remarks regarding some of the still pressing issues regarding the gender disparity in politics, including the unique challenges women still face in running for political office, and why it is important to work towards achieving diversity in ranks of elected officials. In regards to the last election, Ms. Levinson who is also Vice President of the Los Angeles Ethics Commission, commented:

“I am deeply saddened that we must find cause for celebration when fewer than one in five representatives, but approximately one out of two members of the population, are women. We need the best representatives advocating for their constituents, not the second or third best.”

The Remarkable Women Leaders Calendar and Gala is a major fundraiser for NWPC LA Westside, which is known for its work in supporting pro-choice, progressive women candidates for elected or appointed office – from the local to national levels – through trainings, endorsements and contributions. The funds raised at this seminal biennial event helps NWPC LA Westside work towards addressing the inequities that exist in the political process. The Calendar event will take place on Thursday, October 22nd, 2015 at The Mark for Events in West Los Angeles. To RSVP and purchase tickets please CLICK HERE or simply visit our website www.nwpclawestside.org.

The 2016 “12 Remarkable Women” honorees are:

Amy Howorth

Manhattan Beach City Councilmember

Amy Thomas Howorth was elected to the Manhattan Beach City Council in 2011. She served as mayor of Manhattan Beach in 2014 and served for 8 years as a member of the Manhattan Beach School Board. @amyhoworth

Ana Guerrero

Chief of Staff, Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti

Ana Guerrero serves as Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Chief of Staff. In this capacity, she is the primary driver of his agenda to improve neighborhoods, create jobs and make City Hall work better, and directs all aspects of the Office of the Mayor.

Betty Yee

California State Controller

Betty Yee was elected California State Controller in 2014. Previously, Betty served on the California Board of Equalization and has over 30 years of experience in state and local finance and tax policy. @BettyYee2014

Elizabeth Gelfand Stearns

Chair of The Judy Fund

Producer of the critically acclaimed, award winning film Still Alice, Elizabeth Gelfand Stearns serves as chair of The Judy Fund, where she works to ignite public awareness and engagement in the battle against Alzheimer’s disease. She was appointed to the National Board of Directors of the Alzheimer’s Association in 2011.

Dr. Kristie Holmes

Adjunct Associate Professor, USC; Women’s Rights Advocate

Dr. Kristie Holmes has acted as moderator for an NGO at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, as well as participated as a panelist at the Women Leaders Forum as part of the United Nations General Assembly. Currently, she serves on the board of United Nations Women U.S. National Committee. @DRKristie

Laura Rosenthal

Malibu City Councilmember

Laura Zahn Rosenthal was elected to the Malibu City Council in 2010. Laura, a practicing clinical psychologist for over 30 years, serves as a member of the League of California Cities Environmental Quality Policy Committee and serves as the  alternate representative to the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission. @Laura4Malibu

Leanore “Lee” Saltz

Public Health Advocate/Educator

Lee Saltz is a retired teacher and longtime community advocate on public health, social justice and reproductive rights issues. Lee serves on many boards, including the National Council of Jewish Women, the Friends of the Beverly Hills Public Library and on a special project with the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust.

Madeline Di Nonno

Executive Director of Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media

Madeline Di Nonno is the Executive Director of The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media and See Jane.  Madeline focuses her 25 years experience in media, marketing and business development experience to raising awareness around regarding gender diversity and equity in entertainment mediums.

Mona Pasquil

Appointments Secretary, Office of Gov. Jerry Brown

Mona Pasquil serves as Appointments Secretary in the Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. and is responsible for helping the Governor recruit top candidates to serve California. @monap22

Nury Martinez

Los Angeles City Councilmember, 6th District

Nury Martinez serves as the only woman elected out of 18 Los Angeles city offices. Prior to her election to City Council, Nury served on the Los Angeles Unified School Board and was a community advocate. @martinez_nury

Paula Madison

Author/Former Television Executive

Paula Madison is an award winning journalist, former television executive, successful business owner and appointee to the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners. Paula was named one of the "75 Most Powerful African Americans in Corporate America" by Black Enterprise Magazine in 2005 and recently published Finding Samuel Lowe about her family’s efforts to explore their ancestry.

Sheila Keuhl

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, 3rd District

Sheila Kuehl was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 2014. Previously, Sheila served as a member and Speaker of the California State Assembly and as a member of the California State Senate. @sheilakuehl

The National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC), Los Angeles Westside is a multi-partisan, grassroots membership organization dedicated to increasing women’s participation in the political process. NWPC LA Westside recruits, trains and supports pro-choice women candidates for service in elected and appointed public office at all levels of government. Follow NWPC LA Westside to keep informed about women leaders working throughout the Southern California region on Twitter @NWPCLAWestside, on Facebook , and on the web at www.nwpclawestside.org.

Presidential Gender Watch - July Newsletter

July  2015 What's New   Which female presidential candidate are you? Take our new Buzzfeed Quiz to find out! Share with your friends as a fun and innovative way to share a bit about women's presidential history.  Expert Analysis Another Man Joins the Race: Why Not Another Woman?   Republican Governor John Kasich launched his presidential campaign this morning, joining 15 other Republicans and 5 Democrats in seeking the nation's highest office. With announcements coming on a regular basis, observers of gender in politics may find little of interest in yet another man joining the race. Instead, CAWP Scholar Kelly Dittmar asks why no other woman has entered the presidential race, arguing that the dominance of male candidates is a reminder of the many hurdles to women's representation at all levels of American politics. Read more here.      Share This Women are just 2 of the 21 candidates (9.5%) who have launched major party candidacies for president in 2016. #genderwatch2016   Facts & Figures Don't miss the latest facts and figures at Presidential Gender Watch. Here are some recent highlights:     According to a new report from the Center for Responsive Politics, nearly 50% of Hillary Clinton's individual contributions to date, totaling $17.2 million,  have come from women, a far larger percentage than that of any of her male competitors. The candidate with the next largest female share of contributions is Ben Carson, for whom 37.5% of itemized contributions were from women donors.   Both women candidates in the 2016 recently released gender-focused web videos. With Buzzfeed, Carly Fiorina produced a video to show what might happen "If Men Were Treated Like Women In The Office." Hillary Clinton, responding to Senator Mitch McConnell's claims that she was "playing the gender card," released a web video to  outline the "gender cards" that Republican candidates are playing against women.     NPR recently reported on a new paper in the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science by Alexander Czopp, Aaron Kay and Sapna Cheryan. The authors show that positive stereotypes can have some positive effects, but when it comes to interpersonal and group interactions, the effects are predominantly negative. Their findings have implications for women candidates for office, especially at the executive level.   In This Issue What's New Expert Analysis on 2016 Share This Facts & Figures READ OUR LATEST ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL GENDER BIAS IN THE 2016 RACE Stay Tuned...    Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates and resources from Presidential Gender Watch.

NWPC LA WESTSIDE HONORS 12 WOMEN IN LOS ANGELES FOR ADVANCING OPPORTUNITIES OF WOMEN FOR ELECTED OFFICE

Contact: Laura Walsh (702) 521-8196 laura@cerrell.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NWPC LA WESTSIDE HONORS 12 WOMEN IN LOS ANGELES FOR ADVANCING OPPORTUNITIES OF WOMEN FOR ELECTED OFFICE   Complete list of honorees was announced today to NWPC members, friends and supporters Los Angeles - July 23, 2015 - The National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC), Los Angeles Westside, a grassroots organization dedicated to increasing women's participation in the political process, announced their selection of twelve honorees who have made significant contributions to achieving equality for all women through their political participation. The announcement was made Thursday morning to NWPC leadership and members, as well as friends and supporters at Factor's Famous Deli in Los Angeles. Also in attendance were three of this year's honorees: UN Women's Committee National Board member Dr. Kristie Holmes, Manhattan Beach Councilmember Amy Howorth and public health advocate Lee Saltz. Other honorees include prominent elected officials, business leaders and creatives who represent the diversity of women in Los Angeles. California State Controller Betty T. Yee, Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl and Ana Guerrero, Chief of Staff to Mayor Eric Garcetti, were among the other remarkable women designated with the honor.   "I am delighted to be included in the 2016 Women Leaders Calendar," said Paula Madison, 2016 honoree and Vice President of the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners. "I proudly support the efforts of the LA Westside Chapter of the National Women's Political Caucus to increase gender equality in the political landscape." "I'm incredibly honored to be chosen as a 2016 Remarkable Women Leader," said Manhattan Beach Councilmember Amy Howorth, a 2016 honoree. "The bi-partisan work of NWPC is crucial for not only women, but for their children and indeed all people. When women thrive, we all thrive." Attendees of the event included NWPC board members, current and past honorees. "Serving as a past board member and President of NWPC LA Westside helped lay the groundwork for my appointment and subsequent election to the West Hollywood City Council," said West Hollywood Mayor Lindsey Horvath. "It was a tremendous honor to be recognized as a 2010 Calendar Honoree, as the work the organization performs to tackle gender parity is extremely worthwhile." Following the announcement, a keynote speech was made by Jessica Levinson, an election law expert and Professor at Loyola Law School known for her regular appearances on broadcast news programs. "Women are underrepresented at every level of government across the country. There is a vital need for a substantive discussion about ways to work towards equal representation," said Levinson. "I am thankful to NWPC for providing this platform, and for recognizing the important work these women and this organization perform throughout the community." The twelve remarkable honorees will be celebrated at the NWPC, LA Westside's Calendar Gala on October 22. The event recognizes the outstanding contributions and remarkable achievements made by the women who live, work and give back to our community. It will be the sixth Calendar event in eight years. For more information, please visit: http://www.nwpclawestside.org/CalendarEvent2015.html The 2016 honorees include: Madeline Di Nonno, CEO, Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media Ana Guerrero, Chief of Staff, Mayor Eric Garcetti Dr. Kristie Holmes, National Boardmember, United Nations Women's Committee Amy Thomas Howorth, Councilmember, Manhattan Beach Sheila Kuehl, Supervisor, Los Angeles County Paula Madison, Vice President, Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners Nury Martinez, Councilmember, Los Angeles Mona Pasquil, Appointments Secretary, Governor Jerry Brown Laura Rosenthal, Councilmember, Malibu Lee Saltz, Public Health Advocate Elizabeth Gelfand Stearns, Founder & Chair, The Judy Fund; Co-Producer, Still Alice Betty T. Yee, California State Controller ### The National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC) is the only multi-partisan organization dedicated to recruiting, training and supporting pro-choice women running for office. Our NWPC LA Westside chapter focuses on supporting pro-choice women seeking elected or appointed positions within local and statewide government in the cities of Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Santa Monica and Malibu, as well as unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County. For more information, please visit: http://www.nwpclawestside.org/index.html