SAN DIEGO WOMEN’S WEEK

Sallie Krawcheck,  Headliner for San Diego Women’s Week

 Showing women how to seize the shift in power

By Randi Crawford

Sallie Krawcheck – she was the CEO of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and Smith Barney and the CFO of Citigroup. Today, she’s the CEO and co-founder of Ellevest, a digital investing platform for women and the chair of Ellevate, a professional networking group for women. I think it’s safe to say that she’s the most successful woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of speaking with – and ladies, she’s totally relatable.

Krawcheck’s new book, “Own It, The Power of Women at Work,” draws on her experiences at the highest levels of business to show women how to seize this shift in power, to take their careers to the next level. It helps women tap into strengths they already have by looking at things holistically and from their lens. Specifically, women bring relationship awareness, risk awareness, they don’t make rash decisions, and they look at the long-term picture. All of these qualities bring enormous value to the workplace.

How do we get away from the “B” word and still be successful in business?

“Men have been socialized that way,” says Krawcheck. “Men who are successful are considered likable and women who are successful are considered unlikable. Society imposes that on us. Women need to have the courageous conversation about these topics. We allow men to have a broader range of emotions at work; we allow them to lose their temper. When women lose their temper, people shut down. We need to shed some sunlight on it to go forward. Women are looking for action. What can we do differently and how can I own this and how can I engage in this?”

Can you explain Ellevest?

“This is a digital investment platform for women. We don’t have a minimum because we want to make it very approachable. We spent hundreds of hours with women co-creating the platform and came out to something that

looks quite different from the traditional investment offering. Most of us have learned to expect that a financial adviser is an older gentleman, who women tend to say don’t understand them. Some women feel patronized. The research is clear that women leave them after their husband’s death at a rate of 80 percent. Ellevest gathers information from the woman, asks her what her financial goals are, and uses a very powerful algorithm to calculate what she can afford to do. We develop highly customized investment portfolios to help women reach their goals. That’s very different than, “hey do you want to buy a mutual fund?”

What is Ellevate?

“Ellevate network is 65,000 women strong. The key to success is networking — your next business opportunity is much stronger coming from a loose connection than a close connection. If you want to get back in the game, build a strong network, speak to people, get an advisory board position, do your research — there might be a start-up position. Networking is enormous and crucial. Both of my businesses came through my network and it was nine introductions of loose connections to ultimately find my co-founder at Ellevest.”

Sure, but when you say networking, women cringe.

“Yup. Eighteen holes and a six-pack. It doesn’t have to all be in a traditional and masculine style. It can be you sending me an email after this interview and saying, “Hey Sallie, you mentioned XYZ on the call and here’s an article I thought you would like.” Sure, I have drinks and coffee but I do a lot of networking through email.”

How did you become the CEO of such an exclusive “boys club” on Wall Street?

“Hard work and a lot of lucky breaks. I stuck with numbers and I was just me. I never tried to be someone else. So much advice women get is to act like men and it’s uncomfortable and exhausting because you can’t be someone you’re not. And there’s backlash if you’re too girly or too masculine. I owned the facts, figures, numbers, research and data so therefore, people had to listen.

“I also brought a sense of grace and a sense of humor. A friend once told me that if you look for gender discrimination, you will find it. Women get eaten up by it, but my view was to have a sense of grace about it. Men don’t mean it. They grew up with gender norms and these men in their 60’s are used to it. Sure I got their coffee when they asked, but I also cracked a joke and said, ‘Haha, I’ll get you this cup of coffee but you have to get me the next one,’ which gave everyone a sense that I didn’t let them off the hook but socially it didn’t embarrass them. I practice MRI — (most respectful interpretation). People rise to how you treat them.”

What is MRI?

For example: “When someone honks at you, rather than think they are a jerk, think maybe that person is honking because they have a sick dog in their car and need to save their life. Give people some space and let go of the thinking that everything is about you.”

Do you have balance in your life?

“Yes, I had to exercise to clear my head and let go of being the perfect mother and wife. In my family we have a running joke, ‘I’m a mediocre mother on my best day.’

“There were no homemade cookies. Sometimes I was 50 minutes late for my kids’ school play, but nobody died. I would apologize to my kids and tell them that their dad taped it. My focus is not that work/life balance. For me, it’s this: are we all doing something that can have a positive impact on the world around us? And that’s what I talk to my kids about.”

How did you feel when Big Smoove hit the game-winning shot to beat your Tar Heels?

“I felt horrible. I’m still riding the low. If and when we meet again this year, mark my words, it’s gonna be a blowout.”

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Putting the Spotlight on Empowerment in 2017

The speakers are bright, articulate, successful and their messages are empowering and inspiring to everyone. The 2017 San Diego Women’s Week lineup is one of the best yet and the anticipation of their keynotes is felt all over the region.

Women such as Sallie Krawcheck, Shiza Shahid, Tanya Brown, Mimi Kirk, Liz Goodgold, Scout Bassett, Kim Coles and others are preparing to speak to San Diego community between March 20-24 at various venues and events around the region. They will be sharing lessons and journey’s that have shaped their lives and careers.

This year’s featured conference keynote, Shiza Shahid, known as the best friend of Malala and CEO of the Malala Fund, will be talking about her journey and work on making the world a better place, one person at a time.

Another powerful keynote will be Sallie Krawcheck, former Wall Street executive, who will be talking to attendees about her new book, “Own It-The Power of Women at Work.”  Each attendee at the Friday conference will receive a copy of the book, just published in January.

This year’s male speaker will be Elliot Kotek, co-founder of Not Impossible, who will talk to us about a world where people are preaching the four P’s — People, Planet, Profit and Passion. When you find something you are passionate about, you define your purpose. When you share your purpose, you will find your people and when you have your people, anything is possible.

Returning will be the annual favorite, Kim Coles, formerly of “Living Single” and “In Living Color.” Kim’s message is about picking up when you fall and believing that anything is possible.

“Each speaker was asked to participate in Women’s Week because of their success and the knowledge that they bring from their journeys, successes and sometimes failures. Their stories will inspire women to face challenges in their lives and empower them to become stronger and go after what it is they desire.”

The lineup is diverse, with each message focused around inspiring, empowering and connecting women.

For the fourth year in a row, Sharp Health Plan and Sharp Rees-Stealy have been the title partner of San Diego Women’s Week along with many returning partners from past years.

San Diego Women’s Week is celebrating its eighth year and is produced by the North San Diego Business Chamber, which considers women important in the region’s changing business environment. “Our focus for the week is to connect women, share stories, and empower them to reach higher,” says Debra Rosen, president and CEO of North San Diego Business Chamber.  “More companies than ever have implemented women’s leadership programs as part of their diversity and women’s leadership initiatives.

San Diego Women’s Week Schedule

Opening Day

Monday, March 20, noon to 7 p.m.

Wyland Center Del Mar Fairgrounds

2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar

Speakers

Tanya Brown, Author, Speaker & Life Coach

Finding Peace Amid the Chaos

Tanya Brown, sister of Nicole Brown Simpson, understands that women face adversity on a daily basis. She will share with us the Tanya formula for managing stress and facing adversity as we navigate through life. Tanya will encourage you to look at the way you manage life and decrease stress. In this powerful presentation Tanya shares key strategies including managing time effectively, identifying triggers, embracing an attitude of gratitude, conquering stress, living authentically and more. Once you put one, two, five or all twelve to work in your daily life, you will see and feel the decrease in stress, anxiety, depression and overwhelm. Managing your life and self-care are critical and essential when coping with daily life adversities. Make the choice to be the person you want to be!

Liz Goodgold, Branding Speaker, Author & Coach, Redfire Branding

Communicating With Confidence & Competence. Nine secrets to Getting the Respect, Rewards & Recognition You Deserve.

Many women know that they need to speak up to be heard, but were never taught how to create a strong personal brand, presence, and voice…until now. Combining branding, speaking, and presence, this presentation will help women project confidence and competence. Most importantly, it arms females with success tools that work throughout their entire career.

Mimi Kirk

Yes, You can Live a Long, Healthy, Exciting Life

At the age of 76, Mimi Kirk keeps up a very energetic schedule. She is a visionary and advocate for health and longevity. As an internationally respected speaker, certified raw food plant-based chef, health and life coach, she is devoted to teaching women and men how to experience vibrant health and happiness through diet and transformational thinking. Her outlook, mindset and natural approach about what it means to grow older and slow down the aging process have inspired many.

Diane Lofgren & Margaret Bhola

Authors, Women I Want to Grow Old With

The Power of Female Friendships

Female friendship is a key to good health and a longer, fulfilling life. We are all busy, but women invest in their finances, family, health, and careers; it’s time to apply that same intentionality to friendships!

Topics Include:

• How female friendships improve a woman’s health, reduce stress, and decrease dementia
• Who a friend is and isn’t — how to build your friendship circle
• What to do with friends to mix it up and increase joy

Deirdre Maloney

Author & Speaker

Bogus Balance

Chances are you’ve got a lot on your plate, and it may have you feeling stressed out. Perhaps you’re overwhelmed. You may wonder why work/life balance is so elusive to you. Take heart. The problem isn’t that you can’t achieve work/life balance. It’s that nobody can.

The good news? REAL balance – and the happiness that comes with it – are not just possible. They’re within your grasp right now. Deirdre Maloney will use her personal brand of “mild audacity” to tell you how to get them.

Pat Reno

Senior Vice President, RBC Wealth Management

Time to Tackle the Last Taboo: Talking About Taking Charge of Our Money

Pat Reno’s career in finance began in 1987 when she joined Merrill Lynch as a financial advisor.  Reno spent her years at Merrill Lynch and most recently RBC Wealth Management managing assets for high net worth individuals, corporations, pensions and non-profit organizations.  A former teacher, she is a frequent speaker and writer on various financial topics plus she has also trained and coached new financial consultants to the industry. Among her various recognitions, one is being named “Outstanding Woman in Business” by the San Diego Business Journal.

Reno is a longtime community volunteer.  She has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Club of Inland North County and was a co-founder of a nationally recognized anti-drug and anti- gang program named “Street Safe.”  Most recently her community involvement has centered on establishing the USS Midway Museum in San Diego. As the daughter of a career naval officer, Reno is passionate about maintaining the public awareness of freedom, liberty and peace through our military heritage.

Dare to Dream

Wednesday, March 22, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Sony Electronics Inc.

16535 Via Esprillo, San Diego

An evening of women’s networking, wine & beer tastings, keynote speakers and more.

Speakers

Mariel Hemingway — Out Came the Sun

Renaissance woman Mariel Hemingway is not only an iconic Academy Award nominated actor from a celebrated family, she is a prolific author, adventurist, eco activist, healthy lifestyle and mental health advocate, a yoga video star, an entrepreneur and a much sought after speaker focused on mind-body-spirit optimization and purposeful living.

In a high-tech world, Mariel is considered an expert in high-touch solutions that facilitate the greatest sense of personal power, life balance, joy, fitness, authenticity and peace of mind. She’s both a devoted teacher and student in this holistic concentration.

Capt. Corrie Mays — Blue Angel No. 8

United States Marine Corps

For the first time in Blue Angels history, two female Marine Corps officers were selected to serve on the Blue Angels team at the same time. Corrie was selected to serve the United States Navy Blue Angels in July 2014 and joined the team in September 2014 as Blue Angel No.8, where she served as the events coordinator and squadron naval flight officer.

Wende Crowley — Dare to Dream

Senior vice president of film and TV

Sony/ATV Music Publishing

Crowley and her team are responsible for placing and licensing music in film, television and video games. When Crowley was in college, her friends told her that putting songs in movies and television shows wasn’t a job. She’s glad they were wrong. Wendy will share with you how she took a dream and dared to make it happen.

Esther Friedman.jpg

Esther Friedman is a 30 year veteran of the music industry. Born and raised in Brooklyn, she knew that she always wanted to work in music. Without a job or any leads, she picked and moved out west determined to land a job in the music business. And she did. Her Dare to Dream began at an early age and she followed her heart.

Esther’s first job was at Screen Gems Music Publishing in Los Angeles and has also held key positions in music clearance at Y&R and J. Walter Thompson in NYC. She has been at Sony/ATV Music Publishing for 18 years, having worked her way from director up to SVP, overseeing a staff of 20 and handling all of the licensing for their film and television division. Friedman was integral in the Beatles commercial deals for Phillips TV, the film “Across The Universe” and a multi-year campaign for Office Depot’s use of Takin Care of Business by BTO.

Girlfriend’s Guide to Good Health

Thursday, March 23, 6 to 8 p.m.

Sharp Rees-Stealy Rancho Bernardo

16899 West Bernardo Drive, San Diego

Breakout Sessions, Meet the Doctor, Health Screenings, Appetizers

Inspiration Conference

Friday, March 24, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

A full day of inspiration with keynote speakers, panels, vendor village and more. Attendees will receive a luxury swag bag and an autographed copy of Sallie Krawcheck’s new book, “Own It: The Power of Women at Work.”

Speakers

Scout Bassett, U.S. Paralympic Track Sprinter and Jumper

Overcoming Challenges

Scout is a competitive U.S. Paralympic track sprinter, jumper, and passionate spokesperson for the Challenged Athletes Foundation. She is a three-time U.S. champion in the 100m sprint, 100m and 200m American Record holder, 400m World Record holder, and a serious contender for the 2016 Paralympic Games.

When Scout was only an infant, a fire took away her right leg from above the knee down. Shortly after this incident, she was found as an abandoned infant on the streets of Nanjing, China and taken to the government orphanage. Inside these isolating walls, she lived in extremely harsh conditions and endured several heart-wrenching years of trauma and anguish.

Kim Coles, Actress, Comedienne, Author, Playwright

Don’t Let Your Past Define You

Best known for her five-season turn as the unforgettable “Synclaire” on FOX’s ground-breaking comedy series, “Living Single,” Kim Coles has starred in numerous hit television programs including “Frasier,” “Six Feet Under,” “In Living Color,” “One on One” and the uproarious TBS comedy series “10 Items Or Less.” She was the co-host of the nationally syndicated daytime talk show, “In the Loop with iVillage” and has been a guest co-host for various shows, including “The View” and “Good Day Live.” She was the host of BET’s “My Black is Beautiful,” a show that was part of a national initiative sponsored by Proctor & Gamble celebrating the diverse, collective beauty of African-American women.

Elliot Kotek, Co-Founder and Content Chief, Not Impossible

Elliot Kotek is the CEO and founder of The Nation of Artists, the founding editor of Beyond Cinema and co-founded Not Impossible. He believes in the power of content and campaigns to change the world and is the key creative in building collaborative teams around ideas that deliver real impact to real people in real need.

In a world where people are preaching the 3 P’s of People, Planet, Profit, Elliot goes one further with his 4 P Strategy: When you find something you’re Passionate about, it will define your Purpose. When you share your purpose, you’ll find your People. And when you have your people, anything is Possible.

Sallie Krawcheck, Co-Founder and CEO of Ellevest

Own It: The Power of Women at Work

Sallie Krawcheck, co-founder and CEO of Ellevest, is one of the highest ranked women ever to have worked on Wall Street, having held posts such as CEO of Smith Barney, CEO of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, and CFO of Citigroup. She is one of the most-read “Influencers” on LinkedIn, and has been profiled as one of Fast Company’s “Most Creative People” in business, as well as in The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Forbes, and more.

Marlee Matlin, a Champion for Many

Though Matlin lost her hearing when she was only 18 months old, she never let her challenges dictate her future or deter her dreams. Along with a successful Hollywood career, Matlin has dedicated herself to raising awareness for many humanitarian causes, including diversity and LGBT rights.

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 Tanya Brown

Secrets to de-stressing the brain

By Randi Crawford

Recently I had the honor of speaking with Tanya Brown, Nicole Brown Simpson’s sister. While that name is one of the most recognizable names in the country, Tanya Brown is her own person with her own story. She’s written two books, “The Seven Characters of Abuse,” and “Finding Peace Amid the Chaos: My Escape from Depression and Suicide,” which include her own personal stories and give you tools to help you navigate your own adversity. She’s a motivational speaker, a life coach and an incredibly inspirational woman.

One of the things that she couldn’t stress enough during our conversation was that she is just like everyone else who has faced adversity in their life. She not only lost her sister, but she lost six friends in high school. So when Tanya talks, she comes from the heart. She is real, she is raw, and she wants to connect with you. The reason she loves giving talks at San Diego Women’s Week is because the message is about empowering women. Tanya wants women to understand that she feels the same pain we all feel – hers was just public. Her parents are “Pick yourself up by the bootstraps and move on” kind of folks. Her dad was a World War II bomber pilot and her mom was a German girl, who both grew up in a generation that “Didn’t feel.” Tanya had no coping skills and was never taught how to manage stress, which ultimately led to her being institutionalized for three months.

I asked Tanya what her message is for this year’s conference and she was very clear. We need to “de-stress” the brain and slow down. Tanya believes that women are wired differently and that the reason we are seeing so much more depression, anxiety, and worry is because our brain is stressed. She’s right. When I go to bed at night, my husband is literally asleep within less than five minutes, whereas I can lie there for several hours with my brain on high intensity going over every single thing that happened that day. A lot of times my mind wanders into “What if” scenarios and before I know it I’m in a cold sweat worrying about things that haven’t even happened and probably won’t ever happen. I know that I’m not alone. Women run themselves ragged, because our bodies can take it — but our brains are losing the battle.

Tanya had a colleague lead her through questions that led her to the “Tanya formula” for taking charge of her own life. She was gracious enough to tell me everything without holding back. So, here are some incredible tools to help you de-stress your brain and slow down. And for the record I’ve already tried two this morning and it felt great!

• Talk about it. Whatever “it” is that is bothering you including your dog, child, husband, job, talk to somebody. Tanya uses the five-letter word and says that we need to leave it at the door — pride. Pride will kill us if we hold onto it and don’t reach out to someone for help when we need it. Women are so worried about what other people will think if they ask for help. Talk about it.
• Attention on the positive. What’s working well in your life? Focus on the positive. There’s always a silver lining in everything. Stay positive.
• Nurture your soul. In other words, do something that makes you happy. It can be anything from playing with your pet to taking a walk or reading a good book.
• Schedule yourself into the day. If you don’t put yourself on the schedule, it will never get done. Specifically, schedule a massage, time on social media so it doesn’t consume your whole day, a workout or coffee with a friend.
• Attitude of gratitude. Tanya has an attitude of gratitude all day every day. One way to show gratitude is to write down five things a day that you are grateful for. She lives this way. She doesn’t have to think about how to be grateful, she is grateful for everything that she has, and she acknowledges it every day.

This process works. We can de-stress our brain. It takes about 90 days for new habits to get formed in the brain — so try something different for 90 days. Wake up and switch around your morning routine, set positive intentions for the day, maybe take a new route to work, try taking a walk at night instead of reaching for that glass of wine. Put technology away an hour before bed. Call someone instead of texting them. Let’s all slow down, de-stress our brain, and take charge of our happiness.

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Shiza Shahid

An entrepreneur working at the intersection of business and social impact

By Jennifer Coburn

It would have been easy for Shiza Shahid to forget about the plight of women and girls in Pakistan, where she was born and raised. When the Taliban seized control of cities in Pakistan, it forbade females from attending school.

But Shahid was far away from that world. At 20 years old, she was safely ensconced in the academically elite campus of Stanford University, an environment so insular that its students and staff affectionately refer to it as “the farm.”

Shahid heard about activists working for gender equity in education in Pakistan, and contacted a movement leader with a bold proposition. She would organize a week-long summer camp for 27 girls where they would learn about how to empower themselves and their communities. Among the participants was a particularly passionate and articulate 12-year-old girl whose name the world would soon come to know, Malala Yousafzai.

When Malala was shot twice in the face at point blank range by the Taliban three years later, Shahid dropped everything and hopped on a plane to Birmingham, England, where the 15-year-old was hospitalized at the time. Shahid spent three months tending to Malala, helping manage media requests, donations, and visitors. The young women went on to launch the Malala Fund, which supports education innovators and activists around the world. Shahid became a key adviser to Malala in her bestselling book, “I Am Malala,” and was an associate producer of the documentary film, “He Called Me Malala.”

Now Shahid has started a new chapter in her life. She recently launched NOW Ventures, a seed stage mission-driven venture fund dedicated to investing in startups whose founding teams propose transformative solutions for the world. Essentially, it merges the business world, which focuses almost exclusively on profit, and the nonprofit community, which is primarily mission driven. Shahid’s brainchild funds ventures that are both socially minded and profitable. “NOW Ventures is a platform to invest in the greatest solutions to the world’s greatest challenges — it’s at the intersection of business and social impact,” she says.

San Diego Women’s Week conference attendees will hear from Shahid on her mission of doing all the good we can, something she lives by in her personal and professional life. Shahid says all of her efforts start by “showing up and believing you can change things.” She told TechCrunch, “The hypothesis we aim to prove is that mission-driven companies are a better investment than purely profit-driven companies. We believe that they are creating more loyal customers and generally aim to solve large problems, rather than to create cute apps.”

Malala’s role in Shahid’s life has not only been as a colleague and friend, but also as unwitting matchmaker. While at a coffee shop meeting with a possible contact for the Malala Fund, Shahid met Amir Tehrani, a man who three years later became her husband.

Shahid says she enjoys dynamic conversations with women and is excited to meet attendees of this year’s San Diego Women’s Week. “I am looking forward to speaking in San Diego about the importance of empowering women, particularly in today’s divisive political climate,” says Shahid.

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 Scout Bassett

A leg up on track and life

By Jennifer Coburn

When Scout Bassett talks about overcoming her challenges in life, she says the emotional ones were even more difficult than her physical hurdles. That’s saying a lot because Bassett is an amputee, having lost her right leg from the knee down in a fire. She was an infant at the time, and was abandoned in the streets of Nanjing, China. Growing up, mobility was an issue, but it wasn’t as difficult as feeling cast aside and rejected.

Bassett spent the first seven years of her life in a government-run orphanage where children were not permitted to go outdoors. She says she and the other children would look out the windows and see caretakers hanging laundry on the playground equipment that they never got to use. “It was not a nice, fluffy place to be raised,” she says.

When she was 7 years old, an American family adopted Bassett and took her to live in a small town in northern Michigan. In some ways, this was harder than life at the orphanage. “We lived in a bubble at the orphanage,” says Bassett. “I didn’t know I was the least wanted of my culture. We didn’t know there was shame and stigma around disability.”

As a child in Michigan, Bassett tried many team sports like soccer and softball, but was marginalized by her coaches and teammates, who were happy to have her on the team but didn’t want her on the field when it came time to compete. “Coaches suggested I kick the soccer ball at the fence or practice off to the side during games,” she recalls.

All of this changed when at age 13, Bassett took a trip to Miami to have a prosthetic leg customized for her. She says the one she had been using was made from “stuff you’d find in your garage” and made it difficult to get around. While in Miami, a prosthetic technician suggested they visit a training facility for psychically disabled athletes. “I didn’t even know an amputee could run until I saw someone else do it and having that visual changed the course of my life,” says Bassett.

“Running is one of those things where I didn’t need a team and no one could tell me what I could or couldn’t do,” says Bassett. “Running made me feel like I wasn’t disabled. I didn’t feel like an amputee, I felt alive; it was freedom.”

Today, Bassett is a competitive U.S. Paralympic track sprinter and jumper who is the three-time U.S. champion in the 100-meter sprint, 100-meter and 200-meter American record-holder, and 400-meter World Record-holder. Prior to competing in track, Scout was on the USA Paratriathlon National Team, where she won three silver medals and one bronze medal at the International Triathlon Union Paratriathlon World Championships.

Bassett says her greatest accomplishment, however, has been her emotional healing. “Traumatic things in my life have fueled my passion and I think the most important thing we can do as women is to be fully accepting of our journey,” says Bassett. “It matters what path you’ve walked, but you don’t have to be a prisoner of your past if you take those things and use them as power to serve, to love, and to give to others.”

Testing this principle, Bassett gave herself the ultimate challenge. Nike invited her on a promotional tour that included stops in China. She agreed under the condition that they could visit the orphanage where she spent her early years – and bring plenty of Nike sports equipment for the children. “It was very powerful to go back and have total forgiveness and no anger and resentment,” she says, adding how much she enjoyed watching the children playing with the gifts from Nike. “Sometimes it’s difficult to face the people, situations, and places that broke you, but if you are willing to face them, you can get such freedom.”

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Mimi Kirk

Helping people transition into a healthier lifestyle

By Delle Willett

At the age of 78, Mimi Kirk keeps a very energetic schedule. She is a visionary and advocate for health and longevity. As an internationally respected speaker, certified raw-food, plant-based chef, health and life coach, she is devoted to teaching women and men how to experience vibrant health and happiness through diet and transformational thinking. Her outlook, mindset and natural approach about what it means to grow older and slow down the aging process have inspired many.

A vegetarian and vegan for the better part of 40 years, she has had an amazingly interesting and fantastic life and tells many stories in her best-selling books: “Live Raw, Raw Food Recipes,”  “Live Raw Around the World,” and her latest book, “The Ultimate Book of Modern Juicing and Raw-vitalize.”

Mimi has appeared on national television in the U.S., including; “The Doctors,” “the Dr. Oz Show,” “Steve Harvey,” CBS, and NBC, and has been interviewed and seen on international television in Germany and Bulgaria, and will be seen in three documentaries soon to be released. She has been on the covers of many national and international magazines and has been interviewed hundreds of times.

Mimi travels the world sharing her mission and secrets on how to live a long healthy life and enjoy tantalizing healthy plant-based raw foods. She can be seen on her YouTube channel where she demonstrates her classic delicious and healthy raw-food recipes.

She speaks from experience after reversing high-blood pressure, high cholesterol and arthritis. She is prescription free, which says a lot for a septuagenarian.

Mimi grew up in Hollywood, was married at 17, and widowed at 29. In her earlier years, she worked in many film and television shows including an original “Star Trek.” She’s the mother of four children, has seven grandchildren, and travels the world with her long-time, boyfriend helping people transition into a healthier lifestyle.

Mimi says that in some ways, her profession chose her. “I had just sold my business to retire. Then my life took a turn. I was in a national contest conducted by PETA and won the title of ‘Sexiest Vegetarian over 50.’ At the time I just turned 70. This win put me in the public eye. I was eating a raw vegan diet and through media coverage on TV, magazines and newspapers my social media network grew like crazy. I started posting recipes on Facebook and was encouraged by fans to write a book.”

Since winning the sexiest title and so many people asking her secrets on health and longevity, she thought this was an opportunity to share her life and possibly help others to transition into eating a plant-based raw food diet.

Born Sept 23, 1939, Mimi says, “Feeling like I’m in my 20s is an amazing thing. I credit this youthful look and spirit not only to my attitude, but really to my way of eating.

Something fun to know about Mimi: She was Mary Tyler Moore’s stand-in on her TV series and designed the wardrobe for Valerie Harper on the “Rhoda” show, and was responsible for creating her iconic head scarf, many of which she hand tie-dyed.

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Marlee Matlin

A champion for many

Marlee Matlin received worldwide critical acclaim for her film debut in Paramount Pictures’ “Children of a Lesser

God,” for which she received the Academy Award for Best Actress. At 21, she became the youngest recipient of the Best Actress Oscar and only one of four actresses to receive the honor for her film debut. In addition to the Oscar, Marlee received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama.

Matlin will be one of the keynote speaker’s at the San Diego Women’s Week’s Inspiration Conference on March 24.

Though Matlin lost her hearing when she was only 18 months old, she never let her challenges dictate her future or deter her dreams. Along with a successful Hollywood career, Matlin has dedicated herself to raising awareness for many humanitarian causes, including diversity and LGBT rights. She is a staunch advocate for children and a champion for

those struggling against domestic abuse and addiction (battles she knows well). Matlin has also helped raise awareness for better hearing health for millions of deaf and hard of hearing children and adults in developing countries, in support of the Starkey Hearing Foundation.

In 2015, Marlee developed “Marlee Signs,” the first celebrity-driven app teaching basics of American Sign Language on mobile devices. In 2017, Marlee returned for her third appearance at the Super Bowl, signing the National Anthem alongside Grammy-winning and Platinum-selling artist Lady Gaga.

Marlee currently stars on the Peabody Award-winning series, “Switched at Birth.” She also starred in her own NBC series, “Reasonable Doubts,” opposite Mark Harmon and the Emmy Award-winning “Picket Fences.”

In 2009, Marlee published her New York Times best-selling autobiography, “I’ll Scream Later,” and has authored three novels for children including “Deaf Child Crossing” and “Nobody’s Perfect.”

Marlee makes her home in the Los Angeles area with her husband, a law enforcement officer, and their four children.

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Mariel Hemingway

Passionate advocate of personal power

Renaissance woman Mariel Hemingway is not only an iconic Academy Award nominated actor from a celebrated

family, she is a prolific author, adventurist, eco activist, healthy lifestyle and mental health advocate, a yoga video star, an entrepreneur and a much-sought-after speaker focused on mind-body-spirit optimization and purposeful living.

In a high-tech world, Mariel is considered an expert in high-touch solutions that facilitate the greatest sense of personal power, life balance, joy, fitness, authenticity and peace of mind. She’s both a devoted teacher and student in this holistic concentration.

In 2013, Mariel co-wrote the book, “Running With Nature,” wherein she and her life partner share their insights about the importance and impact of good nutrition, meditation, mindfulness, movement, silence, the beauty of simple living, compassion for self and community, and staying a student of life at all ages.

With her two daughters, Dree and Langley — successful in their own entertainment careers — Mariel is once again considering film and television series opportunities. She’s passionate about the art of acting and loves the collective energy of working with other gifted artists, directors, producers, and writers.

Mariel’s film and television accomplishments include: “Manhattan,” “Lipstick,” “Personal Best,” “Star 80,” “Superman IV: The Quest for Peace,” “Papa” (2016) and appearances in high-profile television shows. She’s narrated several programs/films including the documentary “Ernest Hemingway: Wrestling with Life.”

Mariel’s best selling book, “Finding My Balance,” is an honest and inspiring story of her life’s journey through the lens of her personal yoga and meditation practices. Her second book, “Mariel Hemingway’s Healthy Living from the Inside Out” is a how-to guide on finding a greater sense of balance and meaning through self-empowering techniques and strategies. Her healthy lifestyle cookbook “Mariel’s Kitchen” offers creative gluten and sugar free recipes, and was one of the first on scene to shine the national spotlight on the benefits of this type of diet and lifestyle.

In 2014, “Running From Crazy,” a rich and evocative award-winning and Emmy-nominated documentary about the Hemingway family, which Mariel co-executive produced with Oprah Winfrey, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. It documents her boundless advocacy for mental health awareness, the dignity and rights of people of all circumstance and ability and her commitment to connecting those of like mind and heart in order to optimize their lives in the best and worst of times.

In May 2015, in alignment with National Mental Health Awareness month, Regan Arts Publishing released two new books including her memoir, “Out Came The Sun,” and a young adult targeted diary form project about the journey from surviving to thriving, titled “Invisible Girl.”

Like the creatively blessed Hemingways before her, Mariel is passionate about  travel and engaging with nature. She thrives when exploring new people and places in order to amplify her sense of purpose, personal power and peace.

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 Margaret Bhola

Healty living revolutionist

By Delle Willett

Margaret Bhola, has an extensive background in business, sales and marketing — and human relations. A global health advocate and national marketing director with The Juice Plus+ Company, she fosters entrepreneurship in the wellness industry, specializes in establishing corporate wellness programs and helps health professionals implement healthy lifestyle programs in their practices.

Born in Houston, Texas, and raised primarily in St. Louis, Mo., Margaret currently lives in San Diego with Ravi Bhola, her husband of 44 years. They are parents of two adult daughters and a son with two grandchildren and one more on the way.

She graduated from the University of Missouri with a bachelor’s degree in English and education.

Margaret was primarily influenced by her Catholic school teachers. “Making a difference and a contribution shaped my decisions. I have had a number of professions from teaching to business consulting to health coach. All of my professions have fostered the entrepreneurial spirit in individuals and organizations,” she said.

She describes herself as a healthy-living revolutionist who promotes healthy lifestyles in families and organizations.

Margaret, 69, is passionate about entrepreneurship, family and creating meaningful female friendships. She loves to travel and has friends around the world to visit.

A fun story about Margaret: “I lived with my grandmother in St. Louis when I was in first grade. When I got the measles, my grandmother wouldn’t let me leave my bedroom to watch ‘Howdy Doody’ and I was heart-broken. I begged and begged her to allow me to leave my bedroom, go downstairs and sing along ‘Its Howdy Doody Time!’ Finally she relented and enjoyed my excitement and huge smile. She made me promise not to tell Grandpa!”

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 Liz Goodgold

How to brand out, stand out and cash in

By Delle Willett

Liz Goodgold is a branding expert who works with entrepreneurs and corporations to brand better and speak “gooder.” Through consulting, coaching, training, and motivational speaking, she shares specific strategies on how to brand out, stand out, and cash in on your brand.

Liz has worked with and for Fortune 500 top-tier companies with big marketing goals and even bigger budgets. Her client list includes Univision, ProFlowers.com, MusicMatch, Quaker Oats and Arco Oil.

She has authored three books: “How to Speak Gooder: Brand-new Rules for Public Speaking in a Digitally Distracted World”; “Red Fire Branding: Create a Hot Personal Brand to Have Customers for Life!”; and “DUH! Marketing: 99 Monstrous Missteps you can use to Learn, Laugh, and Grow Your Business.”

A media maven, she provides quips and quotes for ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, CNBC, CNN and Fox. She can be seen on the TV series “Hollywood Scandals” dishing the dirt on celebrity brands and on “The Kennedy Files” livening up the broadcast with colorful commentary.

Liz’s insights on branding have been highlighted in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and hundreds of other prestigious publications and radio stations.

She custom creates workshops and trainings for hundreds of corporations from Beijing to Boston. Known as “the queen of interacting with her audience,” she serves up red-hot, on-the-spot advice and shares what sizzles and fizzles in the world of branding today.

Born in New York City, Liz moved to Los Angeles and then caught a horrific case of “Potomac Fever” and felt compelled to move to Washington, D.C. and immerse herself in politics.

She started as a lowly energy researcher and eventually became an expert on the obscure topic of lead in gasoline.

As the master of the topic, she wrote background briefing papers which lead to meeting with the legends of Congress including Tip O’Neil, Ted Kennedy, and lunching with Bob Dole. “Most importantly, it taught me at the age of 18 the value of specialization. In essence, it was the secret of branding: better to be the master of one topic than the generalist of none,” she said.

While working on the Hill she went to school full-time at the University of Maryland, earning a BS in journalism.

“I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur by the time I was 12. My sister kept pet mice and I connivingly sold her mice to our junior high science department to feed their snake for $1 a piece! Since mice multiply like, er, mice, it took her six months before she noticed and complained to our mom,” recalls Liz.

After a “starter” marriage, Liz says she is now married to the right husband. She’s the proud mama of a son attending Northeastern University in Boston. She’s an avid reader, tennis player, Patriots fan, and food and wine lover. Her fave four-letter words are: food, wine, and sale!

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 Kim Coles

Helping others navigate life’s challenges

By Jennifer Coburn

Watching Kim Coles walk the red carpet for the premiere of the movie “Seven Pounds,” one would think she was

living the Hollywood dream. As she posed for the paparazzi in her cranberry velvet dress, Coles was greeted by Will Smith who recognized her immediately. And why wouldn’t he? She’d just spent five seasons as one of the central characters on the hit TV show “Living Single.”

Prior to that, the comedic actor was on the groundbreaking variety show “In Living Color,” where she worked alongside comic greats like Jim Carrey and Jamie Foxx. What no one saw on the red carpet, however, were Coles’ secret struggles which left her in a deep depression and nearly bankrupt. “I felt beautiful that night, and like a complete fraud,” she says.

After “Living Single” ended, Coles started relying too heavily on retail therapy. She was addicted to shopping and loved treating her friends to luxurious lunches, shopping sprees, and spa days. On the outside, her life glittered, but the reality was a stark contrast. “I had $27 to my name and was deeply in debt,” Coles explains. She says when “Living Single” ended, she lost her work family and a big part of identity. “People still come up to me on the street and call me by my character’s name. And the cast and crew were together all the time. We ate together, traveled together, we even took naps together. It was hard to lose that.” Not only was it hard to lose, but it is typically difficult to replace once an actor has been on a longtime series. “Some people are able to go from series to series, but usually there’s a cooling off period so you’re not hirable for a while,” she explains.

Looking back, Coles says her darkest hours were a gift. “What a blessing!” she says with the mega-watt charisma that made her a star. Coles says having gone through depression herself gave her the ability to help others navigate life’s challenges. Making it to the other side of a rough patch also gave Coles the the determination to not allow the past define her future. This is the topic for her talk at San Diego Women’s Week. “I love going through an experience, learning the lessons, then helping other people with those lessons,” she says.

How many people can relate to the experiences of an A-List celebrity, though? “Storytelling is important because it’s uniting, connecting, and relatable and it’s how we learn,” Coles says. “We are all the same. I tell my story, but I leave space for you to fill yourself in. I tell my story in a way so you can see yourself in me whatever you’re going through, and often people come up to me afterward and whisper that they went through the same thing.” Coles goes on to say that the shared experience is not about the circumstances of people’s lives. For her it was depression and an addiction to shopping, but the common thread between many people struggling is that they feel a loss of self. “I didn’t feel complete and I was trying to fill that void at Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus,” she says. “For someone else it may be alcohol or bad relationships.”

How did she find her way back to the top? “I went on a quest and I started asking better questions and I got really clear that sharing the lessons I learned and helping others was what I was meant to do. And it got me out of my own negative space and focused on how I can help free someone else by telling my own story.”

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Janeth Kim

An ex-Marine living a creative life

By Jennifer Coburn

When Janeth Kim was first looking at career paths, it was uncommon for a woman to become an orthopedic surgeon, much less one for the United States Marines. That was no deterrent for her, though. In high school Kim applied for a Naval ROTC scholarship, which paid for her Bachelor of Arts in political science from Northwestern University, then her medical training at Uniformed Services of the University of Health Sciences.

As an orthopedic surgeon, Kim, a second-generation Korean-American, was usually one of a handful of women in the room, often the only woman of color. She has seen a lot of change throughout her 20-year career. “More women are joining (the armed forces) and there are more things we are allowed to do,” she says. Serving as fighter pilots and regular infantry, and working on special ops are just a few she lists. In the United States Marine Corps, Kim provided orthopedic care as a Sports and General Orthopedic Board certified surgeon to 150,000 beneficiaries, including the world’s largest USMC training base and Wounded Warriors from Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. She educated and lectured to family medicine residents, primary care physicians, physical therapists and medical students. “It was an extreme honor,” Kim says of her time with the Marines. “The training they constantly do, and how fast they are expected recover and get back. It’s like working with a professional sports team that has a higher cause. Supporting them was the experience of a lifetime.”

Kim recently retired and earned her Executive MBA from University of Southern California so she could transition into medical administration. She now works for a large civilian health network and says the experience she gained in the military was invaluable. “The military was a very disciplined environment,” Kim says. It was a good environment for the first part of her career, but she explains that she wanted to move into something that would allow her to be more creative and think more broadly. “The Navy let me live my ‘should’ life and that type of security directed the first part of my life,” she says. But military service also taught her not to be afraid to look for the life she wanted to lead outside the armed forces. “I’ve always wanted to live a creative life and now I’m figuring out what that looks like.”

One of Kim’s great loves is training pet therapy dogs. She has trained her 17-year-old Chow Chow, George, who is a regular at nursing homes, Alzheimer’s units, and Wounded Warrior facilities. She says she enjoys seeing how people light up when they see animals that they can interact with. Kim recently began training Graziella, a Great Dane mix she rescued in Sicily. “She was dumped at the house and George fell in love with her,” she explains. “She likes people, sometimes too much so we’re working on boundaries,” she says with a laugh.

As Kim changes course in her career, she says she is encouraged by the strides women have made in traditionally male-dominated fields. Yet, they still have work to do. “When women realize how important it is to support each other, we’ll realize we have incredible power that is not being fully acknowledged right now.”

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 Diane Lofgren

 The consummate writer

By Delle Willett

Diane Gage Lofgren is the chief marketing officer for Sharp HealthCare in San Diego. She is the author of nine books and dozens of magazine articles. Diane and her husband, Matt, live in Del Mar, and have a daughter and son.

Lofgren enjoys spending time with her girlfriends, many of whom she has had for more than 30 years. In fact, her longest friendship dates back to sixth grade. She is intentional about growing new friendships with women she wants to grow old with.
An Army brat, she was born in Philadelphia, and grew up in New Jersey, Kansas, New Mexico, Japan, Okinawa, and finally, San Diego. She and her husband, a medical device engineer, welcomed their first grandson in January.

Lofgren, 63, has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in mass communications from San Diego State University. She wrote her first book, “The Tranquilizer Episode,” in fourth grade. “I always loved to write and so a career in communications was a natural choice,” she says.

She also has written dozens of magazine articles and is currently working on two screenplays. She also likes to travel and does so whenever she can.

Something fun to know about Diane: Right after college, she and a friend went to New York and interviewed 100 magazine editors for their book, “Get Published.”

“We drug along our 8-inch floppy drive computer — oh how we wish there were laptops back then! We went into the city each day with shoulder bags filled with the magazines of the editors we were going to interview.”

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Deirdre Maloney

 

 An expert on leadership and communication

By Delle Willett

Deirdre Maloney helps women exceed their goals and sleep better at night. She does it through her work as a

published author, national speaker, and proud president of her training, facilitation and marketing company, Momentum LLC.

Deirdre has used her brand of “mild audacity” to speak on leadership and communication around the country, presenting keynotes and workshops  for organizations like Boeing, the National Association of Women Business Owners, and Vistage International.

Through services like customized training, facilitated group discussions, and marketing services. Deirdre helps any company, nonprofit or association get motivated and get moving.

Deirdre’s popular blog on all things leadership, a regular feature on huffingtonpost.com, is a hit with anyone who likes a direct, authentic style with their morning coffee. Her books include “Bogus Balance: Your Journey to Real Work/Life Bliss,” “Tough Truths: The 10 Leadership Lessons We Don’t Talk About,” and “The Mission Myth.”

In addition to her work through Momentum, Deirdre’s experience includes teaching marketing for the University of San Diego,  and serving as a broadcast news producer at a variety of affiliate stations. Deirdre, 43, is a member of the San Diego Rotary, and, in her spare time, teaches boot camp for Gut Check Fitness.

Born in Port Jefferson, N.Y., she now lives in San Diego with Janso, her husband of 18 years.

She received her Master of Public Administration at the University of Colorado at Denver and has an undergrad degree in English writing arts and communications.

Before starting her company, she ran a multi-million-dollar nonprofit organization in Denver for several years. “It turned out to be incredibly satisfying, and also incredibly stressful because there was so much at stake for the people we served (who were living with HIV/AIDS).”

Once she came to San Diego, she decided to start her own business, at the time focusing on helping nonprofits and their leaders find greater success (and less stress, in the case of the leaders).

“Soon, I realized everything I was doing was also needed in the for-profit sector, so I expanded my reach. I love being an entrepreneur, where I not only get to choose my projects/clients and help others, but, should things go awry at any point, the consequences impact only me (and my husband).”

In her spare time Deirdre loves to read, travel, and watch reality TV shows (“the not-quite-so-exploitive kind”) with her husband. She is also producing a play that she wrote for the 2017 San Diego Fringe Festival. She tried stand-up comedy at an open mic this past year. “It was the most terrifying five minutes of my life,” she confessed.

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OLP’s Mission: To Empower Young Women

 School hosts third annual Women’s Symposium March 31

As the oldest high school in San Diego and the only all girls’ school in the county, the Academy of our Lady of Peace

(OLP) has been serving as an epicenter for young women’s education since its founding in 1882. From its humble beginnings downtown to its current location “between the Heights,” OLP’s mission continues to empower young women in an innovative learning environment, conscientious to the needs of others,  with a commitment toward educational excellence.

OLP’s student population spans 72 ZIP codes across the mega-region of San Diego into Baja California. Annually OLP celebrates 100 percent of its graduates going on to higher education. On average, 22 percent of graduates are first-generation college students. In OLP’s 2016 graduating class, 39 percent of students declared a STEM major in college, compared with the national average of only 16 percent.

As the only all girls’ school in San Diego, OLP is thrilled to serve as the hub for girls and women to learn and network together across generations — to engage in topics that affect women alike. During women’s history month in March,  OLP will host its third annual Women’s Symposium on March 31. Modeled after speaker panels at leading universities, the Women’s Symposium brings together top women in their fields to share their insights to success with students and guests. Open to the community,  the event allows for intimate discussions to take place, aimed at helping the next generation of women leaders.

OLP has partnered with some of San Diego’s premier companies such as I.E. Pacific Inc., Qualcomm and Barney & Barney to sponsor the Women’s Symposium.

This year’s keynote speaker is an OLP alumna from the class of 1996, Marcela Valladolid. Valladolid is a famous chef, entrepreneur, author and co-host of the Food Network television series, “The Kitchen.” She has released two cookbooks, both reaching the No. 1 spot on Amazon, hosted her own Food Network show, “Mexican Made Easy,” and created her own product line. As a student who experienced first-hand the powerful all girls’ community of OLP,  Valladolid is excited to come back to her alma mater to share her inspiring journey with students.

Bethany Joy Clark, global brand ambassador for TOM, will be the closing speaker at the event. Clark helped lead the growth of TOMS Campus Clubs and Community by collaborating with diverse audience groups and creating resources for supporters to share the TOMS story. Most recently you can find Clark on-air at the Home Shopping Network selling TOMS products. Prior to joining TOMS, she was at The Walt Disney Company in the Global Sales and Marketing Division.

Arts and Entertainment Panel: Facilitator: Anne Sweeney, member of the board of directors at Netflix and former president of Disney-ABC Television Group; Brenda Chapman, writer, animation story artist and director (“Brave,” “The Lion King”); Carol Lazier, president of the board of directors at the San Diego Opera; Priscilla Guido ‘00, client development at Christie’s Mexico City; Alexia Maria Esquer, fashion designer and CEO, Alexia Maria.

Business and Entrepreneurship Panel: Facilitator: Felena Hanson, ounder of Hera Hub; Michele Comtois, principal, Barney & Barney; Mary Ann McGarry, president and CEO, partner of Guild Mortgage Company; Jamie Moraga, president and CEO of intelliSolutions Inc.; Amy Wimer, vice president and associate publisher of the San Diego Business Journal.

Healthcare Panel: Facilitator: Dr. Diane Perez, physician, medical journalist, author, news anchor and television host; Dr. Patricia Aubanel, world renowned intervention cardiologist; Dr. Priscilla Ibarra ‘98, dermatologist; Patricia Robinson, R.N., co-founder and executive board member for Mercy Outreach Surgical Team (M.O.S.T.); Laura Van’t veer Ph.D, world-renowned molecular biologist.

STEM Panel: Facilitator: Cheryl Goodman, executive director at Athena San Diego; Ilkay Altintas, Ph.D, director for the Center of Excellence in Workflows for Data Science at the San Diego Supercomputer Center; Corina Antal, Ph.D, postdoctoral research associate at The Salk Institute for Biological Studies; Katy Croff Bell ‘96, vice president of Ocean Exploration Trust and chief scientist of the Nautilus Exploration Program; Kristi Jaska, vice president of strategy and innovation at ViaSat. She was the sixth employee at ViaSat.
To learn more about the event or purchase tickets, go to aolp.org/olpws or contact Alexis Rodriguez at arodriguez@aolp.org.

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Meet the Writers

Writers Jennifer Coburn, Delle Willett and Randi Crawford are responsible for producing most of the profiles in this Women’s issue.

Jennifer Coburn is an award-winning journalist and author who has written for The Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, Newsday, Mothering, and dozens of newspapers and magazines. She is the author of eight books, including “We’ll Always Have Paris,” a mother-daughter travel memoir, and contributer to five literary anthologies. Her essay “We’ll Never Have Paris” will be featured in the collection “A Paris All Your Own” which will be published by Putnam this summer.

Delle Willett has been a public relations practitioner for some 40 years, and a journalist for the last six years. She was raised as a Navy Junior, living all over the U.S. and the Philippines. The wife of a commercial pilot, she and her children have traveled far and wide. Delle provides pro bono PR services for causes she is committed to, including treatments for Parkinson’s disease and the empowerment of women who live in extreme poverty, through microloans.

Randi Crawford graduated from Villanova University in 1990 and went to work in Los Angeles at a major motion picture ad agency, Seiniger Advertising. She was the co-founder of Women First HealthCare Inc., a public health care company dedicated to women. She was a columnist for the Rancho Santa Fe Review, writing about parenting and current events. Now Randi is following her true passion — raising her kids, writing for SD Metro, and starting a podcast, Feeling Fabulous with Randi Crawford.