ACADEMIC CONFERENCE
Thursday's Luncheon Honoree:
Michelle Patterson - CEO Women Network & President of the California Women's Conference
Women's Elevation Award
The Women's Elevation Award recognizes those who champion gender equality, work towards the advancement of women in leadership within their communities, and supports issues surrounding work-life balance.
Michelle Patterson is the CEO of Women Network LLC, a media and production company giving women a voice to share their message. Women Network is creating the largest community of women globally, and they are the exclusive event producer of the California Women's Conference. A lauded business accelerator, Ms. Patterson was the youngest Regional VP and National Sales Trainer for Robert Half, the world's largest specialized recruiting firm. She is also the headlining author for a women's anthology, Women Change the World, featuring notable celebrity contributors as well as five other books.
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Friday's Luncheon Honorees:
Sheila Kuehl - Los Angeles County Supervisor, District 3
Janet Z. Giele Award
The Janet Z. Giele Award recognizes an individual woman in leadership whose life course
is distinguished both by the unique obstacles she has overcome and by the remarkable
achievements she has accomplished in her chosen field of endeavor.
Sheila James Kuehl was elected as Los Angeles County Supervisor for District 3 in
2014. Supervisor Kuehl served eight years in the State Senate and six years in the
State Assembly and was the first woman in California history to be named Speaker Pro
Tempore of the Assembly. She drafted and fought to get into California law more than
40 pieces of legislation relating to children, families, women, and domestic violence.
She authored 171 bills that were signed into law, including legislation to establish
paid family leave, establish nurse to patient ratios in hospitals; protect the Santa
Monica Mountains and prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender and disability
in the workplace and sexual orientation in education. She fought to establish true
universal health insurance in California.
Supervisor Kuehl is also Chair of the Board of Commissioners of First Five, LA, and a member of the Boards of Directors of Metro, the Expo Authority, and the LA Local Agency Formation Commission. She has also been a law professor at Loyola, UCLA and USC Law Schools and co-founded and served as managing attorney of the California Women's Law Center. She is the Founding Director of the Public Policy Institute at Santa Monica College.
Matt Toledo - CEO and Publisher, Los Angeles Business Journal
The Helen E. Williams Women in Leadership Mentor Award
The Mentor Award for Women in Leadership and Work-Life Balance recognizes an organization
and leadership for its public, unwavering and proactive commitment to gender equality
throughout its business operations, which is complemented by a record of expansive
programming elevating women's equality in the workplace and throughout its communities.
Matt Toledo is Publisher and CEO of the Los Angeles Business Journal, the largest
regional business media company in California, and is Group Publisher of California
Business Journals; which owns and operates the Orange County Business Journal, San
Diego Business Journal, and the San Fernando Valley Business Journal.
Mr. Toledo has supported the contributions of women to LA Business for the past 26 years. The Los Angeles Business Journal now hosts the Annual Los Angeles Women Making a Difference Symposium and Awards which built off the success and popularity of the Journal's Women Making a Difference Awards held for 23 years. These events have provide information, insights and networking opportunities to thousands of women and have honored the outstanding achievements in business by women throughout Los Angeles County.
Under Matt's direction, the Los Angeles Business Journal has been recognized as the best regional business journal in the country for its compelling coverage and quality journalism. In addition to leading the Business Journal for the past 20 years, Matt is a passionate civic leader; serving on numerous boards as a director including the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce – Former Chairman, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, LA Sports & Entertainment Commission, United Way of Greater LA, Civic Alliance and the Town Hall Los Angeles.
Edna Powell - Chief Business Officer, Pepperdine University
The Margaret J. Weber Ally Award
The Women's Ally Award recognizes a Pepperdine staff member, faculty member or student
who supports workplace equality, opportunity and/or diversity in a unique way.
Edna Powell serves as Pepperdine's chief business officer. She has served the University
in a number of capacities for more than 21 years in both academic and operational
areas. Edna has worked extensively with students over the years in the areas of financial
aid, recruitment, and admissions both at Seaver and the School of Law. She has also
served as director of equal opportunity.
Edna earned her bachelor's degree from David Lipscomb University and her master's
of dispute resolution degree form Pepperdine's School of Law.
Additionally, Edna is founding co-chair of the University Diversity Council, is on
the board of the Associated Women for Pepperdine, and is the University's Title IX
Coordinator.