T H E M AG A Z I N E O F T H E J U N I O R L E AG U E O F L O S A N G E L E S
60,000
S U M M E R 2 015
INSPIRE
VOLUNTEER HOURS
DONATED
OVER 219K
(VALUED AT OVER
$1.38 MILLION)
RAISED TO FUND COMMUNITY PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS
1,100
MEMBERS FOCUSED ON EMPOWERING
FOSTER YOUTH & IMPROVING LITERACY
4,000+
FUTURE LEADERS EMPOWERED THROUGH 5 TRAINING INSTITUTES AND CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS
WOMEN, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SERVED THROUGH:
7 ACTIVE PROJECTS,
23 DONE IN A DAY EVENTS AND
8 PROVISIONAL PROJECTS
SUMMER 2015
PR ESIDEN T ’ S M ESSAGE
R
obert F. Kennedy once said, “The
purpose of life is to contribute in
some way to making things better.” The members of the Junior
League of Los Angeles have spent the last
year contributing their time, talent and
treasure to help build a better Los Angeles.
Since last June, members have participated in more than 60,000 volunteer hours
supporting our two focus areas—the empowerment of foster youth and family literacy. The United States Department of
Labor estimates that the average value of
volunteer time is approximately $23.07 per
hour. Using that estimate, the 1,100 women of the Junior League of Los Angeles have donated over
$1.38 million dollars worth of service ($1,250 per member)
to our community.
Our volunteers have contributed their time in many
ways—through direct service projects and events, advocacy, training and fundraising. 2014–2015 marks the third
year of our Issue-Based Community Impact initiative. In
2012–2013 our membership voted to concentrate our efforts on empowerment and literacy, and this year we took
another great leap forward in this transformation.
In the area of literacy we created two exciting new programs. Our new member class launched a brand-new literacy project, “Thrive Through Literacy.” 140 Provisional
members planned eight events across Los Angeles County
to help instill a love of books and reading in children. The
Project Research and Development Committee spent the
year researching and developing a literacy toolkit to help
combat the 30 million–word gap. This fall we will partner
with Para Los Niños to begin testing a set of interactive
flashcards to help parents engage with their infants and
toddlers to build language skills. This new project model
will allow us to reach more families than ever before.
The Junior League has also helped to empower foster
youth through advocacy and direct service. Our State Public Affairs Committee supported several bills at the local and
state levels to clean up and expand Assembly Bill 12, which
extended the foster care age from 18 to 21. This spring JLLA’s
Public Affairs Committee invited members of the community
and key stakeholders to come together for the “Community
Leadership Forum”, where they discussed how we can help
support foster youth achieve their higher
education goals. In the fall we began working with the Alliance for Children’s Rights
to create a life skills program for young
women transitioning out of the foster system. Our members took their cues directly
from the girls—letting them choose the
workshop topics themselves giving them a
sense of control and ownership of the program. The project was a great success and is
quickly becoming one of our most popular
member placements. It is our greatest hope
that one day, in the not too distant future,
all foster youth will have the support necessary to successfully transition out of the
system and all children will enter kindergarten with the language skills needed to succeed.
Another way JLLA is contributing to making things better
is by developing and training the next generation of leaders.
This year members participated in our three training institutes—Board Fellows, Leadership Development Institute and
Public Policy Institute—and dozens of training workshops focused on Community Impact, fundraising, foster youth and
literacy. I am proud to announce that three of our members
and training institute graduates, Joy Williams, Iran Hopkins
and Johanna Arias-Bhatia were recently appointed to city
and county commissions. JLLA members are truly “superwomen” who are poised and ready to take charge and make
positive changes!
I have to thank our generous donors and amazing Development Committee members. All the projects and programs mentioned above would not be possible without
your support. The money and the mission truly go hand in
hand! As a result of your hard work, JLLA raised more than
$219,000 to fund our important work.
It has been an incredible year! I would like to thank all
of our members and staff for their dedication to our league
and their passion for service. A lot of long hours and late
nights go into improving our community, and JLLA members never hesitate to jump in and get the job done, usually
with a smile! Thank you for allowing me to serve as your
President and to be part of this great legacy of service and
leadership. Your contributions to our community will continue to yield benefits for years to come!
—Courtney Hunkele Garvin, President, 2014–2015
INTRODUCTION TO THE
2015-2016 BOARD MEMBERS
President Denise Snider Perlstein Secretary Katie Dru
Treasurer Buffany N. Hunter Communications Director Liz Svatek
Community Director Karla Sayles Development Director Mary Beth Ferrante
Membership Director Rebecca Fleming Projects Director Lauren Fujiu-Berger
Public Policy Director Kimberly Bartholomew Sustaining Director Dale Harbour Day
Training Director Margaret Otto President-Elect Ness Okonkwo
President-Elect-Elect Katie McCullough
INSPIRE 2014 –2015
YEAR-END HIGHLIGHTS
M
embers provided 60,000 volunteer hours to the community through our direct service projects, training pro-
grams and advocacy efforts. JLLA served over 4,000 clients
at our ongoing community projects, Done in a Day events and
Provisional Projects.
F
urther expanding JLLA’s Issue Based Community Impact
Model, the 2014-2015 Provisional Class organized eight
“Thrive Through Literacy” projects in March and April 2015.
The Provisional Class raised $4,700 to fund the one-day
literacy events, which impacted over 350 children and
their parents.
J
LLA fundraising efforts which included our annual Harvest
Boutique and Casino Angeleno events, the LA Marathon/
Big 5k Charity Team and the “Larchmont Night Out” shop-
ping event netted over $219,000 to support our mission.
A
long with the California State Public Affairs Committee
(SPAC) and the Junior League of San Francisco, we were
awarded the first ever AJLI Public Policy Award for our joint
efforts to build awareness for Maternal Mental Health.
T
he Board of Directors voted to adopt a new literacy focused project to help combat the 30 million word gap.
JLLA will create a “Literacy Toolkit” flashcard set in English
and Spanish to help parents engage with their children and
build language skills. JLLA’s Community Council will incubate
the project in the 2015-2016 League year with our new community partner Para Los Ninos.
W
e served as the host city for the Association of Junior
League’s International’s (AJLI) 93rd Annual Conference
at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza. 600 delegates from Junior
Leagues across the United States, Mexico, Canada and the United Kingdom attended the three-day conference which included
training and leadership workshops, distinguished speakers and
networking events. JLLA volunteers welcomed delegates, arranged social outings and sightseeing tours.
S U M M ER 2 015 ★ I N S PI R E
1
INSPIRE
EDITORIAL
Andrea Muckler Editor & Writer
Jennifer Gamez Editor & Writer
Annette Fasone Writer
Ashley Curiel Writer
Mary Lischke Writer
Keri Eisenberg Writer
Stacia Anderson Writer
Kelly Sutton Writer
Heidi Dodgen Writer
Nadya Teyfukova Writer
Amanda McQueen Writer
Kelly Williams Writer
2014-15 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Courtney Hunkele Garvin President
Rachel Danjczek Vice President
Katie Dru Secretary
Buffany N. Hunter Treasurer
Elizabeth Svatek Communications Director
Monika Pataye Watkins Community Director
Katie Young McCullough Development Director
Rebecca Fleming Membership Director
Ricci Ramos Projects Director
September Hill Public Policy Director
Dale Harbour Day Sustaining Director
Leticia Valadez Training Director
Denise Snider Perlstein President-Elect
Ness Okonkwo President-Elect-Elect
Mary Beth Moroney Ferrante Development Director-Elect
Mauria McPoland Sustaining Advisor to the President
Sarah Rickert Weerts Immediate Past President
Tammy Goodarzi Assistant to the President
Brigid Santiago Assistant to the President
SPECIAL THANKS TO...
Elizabeth Svatek, Communications Director; Courtney Hunkele Garvin, President;
Mary McGoey, General Office Administrator; and La Toya Barner-Bellamy, General Office Assistant/Development Assistant
Publication design by Ross/Madrid Group
The Junior League of Los Angeles is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and to
improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively education and charitable.
©2013 • Junior League of Los Angeles, Inc. / 630 North Larchmont Boulevard / Los Angeles / CA 90004
www.jlla.org / 323.957.4280
http://instagram.com/jllosangeles#
twitter.com/jllosangeles
https://www.facebook.com/jllosangeles
http://pinterest.com/jllosangeles/
2 I N S P I R E ★ W I N T E R 2 013
http://linkd.in/TqxsN5
INSPIRE
4
C2 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
4 DONE IN A DAY HIGHLIGHTS
6 PROJECTS UPDATES
9 JLLA HELPS CREATE A FAMILY
10 MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH
12 THRIVE THROUGH LITERACY
13 4 PILLARS OF JLLA SERVICE
14 ADVOCACY IN ACTION
16 SUSTAINER INTERVIEW
18BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH
6
12
BUSINESS–SUSAN SARICH
19
19 CASINO ANGELENO
22 JLLA HONORS MEMBERS
24 DONOR THANK YOU
27 SPONSOR THANK YOU
28 ANNUAL REPORT
C3 MARKETPLACE
C4 AJLI ANNUAL CONFERENCE
22
S U M M ER 2 015 ★ I N S PI R E
3
D O N E I N A D AY
M AKING AN
I M PAC T I N O U R
COMMUNIT Y
Wr it ten By Monik a Pata ye
The Junior League of Los Angeles'
Done in a Day (DIAD) Committee
enables our League volunteers to assist nonprofit community agencies with
projects that can be completed within
a three-to six-hour period. Events are
planned and executed by the DIAD
committee and fill a need that our
community partners could not have met
without our help, and address specific
needs of the community within the mission of JLLA. It allows our members to
participate in a variety of projects and
realize the immediate impact that we can
make in our community.
13
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
D O N E I N A D AY
T
his year the Junior League of Los Angeles' Done in a
Day (DIAD) Committee responded to our member's
appeals for more short-term flexible volunteer opportunities that fit into their busy professional, personal,
and volunteer schedules. The DIAD Team surpassed
their 2014-15 goal by completing 23 DIADs, providing more than
1,500 volunteer hours to our community!
Through DIAD volunteer events, JLLA has been able to
forge new partnerships with inspirational Los Angeles organizations such as the Covenant House California, Fulfillment Fund Destination College, and the Mar Vista Library.
Because of the overwhelming fondness of our past partner
events, the committee included popular DIAD events with
long-time community partners such as the Father-Daughter
Valentine's Tea at the Children’s Institute, Inc., a Halloween
Festival at St. Joseph's Center, and the provisional member’s
team building DIAD at Heal the Bay.
Many of the volunteer opportunities focused on JLLA's
Issue Based Community Impact areas. In March, in honor
of "National Literacy Month," each DIAD event focused on
literacy-based initiatives carefully tailored to each community partner's needs. DIAD also featured two sustainer member events, one in partnership with the Downtown Women's
Center (DWC) and another with the Mar Vista Library on Dr.
Seuss' birthday.
The 2015-16 DIAD team is looking forward to organizing
30 volunteer events next year with the addition of more resources and funds awarded to the committee. If you are interested in partnering with JLLA on a DIAD event please contact
the 2015-2016 Chair, Courtney Michaels at diad@jlla.org. ★
JLL A HAD THE HONOR OF WORKING WITH THE FOLLOWING COMMUNIT Y
ORGANIZATIONS AT OUR 2014 –2015 DIAD VOLUNTEER EVENTS:
Alliance for Children’s Rights • Aviva • CAST Collation to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking
• Children's Institute, Inc. (CII) (2) • Covenant House California (2)
• Downtown Women’s Center (DWC) (3) • Fulfillment Fund (2) • Heal the Bay
• Hollygrove • Jumpstart (4) • Mar Vista Library (2) • Reading to Kids (2) • St. Joseph’s Center
•
1.5k
VOLUNTEER HOURS
23
COMMUNITY EVENTS
JLLA'S
P R O J E C T S U P D AT E S
PRO J E C T S T H AT
EMPOW ER
A N D E D U C AT E
Wr it ten By R ic c i R amos
DAYBREAK
Our Junior League volunteers were back at Daybreak to
lead the five weekly workshops of the Women’s Empowerment Program. Our spring workshops covered a range
of topics from inspiration and motivation to staying active. The workshops were a blast, and our committee did
a wonderful job leading the workshops and engaging the
Daybreak women in a positive and uplifting environment.
We even had a dance party!
We were fortunate to have a couple guest speakers. Our
friend Alexa Fischer of 1000 Watt Presence lead us through
an unique bracelet-making activity using the paper beads
we created and personalized with our hopes and dreams.
We were also privileged to have JLLA member Victoria
Venturi of Paper Epiphanies speak to us about her paper and greeting card company and encourage us to find
our passion.
DAYBREAK PARTICIPANTS SHOW OFF
THEIR “WISH BEAD” BRACELETS
6 I N S PI R E ★ S U M M ER 2 015
We wrapped up our spring
session with a graduation dinner at Buca di Beppo in Santa
Monica. The dinner honored
the Daybreak women for their
participation in and dedication
to the Women’s Empowerment Program. Graduates were thrilled to receive a special certificate from Assembly member Richard
Bloom, recognizing their achievement.
Our Junior League committee is honored to have been
able to build meaningful relationships with the Daybreak
women over the course of the year. We look forward to
next year!
HEALTHY HABITS
Healthy Habits held at Children's Institute Torrance completed two seven-week courses in 2014.2015. The Fall program took children and parents on a tour of foods and
exercises from different parts of America. We started our
journey in New York with healthy pizzas, continued on
through the Southwest with healthy Southwest wraps,
and finished in California with fruit blended smoothies
and fish tacos. During our activities, the children played
football in the South and softball in Chicago. One week
we took the children and parents to the Torrance Farmers Market, where we opened it up to a Done in a Day, and
each child was paired with one of our league members.
With a cash budget and a one-on-one learning experience,
each child was shown how to navigate and make healthy
choices through the market. In addition to the children’s
program, we also coordinated a parent program each week.
Members demonstrated the same recipes that the children
made and discussed how to shop for affordable, healthy
ingredients. Other things that we taught the parents were
how to read nutrition labels, and how little changes can
TORRANCE FARMER'S MARKET
"EACH CHILD WAS
SHOWN HOW TO
NAVIGATE THROUGH
THE MARKET AND
MAKE HEALTHY
CHOICES."
make a big difference. Healthy Habits has followed the Harvard University Healthy Eating Plate for our recipes this year;
with the main focus being the balance of vegetables, protein,
fruits and whole grains. The Spring session theme was "Adventures Around the World." The program kicked off with a
welcome breakfast, which consisted of healthy omelettes and
turkey bacon. We "visited" Italy, Mexico, Greece and Asia and
took another field trip to the Farmer's Market.
MAR VISTA
Junior League members planned two inspiring six-week sessions
of art classes for students at the Mar Vista Family Center. The
theme of the curriculum was “Art & Science," and students in
each class learned about a new scientific concept through art.
In the Fall, the students created drip art and learned about
gravity, made kaleidoscopes while studying light and reflec-
tions, molded clay aliens while learning about space, watched
chemical reactions through watercolors and soap and even
fashioned volcanoes complete with volcanic eruptions. During graduation a mad scientist performed multiple experiments for both students and parents.
During the Spring sessions, students learned about matter
weight by making rainbows in a jar and lava lamps, experimented with chemical reactions through secret ink Valentines, created artistic interpretations of the water cycle and
learned about underwater sea life by building submarines. To
celebrate graduation, a bubble artist was present to explain
the physics of soap film.
In addition to enjoying the show and viewing the student
art at graduation, they watched a slide show featuring student art, had refreshments and received prizes in a raffle.
Junior League members are looking forward to planning a
robust curriculum for the students at Mar Vista next year!
S U M M ER 2 015 ★ I N S PI R E
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HOLA
Do you remember the first time you sat down at a formal
dinner and did not know which water glass from which to
drink? Right or left of your plate? Maybe you felt panicked
or uncomfortable. Or maybe you felt like you did not belong. On March 4, 2015, the JLLA HOLA committee hosted
a formal etiquette dinner for the HOLA seniors to ensure
that these students feel confident every time they sit down
for a meal, white-tableclothed or otherwise.
Approximately 50 students listened to an etiquette expert share advice, including that the salt and pepper shakers travel together, the difference between continentaland American-style eating, and which direction the bread
basket is passed. To give the event gravitas and formality,
the JLLA session leaders rented linens and china from
Classic Party Rentals. After the lecture, JLLA members and
students discussed several topics relating to the etiquette
lesson in small breakout groups. JLLA members asked students to share a new manner that they learned and when
the students think they will use these skills in the future.
One senior, Kamila Arias from Gertz-Ressler High School,
"IT WAS A GOOD AND NEW EXPERIENCE.
I HAVE NEVER LEARNED ETIQUETTE.
NOW I FEEL COMFORTABLE AND
CONFIDENT AND I WILL NOT EMBARRASS
MYSELF AT A FORMAL EVENT."
- HOLA SENIOR, KAMILA ARIAS
commented, “It was a good and new experience. I have never learned etiquette. Now I feel comfortable and confident
and I will not embarrass myself at a formal event.”
The goal of the JLLA program at HOLA this year has
been to give students the skills to navigate college and
post-college situations with confidence and ease. Learning
formal dinner etiquette is just one of the many building
blocks to developing self-esteem and self-worth. Another
building block is knowing your strengths. In an earlier session with the seniors, the JLLA members helped the students write “brag sheets.” These lists of accomplishments
will assist the students in preparing their résumés, asking
a teacher for a letter of recommendation, and successfully
interviewing for a job or internship. In reviewing the students’ brag sheets, the JLLA members’ feelings were unanimous—these students are exceptional! The JLLA HOLA
committee is so proud of the HOLA students and wishes
them luck in their academic and professional pursuits. ★
8 IN
I NS SP P
I RI RE E★★S W
UM
I NMTEERR 22001153
JLL A PROJEC T
H E L P S C R E AT E A FA M I LY
W R I T T E N B Y Su Hwan g
R
ay, like all seven-year-old girls, was excited that her
Frozen-themed birthday party was finally here! She
and her younger sister Jan have on their Elsa dresses,
an Elsa cake is ready to be devoured, Elsa party favors glitter
the tables, and making fake snow is even part of the
day's activities. But unlike many of her friends here
at the party, at age seven this is Ray's FIRST EVER
birthday party. So it is even more special for her
and for us, her new family.
After my provisional year, I selected Aviva for
my first active project—mentoring teenage girls
living in a group foster home. Every two weeks, we
met with our girls and provided fun activities to allow them an escape from their stressful lives and to
be consistent positive role models for them. With every
session, they naturally opened up more and shared their
complicated and courageous lives and upon graduation, the
JLLA mentors left wishing we could do more for them. Looking
back at my own childhood, I could not imagine how these girls
would grow up without a mother whose shoulder you could cry
on or without a father to lift you up high into the sky. The JLLA
project really left an impression as my husband and I started
thinking about starting our own family.
So here we are now, two years after my Aviva experience with two newly adopted girls, sisters age three
and seven. They've been a part of our family for
nearly three months now and I try not to think too
much of their previous lives—it's too heartbreaking. Instead, we celebrate new FIRSTs we can create for them, such as this birthday party.
This year, as the Public Affairs Committee
Chair, I had the opportunity to be an advocate
for foster youth. There are nearly 30,000 children
in foster care in Los Angeles County, 1,400 of them
who are awaiting adoptive families. JLLA's focus on
Self-esteem/Empowerment Working with Foster Youth allows many other opportunities for JLLA members to make a
true impact on their lives. ★
JLLA'S 2015 COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP FORUM
THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE planned this year's
fewer attend college. We convened a community of stake-
Community Leadership Forum and the topic was: "Best
holders including academics, nonprofit leaders, social
Practices to Support Foster Youth in Their Higher Educa-
workers, policymakers, foster youth and advocates to dis-
tion Goals." It was held on March 27, 2015, at Children's
cuss and share best practices in supporting foster youth
Bureau Magnolia Place Family Center. In California, less
as they face many challenges in their pursuit of higher
than half of foster youth graduate high school and even
education.
• Nearly ONE HALF of foster care children have learning disabilities or developmental delays.
• Fewer than 50% of foster youth graduate from high school and only 3% graduate from college.
• Teen girls in foster care are 2.5 TIMES more likely to be come pregnant by age 19 than
those not in foster care.
• 50% of youth who have aged out of foster care end up homeless or incarcerated.
• Abused and neglected children who are identified as victims in the past are 42% more likely
to be abused and neglected again.
Source: Alliance for Children's Rights
WRITTEN BY
S ep tem b er Hill
T
M AT E R N A L
M E N TA L H E A LT H
HIS YEAR, THE ASSOCIATION OF JUNIOR LEAGUES INTERNATIONAL (AJLI) CREATED A NEW AWARD, THE PUBLIC POLICY AND ADVOCACY AWARD TO BE PRESENTED
AT THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS AWARD IS TO RECOGNIZE
A LEAGUE OR GROUP OF LEAGUES FOR THEIR SUCCESS IN USING PUBLIC POLICY AND
ADVOCACY AS STR ATEGIES IN ADVANCING THEIR COMMUNIT Y WORK AND CAUSES.
On April 18th, JLLA, California SPAC and JLSF were
honored as the first recipients of the AJLI Policy and Advocacy Award for their collective work on the Maternal
Mental Health Advocacy Project. The Maternal Mental
Health Advocacy Project seeks to eliminate needless suffering from treatable maternal mental health disorders.
These disorders can affect women during pregnancy and
the postpartum period. Depression during pregnancy affects roughly 10% of women, and postpartum depression
(PPD) affects up to 21% percent of women. Anxiety is also
common. Other maternal mental health disorders include
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) related to the birth
experience, and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
which can include “intrusive thoughts” or fears of harm
coming to the baby. Postpartum psychosis is rare, affecting
just .2% of women, but extremely serious. A psychotic episode of any kind is considered a psychiatric emergency, as
it can result in a mother harming herself or her baby, and it
requires immediate treatment.
10 I N S P I R E ★ S U M M E R 2 0 1 5
The Advocacy Project began five years ago with the legislative advocacy work of the Junior Leagues of California State
Public Affairs Committee (SPAC). The SPAC delegation, consisting of 34 delegates from 17 member leagues representing
more than 10,000 women, advocates for policies that improve
the lives of women, children and families. SPAC used legislation to raise awareness, reduce barriers and make systematic
change in regards to this issue.
Many SPAC member leagues participated in the legislative advocacy and regional awareness work. Two of its
member leagues, JLSF and JLLA, went above and beyond
in their contributions to the project by JLLA creating its
“Speak Up When You’re Down” public education campaign
and providing a start-up grant for the Collaborative and
JLSF launching the national social media May Campaign
reaching more than 100,000 people on Facebook and Twitter, with over 3,000 post clicks on Facebook and more than
5,000 views on Twitter.
Currently, the Advocacy Project is creating sustainable
change through administrative advocacy by establishing
the nonprofit, California Maternal Mental Health Collaborative and the state-wide Task Force on the Status of
Maternal Mental Health Care, under the leadership of Executive Director and Founder Joy Burkhard, a JLLA Sustainer. The Collaborative has convened state and federal
stakeholder meetings and submitted comments during
joint commission hearings. The Task Force will engage in
administrative advocacy as it works to study, review and
identify the barriers in place preventing diagnoses and
treatment of thousands of sufferers of maternal mental
health disorders.
In 2009, SPAC learned about maternal mental health disorders through its “There Ought to Be a Law” contest. The
winning entry, submitted by a JLLA Provisional Britt Bowe,
M AT E R N A L
M E N TA L H E A LT H
sought to provide information to mothers/families about
perinatal depression at the hospital at time of discharge.
SPAC, under the leadership of former SPAC Co-Chair
and JLLA Sustainer Julie Elginer, initially used legislative
advocacy to influence the practices of health agencies,
to change the stigma around this issue and to encourage the Legislature to recognize the severity of maternal
mental health issues. Over three years, SPAC introduced
one bill and two resolutions, resulting in ACR 105 (Nava)
(Chaptered 2010)—declaring every May Perinatal Depression Awareness month in California; ACR 53 (Hernandez)
(Chaptered 2011)—urges health care stakeholders to invest
resources to educate women about perinatal depression
risk factors and triggers. It also requests a statewide collaborative to develop perinatal depression prevention educational materials.
SPAC utilized community advocacy to influence public
opinion and create a grassroots public education campaign.
In 2010, SPAC worked with JLLA members September Hill
and Tasha Koumaris to develop awareness materials and a
social media campaign for SPAC to utilize in May. JLSF built
upon the JLLA-developed “Speak Up When You’re Down”
campaign by holding community panels and distributing
materials to nonprofits, baby and maternity stores in the City
and County of San Francisco.
SPAC focused on capacity building to create sustainable
change. In 2011, former SPAC Co-Chair and JLLA Sustainer Joy Burkhard founded the California Maternal Mental
Health Collaborative as a nonprofit. SPAC, JLSF and JLLA
supported the Collaborative’s sponsored ACR 148 (Lowenthal)(Chaptered 2014), creating the Statewide Task Force
on the Status of Maternal Mental Health Care.
The Maternal Mental Health Advocacy Project is successful due in part to its collaborative partnerships. SPAC
began by outreaching to issue experts and partnered with
the Los Angeles County Perinatal Mental Health Task
Force. The Task Force provided data and witnesses for legislative hearings and input for the public education campaign. SPAC partnered with Postpartum Support International (PSI). PSI’s warm-line phone number is posted on all
collateral materials. SPAC partnered with The American
College of Obsetrics and Gynocology (ACOG) to gain credibility in the health care sector.
JLLA created the “Speak Up When You’re Down” collateral
materials and the public education campaign. JLLA’s Legacy Leadership Circle provided the Collaborative a start-up
grant to help launch its website. JLLA won a PSA grant from
Women in Film who produced a “Speak Up When You’re
Down” PSA, which aired on local television and posted on
social media.
JLSF built upon the campaign by extending its outreach
efforts. It formed partnerships with UCSF Medical Center,
nonprofits such as Homeless Prenatal Program and Help
a Mother Out diaper drive, and the San Francisco Department of Public Health helped distribute collateral, both
physical and online. JLSF material promoted the San Francisco Child Abuse Council’s TALK LINE—originated from
a Junior League partnership with SFCAPC.
The California Maternal Mental Health Collaborative,
formed as a result of SPAC’s legislative work, has forged
partnerships with health care providers, mental health experts and health insurers. Through these partnerships, the
Collaborative has held several conferences, created 2020
Moms Project and the state-wide task force.
The Advocacy Project has taken five years to evolve
and has continued through the efforts of dedicated
league members. By employing several forms of advocacy,
the project has provided opportunities for members to
strengthen/develop their skills as trained community and
civic leaders. ★
PLEA SE VISIT THESE WEBSITES TO LEARN MORE:
California Maternal Mental Health Collaborative – www.camaternalmentalhealth.org
2020 Mom Project – www.2020mom.org
California SPAC – www.californiaspac.com
JLL A’s advocacy work – www.jlla.org/?nd=speakupwhenyouredown
JLSF national social media campaign – www.mmhcoalition.com
PROVISIONAL
PROJECT
THRIVE THROUGH
L I T E R AC Y
W R I T T E N B Y Caitlin C . B u z aid
Thanks to the Junior League
of Los Angeles’ Provisional
Class, young Angelenos found
themselves reading and crafting
and snacking their way through
several event-filled days, as JLLA
kicked off the “Thrive Through
Literacy” provisional project.
The provisional groups hosted events through the months
of March and April at various community partners. According
to West 1 provisional co-adviser, Nikki Trager, “It was great to
see the provisionals work on an issue that is fundamental to
the success of children in the LA community.” Thanks to the
great organizing efforts of provisional co-chairs Nicole Lehle
and Lorraine Sarles, the “Thrive through Literacy” project’s
first year was a huge success.
At one of the most recent events on April 4th, youngsters
arrived to a reading wonderland that celebrated Pout-Pout
Fish and his undersea adventures. Children enjoyed the seathemed décor and crafts, complete with “sea food” snacks
12 I N S PI R E ★ S U M M ER 2 015
for children and parents. By all reports, the kids and their
parents loved the event. Provisional member Kim Ciavarella agreed the event was a great success. “It was a wonderful
experience interacting with the kids and parents,” she said.
“We all worked hard, but we had a great time while also giving back to the community…such a fantastic experience!”
Another provisional member and co-chair of their project’s
Logistics Committee reflected on the experience stating,
“The opportunity to work with our community partner, the
Westside Children’s Center, through the Junior League of Los
Angeles to teach children the importance of reading and education was an invaluable experience—one that I think truly
helped me grow both personally and professionally. It’s really
rewarding to know that I'm a part of an organization that
makes such a positive impact in the community and in the
lives of others."
The JLLA’s fundraiser event held at the Sky Bar at Mondrian Los Angeles in West Hollywood helped make these literacy
workshops possible. Because of this event, as well as the support
of countless members, friends, families and corporate donors,
our youngest Angelenos were able to enjoy a day of festivities focused on reading and literacy. Each child that participated in the
workshops was able to bring home his or her very own book. The
children walked away knowing that reading can be fun thanks
to the efforts of this year’s JLLA provisional class! ★
T H E J U N I O R L E AG U E stems from
four pillars that affect every aspect of
the League’s operations, from the types
of projects that we develop to the trainings and events that we organize. The
pillars are the driving force behind all
League initiatives and are at the core of
the League’s mission.
Pillars
1
Well-Governed & Sustainable League
is fundamental to the continuance of the
institution, and focuses on implementing
organizational structure and policies that promote strong, strategic leadership, sound management, and ongoing financial health.
2
Membership Development aims to recruit, train and retain an educated core
of volunteers who are committed to the
success and the growth of the JLLA. This area
focuses on truly engaging all members and fostering membership pride and satisfaction.
3
Training & Leadership Development
is to develop the potential of all League
members. This is achieved through myriad learning opportunities that help members
develop skills needed to successfully affect the
community for the better.
4
Community shifts focus from inside the
League to develop programs that achieve
lasting and meaningful community impact,
and align with the League’s core issue focus areas
of Literacy and Self-Esteem/Empowerment.
S U M M ER 2 015 ★ I N S PI R E
13
S PA C
A DVOCAC Y
IN
ACT ION!
Wr it ten By Kim B ar tholome w
WHAT EXACTLY IS SPAC
AND HOW DOES IT HELP JLLA?
With hundreds of placements available to women within the
Junior League of Los Angeles, there is a very good chance you
have never heard of SPAC. Since 1971, the Junior Leagues of
California State Public Affairs Committee (“CalSPAC”) has
represented the interests of its members and their community projects to policymakers at the national, state and local
levels. CalSPAC represents more than 10,000 women from
17 member leagues who collectively volunteer 110,000
hours to 131 community projects and give over $1.1 million dollars annually to their communities. JLLA has two
delegates charged with representing the policy interests
of the League within the CalSPAC delegation. Our SPAC
delegates team up with other Junior Leagues across the
state to advocate on behalf of what our constituents need.
They champion legislation that is favorable to the Leagues’
projects and issues and advocate in the following four
focus areas: health, education, family support and violence prevention.
So what does that mean? It means if you have a cause, a
committee, a project or a charity that needs a voice—SPAC
can be that voice. And when SPAC decides to fight for something, they fight hard. Since 1992, SPAC has sponsored six
bills and co-sponsored three bills that are now California
Law; sponsored one California Resolution; and co-sponsored
one Congressional Resolution. Basically, SPAC makes things
happen. The SPAC delegates meet four times a year at conferences across the state to deliberate on legislation with other
member Leagues and vote on whether or not to support bills.
14 I N S P I R E ★ S U M M E R 2 0 1 5
SO WHAT HAS
SPAC DONE LATELY?
A lot, actually! Each legislative cycle is two years in length
and the last one ended in 2014. During that time, the CalSPAC delegation fought hard and was able to garner support
for many important initiatives. SPAC had several legislative
successes: 16 SPAC supported bills were chaptered by the
Governor and became laws this past January! Many key bills
were passed including one that helps hold after-school programs to a higher standard, one that will create a task force
to address transitional foster youth and their ability to attend
community college and numerous bills to help put an end to
human trafficking.
Unfortunately, SPAC’s sponsored bill AB 2035 (Chesbro):
Sexually exploited and trafficked minors, after receiving unanimous support from the legislature, was vetoed by the Governor. However, all is not lost. The Governor signed a budget
trailer bill that included funding for the Commercial Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) Program and shifts the respon-
BILLS THAT SPAC HELPED
TO PUSH THROUGH
AB 49 (Buchanan) License plates: breast cancer awareness
AB 1089 (Calderon) Foster care
AB 1455 (Campos) Pupils: bullying: counseling services
AB 1787 (Lowenthal) Airports: commercial operations:
lactation accommodation
sibility for CSEC from the delinquency courts to dependency
courts, requiring foster and group home training, all of which
were changes suggested in SPAC’s bill. The Governor’s staff
was encouraging about the large coalition of SPAC member
leagues and other grassroots victim advocate organizations
in moving this policy forward.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT
GOING FORWARD?
SPAC delegates are now focused on the 2015–2016 legislative
cycle and, in conjunction with our sister CA Leagues, are
looking for issues that matter to both home leagues and the
SPAC delegation. SPAC delegates will continue to assess those
needs, and find where similar focuses emerge so that they can
streamline the delegation’s legislative focus moving into 2015.
So far in 2015, the JLLA SPAC delegates have been focused
on reviewing legislation with a particular eye on family support and education issues. This past March, the CalSPAC delegation voted to support 19 bills and two resolutions, includ-
AB 1790 (Dickinson) Foster children: mental health services
AB 1791 (Maienschein) Prostitution: minors
AB 1806 (Bloom) Pupil services: homeless children or youth
AB 2016 (Campos) Pupil instruction: sexual abuse and
sexual assault awareness and prevention
AB 2089 (Quirk) Domestic violence: protective orders
ACR 148 (Lowenthal) Task Force on the Status of
Maternal Mental Health Care
ing six family support and eight education bills. Additionally,
JLLA SPAC delegates are supporting two bills on behalf of the
Junior League of Los Angeles related to our core issue areas.
GET SPAC INVOLVED TO HELP FIGHT FOR
YOUR LEGISLATIVE NEEDS!
If your organization, project or committee has a cause aligned
with the Junior League of Los Angeles, SPAC would love to find
ways to help advocate for legislation to support those missions.
SPAC delegates truly have their fingers on the legislative pulse
and are always looking for ways to give a voice to the voiceless. If
you are an elected official or a community member that would
like to meet with the Junior League of Los Angeles SPAC delegates, please e-mail us at spac@jlla.org. ★
For more information on the Junior Leagues of
California State Public Affairs Committee, visit the
organization’s website at www.CaliforniaSPAC.org
SB 949 (Jackson) After-School programs:
Distinguished After-School Health Recognition Program
SB 1023 (Liu) Community colleges: foster youth
SB 1165 (Mitchell) Pupil instruction: sexual abuse and
sex trafficking prevention education
SB 1172 (Steinberg) Pupil health: vision appraisals
SB 1388 (Lieu) Human trafficking
SB 939 (Block) Human trafficking
A N I N T E R V I E W W I T H O U R S U S TA I N E R S
J A N & C AT H Y
S U S T A I N E R I N T E R V I E W : Jan Ker n and Cathy He ss ion
JAN KERN
Q: What groups have you been
a part of? Where are you from?
A: I grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota, and came to California as
a new bride. I joined the Junior
League in 1977, and it served as
my introduction to Los Angeles. I was always drawn to projects and community work and loved chairing PR&D and being both Community and Projects Director. I was President in
1990–1991 and have the honor of being on staff at AJLI from
1991–1994. My involvement with the League lead to a career
in nonprofit and foundation consulting, and I am extremely
thankful for all of the training and experience that I gained.
Q: What types of projects have you worked on this
year so far?
A: I am Denise's Sustaining Advisor and participated in PEC
this year. I also founded the Legacy Leadership Circle (LLC)
and continue to help guide its development.
Q: In the past, has there been a project or experience
you feel particularly proud of?
A: In the mid-80s one of my most favorite League placements was the chair of a new project called Adolescent Pregnancy ChildWatch (APCW). This was a project that was done
in partnership with AJLI and the Children's Defense Fund
(CDF). I had the amazing opportunity to attend trainings in
Washington D.C. and met outstanding women leaders like
Marian Wright Edelman (CEO of CDF) and Dorothy Haight
(National Council of Negro Women). I helped APCW become
a nonprofit organization. Most importantly, my experiences
with this project has led me to be a strong advocate for children's health issues today.
Q: Through these "Building Block" experiences, what
have you learned the most about being in the league?
What has had the most impact on you?
A: Perhaps the lesson I learned is that you never know where
an experience is really going to lead. Thirty years ago I never
would have believed that I would be so involved in the community and that the skills I learned as a League member
would be so valuable.
16 I N S P I R E ★ S U M M E R 2 0 1 5
Q: What is the craziest/funniest experience you've had
this year? Was anything unexpected?
A: Nothing very crazy comes to mind. As president, we returned to having a gala event which was held at the new The
Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey. I remember visiting the hotel
two months ahead of our event and it was still very much a
construction site. Not exactly funny, but kept me up at night.
Ultimately, we had a lovely and very successful event.
Q: As a Sustainer, how do you stay involved with the
community? Has it been difficult?
A: I am a firm believer that League members need to take
their skills into the community. Since I became a sustainer I
have always served on at least two boards.
Q: Are you a part of other service organizations?
No, not service organizations—other nonprofits, yes.
Q: Do you have any words or advice you would like to
share with actives or provisionals?
A: Take advantage of any League opportunities that are interesting to you, especially trainings. Keep your League connections active; your League friends will be friends for
life. Always look for opportunities to take your skills into
the community.
CATHY HESSION
Q: What groups have you been
a part of? Where are you from?
A: I was born and raised in LA
by a JLLA mom! I received an invitation to join JLLA when I was
23 years old and was an active
until 1993, and then went sustaining. I am the President of
our family foundation and have been on nonprofit boards
for a number of years. I have the opportunity to get to know
lots of nonprofits doing amazing work with youth and families here in LA. I am on the board of the Westside Family
YMCA, the Boys & Girls Club of Venice, Para Los Niños, as
well as the Advisory Board of USC Center on Philanthropy &
Public Policy.
S U S TA I N E R I N T E R V I E W S
Q: What types of projects have you worked on this
year so far?
A: I have been the sustaining advisor to Community Council
for a number of years and now PR&D for the past few years.
I am so fortunate that our foundation makes grants in the
focus areas of JLLA, so I have been able to advise the women
on potential partners for our projects.
Q: In the past, has there been a project or experience
you feel particularly proud of?
A: I am always so proud that JLLA currently has projects
with so many nonprofits I know very well and have supported
through our foundation. They include Children’s Institute,
HOLA, Children’s Bureau, Mar Vista Family Center, and
now our newest incubated project with Para Los Niños. Back
during my active years, I chaired the project with Planned
Parenthood LA, LAUSD and Childrens Hospital, and we
worked to develop trainings for students, including the
curriculum we wrote called Responsible Decision Making
that we took into middle schools to educate students about
honest, evidence-based sexuality information that can help
them make engage in respectful intimate relationships and
stay healthy.
Q: Through these "Building Block" experiences, what
have you learned the most about being in the league?
What has had the most impact on you?
A: Through all of my JLLA years as an Active, I always chose
to participate on projects, so I learned the power of trained
Ashley Curiel, Psy.D.
women leveraging the work of the dynamic nonprofit organizations in LA. We had such excellent training and I still remember so much of what I learned. From the first provisional
tours of so many places in Los Angeles, the Sybil Brand Women’s Prison, to Watts Towers to Community Health Clinics in
South LA, and then Management by Objectives Training, we
were exposed and then challenged to be bold and take risks. I
believe that those early years definitely paved the way for me
to be an effective grantmaker, guiding our family foundation
in the work we are doing, leading our board and being an effective nonprofit board member. It all was very transformational for me.
Q: What is the craziest/funniest experience you've had
this year? Was anything unexpected?
A: I can’t think of anything funny or crazy. I would just say
that all of my JLLA years have been FUN!
Q: As a Sustainer, how do you stay involved with the
community? Has it been difficult?
A: I think you can refer to all of my previous answers!
Q: Are you a part of other service organizations?
A: See above!
Q: Do you have any words or advice you would like to
share with actives or provisionals?
A: Take advantage of all the trainings and experiences you can.
You will use them in your JLLA work and in your life always!
The friendships you develop and experiences you have will
be invaluable! ★
Julie Craig
Clinical Psychologist
Specializing in individual
psychotherapy and
memory training for adults
and older adults.
Medicare accepted.
www.DrAshleyCuriel.com
310.853.0981 CA PSY #26737
Selling Real Estate From Beverly Hills to the Ocean
310.871.6123
Julie@JulieCraig4realEstate.com
CalBRE License #01236424
S U M M ER 2 015 ★ I N S PI R E
17
BUILDING COMMUNIT Y THROUGH BUSINESS:
SUSAN SARICH & SUSIE CAKES
W R I T T E N B Y A shle y Cur iel
I
F YOU HAVE EVER TASTED SUSAN SARICH'S DIVINE BAKED CREATIONS, I AM CERTAIN THE EXPERIENCE WAS LOVE AT FIRST BITE. SUCH AN
EXPERIENCE LEAVES LITTLE WONDER AS TO WHY
SARICH HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL. A CLOSER LOOK
AT HER STORY REVEALS A JOURNEY THAT BEGAN
IN CHILDHOOD, WITH JUNIOR LEAGUE PLAYING ITS
OWN IMPORTANT ROLE.
Q: What inspired you to create
SusieCakes?
A: I had worked in the hospitality and food service industry for
15 years when I started to form the
business plan for SusieCakes. The
reasons were two-fold: The first was
that I was like many women leaving
the food service industry, given the
hours that were required, and it was
difficult for them to have a work-life
balance. I also saw many pastry chefs
(predominately female) take a lesser
role in the kitchen than they were
capable of. It was my intention to
create a business model that allowed
women to have progressive careers
in food service by providing operational days and hours different from those offered in most
restaurants, clubs and hotels. SusieCakes is closed late evenings and holidays, as well as Sundays at most locations.
Additionally, I grew up in the Midwest and was fortunate
to have spent a great deal of time with both of my grandmothers, who lived across the alley from each other. After
school, I sat and talked about my day with them over freshly baked treats—be it a double crust apple pie or a pound
cake. It was a very special time in my life that formed the
person I am today. Later in life I inherited their 3” x 5”
handwritten recipe cards, which I knew had to be shared.
Q: Do you have any role models in business who influence you?
A: Sarah Blakely, the founder of Spanx, is definitely an inspiration. She became a self-made billionaire who followed
her passion against all odds and against everyone telling
her it was a bad idea. She persevered and went on to found
what has become a household name.
18 I N S P I R E ★ S U M M E R 2 0 15
Q: What was the most important lesson you learned from
creating your own business/brand?
A: That no matter how many people tell you it’s a bad idea,
if you believe it with all of your heart, you will make it!
When I founded SusieCakes, no bank would loan me capital and it was difficult to even get a landlord to show me
commercial space. It was definitely against all odds!
Q: How did your Junior League membership/experience
shape your business journey?
A: In the early days, I attended the LDI (Leadership Development Institute), which was instrumental in developing
my leadership style. The opportunity to connect with the
community and participate as a vendor in Casino Night
and other Junior League events was very helpful in getting
our name out there. Also, the support of my fellow League
members, from their friendship to their advice, has been
an invaluable benefit throughout this journey.
Q: How has your business become an integral part of the
communities you serve?
A: We would be nothing without the support of the communities in which our bakeries operate, and so it has always been very important for us to give back. We donate
product left over at the end of the day to local food banks,
and support local charity groups with donations for their
fundraising events.
Q: What advice would you give other women who are aspiring entrepreneurs?
A: Believe in yourself! Write a business plan and get practical experience in whatever field you are going into. Network and talk to as many successful businesspeople as possible. And be sure to have working capital in the bank!
Q: What is your vision for the future of your business?
A: My vision is to become a national brand. I want SusieCakes to be a household name that is synonymous with
celebration of any kind. ★
To learn more about SusieCakes,
including locations and hours, visit:
www.SusieCakes.com
C A S I N O A N G EL EN O
O
W R I T T E N B Y B ro o k e Mar s ton
n May 9th, 2015, the Los Angeles chapter of
the Junior League hosted their 4th annual
Casino Angeleno fundraiser at the Natural
History Museum of Los Angeles in historic
Exposition Park. Guests came dressed to
impress, donning beautiful Venetian-inspired masks as they
fully embraced the Masquerade theme.
VIP and celebrity guests came early for a special reception,
hosted in the Erika J. Glazer Edible Garden, with exclusive
after-hours access to both the Dino Hall and Becoming LA
exhibits. There they were treated to special tastings, thanks
to Nespresso, Cedilla and Ice Cream Lab. After a welcoming
toast thanks to Brittny Gastineau, VIP guests joined General
Admission guests for casino gaming and an open bar sponsored by Coronado Brewing Co., Barefoot Wine + Bubbly,
Leblon Cachaca and Asombroso Tequila.
Thanks to the generosity and support from sponsors,
guests were treated to food and beverage tastings from
Wahoo’s Fish Taco, Hutchinson Cocktails + Grill, Lyfe
Kitchen, Open Air Kitchen + Bar, Nescafe Dolce Gusto,
Vina Sympatica, 9021oh Cupcakes, Calabasas Candy Co.
and Double Bond Wines. A special thank you to Cheeky,
who provided all of our paper goods for the evening.
DJ Crazu kept the energy going with exciting beats as
guests tried their luck at the gaming tables, silent auction, opportunity drawings and the always popular Wine
+ Spirits Pull. Guests were able to look their best thanks
to GlamSquad providing on-site makeup touch-ups before
capturing the evening in the Splendid Studio Photo Booth.
As the evening came to a close and guests headed out
to return to their homes, they were treated to one last surprise: Go Fusion Grill and CoolHause Food Trucks, which
donated 10% of all sales that night back to JLLA.
Magical nights filled with beautiful people and unforgettable memories wouldn’t be possible with the gen-
erosity of many. A heartfelt thank you is extended to the
Junior League Of Los Angeles Sustainers, who made the
VIP reception possible. A special thank you goes out to
everyone who joined us as Hosts of the evening, including Jonathan Cheban, Santana Dempsey, Gabriela Dias,
Chef Betty Frasier, Brittny Gastineau Taylor Hasselhoff,
Laura James, Adriana Michelle, Jasika Nicole, Dr. Andrew
Ordon, Tammin Sursok, DeMark Thompson, Laura Slade
Wiggins, Linda D. Small, Denise and Daniel Perlstein, Ellen and Doug Weitman, Katie Schellenberg, Julissa Barajas, Barry Family Foundation, Beach City Babes, Elizabeth
Burns, Mr. And Mrs. Chaussee, Jennifer and Andy Chen,
Nicole Collins and Taber Gonzales, Court Appearance Professionals, Allison Dixon, Sonia and Carlyle Dixon, Mary
Beth and Mathew Ferrante, Lauren Fujiu-Berger, Courtney
and Harry Garvin, Julie Guest and Spencer White, Chris
and Iran Hopkins, Michelle and Jack Hsia, Emily Hull,
Annie and Paul Kambur, Darren and Laura Jane Kessner,
Marian Lowry Banning, the Marston Family, Katie and
Joe McCullough, Amy McGranahan, Ness Okonkwo and
Shawn Jackson, JoLynn Pineda, Katie and Clark Porter,
Rafael and Adonica Porter, Allyson M. Pritchett, the Professionals, Ricci V. Ramos, Erin Rauch and Ismar Ardon,
Nicole W. Ruskey, Karla and Matt Sayles, Holly Sorenson
and Kevin MacLEan, Diana Sullivan, Elizabeth and Brett
Svatek, Minna and Chuck Taylor, Cindie and Robb Wenrich, and Charlotte West.
On behalf of the League, we would like to thank the
Casino Angeleno chair, Brooke Marston, as well as the assistants and the entire committee for putting on such a
wonderful event. We really appreciate all the effort, time
and hard work.
We are so grateful to everyone who came out and helped
to make Casino Angeleno 2015 such a memorable evening.
Cannot wait to see you again next year.
“We need to raise awareness, I think we need to have
more of these types of events so people can listen and
have a better understanding in how we can empower
these women who want to be involved in such things
as politics” —Tammin Sursok, Pretty Little Liars
20 I N S P I R E ★ S U M M E R 2 0 15
"That’s exactly what the Junior League is doing: empowering women to donate
their time to be advocates, to give back to the community and to educate.”
—Dr. Andrew Ordon, TV Host, The Doctors​
“If we look at our representation in Congress and our
representation at the CEO level in companies, we are
half of the population and we really need to be having
a voice in what’s happening in the world.”
— Courtney Hunkele Garvin, President, JLLA
S U M M ER 2 015 ★ I N S PI R E
21
JLLA HONORS OUR MEMBERS
W
x x x xt ne
x x yx Hun
X . X kx ele
x x xG
x ar v in
WR
R II TT TT EE N
N B
BY
Y XCour
At
JLLA’s 89th Annual Dinner & Meeting on
May 19, 2015, three members were singled
out for their commitment and service to
the League and our community with two
special awards, the Shining Star Award and the JLLA’s President’s Cup Award.
The Shining Star Award is presented recognizes an Active member who has consistently gone above and beyond
her membership requirements. Candidates for this award are
nominated by their peers and are selected by the JLLA nominating committee for this special honor. This year’s Shining
Star Award recipient is Katie Schellenberg.
Katie joined the League in 2007 and has held several different positions over the years, including League Advisor, Training & Education Co-Chair and Done in a Day (DIAD) CoChair. In 2015–2016 Katie will join the Management Council
as Projects Director-Elect. She is a graduate of JLLA’s Public
Policy Institute and Leadership Development Institute. Outside of the League, Katie has volunteered with the Alliance
for Lupus Research, ALS Association, St. Joseph’s Center and
various literacy and college preparation organizations. Katie
holds both a B.A. and an M.A. from the University of Southern California and a J.D. from UCLA. Professionally, Katie
is the owner and founder of Learning Lab LA, an academic
consulting company, and Beyond Tutoring, an online plat-
22 I N S P I R E ★ S U M M E R 2 015
form and community for students with exceptionalities. Her
companies’ mission is to donate an hour of goods, services or
resources for every hour billed. Prior to owning her own companies, she litigated for five years in education, employment
and healthcare law.
The President’s Cup Award is given annually by JLLA Past
Presidents to an Active member who has held at least two
leadership positions and has made a significant and longlasting contribution to the Junior League. Past recipients
of the award have gone on to serve on important nonprofit
boards, commissions and in elected office. This year two
extraordinary women were chosen, Monika Pataye Watkins
and September Hill.
Monika joined the Junior League more than ten years
ago in northern California and transferred to JLLA in 2006.
Monika has served on JLLA’s Board of Directors as Training
Director and twice as Community Director. Past leadership
roles have included Provisional Training Co-Chair, Provisional Neighborhood Advisor, Legacy Ball Chair and Donor
Relations Co-Chair. In recent years Monika has contributed
to the launch and adoption of JLLA’s Issue-Based Community
Impact initiative, which has strategically focused the league’s
activities towards the empowerment of foster youth and
family literacy. As chair of the 2009 Legacy Ball she helped to
raise more than $173,000 to fund vital community programs.
Monika is a graduate of the Board Fellows Program, the
Leadership Development Institute and the Public Policy Institute. She is holds a double B.A. in Art History and English.
"TONIGHT WE REFLECT
ON THE INCREDIBLE IMPACT
THE LEAGUE IS MAKING
IN OUR COMMUNITY
AND CELEBRATE THREE
EXTRAORDINARY
MEMBERS!"
She also studied Art History abroad in France at Sorbonne
University in Paris and Literature in the United Kingdom at
Cambridge University–Pembroke and Queens College. She is
a native of California and currently lives in Venice with her
husband Adam, son Oliver, and lovable labradoodle Chutney.
Her passions include travel, the fine arts, photography, JLLA
volunteer work, and spending time with friends and family.
Monika will be relocating to the Bay Area later this summer.
We would like to thank Monika for her leadership and devotion to JLLA over the years.
September Hill joined the Junior League of Los Angeles in
2007 and has worked exclusively on JLLA’s public policy efforts
implementing training programs, writing legislation, launching
public awareness campaigns, advocating for the League’s community partners, and focusing on issues including foster care,
human trafficking, perinatal depression and literacy. September helped implement and chaired the Public Policy Institute,
which earned the prestigious AJLI Leadership Development
Award. She helped to launch the “Speak Up When You’re Down”
public awareness campaign to accompany the passage of SPAC
sponsored ACR 105—designating May as Perinatal Depression
Awareness Month. As the Public Affairs Committee Chair, she
wrote and advocated for ACR 62—Read Across California that
was chaptered in 2011. Most recently, she served as the Co-Chair
of the Junior Leagues of California State Public Affairs Committee, where she worked on human trafficking legislation. September was awarded the JLLA “Shining Star Award” and the Association of Junior Leagues International’s “Rising Star Award”
in 2011. She is a graduate of the Leadership Development Institute, the Development Institute and CORO’s Executive Fellows
Program. She graduated from the University of Washington
with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism and Political Science. She
earned her M.A. in Social Entrepreneurship and Change from
Pepperdine University. She is actively involved in her children’s
school, church and community. September currently lives in Los
Angeles with her husband and two daughters.
Congratulations to Katie, Monika and September on their
well-deserved honors. Thank you for all that you do! ★
S U M M ER 2 015 ★ I N S PI R E
23
JLLA is grateful for your support!
CASH DONATIONS
$10,000 and Above
Network For Good
$2,500 to $9,999
Peggy Jo Clark
Julie and Steve DesJardins
Mrs. Anika Jackson
Junior League of Los Angeles Sustainers
Nestle
Denise and Daniel Perlstein
Beth Quillen Thomas
Linda Small (George Lopez Foundation)
Susan Steinhauser
Minna and Charles Taylor
Ellen and Doug Weitman
$1,000 to $2,499
Marian Lowry Banning
JoAnn M. Bourne
Dianna Buck and Sunnyside Butterfly Moms
Mrs. Marianne M. Cooper
Elizabeth Curtis
Tam Dickerson
Allison Dixon
Ms. Bettina Duval
Earl B. Gilmore Foundation
Carolyn and Craig Enenstein
Aaron and Catherine Enrico
Mary Beth and Mathew Ferrante
Eli Gross
Julie Guest and Spencer White
Shelli A. Herman
Mrs. Edwin Hession
Iran and Chris Hopkins
Courtney and Harry Garvin
KLM Foundation (Mrs. Kathleen L. McCarthy)
LaMarca Proseco - G.J. Winery
Katie and Joe McCullough
Leslie A. McDonald
Tobie and Ryan McElrath
Peggy Miles, M.D.
Mia Novack
Ness Okonkwo and Shawn Jackson
Susan Patrick
Helen Price
Nicole W. Ruskey
Katie Schellenberg
Mrs. James R. Sterling
Diana Sullivan or The Lang & Sullivan Families
Nadine Weiss-Flam
Charlotte West
$500 to $999
Bank of America Matching Gifts
Julissa Barajas
Barefoot Wine & Bubbly
Barry Family Foundation
Renee Ann Bianco
Alexa Bleifer
Debra Bogdanoff
Barbara Bundy
Elizabeth Burns
Mr. and Mrs. Chaussee
Anne M. Clarke
Nicole Collins and Taber Gonzales
Deborah Conrad
Mrs. Leah M. Coulter
Court Appearance Professionals
Ms. Jennifer DeGuardi
Gwyn Dilday
Diptyque Distribution, LLC
Dole Food Company
Kimberly Guanci Dylewski
Desiree Finigan
Katherine Fox Franklin
Lauren Fujiu-Berger
Margaret Funkhouser
Ms. Ellen Gallagher
Eunice Goodan
Amy Hallenbrook
Lindsay Hendrickson
September Hill
Nancy Hindle-Katel
Valerie Holberton
Mrs. Alison Koi Howard
Michelle and Jack Hsia
Emily Hull
Buffany N. Hunter
Kim Iselin
Meredith Johnson
Mrs. Steaven K. Jones, Jr.
Annie and Paul Kambur
Julie and Aaron Kaplan
Lisa Kaufman
Ms. Janice Kern
Darren and Laura Jane Kessner
Annabelle Kim
Jessica Kim
Sheri Semon Lietzow
Mrs. Robert J. Lowe
Kevin MacLean
The Marston Family
Amy McGranahan
Mrs. Cathy McMullen
Mauria McPoland
Michele Miyakawa
Mandi Moore
Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust
Shelly Myers
Kathryn Naficy
Katharine Newman
Cindy Norian
Ms. Christine M. Ofiesh
Katherine Hennigan Ohanesian
Rita-Anne O'Neill
Margaret Otto
HJ Paik and Bill Johnson
Monika Pataye Watkins
Susan Pietsch-Escueta, Epilepsy Foundation of
Greater Los Angeles and Epilepsy California
JoLynn Pineda
PMAC Services
Adonica and Rafael Porter
Katie and Clark Porter
Sarah Poyourow
Ms. Joan Prestine
Allyson M. Pritchett
Ricci V. Ramos
Erin Rauch and Ismar Ardon
Mrs. Frederic Rheinstein
Kandy Ringquist
Karla and Matt Sayles
Beverly Anne Scott
The Shore Bar
Steven and Victoria Stokdyk
Stephanie Stratz
Gloria Teschner
Mrs. Daryl Anne Underwood
Brigid Vance
Warner Bros. Television
Gayle Wilder
Karen Williams
$499 and Below
Anonymous
Rachel Abbott
Noelle Acosta
Tomasine Adleizzi
Christie Aguilar
Carol Allen
Gieselle Allen
Lila Al-Marhoon
Debra Amenson
Jacqueline Anderson
Katherine Anderson
Carter Andrews
Elizabeth Bradley Andrews
Anne Angelico
Irene Apergis
Price Arana
Alexis Archer
Mrs. William D. Armistead, Jr.
Arezop Atiq
Marissa Augustyn
Theodore Avgerinos
Anne Baggerly
Kristal Bailey
Kim Bajaj
Jamie Bakal
Jill Baldauf
Christina Bangara
Leigh Bannister
Ginger Barnard
Isabel Barreto
Arpy Barseghian
Kimberly Bartholomew
Jennifer Beall
Cindy Beals
Candace Beaver
Barbara Bechler
Clare Becker
Dara Beer
Megyn Bell
Melati Belot
24 I N S PI R E ★ S U M M ER 2 015
Zara Berengut
Amanda Berning
Sara Jane Bettge
Ms. Victoria Billings
Mrs. Linda T. Biro
Michelle Black
Michael Blume
Bodega Wine Bar
Theresa G. Boone
Amanda Bowles
Karen Peraza Brand
Mrs. M. L. Brittain, III
Laura Dingman Brodeur
Katie Burns
Erin Bromaghim
Tony Brown, Heart of Los Angeles
Eileen Brzozowski
Mrs. Alan Buckelew
Jyothsna Buddharaju
Christina Burcelis
Jaime Alecia Burkett
Joy Burkhard
Jennifer M. Burman
Katherine Burns
Adrienne Bussell
Alethea Butzke
Caitlin Buzaid
Megan Calhoun
Roxanne Carlos
Mrs. Linda Carlson
Allison Champion
Mrs. Lee Ashton Chase
Carlee Chlate
Margaret Choulochas
Sarah Christian
Kimberly Civarella
Sheena Ciminski
Evan Clark
Shawna Clark
Yasmin Coffey
Becca Coffman
Joanne Coghill
Stacy Cohen
Caitlin Cole
Rachel Collins
California Community Foundationa
Jennifer Connolly
Mark Conolly
Carilu Contreras
Bebe Corbin
Amy Costello
Adriana Covate
Iris Craddock
Mrs. Brian Dockweiler Crahan
Joanne Crawford
Camille Crenshaw
Kris Crenwelge
Ms. Deborah Cromer, Director of Programs
(The Alliance for Children’s Rights)
Erin Crymes
Dr. Ashley Curiel
W. Currier
Annette Dalton
Elizabeth Daly
Trinh Dang
Rachel Danjczek
Katie Darling
Amy De Blaise-Kasai
Melissa De Luna-Ribeiro
Anna Dearybury
Christine Deihl
James & Tanya Del Pozzo
Dayle Dempsey
Christine Deters
Madeline Dial
Mrs. Kenneth Diddie
Talia DiDomenica
Miriam Diwan
Gillian Dodd
Julie Dousette
Addie Donnell
Kristin Knickerbocker
Sheila Dos Santos
Katie M. Dru
Jennifer Duryea
Darcie Dusek
Chelsea Dutchik
Dawn Eash
Mrs. Bradford W. Edgerton
Kathy Edrich
Lauren Ekerling
Julie Elginer
Frances Ellington
Lindsay Elliott
Nicole Kirkorian Elmes
Monica Engel
Maire Camille Evans
Quinn Ezralow
Melody Fang
Nicole Fanucci
Ellen Farmer
Annette Fasone
Lindsay Feinberg
Maureen Feldman
Matt Ferrante
Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund
Lindsay Fisher
Larissa Fleming
Rebecca Fleming
Clark Florian
Mary Flynn
Megan Forster
Sara Jo Ward Forthmann
Jennifer Frehn
Lindsay Friedman
Aislinn Froeb
Patricia A. Fry
Koral Fusselman
Raquel Gallegos
Jennifer Gamez
Serra Garcia
Lisa K. Garner
Carol Garrett
Marie Garvey
Mary Garvey
Harry Garvin
Megan Geist
Stephanie George
Stephanie Gerken
Elizabeth Gilbert
Katherine Gilmer
Mrs. Robert Gipson
Malin + Goetz
Melissa Gold
Goldman, Sachs & Co. Matching Gift Program
Lauralee M. Gooch
Tammy Goodarzi
GoodSearch
Kayo Goto
Jonathan Gottfried
Elaina Graham
Mrs. Stephen E. Griffith
Clare Guinn
Suzanne Gurich
William Guzick
Allyson Haas
Tamara Haber
Brittany Hall
Narissa Hampton
Amy Hanna
Melissa Hansen
Dale Harbour Day
Suzanne Harrison
Kimberly Harty
Cara Harvey
Alexandra Haskell
Sylvia Hastanan
Kristin Haynes
Ann Helpern
Vanessa Henderson
Angela Hewett
Kyle Hiemenz
Katherine Hight
JoAnn Hill
Barbara Ann Hillman
Daryll Hinckley
Julie Hirsch
Frank Hobbs
Candace Hodder
Karen Davis
Kristyn Hoffman
Lauren Hogan
Maggie Holmes
Sarah Holton
Adria Holtzinger
Ardie Hood
Hanna Hoopingarner
Emily Horan
Jenn Hsu
Helen H. Huang
Mrs. Susan J. Hull
Jonathan Humphrey
Blair L. Hundahl
Jonnell Hungerford
H+R PR (Rebecca Hutchinson)
Su Hwang
Brooke Hyman
Jennifer Hyman
Eileen Hynes
Audi Ihlenfeld
Nicole Iida
Elisa Iovine
Gina Izad
Erika Jackson
Nicole Jackson
Bree Jacoby
Helen Jennings
Linda Johansen
Jeanne Johnson
Laura Alexis Johnson
Sydney Goldberg
Maria Jones
Jolisa Jones-Corey
Connie Jones-Steward
Bernard Kamins
Ms. Kay Kardos
Deborah Katz
Beth Kawaja
Mary Beth Kaylor
Mrs. Donald Lane Keene
Vanessa Keith Garcia
Carol Keller
Melinda Kelly
Danielle Kemp
Elizabeth Kennedy
Sarah Kern
Deanna Kilar
Ashlie Kim
Liz Kim
Shawnna Kim
Suehyun Kim
Lea Ann King
Lori Kirkaarg
Elyse Klein
Rija Kline Zucker
Dede Knapp, Speical Events Director
Teresa Ko
Constance Lynch Koehler
Andrea Koerte
Alexandra Kopp
Ms. Shannon Kors
Ms. Melinda Koziol
Kate Krigbaum
Kroger/Ralphs Grocery Company
Ms. Karen Krygowski
Nicole Kuklok-Waldman
Ms. Deborah Kurtz
Erin Kurtz
Miss Carol LaBriola
Cheryl Lacsina
Dianelle Lacy
Landis Gifts and Stationery
Lea Ann Lang
Amanda Latifi
Jane Lee
Mai Lee
Nicole Lehle
Molly Leonetti
Kelli Leppla
Jacqueline Leung
Beau Levinson
Teddy Levitt
Alexa Levy
Jenifer Levy
Ebony Lewis
Maryam Lilly
Allison Lindahl
Mary Lischke
Lauren Lorman
Marissa Lugo
Natalie Lusk
Kelly Luther
Susanne Mackintosh
Mrs. Francis MacLaughlin
Tessa Madden
Bliss Maginnis
Amber Mangipano
Paige Manning
Marie Silverman Marich
Megan Markham
Delaney Martin
Mrs. Neil B. Martin
Massachusetts Mutual Insurance Company
Alisha Mathur
Jennifer Mayo Flexor
Blair McBirney
Forrest McCartney
Worthy McCartney
Joe McCullough
Nancy Call McCullough
Mrs. Harry B. McDonald
Stephanie McHughen
Bridget McInerney
Elizabeth McKelvey
Grace McKeone
Mrs. Patrick W. McLaughlin
Chloe McLean
Maryrose McMahon
Amanda McQueen
Stacey McShane
Lexa Mendoza
Raquel Mendoza
Mary-Elizabeth Michaels
Microsoft Giving Campaign
Marian Miller
Patricia Miller
Jade Monfils
Mary Montague
Mrs. Gary Moore
Lynn and Mike Morford
Jamie Morgan
Lexa Morris
Molly Ann Mroczynski
Andrea Muckler
Jessica Munoz-Miller
Dr. Ann Muscat
Leigh Mussell
Carrie Nakamura
Malaika Naulls
Julia Nayerman
Alexandra Nazari
Mirella Nazarian
Mrs. Dale Kent Neal
Morgan Nelson
Robin Patterson Nenninger
Monica Neris
Mrs. Stephen L. Nesbitt
Nestle
Christine Neuharth
Elizabeth Nguyen
Emily Ni
Gary Nilsen
Ellen Norris
Mandy Novo-Lake
Claire O'Connor
Noreen Okarter
Mrs. David J. O'Keefe
Gabriela Olmos
Nancy Olson, Executive Director
Lauren O'Neil
Ivonne Orillac
Kimi Ozawa
Bridget Palmer
Eileen Park Peed
Ryan Parker
Audrey Parker-Linton
Beth Parks
Erin Parsons-Wright
Scott Paseltiner
Mita Patel
Kathryn Pearson
Mrs. Madson Peeler
Kevin Pelo
Olivia Pendleton
Ariella Perry
Ms. Patricia Peters
Mrs. Wallace D. Peterson
Shelby Phillips
Pickett Fences & Petticoats Boutique
Christine Pleban
Abby Pontzer
Elizabeth Porter
Tiffney Powell
Hillary Price
Jennifer Price
Joslyn Priddy
Ms. Trish Procetto
Jessica Purdy
Kristan Rauso
Nadia Rawjee
Joseph Reece
Elissa Resold
Carol Reinhart
Sarah Reynolds
Linda Rhia
Maeda Riaz
Fabulous Ribeiro
The Honorable Laura Richardson
Marla Richmond
Rhea Roberts
Casey Roccanova
Julie Rockwell
Rebecca Rodriguez
Kathleen Rodway
Roll Giving
Tatiana Romanov-Koffman
Tiffany Rosedale
Reba Rosenthal
Rosalie B. Roth
Julia Rothman
Christine Roux
Nelly Ruiz
Casandra Rusti
Michele O. Saadeh
Maura Sandoval
Santa Barbara County's United Way
Lorraine Sarles
Nickey Sawyer
Ellyn Schill
Alicia Schleuse
Jessica Schmitt
Britomere Fennell Scheeman
Mrs. Konrad Schreier, Jr.
Shelly Scott
Brittany Seabloom
Sharon Gannon Segal
April Segars
Lauren Semeniuta
Miranda Shaft
Susan Shah
Laura Shaham
Share Your Share, Inc
JoAnn & Donald Shaw
Kirstyn Shaw
Lori Shroyer
Floyd Siegal
Samantha Silverman
Mariana Small
Mrs. George A. Smith
Cheoma Smith
Erica Smith
Mrs. Malcolm G. Smith
Rebecca "Beka" Smith
Samantha Smith
Karen Smits
Andrea Smoot
Danielle Solis
Kimberly Song
Lindsay Spiller
Elsa Stavig
Mrs. Joseph Stein, Jr.
Cheryl Stewart
Paulette Storm
Sylvia Strike
Suzie Strosin
Seema Sundar
Kelly Sutton
Elizabeth Svatek
Tiffany H. Sweet
Laura Symons
Karolyn Szot
Kirsten Taitelbaum
Tiffany Takac
Donelle Tabel
Bailey Teas
Mrs. Thomas A. Techentin
Mrs. Edward A. Teets
Nadezhda Teyfukova
The Jewish Community Foundation
Blake Thompson
Ellen Thornton
Beverly Thrall
Stacy Tillet
Carrie Tilton
Time Warner Employee Grant Programs
Alandrea Timmons
Kristen Todd
Valerie Torge
Rachel Torres
Nikki Trager
Anna Tran
The Travelers
Cynthia Turbow
Brianne Turtletaub
UBS
Leticia Valadez
Jennifer Veigel-Grant
Gitanjali Venkatrao
Victoria Venturi
Carter Vettese
Ellie Victor
Blair Viguet
Village Heights
Michael Von Gorkom
Elizabeth Vucinich
Julie Walker
Elena Walkup
Mrs. Thomas Wallace
Yolanda Walther-Meade
Emm Wang
Britton Green Weber
Felice Webster and Don Steier
Jocelyn Weiss
Cindie and Robb Wenrich
Western Asset Management Company Charitable
Foundation
Nancy Whelan
Lane Whipple
Keri White
Ms. Susan White
Crystal Whiteaker
Fiona Whitney
Larry Wilkes
Kelly Williams
Rebecca Williams
Cindy Willis
Amber Wilson
Ms. Barbara E. Wilson
Kelly Wilson
Kelly M. Wilson
Scott Wilson
Suzanna Winslow
Jennifer Winters
Lori Withrow
Josephine Witte
Wolverine Lessee, LLC (Skybar)
Lauren and Michael Wong
Jeanette Woodburn
Shelby Woods
Lindsey Woody
Heather Worley
Julianne Woronoff
Jennifer Wright
Laurel Wright
Stacey Wyatt
Cynthia Wyse
Joseph Yomtoobian
Krissy Young
YourCause, LLC trustee for PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP
Tiffany Yu
Melanie Zacher
Samantha Zachrich
Darya Zakharova
Dr. Lonnie Zeltzer
Mary Zina
Ann Zimmerman
IN-KIND DONORS
June 1, 2014–May 31, 2015
31 Bits
9021OH! Cupcake & Cakery, LLC
A. E Skin
Academy of Magical Arts
Noelle Acosta
Adventureplex
AfterParty Candle Company
Agraria
Airelle Skin
Rachel Albert
Albertsons Santa Monica
Lila Al-Marhoon,
Amazing Race LA
Amelia Saltsman
American Cinematheque
American Dawn Inc.
Jacqueline Anderson
Anne Angelico
Ani Balian Catering
Anita Arze
Arbonne Charitable Foundation
Arctic Glacier U.S.A Inc
Art's Delicatessen
AsomBroso Tequila/The Lopez Foundation
Atlantis Casino Resort & Spa
Baja Bud's
Bare Snacks
Beautyrose Photography
Belmond El Encanto - Santa Barbara
Betsey Carter Ceramics
Beverly Hills Lash
Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporate Offices
Bizainy
Michelle Black
Blazing Saddles Indoor Cycling
Bling by the yard
Bloomingdale's Century City
Blushington
Bodega Wine Bar
Bond Bar
BoomBoom Prints
Bradford Renaissance Portraits
Bravo Designs
Brent's Delicatessen & Restaurant
Bristol Farms Los Angeles
Broadway Gymnastics School
Rebecca Brown
Buca Di Beppo
Laura Bucklin
Alethea Butzke
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
Calabasas Candy Co.
California Rancher
California Wolf Center
Calypso St. Barth
Candela Taco Bar & Lounge
Canine Cube
Captain Kidd's Fish Market
Charity Fundraising
Charter Oak Preserving Company
Cheeky Home LLC
Children's Book World
Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert
Margaret Choulochas
Sarah Christian,
Chuck Gardner Photography
Elizabeth Chung
Kimberly Ciavarella
Classic Kids Photography
Closet Therapy
Club Pilates
CMS Design Portraiture
Coco Suisse
Yasmin Coffey
Caitlin Cole
Colony Cafe
Comdey & Magic Club
ComedySportz
Comprehensive Dental Care
Cordially Invited
Coronado Brewing Company
Costco Granden Grove
Cottam Creamery
Adriana Covate
Criminal Minds
Cristina V.
Curtis Dahl Photography
Elizabeth Curtis
S U M M ER 2 015 ★ I N S PI R E
25
Daily Grill-Santa Monica
Katherine Daly
Dancer 4 Life, LA Dance Studio
Rachel Danjczek,
David Peck USA
"Days of Our Lives"
Melissa De Luna-Ribeiro
Dean Koontz
Debora B
Desert Hills Premium Outlets
Designs by Lara Noel Hill
Disney
Disney Consumer Products
Distinguished Speaker
Dogeared
Dole Food Company, Inc.
Doll Face Skincare Studio
Double Bond Wine
Dr. Phil Show
Drake's Brewing Company
DryBar
Elizabeth Todd Designs
Elliptifit
Elyse Walker
Emi-Jay Inc.
Equinox
Equinox - Rolling Hills
Equinox Fitness Los Angeles
Erinn V Design Group
European Wax Center
Evy of California
Ellen Farmer
Senator Dianne Feinstein
Feld Entertainment
Mary Beth Ferrante
FIG Restaurant Santa Monica
Fin Events Photobooth
Janet Fishman
Fitness In Mind
Rebecca Fleming
Fleurish
FlightDeck
Katherine Flury
Fly Wheel
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West
FreshBox LA
Lindsay Friedman
Aislinn Froeb
Lauren Fujiu-Berger
Fun & Fit Gymnastics
Limor Gallo
Danielle Garson
Elizabeth Gary
Katherine Gilmer
Glam On Inc.
Glam Squad
Gloss Makeup & Beauty Bar
Go Kart World
Goorin Bros.
Gourmet Blends
Green Brooms Music Academy
Frances W. Greenspan
Guess, Inc.
Tamara Haber
Halper Fine Art
Kimberly Harty
Alexandra Haskell
Ami Hastings
Kristin Haynes
Healing with Zen
Healthy Spot
Hearst Castle & National Geographic Theater
Hennessey & Ingalls
Shelli Herman
Jacqueline Hertwig
September Hill
Hillcrest Party Rentals
Jacqueline Hinton
Hooper Camera & Imaging
Hostess Gifts to Go
Hot In Cleveland
Hotel Angeleno Los Angeles
Emily Hull
Hummingbird Pilates
Courtney Hunkele Garvin
Buffany Hunter
Hutchinson Cocktails & Grill
Huzzah! Toys
Eileen Hynes
I/O Denim
Ice Cream Lab
ICM Partners
ICON BLUE
In-N-Out Burger
Elisa Iovine
Island Packers
Jakks Pacific
Jason B. Diamond, MD, Inc.
Jennifer Schulman Acupuncture
Jill Roberts Boutique
JM Couture
John Cassese "The Dance Doctor"
Laura Johnson
Sydney Johnson
Cristina Jones
Jouer Cosmetics LLC
JulieBeth Handbags
Kabuki Restaurants, Inc. Corporate Office
Kai Fragrance
Lara Kalaydjian
Diane Kanner
Kaplan
Kat Rudu Beauty
Lisa Kaufman,
Kazanjian Brothers, Inc.
Keikico
Kendra Scott
Elizabeth Kennedy
Helen Kim
Liz Kim
KIND Bar
KIND Healthy Snacks
KIND SNACKS
Megan Klein
Melinda Koziol
L.E.G Entertainment
La Cabana Restaurant
La Fresh Group
La Luna Events
LA Mindfulness
Laemmle Theatres
Laguna Art Museum
Landmark Theatres
Larchmont Bakery
Larchmont Beauty Center
Le Meridien Delfina Santa Monica
Le Vigne Winery
Leblon
LeSpa & LeSalon @ Sofitel
Jacqueline Leung
Jenifer Levy
Lift MD
Jay Light
Dawn Liguori
Mary Lischke,
Living Fresh Collection
Long Beach Symphony Orchestra
Los Angeles Ballet
Los Angeles Ballet Academy
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
Los Angeles Clippers- Training Center
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
LSC- Location Sound Corp.
Lucky Puppy
Ashley Luef
Lyfe Kitchen
M. Bird Studio
m.andonia
Sean Mackienicz
MadMen
MagicOpolis Theater of Illusion
Magnolia
Malibu Safari Adventures
Malibu Sun Yoga
Mama Mio US Inc.
Marbles the Brain Store
Maria's Italian Kitchen
Marina del Rey Garden Center
Maroon 5
Marrin Castello
Jennifer Martinez
MB2 Raceway
Blair McBirney
Liz McEvily
Kelly McFarren
McGraw Hill Education
Mendocino Farms
Michael Stars Hawthorne
Courtney Michaels
Milk & Bookies
Alana Mitnick
Montage Resort & Spa
Moo Studios
Morongo Casino Resort & Spa
Mountasia Family Fun Center
Murad, Inc
Musical Theatre West
My Fit Foods
Nail Garden
Natures Notebook
Julia Nayerman
NBC Universal
Nepresso
Nescafe-Dolce Custo
Nesh NYC
Next Exit Company
NextGate
Nickelodeon
Nine O'Clock Players
Nish Yoga
Northern Trust Open
Novo Storage
NYX Cosmetic
Claire O'Connor
Ali Oh
Matt Olavi
Lauren O'Neil
Rita-Anne O'Neill
Open Air Kitchen & Bar
OPI- North Hollywood
26 I N S P I R E ★ S U M M E R 2 0 15
OPI Products, Inc.
Orangetheory
Orangetheory Fitness- Santa Monica
Origami Owl
Original Roadhouse Grill
Out of Print Clothing
Ovation TV
Pacific Park
Paige Denim
Panini America
Paper Culture
Paper Epiphanies, Inc.
Audrey Parker-Linton
Erin Parsons-Wright
Pasadena Ice Skating Center
Pasadena Museum of History
Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association
Scott Paseltiner
Kelly Patt
PBS SoCal
Erica Pearson
Kathryn "Katie" Pearson
Olivia Pendleton
Penguin Random House
Patricia Pepe
Pepperdine University Center of the Arts
Tiffany Peterson
Phantom Aviation
Philosophy
Season Pollock
Pono Buger
Pop Physique
Pop Physique Westside
Clark & Katie Porter
Beatriz Porto
PRP Wine International, Inc.
Pure Barre Beverly Hills
Pure Barre Brentwood
Pure Barre Los Angeles
Radiance of Life
Radiant Transform Fitness
Ralphs - San Pedro
Ralphs - Torrance 2
Ricci Ramos
Real Food Daily Santa Monica
Allison Rector
Reggie Smith Baseball Center
Renauds's Pastries
Riginals
Rilpley's Belive It or Not
Robledo Family Winery
Julie Rockwell
Roclord Studio Photography
Caitlin Roffman
Raizy Rubinstein
Morgan Russo
Tony Russo
Sage Hospitality
Saks Fifth Avenue
Sally Styles
Salon Benjamin
Salt & Straw
Sanrio, Inc.
Santa Anita Park
Santa Monica Aviation
Santa Monica Place
Santiago Knits
Karla Sayles
Scholastic Books
Sexy Hair Concepts
Susan Shah
Kirstyn Shaw
Anne Shintaku
Simmzy Restaurant Home Office
Simon & Schuster
Skechers
Skin 90210
Skin by Lovely
Skinmedicd
Skirball Cultural Center
Mariana Small
Smoke House Restaurant, Inc.
Christian Snell
Denise Snider Perlstein
Sol Baby
Somper Furs, LLC.
Sonki Fitness
Soul Cycle - Santa Monica
Soul Cycle- West Hollywood
Soul Cycle - NY
Sourcebooks, INC
Southern California Leadership Network
Southern Wine & Spirits
Speedo USA
Splendid Studio
Sports Authority
Sprinkles Cupcakes
Sprinkle's Cupcakes-LA
Staples Los Angeles
Starring Fragrance
Stephanie Hobgood Hair
Suzie Strosin
Studio Charis
Sue Ganz Photography
Sugarfina
Suncoast Hotel & Casino
Susanne Elizabeth Jewelry Designs
SusieCakes
Elizabeth Svatek
Sweat City Fitness
Karolyn Szot
Tahoe Donner Association
Talega Golf Club
Target -La Cienega
Tarte Yogurt
Kennedy Taylor
Minna Taylor
Bailey Teas
Temecula Olive Oil Co
The Bar Method - Hermosa Beach
The Bar Method - Los Angeles
The Beatbuds
The Better Chips
The Book Foundation
The Carter Center
The Coffee Bean
The Doctors
The Festival of Arts
The Flintridge Proper
The Giving Child
The Help Company
The Hudson
The Huntington Library, Art Collections,
& Botanical Gardens
The Ice House Comedy Nightclub & Restaurant
The Inviting Co.
The Laguna Playhouse
The Langham Huntington
The Laugh Factory
The Los Angeles Athletic Club
The Museum of Tolerance
The Natural Cafe
The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
The Pasadena Playhouse
The Peninsula Spa
The Promotional Edge
The Rockefeller
The Smoke House
The Stylist LA
The Walt Disney Company Glendale
The Warehouse Restaurant
Thomas Kelly
Thyme Cafe
Tieks By Gavrieli
Tikkun Holistic Spa
TM Financial Forensics
Tommy's World Famous Hamburgers
Toms
Tot Squad
Toyota Sports Center
Nikki Trager
True Foods
Truman Wine Company Inc
UCLA Extension
Ultrazone Laser Tag
Universal Studios Hollywood
UrbanSitter
USC Department of Intercollegiate Athletics
Leticia Valadez
Valet of the Dolls, LLC
Rebecca Vanyo
Venice Duck Brewery
Gitanjali Venkatrao
Carter Vettese
Victor Peter, Ltd.
Village Footwear
Vina Sympatica Sparkling Wines
Vincent Vinyard
Vita Coco Santa Monica
Vivo Mask
Vons - San Pedro 2
Vons- San Pedro
Vosges Haut - Chocolat
Ajay Vyas
Warner Bros. Entertainment
Warner Bros. Pictures
West Atlanta Pediatrics
Westside Aesthetics
Wheel of Fortune
White Rock Vineyard
Keri White
Whole Foods - 3rd Street
Wilde Wine Bar and Restaurant
Wilson & Franco
Wilson Construction
WineLA
Suzanna Winslow
World Champion Cardio Boxing Inc.
WPromote
Wunda Bar Pilates Studio City
Wurstuche
Yoga Works - Studio City
Yogaqua
Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad
Kathryn Young McCullough
Zico Coconut Water
Zimmer Children's Museum
Steffenie Zorner
THANK YOU
SPONSOR
THANK YOU
to our sponsors!
VIP Experience Sponsors Nespresso / Ice Cream Lab
Overall Event Sponsors Barefoot Wine & Bubbly / Coronado Brewing Co. / Los Angeles Magazine
AsomBroso Tequila / Paper Epiphanies / FreshBoxL A / Hutchinson Cocktails + Grill
Open Air Kitchen + Bar / Nescafe Dolce Gusto / Vino Simpatica / Drake’s Brewery / La Brea Bakery
Anie Bailan Catering / Big, Sexy Hair / OPI / Better Chip / BidPal
ANNUAL REPORT
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
CASH & INVESTMENTS
REVENUE
C A SH BAL ANCES
Net Fundraising Activities
$219,091.67
General Fund
$200,817.20
Contributions$179,388.30
HQ Contingency Fund
$29,132.21
Membership Dues & Fees
$256,217.25
Sustainers Fund
$17,176.96
Investment Income
$127,831.91
Legacy Leadership Circle Fund
$74,765.90
HQ Contingency Fund
$54,092.10
GR AND TOTAL
$836,621. 23
E XPENSES
Administration$148,446.74
Auxiliary Services
$8,992.48
Dues$46,816.25
Placement & Program
INVES TMENT S BAL ANCES
General Fund
$677,503.31
Projects Fund
$690,720.86
HQ Endowment Fund
$728,934.76
TOTAL C A SH
& INVES TMENT S
$2 ,419,051. 20
$255,664.77
Projects & Grants
$34,016.07
Training & Education
$43,703.11
GR AND TOTAL
FINAL PROGR AM/SUPPOR T SPLIT PERCENTAGE
69.8% /30. 2 %
$ 537,639.42
PROGR AM FUNDS - raised by Development*
(fundraising ef for ts/events) to suppor t Projects, Programs,
Public Policy Initiatives and Member Trainings.
30.2%
69.8%
SUPPORT FUNDS - raised by Dues, Interest Income from
bank accounts, Dividend Revenue from Investment Accounts
goes to suppor t Staf f, Rainey House headquar ters, Digital
Cheetah website, General Meetings.
*DEVELOPMENT INCLUDES (BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO):
• Annual Giving
• Campaign Social & Special Events (e.g., LA Marathon event)
• Har vest Boutique
• Casino Angeleno
28 I N S P I R E ★ S U M M E R 2 015
JUNIOR LEAGUE OF LOS ANGELES
7
11
2
12
4
3
1
*OUR*
BESTSELLER
6
1. TOTE BAG
4 . J L CO FFE E
T U M B LE R
14” x 18” x 7”
Be prepared for every League
meeting with this bring anywhere, carry anything, always
look stylish ‘it’ bag!
Holds 16oz
Warm up on a cool morning
in Junior League style with
this black ceramic tumbler.
Featuring a red JL logo,
double-wall construction.
$45
2 . BASEBALL
3/4 SLEEVES
$20
S–XL / True to Size
Score a home run this season
with this ¾-sleeve baseball tee!
(100% Cotton)
$35
3 . SWEATSHIRT
XS–XL (runs small)
This soft, lightweight sweatshirt is a MUST, and how better
to show your support than by
looking fabulous all the while?
$50
5. YOGA JACKET
XS–XXL / True to Size
This jacket features a 2”
embroidered Junior League
pillar logo centered between the shoulder blades.
$75
6 . ACCESSORY ROLL
More purposes than pockets,
this roll is great on-the-go or
at home!
$25
8
5
10
7. JL KEY
Available in Two Sizes
Show your JL support everywhere you go with this red
uncut JL key.
$5
8 . I LOVE JL
KEYCHAIN
2 ½” x 1 ¼"
Show your love for Junior
League everywhere you go
by adding this I <3 JL key
chain to your keys.
$8
9. CARDIGAN
XS–L
This classic slim-cut v-neck
cardigan features a 2”
embroidered Junior League
logo, six-button closure and
dual front pockets.
9
10. MAKEUP BAG WITH
I LOVE JL KEY FOB
The perfect companion
for your Tote Bag!
$20
11. I LOVE JL T-SHIRT
S–XXL / Runs Small
Show off your Junior League pride
with this I <3 Junior League v-neck
t-shirt. (Black or White)
$35
12 . I LOVE JL TANK TOP
S–XXL
Show off your Junior League pride
with this I <3 Junior League razorback tank.
$30
$ 55
MARKETPL ACE ITEMS CAN BE PURCHASED AT
JUNIOR LEAGUE EVENTS AND SOCIALS
JLLA Shines Bright at
AJLI ANNUAL CONFERENCE
T
W R I T T E N B Y S arah R ic ker t Weer t s
he Junior League of Los Angeles proudly
hosted the AJLI’s 93rd Annual Conference
in the City of Angels this year. More than
600 women from around the world came
together for three days of intensive training, remarkable speakers and interactive workshops at the Hyatt
Regency Century Plaza. JLLA President Courtney
Hunkele Garvin and Conference Host Committee
Co-Chairs Sarah Rickert Weerts and Ness Okonkwo
participated in the Opening Session and JLLA was
honored along with California SPAC and the Junior
League of San Francisco—winning the first ever AJLI
Public Policy Award for our work around Perinatal
Depression and our “Speak Up When You’re Down”
maternal mental health awareness initiative. Other
highlights included the keynote address on gender
inequality in the media from actress Geena Davis
and an opening reception at Greystone Mansion, the
former home of JLLA founding member and second
President Lucy Doheny (1927–1928).
We would like to thank the Legacy Leadership
Circle for generously sponsoring the host table and
photo booth. We would also like to the committee
and the countless volunteers who helped make this
conference one to remember, we could not have done
it without all of you! ★