The nominees--2005.

Karen McCarter

Aloette Cosmetics

Karen quit a top corporate position to start her own small company as she wanted to be in business for herself and be a driving force assisting other women on a number of levels. Since starting Aloette, Karen has trained over 3,000 women, offering them the opportunity to be in their own business. She held the record of having the highest first month for Aloette for over seven years. In 1991 she had her first million dollar year in sales.

At the same time she was caring for an ailing mother and for a sister that had Lou Gehrig's disease and cared for both of them until they died while still running her business, training and motivating women and providing mentoring and opportunity to women of all ages and all ethnic groups. In the past twelve years Karen's Franchise has been in the top ten in Sales for the US Division. Her company specializes in the finest Skin Care made from the gel of Aloe Vera Plant and natural botanicals.

Patricia A. Means

President/Founder

Turning Point Communications

As founder and president of Turning Point Communications, Patricia Means has established herself as a new-economy entrepreneur and small business specialist. Her aggressive "can do" spirit has carried Turning Point from its inception with a.$2,000 investment to a nationally recognized small business and community development resource.

Through Turning Point Communications, Means has also developed and implemented Turning Point Magazine, turningpointmagazine.com, the Annual African-American Business Summit, the Access to Success Business Tour and the Turning Point Business Minute Radio Program.

Kimberly Michel

General Agent

Michel Financial Group

Kimberly Michel, General Agent for the Michel Financial Group, is at the helm of one of the most successful Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company group agencies. One of only five female General Agents, she continues to grow her team and her organization consistently ranks in the top 6 of annual production. Her core values--integrity, trust, professionalism, dedication and teamwork, are reinforced daily within her organization and with the raising of her two young sons.

Kimberly is used to breaking down barriers and was the first female to be President of both the Los Angeles Life Underwriters Association as well as the Los Angeles General Agents Management Association. She was also nominated for the NAWBO Hall of Fame. She is a board member of the Next Generation of the Saint John's Health Center and is very active with the YWCA Santa Monica.

Lorna Touryan Miller

Executive Director

Young & Healthy

Young & Healthy is the brainchild of the Office of Creative Connections, an urban ministry created in 1984 by All Saints Church. Lead by Lorna Touryan Miller, the incubator operation conceives health related projects and nurtures them until they can become independent.

Miller co-founded Young & Healthy in 1990, believing that it is the right of every child to have access to quality health care. She raised funds for the program and initially helped to coax 30 physicians and dentists to join the crusade to keep underserved students healthy. Miller's Young & Healthy has now served nearly 13,000 public school children and has attracted more than 300 health professional,, as volunteers.

Amy Moreau

Corporate Account Executive

Nextel Communications 

Amy Moreau loves Los Angeles. former flight attendant from upstate New York, she realized after stopping here several times that LA was where she had to live and work.

Moreau has been working with Nextel Communications for eight years--most recently as a corporate account executive managing all of the defense company clients with their highly specific data and communications needs.

Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero

Owner/CEO

Red Hot Copy

Copywriter and international speaker Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero founded Red Hot Copy in 1999. She provides copy to several household name personalities and motivational speakers and is co-author of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series. Her home study course on copywriting has won national awards for publishingexcellence.

Morgan-Ferrero's Red Hot Copy Copywriting Bootcamp is an international training program that operates via telephone, email and the internet. It attracts students from as far away as Switzerland, England, Scotland and Finland.

Roxanne Motamedi

Getty Images

Roxanne was hired a little more than three years ago to build Getty Images' entertainment division based in Los Angeles. Since her arrival, Getty Images (GYI) has continued to excel in the photography field. Roxanne has built a successful team and now you see "gettyimages" at each and every event in the entertainment industry, giving well entrenched competitors a run for their business.

Roxanne has built the company's entertainment division from the ground up. She is well respected by her staff/colleagues and competitors (who often try to recruit her). Roxanne has built her career on her integrity, vision and her ability to move companies forward.

Nicole Mutchnik Volunteer

Nicole Mutchnik has accumulated an impressive resume of volunteer activities ranging from education to women's issues to community causes and events. She has chaired several major events in the last few years on behalf of Temple Israel of Hollywood while serving as budget chair of the executive committee for the Women's Political Committee.

Mutchnik has also served in several leadership roles on behalf of the Anti-Defamation League, including co-chair of the organization's government affairs committee. She is also outgoing president of the Southern California Ambassadors for the Weizmann Institute of Science and has hosted receptions at her home for U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, Congresswoman Diane Watson, Planned Parenthood and the Rape Treatment Center.

Lori Kotarski Nelson

Executive Vice President

Davie-Brown Entertainment

Lori Kotarski Nelson, Executive Vice President of Davie-Brown Entertainment, is a veteran marketing executive with a broad range of corporate experience. At DBE, she heads the team in charge of the fashion, talent relations, events, and music departments, and also manages DBE's key lifestyle clientele, including the NFL, Timberland, Lucky Brand, Etnies, Serengeti Eyewear and three brands within the Allied Domecq portfolio.

During her four years at DBE, Nelson has successfully created an events department, doubled the fashion department and brought in the company's first spirits clients by striking a deal with Allied Domecq's Kahlua, Sauza and Stoli Elit.

Sherry Nikka

Founder

Sherry Nikka

Sherry Nikka's impetus to success is her intrinsic intensity and scope of vision as a fashion designer, stylist and international consultant. The success of her private label collection has prompted her to consolidate manufacturing to one Los Angeles location. Despite her initial fear of succumbing to inexact quality control, she repeatedly gains praise and recognition in the industry for her talent as well as quality.

Currently, she has interpreted her active life style as a mother of three sons and the yearning for vitality and style consciousness into active sportswear line Sherry Nikka. She is convinced that movement and comfort can be integrated into a figure flattering approach, evoking women's sensuality.

Adoley Odunton

Co-Founder

Synergy Unlimited

Adoley Odunton is the co-founder of Synergy Unlimited, a self-mastery company with partner Deborah Deras. Adoley and Deborah are active in the Hispanic and African American communities. They created a networking group for multi-cultural women and a non-profit foundation to mentor teenage girls.

They have developed a thriving seminar and coaching company, giving dynamic presentations to Women's Groups, Government Agencies, Universities, Associations and Fortune 500 companies. Their presentations have changed lives. Her passion is to mentor others to achieve greatness and she and her partner Deb are always willing to give of their time to make a difference.

Debra Okamoto

Real Estate and Property Management Manager

Toyota

Debra Okamoto is responsible for the management of Toyota's $1.7 billion corporate real estate portfolio, which includes over 150 properties nationwide and comprises approximately 10 million square feet of diverse space, ranging from typical office locations to specialized service training centers. Her additional responsibilities include managing a portfolio of multi-tenant buildings to third parties, which generate roughly $30 million in income.

As a project leader of Toyota's Green Project Team, Okamoto is also responsible for ensuring that future real estate assets as well as existing facilities are brought up to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design compliance.

Kelly Parker

West Coast Advertising Director, Star Magazine

and Celebrity, Living Magazine

American Media

Kelly Parker has worked to make Star's transition from a tabloid to a weekly glossy a resounding success. She has excelled at marketing a brand upstream and keeping existing advertisers happy while raising rates, as well as introducing exciting new advertisers to a rapidly growing magazine. At the same time this transition was occurring, Parker was busy helping to launch American Media's latest publication, the weekly lifestyle magazine Celebrity Living.

All the while during these endeavors, Parker has continued to be a stand-out team member, winning the Presidents Award in multiple categories in April 2003 and April 2005. She brings innovative ideas and excellent client and corporate relations to both magazines on a daily basis. In her time away from the publishing world, Ms. Parker gives back to the community by volunteering as a Wish Granter for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Dr. Elaine Parker-Gills

Chief Academic Office/Campus Director

Springfield College, School of Human Services,

Los Angeles Campus

Dr Elaine Parker-Gills is a passionate advocate of both education and executive diversity. She has over 20 years experience as a management executive in both higher education and the private sector. Her current responsibilities at Springfield College include management and oversight of a $2 million operating budget. She has developed programs and initiatives that have helped raise graduation rates and student retention.

Dr. Parker-Gills believes wholeheartedly in mentoring. She has mentored countless individuals in the area of education. Many of her proteges have gone on to successful careers. Her mantra is "one can never have too much education."

Sylvia Patsaouras

Regional Planner

Southern California Association of Governments

SYlvia Patsaouras has worked with various civic and community groups and has been appointed to city, county and state boards. She has served on the State of California's Speakers Commission on Regions and on the State of California World Trade Commission. Patsaouras served as Commissioner in the LosAngeles Services Authority Commission for the Homeless.

Patsaouras was recently appointed by Mayor Villaraigosa to serve as City of Los Angeles Airport Commissioner. She is presently the manager of environmental planning at SCAB. She has been instrumental in ensuring that transportation is carrying out the Air Quality Plan.

Karen Polio

CEO 

Megatrux, Inc.

From modest beginnings, Karen Polio has grown her freight business to an annual sales total of $40 million. Her subsidiary, Megatrux Transportation, Inc., which Polio established in 2001, adds annual sales of more than $12 million and continues to show strong growth.

Whenever one Polio's charities requests her participation, she is a willing motivator and fundraiser. W Of special interest to Polio is her involvement in the Geoffrey Lance Foundation for Spinal Cord Research. Among other charitable pursuits, she also lends a helping hand to the Kids Wish charity for whom her trucking company transports toys to needy hospitals.

Joyce Perkins

Founder

Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative

Driven by a desire to revitalize neighborhoods distressed by economic decline, physical deterioration and crime, Joyce Perkins formed the Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative in 1994. LANI is a nonprofit, redevelopment agency that transforms blighted neighborhoods into sparkling jewels of the city. Perkins carefully designed LANI to inspire and unite members from each neighborhood to be involved with all aspects of their LANI projects.

Perkins began as one woman with a vision and has established an organization including grant writers, attorneys, a director of development and four project managers, and thanks to her vision, the concept is quickly spreading across the nation as work shops of her model have been requested by several large cities.

Therese Peters

Financial Advisor

Therese Peters is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley and a retirement planning specialist. Her entrepreneurial spirit is evidenced in her ability to network and involve herself in the community in both business and heritable pursuits.

Peters became president of a local networking group known as Santa Monica Professionals and tripled its membership in less than one year. She has since created an organization called Premier Professionals, which is an umbrella for sister group West Los Angeles Professionals. She originated PALZ--a professionals group to aid the cure for Alzheimer's.

Laura R. Petroff

Managing Partner

Winston & Strawn

As managing partner as Winston & Strawn, Laura Petroff not only oversees 50 lawyers and all their in-house support staff and outside contractors, she is responsible for financial planning and business development for the firm. In the courtroom, Petroff represents publicly traded corporations in employment relations litigation.

As part of her commitment to provide pro bono legal services, Petroff serves on the Board of the Public Counsel Law Center and promotes pro bono activities at the firm. She spearheaded an innovative project to assist low income, abused and neglected school children in individualized education programs to enhance their academic performance.

Janice Pober

Senior Vice President Corporate Affairs

Sony Pictures Entertainment

Janice Pober is Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Sony Pictures Entertainment. She administers the studio's strategic philanthropic efforts and cultural participation and community outreach activities, with particular emphasis on the company'sinvolvement with its Culver City home base, its dedication to arts education initiatives, and celebrating diversity.

She serves as a Trustee of the California State Summer School for the Arts, Vice Chair of Workplace Hollywood and serves on the boards of Camino Nuevo Charter School, Los Angeles County Public Library Foundation and Los Angeles Urban Funders. She also serves on the Visiting Committee for California Institute of the Arts/Community Arts Partnership, the advisory board of Culver City High School Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, among other groups.

Harriet S. Posner

Partner

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP 

Harriet S. Posner, a partner and successful litigator, contributes her experience and knowledge to enriching numerous associations across both legal and educational nonprofits in Los Angeles. The goals of these associations range from encouraging the creation of films with a social message, taking action against sexual harassment in the workplace, obtaining fair legal representation for the poor, investing in outstanding education for children of all backgrounds, and advancing the rights of women.

Each year, she is the driving force to raise money at the Legal Aid Foundation's Access to Justice Dinner. In her role as the co-chair of the Capital Campaign for the Center for Early Education, Posner helped raise over $15 million for the new building and each year raises money for the annual fund.

Lori J. Posner

President

YESDESIGNGROUP

Founder, President and driving force behind red hot design firm YESDESIGNGROUP, Posner has, in a very short time, taken YDG from competing strongly in an elite niche of the design world traditionally dominated by men to setting the standard. Posner and YDG have become known as the go-toHollywood agency for the most innovative marketing materials. In the past 18 months, the company's revenue has tripled.

In this year's Primetime Emmy race alone, Lori J. Posner's YDG is the creative force behind 9 "For Your Consideration" campaigns supporting 4 television networks that garnered a total of 15 nominations, quite possibly delivering more campaigns than any other single creative agency.

Barbara Brandlin Pulley 

Senior Vice President

QueensCare

In 1993, Barbara Brandlin Pulley was recruited to join the Board of St. Joseph's Health Support Alliance, the parent corporation of QueensCare, after she retired from banking to raise her two children. She is currently President of St. Joseph's Health Support Alliance. Her involvement with QueensCare has grown over the years to her present position of Senior Vice President and Interim CFO.

Currently, Pulley is a member of the Board, chairs the Management Committee, and sits on the Finance Investment, and Education and Outreach Committees of the board. In addition, Pulley chairs the Grant Committee of the Charitable Division Board, which oversees the grantmaking activities of QueensCare.

Lisa Greer Quateman

Quateman & Zidell LLP

Lisa Breer Quateman founded her own firm in 1989, during a recession, with just herself and one part-time attorney on the payroll. As a woman attorney in a male-dominated field, she had to prove that she could do as well or better than her male counterparts. Sixteen years and counting, the firm is still going strong.

Beginning in the early 1990s, her firm was accepted into the California State Treasurer's pool of bond counsel. Since then it has worked on over 130 financings with progressively more responsibility. The firm also served as disclosure counsel to the state of California in the largest municipal borrowing in the history of the municipal bond market. In 1997, Mayor Richard J. Riordan appointed Ms. Quateman to the Board of Directors of the City's Industrial Development Authority and she was reappointed by former Mayor James K. Hahn.

Erin Garrity Rank

President and CEO

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles

Erin Garrity Rank began her service with Habitat for Humanity as a volunteer in 1995. At her first meeting she learned that the South Bay affiliate built only one or two homes per year. She thought "this area should be one of the top ten producing affiliates in the country." Then she set about to make it happen. Over the last eight years, Rank steadily built the affiliate into a multi-million dollar nonprofit organization.

This past year, Rank took a bold step and lead Habitat for Humanity South Bay/Long Beach through a successful merge with the Los Angeles affiliate. The new affiliate, under her leadership, will serve the 51 cities and 62 unincorporated areas in LA County and 70 communities within the City of Los Angeles.

Sonia Ransom

Partner

Allen Matkins

Sonia Ransom, a residential land use partner in Allen Matkins' Los Angeles office, is highly regarded for her expertise in land use and redevelopment. She has co-chaired the firm's renowned Land Use, Environmental and Natural Resources Department, and served as Allen Matkins' marketing partner, as well as on the firm's Compensation Committee.

Ransom was named as one of Real Estate Southern California's "Most Powerful Women in Commercial Real Estate" in 2003 and 2004. She has written a number of articles on real estate and land use issues in an attempt to further educate the public on these matters.

Patti Regan

CEO and President

The Regan Group

Patti Regan is CEO and owner of the award winning marketing agency The Regan Group, but she is also a mentor, community leader and volunteer. For 13 years, Regan has continued her vision of building a full-service marketing agency that strengthens brands through innovative campaigns and promotional initiatives.

Four years after the industry wide setbacks of 9/11, TRG has regained momentum and is stronger than ever as a result of Regan's commitment to her company and staff. She has introduced key learning programs for her employees and her commitment to the marketing industry is evident through her involvement with many industry associations and organizations.

Mary L. Ricks

President, West Coast Commercial Group

Kennedy-Wilson, Inc.

Mary L. Ricks serves as the only woman executive at Kennedy-Wilson and holds the number two spot in the firm. Ricks is responsible for acquisition and disposition services for investment and income producing commercial real estate. In this role,Ricks has represented clients in deals for some of Los Angeles' most prestigious office buildings.

Despite a high pressure and competitive industry, Ricks is willing to take the time to educate and inspire others. With over 18 years of real estate experience, Ricks serves as a mentor and advisor in the field of commercial real estate. She is also involved with many charitable organizations, including Chrysalis, which locates employment opportunities for homeless and disadvantaged individuals.

Marty Rodriguez

Owner/CEO

Century 21 Marty Rodriguez

Having been the top broker worldwide for Century 21, a residential real estate giant with 110,000 professionals in 25 countries, it is fair to say that Marty Rodriguez knows how to sell. For seven years running, her Glendora based office has been first in the United States in both unit sales and gross commissions.

Though her business demands a high level of energy and commitment, Rodriguez maintains a personal mission to bring happiness to herself and others and makes the time to support the City of Hope and other charitable causes.

Jennifer Rosky

Founder

Solution Marketing

Jennifer Rosky acknowledged a human resources need in marketing-driven companies during the mid-1990's and so she founded a company called Solution Marketing, a strategic staffing firm that specialized in helping California-based companies meet their short and long-term staffing needs.

Rosky has utilized her broad experience in marketing and communications to provide companies with highly targeted recruiting for Temporary, Temp-to-Perm and "Permanent" staffing. They now fill a wide range of key positions for their clients from New Product Development and R&D to Operations, Logistics, Marketing, Sales and International Business Development. Additionally, Jennifer continues to help individual candidates through one-on-one Career Coaching. She also is a mother of three daughters and maintains a continued involvement with Community Services.

Lynette Runnells

Controller

Star Waggons

In the short time that Lynette has been with Star Waggons, she has had a profound effect on the company. Twenty-five years ago, Star Waggons started with one motor home, today it supplies most of the Entertainment industry with the equipment they need for a successful production. Everything from School Rooms to Million Dollar buses are in the inventory. Lynette has brought the back office in line with the productline, all while raising a family with her husband Anthony.

Beyond her multi-hat wearing work at Star Waggons, Lynette volunteers her time with Inroads Inc., an organization devoted to developing and placing talented minority youth in business and industry.

Elizabeth Ann Saft

Counselor

Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles

Lizzie Saft is a woman with epilepsy who has beaten the odds through difficult challenges brought on by her condition and has become a deeply involved and committed volunteer. She serves as a regular counselor at the Foundation's Family Camp and Teen Retreat, and she also serves on the Year-Round Teen Retreat committee.

As a counselor, Saft is able to share her own experiences as a way of encouraging young people affected by epilepsy. She is also very active in fundraising events. She is a true example to others with epilepsy by not letting the disease control her. She has inspired members of her extended family to get involved and make a difference for this cause.

Monica Salinas, Ph.D.

President of the Board of Directors of Women &

Philanthropy

UCLA 

Dr. Monica Salinas is president of a program dedicated to encouraging women to become major benefactors at UCLA and support their potential and visibility as volunteer leaders at the university. She is the program's first Latina president.

Dr. Salinas counsels parents of school-age children, corporations and individuals in all issues pertaining to social and cultural adaptation. Her philanthropic activity as UCLA often supports Latina students and promotes a greater awareness of Latino culture, both on campus and in Los Angeles at large.

Eleanor Sanchez

Owner/CEO

Complete Clothing Company, Inc.

Eleanor Sanchez started Complete Clothing with a mere $5,000 investment and has lead it to where it is today--a $30 million business with 65 employees. Her "Zinc" brand of clothing geared toward girls aged 16-20, is marketed in fine department stores across the country include Nordstrom and Marshall Fields.

Sanchez's vision is to make a difference in the lives of individuals in the community and beyond. Through Complete Clothing, she donates thousands of dollars per year to local schools and autism organizations. She also donates thousands of dollars worth of fabric to LA's Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, which in turn it sells to raise funding for programs.

Dena Schechter

Founder

Dena A. Schechter Alternative Dispute Resolution/Mediation

Dena Schechter is immediate past Board Chair of the University of Judaism, serving five years in that capacity. Under her aegis, her family foundation created two endowments at the university: The Sid B. Levine Service Learning Program (named for her father and mentor), a curriculum requirement that each UJ undergraduate study and participate in multiple aspects of community service; and the Schechter/Levine Ethics Program, which integrates ethics throughout the university curricula.

Schechter balances her commitment to community and to her close-knit family with a career in business, managing industrial property and investments. She has also raised funds and/or taken a leadership role for virtually every community group with which she has been associated, including a list far too long to be contained here.

Stephanie Schissler

President & COO

Cord Partners, Inc.

Stephanie Schissler is President and COO of Cord Partners, a private cord banking company. Schissler had such tremendous passion and belief in the stem cell industry that in 2002 she sold her house in Florida, emptied her savings and used her credit cards to move to California and start Cord Partners. The company provides cord blood stem cell storage services to expectant parents.

The combination of Schissler's diverse business background, belief in the City of Los Angeles, and insatiable desire to promote the health benefits of stem cells to all families has established her as a trailblazer in a new and dynamic field.

Laura A. Schulte

President, California, Nevada and Border Banking

Wells Fargo 

Laura A. Schulte, who manages Wells Fargo banking activities in California, Nevada and border banking regions, has distinguished herself as one of our community's most active volunteers. As a member of the Board of Directors of the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Schulte has served the organization in multiple capacities such as her past role as chair of the annual fundraising campaign.

Most recently, Schulte has supported United Way through an investment of time and resources in the organization's women's initiative. Under her leadership, Wells Fargo has become one of the top contributors to the United Way of Los Angeles. She has also been involved in other various community and charitable organizations ranging from the Los Angeles Urban League and Town Hall Los Angeles to the American Heart Association.

Vivian Seigel

CEO

Jewish Vocational Services

Vivian Seigel has continually looked for ways to expand JVS' services to more people in Los Angeles, from downsized career professionals to at-risk students to people with disabilities. She oversees one of the largest nonprofit career-counseling organizations in California, with more than 24,000 clients, 15 locations and a budget of $10 million.

In an era where most people go through six to eight career or company changes, Seigel has been with JVS for over 28 years, helping people achieve independence and stability through work. At JVS' 75th anniversary earlier this year, Seigel was commended by Senator Diane Feinstein for "making a profound difference in the lives of many."

Clara Selden

Founder/Owner

Miss Clara's Certified Professional Services, Inc.

Clara Selden's business was established in Los Angeles in 1964. Miss Clara provides certified and professional housekeeping, home management, home repair and concierge services to executive home owners in the Westside communities of Los Angeles.

Selden, who celebrated her 80th birthday this year, is dedicated to bringing dignity to the profession of home management. Her training center and certification process enhances her students' self-esteem and prepares them for careers in home management. She remains a full-time professional and array of sunshine.

Jeanette Shammas

Shammas Family of Business

At an age where most people think more about here to retire than how to grow a business, Jeanette Shammas was faced with taking over the group of companies her husband had primarily managed for years. Over the past few years since Nick Shammas' passing, she has strongly managed the growth of their real-estate, insurance and dealership businesses and continues to be an inspiration for the men and women she is contact with.

Harnessing her determination and business know-how, she has become one of most successful women of not only Los Angeles but the entire country, and serves as an inspiration to women coast to coast.

Heidi Shyu

Vice President and Technical Director

Raytheon Company, Space & Airborne Systems

and

Chair

U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board

As chairman of the U. S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, Heidi Shyu, with the hearty encouragement of Raytheon, plays an integral role in national defense. She directs a group of government, academic and business executives that reviews and evaluates matters of science and technology, and from its findings, formulates advice for the security of the Air Force, the chief of staff of the Air Force and senior Air Force leaders.

Although she devotes much of her time to Air Force issues, Ms. Shyu is also responsible for reviewing the technology of Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems (SAS) and providing technical guidance and oversight in the development of complex electronic systems and products. Her formula for success: "I will never lose sight of our ultimate customer--the young men and women we send into harm's way."

Patti Sinclair

Senior Vice President and General Counsel

Playa Vista

Patti Sinclair doesn't just supervise four departments that help run the Westside's newest community. Simply put, Playa Vista wouldn't exist today without Sinclair. She has an unparalleled institutional memory and technical knowledge that ranges from law, land use and public financing to entitlement processes and ground-up construction. In addition to the information itself, she provides invaluable insights and perspective unmatched in our industry. Patti also plays a lead role in the company's strategic planning.

Among her many achievements on behalf of Playa Vista, Sinclair helped negotiate a critical agreement with the State of California that resulted in the sale and donation of more than 500 acres west of Lincoln Boulevard for use as open space in perpetuity: As a result of that deal, 70% of Playa Vista will be open space or parks.

Toni Singman

Principal

Toni Singman and Associates

Toni Hampton Singman, I.I.D.A., is the Principal of Toni Singman and Associates, founded in 1970. Her studies at the UCLA School of Interior Design and the Universities of Oklahoma and Texas, have well prepared her for directing her qualified team of design specialists. In addition to the publication of her monthly column, "Design Dialog", Toni Singman has been a featured guest on the television shows "Entertainment Tonight", "Real Estate Update", Discovery Channel's "Interior Motives", and was featured on HGTV's "Designer's Challenge" in four episodes.

Her participation in Showcase Houses and charitable events, such as the Epicurean Gala, have made her a valuable asset to the community. Toni is currently serving as President of Santa Monica Professionals.

Christie Skinner

President

City Spaces, Inc.

Over the past nine years, $200,000 has been SINGELE-handedly raised for children's causes by Skinner, president and founder of City Spaces, Inc., the leading mid-size Los Angeles commercial interior space planning and design firm headquartered in Pasadena. Beneficiaries of her annual fall City Spaces Golf Tournaments and spring City Spaces Casino Nights, attended by the top real estate brokers and developers from within the Greater Los Angeles area, have been Child SHARE in Glendale, Harambee Center of Northwest Pasadena and Foothill Family Services in Pasadena.

Skinner started City Spaces, Inc. from scratch in 1986, forming a mid-size design organization offering the expertise and sophistication of a large company, while providing the personalized attention of a small firm that increases clients' productivity, efficiency and profitability through smart design solutions.

Summer Smith

Audit Manager

KPMG Los Angeles

Although only joining the Los Angeles office of KPMG in 2002, Summer Smith quickly won the respect of senior management and accounting personnel and was quickly recruited to serve on the firms "Senior Management Council," a group of KPMG's most respected managers who mentor other managers within the firm.

Smith's loss of her mother to cancer in 2003 drove her to join the planning committee of the Santa Monica Relay for Life event and took it upon herself to put together a team from KPMG each of the past two years. The even this year raised more than $170,000 for the American Cancer Society--with $14,000 of that being raised directly by Smith's KPMG team.

Maureen Spell, MD

Chief of Internal Medicine

Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center

Through her work at Kaiser Permanente and the Hollywood Sunset Free Clinic, Maureen Spell, MD, makes significant contributions to her community and work place everyday and serves as a role model for volunteerism with her many outstanding accomplishments.

Overseeing a staff of 130 with her role as chief of internal medicine at Kaiser Permanente's Los Angeles Medical Center, Dr. Spell has inspired many physicians to follow her lead and volunteer at the Hollywood Sunset Free Clinic. She lead the effort to open a women's clinic and a pediatric clinic at Hollywood Sunset, all while serving as an assistant clinical professor at the UCLA School of Medicine.

Renee C. Steele

Founder and CEO

Action Home Health Care, Inc.

As founder and CEO of Action Home Health Care, Inc., Renee Steele has been making a difference in the lives of elderly Angelinos for the last 35 years. Under her charge, Action Home Health Care has grown to a multi-million home care company with offices throughout southern California and contracts with the major insurance companies.

Prior to her work in the home health industry, Steele created the first senior citizen day care center in the State of California, which she left in 1973 to pursue her dream of establishing a home care organization to provide quality support services to senior citizens and assist them in living independently in the comfort of their own homes.

Linda Stone

CEO

APR Consulting, Inc.

Linda Stone is actually the CEO of three companies: APR Con-suiting, Inc.; 24-Hour Caregivers, LLC; and 24-Hour Medical Staffing Services, LLC. All three of her companies have one thing in common--providing quality staffing solutions to clients.

After founding APR Consulting in 1976, and leading it to multi-state staffing industry success, Stone was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1997. For the first time in her career, she stayed home for an extended period and during that time she discovered the great need for quality home care staffing. She turned her traumatic experience into two new business opportunities.

Linda K. Sybrandt

Partner, Strategic Clients

Deloitte & Touche LLP

Linda Sybrandt is a partner in the Pacific Southwest Strategic Relationship Management group of Deloitte & Touche LLP. She is a firm-designated specialist in real estate, engineering and construction, and foreign-owned U.S. businesses. She has been selected consecutively over the years by Real Estate Southern California Magazine as one of the "Most Influential Women in Real Estate."

In addition to her real estate specialization, Linda has worked with many public companies, multinational corporations, closely held corporations, startup ventures, and businesses considering public offerings. She is also a frequent speaker on real estate related topics. Linda also finds the time to stay involved in various philanthropic volunteer and business efforts.

Julia Sylva 

Attorney

Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgaard and Smith

An active attorney, Julia Sylva always finds time to serve as a volunteer for her community. Much of her community involvement has come from her untiring desire for social justice, as in the case of women's rights and equal representation for the Latino community. She cofounded many worthwhile organizations including the Los Angeles Metro Chapter of the National Women's Political Caucus (she currently serves as president), among others.

Since 1993, Sylva has served on the Los Angeles County Citizen's Economy and Efficiency Commission where she serves on the Executive Committee and chairs the Economic Development Task Force.

Kathy Taggares

Founder

K.T.'s Kitchens

Kathy Taggares founded K.T.'s Kitchens in 1987 when she acquired the rights to manufacture Bob's Big Boy salad dressing from Marriott Corporation. In 1989, she started a frozen pizza manufacturing company with her first customer being Wolfgang Puck. Today, sales in her pizza division exceed $35 million annually, with the primary focus on private label and school food service.

Taggares owns 100% of her business. She prides herself on being a hands-on owner, working side by side with her more than 300 employees. Her manufacturing facility in Carson has become the largest pizza processing plant west of Kansas.

Kimberly A. Tambascia

Financial Advisor

Morgan Stanley

After an interesting career switch that brought her from film producer and talent manager for an Oscar nominated screen writer to a current career in dollars and cents, Kimberly A. Tambascia is now a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Beverly Hills.

She is a mag na cum laude graduate of New York University. Tombascia focuses on long term financial planning for individuals and families. She has been a presenter on the subject of financial planning at various charity focused events, including those for the benefit of women's breast cancer organizations, family clinics and emerging artists.

Erica Tamblyn

Volunteer

The Midnight Mission

Erica Tamblyn of Milbank Tweed Hadley and McCloy has given countless hours for the logistic challenge of the Midnight Mission's move to a new facility earlier this year. She not only volunteered in the logistics meeting weekly, but taught and demonstrated to mission participants how to move.

Coordinating the move of employees, program participants, and the core services for the thousands of homeless people the mission serves was an enormous challenge embraced skillfully by Tamblyn. Thanks to Tamblyn, the Midnight Mission, which serves thousands of homeless people each day and houses more thank 300 each night, has a new and superior home.

Joey Tamer

President

S.O.S., Inc.

For the past 29 years, Joey Tamer has empowered technology entrepreneurs in building their own companies, successes, wealth and balance. A strategist, policy maker and negotiator, her work includes strategies for hightech clients on entry, exit, capitalization, return on investment, growth, positioning, pricing, distribution, risk assessment, new market expansion, due diligence and intellectual property.

Tamer's deep commitment to her clients' success is uncompromised. A consultant for her entire career, she has helped clients domestically, in Europe and in China.

Cynthia M. Thaik, M.D.

Cardiologist

Providence Saint Joseph. Medical Center

Cynthia M. Thaik is a member of the medical staff at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center and one of the few female cardiologists in Los Angeles County. She is also an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCLA. Dr. Thaik specializes in congestive heart failure and women's health. She is co-leader of the Women's Cardiac Risk Screening Program at Providence in Burbank.

Dr. Thaik has been a leader in bringing awareness to the nation about the risks of cardiac disease among women, and she was recently featured in a Lifetime television special which followed four women as they spent eight weeks undergoing a heart-healthy program to lose weight, lower cholesterol and reduce high blood pressure.

Kim Tillman

Assistant Vice President, Student Loans Division

Citibank

Kim Tillman is an inspiration to all professional young women faced with obstacles. Tillman did not allow her obstacles--being a teen mother with no college education--deter her from securing a better life for her and her family. Diligently working in the education field for the past 20 years, she is now an Assistant Vice President at Citibank.

Tillman assists schools in conducting life skills seminars such as loan counseling and debt management workshops. She is very involved in the community as well. She has served for the past three years on the CASFAA High School Relations Committee to prepare and assist high school guidance counselors in their preparations for counseling high school seniors.

Karen Tobin

Director of Marketing and Promotion

K-EARTH 101 FM

Karen Tobin is Director of Marketing and Promotion for Infinity Broadcasting's K-EARTH, the most listened to oldies station in the country. Tobin oversees the advertising, promotion, publicity and brand messaging for the station. This past January, she lead the LA Infinity radio cluster and the Viacom owned television stations in a one day joint fundraising effort "Southern California Tsunami Drive," raising money for the American Red Cross.

Tobin has 20 years of experience in radio, television and consumer marketing under her belt and has demonstrated talent creating and leading teams responsible for all manner of community outreach campaigns.

Susan P. Tomlinson

Partner

Grobstein, Horwath & Company LLP

Susan P. Tomlinson, CPA, became the first female partner at Grobstein Horwath in 1995. Despite the reality that accounting has been largely a male dominated industry, Tomlinson, in the early 80's, developed two highly specialized areas of expertise--insolvency tax and tax controversy.

Tomlinson has advised many bankruptcy trustees and their counsel regarding income tax planning, structuring and compliance issues in both insolvency and receivership matters, including debt restructuring and cancellation, abandonment of assets, and discharge of taxes.

Sandra L. Toye

Toye & Associates

Faced with the challenge that the courts fail to legally recognize the bonds that connect humans and their companion animals, Sandra Toye accepted the challenge by opening her own law practice dedicated solely to animal issues.

Her practice has given hundreds of individuals and their animals an outlet that previously not existed, not only through creativity but also in understanding the relationships between animal and human. Toye considers herself as much a counselor as an advocate. The theories she uses to help her clients have forced her colleagues to step up to the challenge of innovative thinking and influence courts to recognize the importance that animals have in our lives.

Laura Skandera Trombley 

President

Pitzer College

During Laura Skandera Trombley's tenure, which began in 2002, Pitzer College has reached first-ever major milestones. These include the completion of the first comprehensive capital campaign, which surpassed its goal by securing $5 million, the largest single-donor gift since its founding; receiving the largest number of applications in its history; improvement in college rankings; and the highest number of national awards in the college's history.

Trombley is an active leader within Los Angeles area organizations. She is an elected member of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce Board, the San Gabriel Chapter of the Young Presidents Organization; the Organization of Women Executives and the Trusteeship.

Amy Turner

Bingham McCutchen, LLP

Amy Turner, a partner in the Labor and Employment group at Bingham McCutchen, counsels human resources managers, senior executive and in-house attorneys in all aspects of human resources issues and legal compliance. An attorney since 1994, Turner has helped defend management clients against claims of breach of contract, fraud, discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation, wage and hour violations and unfair competition.

In an effort to help clients avoid problems before they develop, Turner counsels clients on proper human resources procedures and provides training programs for management and employees. In addition, she has prepared employment agreements, consulting agreements, confidentiality agreements, waivers and releases and employee handbooks.

Kathyrn S. Turner

Vice President and Business Development Officer

Fiduciary Trust International

After first entering the retail industry in 1971, Kathy Turner is currently responsible for developing new client relationships in the Western United States for Fiduciary Trust International.

Turner is the first woman to serve as President of the Rotary Club of Los Angeles, where she remains active as the cochair of Rotary Cares and is a member of the Membership Approval Committee, as well as the Community Service Grants Committee. Turner is also the first woman Chair of the Board of Directors for Goodwill Industries of Southern California and Inland Empire. Turner has become a passionate advocate for the disabled in Los Angeles through her work with Goodwill and is involved with numerous other charitable organizations.

Jill Valenti

Volunteer

American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles

Jill Valenti has nearly 25 years of volunteer experience with the American Red Cross. She was recently elected as Chairman of the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles Board of Directors. She is the first woman to chair the Board in chapter history.

Valenti also chairs the Red Cross Community Outreach Task Force, whose mission is to bring better Red Cross service to the citizens of Los Angeles by deploying more personnel to the chapter's service centers. On a national level, Valenti has served as an advisor for the Chapter Enrichment Program and as a member of the Donor Feasibility Study Action Team for Disaster Fundraising.

Karen Villafana

Area Coordinator

Los Angeles City Council 

As Area Coordinator, Karen Villafana has worked with the Mid-City Neighborhood Council Economic Development Committee and local businesses to meet community goals and see that business interests are protected. She has worked on the Ballona Creek Project by helping organize a community clean up along Ballona Creek waterway. She was able to get the city to post "no dumping" signs in the creek area. With her help, the beautification of this area can begin via the planting of flowers and foliage to help in the greening of Los Angeles.

This year Villafana has worked on stopping the illegal activities of some ice cream trucks, drug selling, illegal dumping of trash, prostitution and problems with illegal food vendors.

Clare Waismann

CEO

The Waismann Institute

Clare Waismann, CEO of the Waismann Institute, has helped more than 2,000 people rid themselves of the debilitating effects of dependency to drugs such as OxyContin, Vicodin and heroine. Her vision lead to the founding of the Waismann Method, a cutting edge medical treatment for opiate dependency that she brought to the US from Israel more than 10 years ago.

Waismann serves as a unique and dedicated role model to women in business throughout the country, having built a successful organization that has garnered worldwide attention as it battles barriers of traditional addiction mentality.

Lula Washington

Founder

The Lula Washington Dance Theatre

Since 1980, Lula Washington has been dancing, choreographing and training dancers of all ages at her inner city Los Angeles dance studio. There, she runs a program called "I Do Dance, Not Drugs," which provides low cost and scholarship dance classes for local youth after school and on weekends.

Washington has kept her school active in Los Angeles through riots, earthquakes, recessions, gangs, drug dealers and a city government that wanted to convert her school's property into a shopping center. Through it all, Washington has prevailed. She will soon move her studio into a newly purchased on Crenshaw Boulevard, which will become the permanent home for her organization.

Elizabeth Wells

Pilates Instructor

Elizabeth Wells is a certified pilates instructor. Since 2001, she has specialized in stress reduction through breath work and ball rolling techniques, increasing strength, flexibility and posture with mat work and equipment.

Wells infuses body-mind awareness by educating her clients on how their bodies work. Her mission is to have clients of all ages and walks of life feeling stress free, flexible and more body aware.

Lauren Weiss

Account Executive

The Rose Group

Specializing in fashion, media and gaming, Lauren Weiss has managed some of the Rose Group's premier client initiatives. She spearheaded media campaigns for clients such as SKYY Vodka, Campari, Quicksilver, Roxy, Wave House, Spectrum, Junior League of Los Angeles, and GameRiot, for which she also coordinated numerous national tours.

Weiss continues to build her career at the Rose Group by looking to further strengthen relationships with existing clients and leverage contacts to bring in new ones.

Jackie Caplan Wiggins

Vice President

Frieda's

Jackie Caplan Wiggins is Vice President of Frieda's and serves as the company's sales operations manager. She refers to herself as a "true produce person." Not only did she grow up in the business, but her husband also owns and operates a produce company. Being a triathlete and mother of two, Wiggins still manages to work twelve hours a day as the top sales producer for Frieda's.

Since 1983, Wiggins has been actively involved in key retail account sales for Frieda's--one of the nation's leading specialty produce companies. In 1990, she and her sister purchased Frieda's from their mother and as co-owner, Wiggins is now involved in management functions of the company

Stacy Wilder

Director, Project Management Services

Studley Southern California

Stacy Wilder has twelve years of industry experience in architecture, design and general contracting, as well as expertise in all phases of interior construction. She is a leader in her field among both male and female colleagues. She is recognized as one of the top project managers in the real estate industry.

In addition to her professional achievements, Wilder is an active member of Best Buddies, where she has been a board member for three years. Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships and integrated employment. She has helped double Best Buddies' fundraising efforts over the last two years.

Nancy Wilhite

Office Services Manager

CB Richard Ellis, Greater Los Angeles Region

Nancy Wilhite is the Office Services Manager for one of CB Richard Ellis' largest and highest producing regions worldwide. She manages the region's eleven offices and is responsible for their profitability and the day-to-day operations of the more than 200 staff members.

Wilhite is committed to creating a learning environment where professionals, staff and managers are challenged to spend time teaching and learning from those around them. Following her example, her colleagues invest in the development of others by leading or contributing to the educational initiatives Wilhite has established.

Ronda Wilkin

Senior Corporate Philanthropy & Community

Relations Specialist

Blue Shield of California 

Ronda Wilkin is an award winning, proven business administrator with two decades experience in the healthcare and social services fields. She now serves as the Senior Corporate Philanthropy & Community Relations specialist for Blue Shield of California which she says "if I could have written my own job description, this one is 99.9% there!" Her position includes oversight and management of the organization's employee volunteer program, matching gift program, board service program and community contributions and sponsorship program and she leads by example every day.

She is currently Co-Chair of the Board of Directors of Hand in Hand Family & Child Development, and a board member of the Valley Industry & Commerce Association (VICA). In addition she is very active with the Los Angeles Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association and the San Fernando Board of Realtors Senior Housing Committee.

Eddie Mae Williams

Executive Director

Southeast Communities Prevention and

Intervention

Eddie Mae Williams is president and founder of SCPIP and its two programs. Youth Resource Exchange provides services for pregnant and parenting young women 15-25 years old and their children. The Executive Support Network provides management training for executive directors and upper management of community based organizations.

Williams started the organization without funds and was able to obtain the current space in a Washington Mutual Bank building. In its first year of operation, SCPIP, through Williams' fundraising efforts, raised $165,000. When she started the organization, Williams was the only employee and now she has 6 employees helping her make a difference in the lives of her clients.

Elenore A. Williams

President & CEO

Emerald Urban Development, LLC

Eleanor A. Williams runs Emerald Urban Development, a real estate development firm, focused on redeveloping inner-city communities by working on residential and commercial development projects that will enhance low-income communities by creating inner-city jewels.

Williams also currently serves as Chairperson of the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners for the City of Los Angeles. In this leadership role, she is responsible for providing leadership and oversight for one of the largest housing authority agencies in the country which serves nearly 200,000 low income residents.

Lynn A. Williams

Executive Vice President

Cushman & Wakefield of California, Inc.

Lynn A. Williams has become something of an icon in the Southern California Real Estate brokerage industry. She has had a profound impact on her profession by pioneering her own brand of leadership and expertise in a male dominated brokerage industry.

Williams commitment to excellence is also reflected in her role as community and business leader. Among the many business, church and community organizations she has given time to include City of Hope, the Ketchum Downtown YMCA and the Music Center Unified Fund.

Sharon Williams-Tobin

CEO

Oscar Odelia

Sharon Williams-Tobin is the CEO of Oscar Odelia Custom Tailors & Shirt Makers. In an industry dominated by men, Williams-Tobin has never given up, never lost hope and has become the tailors' tailor. Williams-Tobin and her staff of ten have been the silent force behind many custom clothiers providing wholesale services for over eleven years.

In this day of high technology and mass production, Williams-Tobin insists on tailoring the old- fashioned way by hand--one garment at a time. She has managed to keep Oscar Odelia at the forefront of custom tailoring for both men and women.

Nancy Wilms

Bingham McCutchen LLP

Nancy Wilms is a leader in environmental litigation with 20 years of experience. She has represented both generators and municipalities as they work to rehabilitate themselves after major environmental impacts occur. She also helps municipalities upgrade their infrastructure when necessary in the wake of significant environmental impacts. In 2004, she received a Certificate of Appreciation from the City of Los Angeles for her "commitment to the environment and paving the way for healthy neighborhoods and clean water."

A tireless mentor within her firm, Wilms was voted Outstanding Mentor by associates in 2001, 2003 and 2004. Continuing her devotion to develop the legal careers of the firm's associates, Wilms is the only partner at the firm who studies upward reviews, evaluations of partners made by associates.

Roxanne Wilson

Partner

Reed Smith LLP 

Roxanne Wilson's litigation practice focuses on her expertise in complex commercial and liability matters, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices and consumer devices, as well as class actions, claims for unfair business practices and false advertising. Despite her heavy workload, she sacrifices much of her personal time to serve on numerous boards--particularly in the area of educational access--and provides pro bono legal services.

Among her board memberships is her role as chair of the Scripps College Board of Trustees. She is also on the Board of Directors of the Seaver Institute and the Council of Board Chairs of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges.

Alyce Morris Winston

CEO and Founder

The Jeffrey Foundation

Alyce Morris Winston launched her own nonprofit organization in 1972 and named it after her late son Jeffrey, a beloved special needs child. The Jeffrey Foundation strives to improve the quality of life for disabled and at-risk individuals and their families through the development of appropriate recreational, educational and social programs in the community.

Winston's pioneering efforts to provide therapeutic care and services over the past 33 years will have lasting effects on the lives of the children and families served. The bottom line mission of Winston and the Foundation is to give each child and their families a more productive and happier life through sensitive nurturing.

Terri Yamate

Beyond Zebra, Inc.

As one of the three women owners of Beyond Zebra, Terri Yamate takes "Girl Power" to the next level by encouraging her employees, clients and beyond to participate in helping others.

Terri and her partners not only built a successful promotional company, but a team of people dedicated to helping others. BZI created the first ever "Beyond Zebra" scholarship fund for graduates of the LA Mission's Anne Douglas Center. This scholarship empowers homeless women to step beyond their past & pursue their dreams. BZI has also adopted a school in Burbank & helped to build their computer lab & library. All of the employees give their time during events throughout the year to feed the homeless and help children.

Atronette Yancey, M.D.

Associate Professor, Health Services 

School of Public Health, UCLA

Atronette Yancey, M.D., MPH, is currently Associate Professor of the Department of Health Services at UCLA, where she directs the DrPH program, with primary research interest in chronic disease prevention intervention, especially physically activity promotion. She also codirects the School's Center to Eliminate Health Disparities.

Through her physical activity program, she examines and promotes population approaches to fitness improvement and weight management. The program is particularly focused on addressing ethnic disparities in disease risk and burden, targeting underserved and understudied communities that are increased risk for obesity and inactivity-related chronic diseases. She is also a Fellow of the American College of Preventive Medicine and among other affiliations, is a member of the Board of Directors of the Public Health Institute.

Rina Yasuda

CEO

Insyght, Inc.

Rina Yasuda is CEO of Insyght, Inc., a medical meeting management and communications company. Since starting Insyght in 1996, she has lead it to the Inc. 500 in 2003 and has seen it recognized as the fourth fastest growing private company in Los Angeles.

Although her achievements are compelling, it is Yasuda's belief in the need for any business to impact ultimately upon the quality of life of the individuals that it touches, that has revolutionized the field of medical education.

Erit Yellen

President and CEO

EYA Sports Public Relations, Inc.

Erit Yellen's unique sports PR company provides both personal and corporate sports public relations to some of the biggest names in the sports business. In 16 short months since starting her firm, she has carved a niche for herself and her business by creating a network that literally spans the globe.

She also continues to pursue her philanthropic role in the community by meeting with such organizations as the Elizabeth Glazer Pediatric AIDS Foundation, the Magic Johnson Foundation and the LA WINS (Los Angeles Women in Sports).

April Yi

Account Manager, NW Affiliate Sales

TV Guide

An Account Manager overseeing a territory of eleven states for TV Guide, April Yi is also an active member of Women in Cable and Telecommunications (WICT) and Cable and Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM).

Aside from serving on a number of committees and projects for industry associations, Yi is an active volunteer with Sandpiper, which is a 100% philanthropic association in the South Bay. One of Yi's duties for that organization included volunteering as on-site assistance at the annual "Holiday Homes Tour" last December.

Jamie Lauren Zimmerman

Student

UCLA

Jamie Zimmerman is no ordinary student. Inspired to help others who, like herself, have struggled with poverty homelessness and abuse, Zimmerman became involved with several organizations that help at-risk youth. She was the National Youth Mentor Chairperson for BIAPA and was honored not once but twice with the Omni Award for Exemplary Leadership and Humanitarian Service. She is also the national spokesperson for RADD and was a speaker at the national youth leadership conference on the importance of positive decisions.

A JVS scholarship helped her on her way toward what is sure to be a successful future--a future she is pursuing today at UCLA, where she is studying Film Production. Her leadership skills are also evident in her work with Voices in Harmony, where she helped create the film Listen and served as the first and only teenage producer for the organization. The film had an anti-drug, anti-violence message that was distributed to schools, and was especially meaningful for Jamie, whose own father passed away as a result of drug and alcohol addiction.