Women who make a difference: the Los Angeles Business Journal celebrates L.A.'s women leaders.

The Los Angeles Business Journal, in partnership with Union Bank of California, held its eleventh annual Women Who Make a Difference Awards ceremony and event at the Peninsula Hotel on the evening of Tuesday, August 20th, 2002.

Described by attendees as an inspirational and exciting evening, the celebration honored Los Angeles based women who "lead by example," successfully blending effective business vision with a passionate commitment to positively "making a difference," both in the world of business and in the communities they serve.

More than 90 prestigious nominees were submitted to the judges, who had the difficult task of narrowing the remarkable field down to six honorees for this year's event. Judges this year included Gail Berendzen of Women of Los Angeles; JoAnn Bourne of Union Bank of California; Renee White Fraser of Fraser Communications and NAWBO-LA; Lee Harrington of the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC); and Matt Toledo of the Los Angeles Business Journal.

Los Angeles Business Journal Publisher Matt Toledo kicked off the event. Director of Advertising Kelly Mahoney, then introduced the diverse crowd to keynote speaker Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire, California President of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) and cofounder of Berkhemer Clayton, Inc., who offered powerful and inspirational remarks.

Awards of recognition were presented by Joanne Busansky, Senior VP, Director, Commercial Marketing and Advertising for Union Bank of California and Matt Toledo to six women who have truly blazed a path of leadership and inspiration for all Angelenos.

The 2002 Women Who make a difference honorees included Sharon Allen, Managing Partner, Pacific Southwest Region, Deloitte & Touche; Kathleen Connell, California State Controller; Lynne Doll, President and Partner, Rogers & Associates; Dr. Adele Scheele, Director, Career Center, California State University Northridge; Kathryn Schloessman, President, Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission; and Roberta Weintraub, Founder and Executive Director, Los Angeles Police Academy Magnet School.

Sharon Allen

Managing Partner,

Pacific Southwest Region,

Deloitte & Touche

In her role as Managing Partner of Deloitte & Touche's Pacific Southwest Region, Sharon Allen has responsibility for the Los Angeles, Costa Mesa, San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Reno offices, which comprise the firm's second largest market nationally.

Sharon was the first woman elected to the Deloitte & Touche board of directors, a seat she still holds.

Sharon's community involvement is extensive. In addition to co-chairing the United Way's countywide fundraising campaign and her standing as a United Way board member, she is also a board member of Town Hall Los Angeles, Independent Colleges of Southern California, YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, Sheriff's Youth Foundation, and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, where she is also a member of the executive committee.

Kathleen Connell

California State Controller

Kathleen Connell currently works in public service as California State Controller, a position she was first elected to in 1994 and overwhelmingly re-elected to in 1998, receiving more votes than any other candidate in the nation, carrying 55 of California's 58 counties. Kathleen brings her strong and diverse background in business, education and finance to her efforts as the State's Chief Financial officer, utilizing audits to identify more than $2 billion in potential taxpayer savings since she took office.

The many causes Kathleen has championed since being elected include her fight for good government, her targeting of government waste and her development of sound investment policies for pension funds, as well as the promotion of new healthcare options, an increase in affordable housing and investment in underserved areas. She is also a steadfast promoter of education and job training while developing initiatives which provide support for victims of domestic violence.

Lynne Doll

President and Partner, Rogers & Associates

With a career in public relations spanning 20 years, Lynne Doll has raised the bar of excellence in her profession. Lynne has worked for Rogers & Associates for 18 years, ultimately working her way to being named president and partner. Under Lynne's leadership, Rogers & Associates has become the West Coast's largest independent PR firm while maintaining a vigorous pro bono practice.

Just as Rogers & Associates donates services to a wide array of nonprofit and charitable organizations, Lynne herself maintains a distinguished record of volunteering for various causes close to her heart, including the National Conference for Community and Justice, an organization that fights bigotry and racism, of which she is a national board member. In addition, her passion for mentorship led her to launch her firm's trend-setting mentoring program.

Dr. Adele Scheele

Director, Career Center, California State University Northridge

Adele Scheele is an internationally recognized career strategist and change management authority. Dr. Scheele has guided organizations and individuals through changing markets and evolving lifestyles to emerge with not only new business opportunities but also a deeper sense of purpose. As career expert for NBC's "Today Show," columnist for AARP's Modern Maturity as well as Director of Cal State Northridge's Career Center, Adele has made a career of launching and improving the careers of others.

Adele's passion for empowering the career trajectories of others has manifested itself beyond the scope of her official roles, as evidenced by her membership of various empowering associations. These include Women in Business, Women in Film and the National Association of Women Business Owners. She also mentors Cal State Northridge students and gives inspiring presentations at universities nationwide.

Kathryn Schloessman

President, Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission

Under Kathy Schloessman's outstanding leadership, the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission (LASEC) has become an increasingly substantial contributor to the Los Angeles economy and the image of our city by helping attract and retain special sports and entertainment events ranging from the Grammy and Emmy Awards to the 2002 NHL All-Star Game and 2004 NBA All-Star Game.

Kathy has also made time to remain active on the civic front and has been a powerful proponent of the development of downtown Los Angeles through construction of sports venues and sports and entertainment events. She has served on the executive board of the Central City Association and on the board of directors of Public Counsel, the largest nonprofit provider of legal services.

Roberta Weintraub

Founder and Executive Director, Los Angeles Police Academy Magnet School

Seven years ago, Roberta Weintraub started the first of what has become six Police academies in Los Angeles which prepare young women and men for careers in law enforcement. Roberta raised over $20 million to program, staff and equip each of the six schools, which currently enroll 1200 students at five high schools and middle schools. Thus far, nearly 300 cadets have graduated and most are expected to enter the field of law enforcement after college or military service.

Many also know Roberta from her 14 years of service on the Los Angeles School Board, as host of the Emmy-winning television program "School Beat," or as the host of one of her radio call-in shows. She has maintained a distinguished career of leadership in the Los Angeles community, which among other highlights includes her work as the Co-Executive Director of the LA Cops Afterschool Program and as Founder and Executive Director of High TechHigh, Los Angeles.