Women At Work's 34th annual gala honorees (l-r): Sen. Carol Liu - California State Senator, Cynthia Kurtz - CEO, San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership, and Wendy Keller - First Vice President, Community Bank. Photo courtesy of Women At Work
Women At Work celebrates its 34th year of providing employment services to the community of Southern California. This year’s annual gala pays homage to the iconic film “Casablanca†and transports you to 1942 as you enter the upscale Rick’s Café Americain. Pose for photos with Humphrey Bogart, sing along with Sam, sway to World War II-era music and join in with the Arthur Murray dancers as you enter the intrigue of Morocco.
The honorees are:
Trailblazer Award: Cynthia Kurtz, CEO, San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership
Imagine someone spending her entire career in non-traditional roles for women. For decades Cynthia Kurtz has worked in leadership positions related to transportation, economic development, public works and city management. Since 2009 she has been president and CEO of the San Gabriel Valley Economic
Partnership, which fosters the success of businesses to enhance the economy and enrich the quality of life in the San Gabriel Valley.
Heritage Award: Carol Liu California State Senator
Choosing the field of public service, Carol Liu began her career as an educator and school administrator before serving as a legislator. After serving eight years on the La Cañada Flintridge City Council, she was elected in 2000 to the California State Assembly. Since 2008 she has been a member of the California State Senate, where she is the chair of the Education Committee. A member of the California Commission on the Status of Women, she has been a strong advocate for Women At Work.
Accolade Award: Wendy Welch-Keller, First Vice President, Community Bank
The inaugural Accolade Award will be presented to Wendy Welch-Keller for providing exceptional leadership on the Women At Work Board in a variety of ways. Professionally she is first vice president of Community Bank in Pasadena. The Accolade Award has been created to recognize someone whose efforts to further the Women At Work mission have gone far beyond expectations.
This Annual Women At Work Gala will be held on Saturday, October 26, 2013, 5:00 p.m. at the University Club, 175 N. Oakland, Pasadena. Reception is at 5:00 p.m. and silent auction, 7:00 p.m. dinner and program, 8:45 p.m. dessert reception. Ticket costs $150 per person and $1,350 per table of 10. To order tickets or for more information go to www.WomenAtWork.org or call (626) 796-6870. The event will benefit Women At Work.
Women At Work, a non-profit organization founded 34 years ago, provides assistance to people in all financial situations. Over the past year our clientele has increased 55 percent. In 2012 we provided career counseling, resume critique, job leads, job skills training and more to over 6,100 clients who visited the center. Now we are asking for your help!
In this challenging economy more clients are struggling to find work and keep their confidence going strong. Services provided by Women At Work, from weekly Job Club meetings and tools for job seeking, to career counseling and resume critique help them while continuing their search for a better future. Women At Work has proved to be a lifeline for thousands of women and men, with a helping hand in a time of need.
