CEO OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
SONYA KAY BLAKE
FINALIST
President and CEO
The Valley Economic Alliance Sonya Kay Blake stepped up to the plate as president and CEO of The Alliance at the onset of the COVID pandemic. During this time, she quickly created virtual programs to assist companies in staying afloat, resilient, and open during economic downturns. During this period, she envisioned and held 22 webinars with over 1700 businesses registered for critical resources and contacts. Under Blake’s stewardship, the Alliance helps companies start, grow and thrive in the Valley. With her leadership, she helps create jobs and livelihoods for new neighbors and their families. The Alliance supports the mom-and-pop businesses along Valley’s main streets. In turn, those mom-and-pop shops provide amenities and attractive, engaging, and compelling destinations for people to visit the Valley and spend their hard-earned dollars in the region. The Alliance also convenes various thought leaders and ensures development of the Valley region in a smart, inclusive, intelligent, and equitable way.
LAUREL MINTZ
FINALIST
Founder and CEO, Elevate My Brand
Partner, Fabric VC
Laurel Mintz, JD, MBA, has accumulated a wealth of professional experience and overcome various challenges throughout her career. As the CEO and founder of Elevate My Brand, an award-winning marketing agency based in Los Angeles, Mintz has displayed her exceptional leadership skills. She has successfully served a diverse range of clients, including startups and renowned global brands such as Facebook, Verizon Digital Media Group, PAW Patrol, and Zendesk. Mintz’s ability to connect with people and their stories sets her apart and enables her to foster meaningful relationships with clients. In 2022, Mintz expanded her impact by launching Fabric VC, a venture capital firm. Drawing upon her extensive experience working with over 200 companies in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) and technology sectors, she established Fabric VC with the aim of connecting diverse founders with the funding they need and deserve.
EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
DARLA LONGO
FINALIST
Vice Chairman / Managing Director
CBRE
Darla Longo has been one of CBRE’s most successful investment brokers in her more than 40 years in commercial real estate. Throughout her career, she has been involved in approximately $72.8 billion of investment sales totaling over 1.5 billon square-feet, sold over 21,000 acres of land, and leased over 229 million squarefeet. She is recognized as a pioneer for women in commercial real estate. In 2021, CBRE has recognized Longo with the highest honor of her career by naming a national award after her. The Darla Longo Award recognizes one next-generation producer who is the absolute very best and brightest in our industry. Nominees significantly stand out from their peers for their work ethic, ability to overcome obstacles, engagement in the CBRE platform, and embodiment of our RISE values. They are leaders of the CBRE culture and are riveted on excellence in serving their clients.
JODY TOERNER
FINALIST
Chief Operating Officer
LightGabler
Jody Toerner began with LightGabler when it opened its doors in 2011 as the office manager but was soon made executive director in 2013 and COO in 2022. Her duties involve every aspect of firm management. She is instrumental in overseeing and coordinating its growth, 29 employees (including 19 attorneys), and over 4,000 clients. Toerner is truly the hub around which the firm revolves. Some of her responsibilities include reviewing and approving all insurance coverage, IT vendors and software, and COBRA/medical and related health care coverage. She manages all internal accounting, works with the firm’s CPA, supervises and approves all billing (approximately 800 client bills per month) and handles all HR functions. She works with the firm’s bankers on all details and participates heavily in marketing decisions. She regularly works with the firm’s managing attorney and the attorney practice department managers to oversee the firm’s work and workflow.
WOMAN OWNED FOUNDER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
MICHELLE O’GRADY
FINALIST
CEO & Founder
Team Friday
Michelle O’Grady is a Los Angeles City native, communications expert, and strategist who has advised foundations, non-profit organizations, policymakers, and businesses on how to develop strategies to shift culture and connect with communities. Her work spans over 20 years in multiple industries including fashion, consumer product goods, entertainment, and healthcare. In 2012, O’Grady founded Team Friday, a creative marketing agency that focuses on crafting tactics that resonate with specific cultural and regional distinctions that help clients build stronger connections with their target communities. In 2022, as founder and CEO, she became one of the 23.7% of women-owned businesses to reach a decade in business. To this day, Team Friday puts to practice the principle that most successful brands have – that marketing goes beyond just the use of external communications but is infused into every aspect of the organization.
PAULETTE PANTOJA
FINALIST
CEO
Blu Digital Group, Inc.
Paulette Pantoja is a visionary leader recognized for her innovative use of technology within the film and TV digital supply chain industry. As the CEO of Blu Digital Group, she has built a global media technology company that provides end-to-end digital media software and services to the OTT, broadcast, and video streaming industries. Pantoja founded Blu Digital Group in 2007 as the first dedicated Blu-ray Disc testing facility in the film and TV home entertainment industry. Since then, she has led the company’s expansion into media processing and software licensing of its patented and proprietary cloud-based solutions for digital distribution workflows. With a focus on quality, speed, scalability, and efficiency, Blu Digital Group’s award-winning cloud-based software leverages AI and automation to set the standard for digital media distribution. Under Pantoja’s leadership, Blu Digital Group has grown to about 200 full-time employees and has facilities in multiple countries.
CHAMPION OF WOMEN FINALISTS
RITA BOCCUZZI
FINALIST
CEO
Flourish Inc.
Rita Boccuzzi’s primary focus is financial education and empowerment in order to elevate her community, with a special focus on women so that they can educate their families and friends. She believes that a financially educated society is an elevated society and she absolutely practices what she preaches. In her free time, she hosts complimentary workshops such as “Wine Women & Wealth,” “It’s No Secret to be Wealthy: Money 101,” “Be Wealthy Challenges,” and “It’s No Secret Money Masterclass.” In addition to creating a thriving community for women to network and grow, she also prioritizes creating a safe space for women to learn about money without judgment, pressure and fear. Many women who Boccuzzi has supported through her events have come from environments that did not support their development and growth. She is mindful when hosting these events in order to empower these women.
BARBARA PERRIER
FINALIST
Vice Chairman
CBRE
Barbara Perrier has been with CBRE for 34 years and is a leading investment broker specializing in industrial and land sales. Perrier has been a proud member of CBRE’s Women’s Network and has been an Advisory Board member since its inception 22 years ago. She recently became part of the Board Emeritus. She is passionate about mentoring young professionals and has participated in many mentoring programs. She actively trains young professionals to take the reins, one of the reasons why she is an inspiration and mentor to women in commercial real estate. She is also passionate about assisting Los Angeles’ homeless community. She and her daughter participate in the National Charity League, volunteering at a local homeless shelter whose mission is to lift people out of homelessness. As a volunteer, she provides birthday cakes for children, cooks meals and currently serves on its Board of Directors.
COMMUNITY IMPACT ADVOCATE FINALISTS
JORDYN JACKSON
FINALIST
Co-Founder
SOAR Jewels
In 2014, Jordyn Jackson united with her sister Taylor Jackson to form their own 501(c)(3) charity, Soaring Samaritans Youth Movement (SSYM). Jackson hand delivers soccer balls to share the joy of soccer, school supplies, clothes, and humanitarian aid to youth living in difficult conditions. Seven years ago, Jackson created SOAR Jewels, a socially responsible business where she hand-makes bracelets to help fund proceeds for SSYM. She does this through her Chaminade school club, Bead 4 Balls where kids involved can earn service hours towards graduation. At the end of the year, the club chooses an organization to donate funds to. This year, they chose Asperger Autism Network. Struggling to produce enough inventory for SOAR Jewels alone, Jackson formed a partnership with 14 schools in her local district. As the district’s first student-owned, “servicelearning” business, the group made over 3,000 bracelets and raised $60,000 for SSYM.
TERRI HILLIARD OLSON
FINALIST
Principal
Terri Hilliard, P.C.
Terri Hilliard Olson is an attorney, mediator, certified exit planning advisor, certified Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia care trainer whose practice centers on advanced estate and business succession and exit planning, asset preservation, special needs trusts and family protection planning for seniors and others. With offices in Westlake Village, Burbank, Santa Barbara and San Diego, Olson’s law practice has grown through referrals and her pillars of success: truth, justice, honor and character. Mediation and advisory service are at the core of her expertise, and she resolves issues with respect, dignity and a humanistic approach. As a private mediator, Hilliard is focused on helping families, elders, individuals and businesses resolve disputes through family meetings and, if needed, mediation. Her firm offers unbiased assistance in how to locate quality nursing home and assisted living resources, including strategies for how to pay for long-term care.
MENTOR OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
CHANDER ARORA
FINALIST
Biotech Faculty
Los Angeles Mission College
Dr. Chander Arora’s contributions focus on outreach and inclusion of underrepresented, underserved and displaced populations thereby providing them employment opportunities and increasing the talent pool for a high demand, high growth sector. For the past two years, this is helping break the cycle of poverty, reduce unemployment in the local community, and in turn, enhancing the economy. Dr. Arora’s presentations and workshops at different conferences and ATE Center of Excellence are helping to share lessons learned and project outcomes to a national audience, and help other organizations create pathways to technology careers for adults seeking reemployment. She is also widely involved in disseminating project results via interviews and publications. Her involvement with work source development centers and America’s Job Centers of California to recruit non-traditional students is creating a pipeline for the unemployed to prestigious Biotech companies. The workshop material and videos also serve broader science communities.
CLAUDIA SHAH
FINALIST
Lead Adviser
SBDC
In addition to her impressive professional experience in the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program, Claudia Shah has also demonstrated a strong commitment to bettering the careers of women in an informal or formal mentorship role. She understands the importance of supporting and empowering women in their professional journeys. Shah’s work with Spanish-speaking small business owners since 2015 has allowed her to witness firsthand the challenges faced by underrepresented entrepreneurs. She has embraced the role of a mentor, offering guidance, advice and resources to help women thrive in their business endeavors. Her dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion within the SBDC program has also made her a key player in advancing opportunities for Hispanic and Latina entrepreneurs in LA County. Shah ensures that these business owners have equal access to the resources and support they need to start and grow their businesses.
NEXTGEN WOMAN OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
MAKYLA CERVANTES
FINALIST
Chief Executive Officer
Baila Conmigo Dance Experience
Makyla Cervantes is the chief executive officer of the Baila Conmigo Dance Experience. She has scaled a dance program into two school campuses serving over 400 children with four dance instructors and 22 volunteers. She is on pace for a third campus for the program and has achieved all of this at the age of 16! (She just turned 17). Cervantes is also a 4.3 GPA student, founded the Women in Business Club on Granada Hills High School campus and partnered with Pepperdine and UC Irvine to provide young women mentorship. Along with bringing various forms of dance in communities which lack studios and affordability, she has brought experienced young dancers into leadership roles and given them jobs. She has 22 volunteer dancers and has successfully been able to partner her efforts with charter schools.
JANE DAVIDSON
FINALIST
Associate Attorney
Munck Wilson Mandala
Jane Davidson has been dedicated to serving the Los Angeles community her entire 30 years of life. She currently serves as development vice president-elect on the Management Council for Junior League of Los Angeles, which is a women’s volunteer and leadership training organization. Last year as Harvest Boutique co-chair, she put on an event that raised over $140,000 for the organization’s programs. Davidson is also a deacon at San Marino Community Church where she was recently called to serve as a Stephen’s Leader, restarting a program that has been dormant for 25 years to better provide pastoral care services to members of the church community going through difficult times. Davidson is a mentor for graduates of the UCLA Law Fellows program which helps students from historically underrepresented backgrounds pursue a career in law. She also serves on the Scholarship Committee for USC’s LGBTQ alumni association.
WOMAN TO WATCH FINALISTS
CYNTHIA FRAUSTO
Director, Marketing & Public Relations
Antelope Valley Medical Center
Cynthia Frausto has 28 years of marketing experience, and has been involved in the economic development, healthcare and nonprofit industries. She has enhanced and built strategic initiatives that included marketing campaigns, community partnerships, and public relations planning. She previously worked for a managed service organization focused on radiology marketing, where she reorganized the department and structured an on-boarding program and implemented a client resource management software. Commencing her hospital career as Antelope Valley Medical Center’s marketing and public relations director in the middle of a global pandemic was no easy feat; however, Frausto quickly went to work and soon after launched the hospital’s new website, and successfully rebranded the hospital with a new name and look.
KATIE HIGGINS
Vice President / General Manager
Western Jet Aviation, a StandardAero company
Katie Higgins entered the aerospace industry working for the German company Lufthansa Technik and quickly moved into management roles focused on growing new operational units and increasing profit of existing business units. At the age of 36 she was selected for her first executive position at a Lufthansa subsidiary. A few years later Higgins joined Western Jet Aviation on Van Nuys Airport as CFO when the 20 year old company was partnering up with a private equity firm. She drove structural change, helping Western Jet to grow into a very successful business with 60% increase in number of employees within three years as well as opening a second facility location. This year Western Jet Aviation was acquired by StandardAero, which has chosen Higgins to be vice president/general manager of the Van Nuys site.
STACEY MCKINNON
COO
Morton Wealth
While Stacey McKinnon serves as COO and CMO at Morton Wealth today, she has worked various jobs throughout her life: barista, fitness instructor, marketing associate, receptionist, food server, and wedding planner. These jobs influenced how she sees the world and shaped her values to be empowerment, empathy, and excellence. By the time she shifted into financial services in 2014, she had a diverse range of expertise in teamwork and business management to share with Morton Wealth. Since becoming COO in 2017, McKinnon has been an integral part of growing Morton Wealth from 30 to 55 employees. The firm now serves over 1,000 households and $2 million AUM. She continues to serve 20 clients and feels that maintaining a personal touch allows her to stay connected to their needs and results in better client experiences.
SHANDREKA NIBLETT
Chief Operating Officer
Spectrum Commercial Real Estate, Inc.
Shandreka Niblett has a rich background in commercial real estate, starting her career as an administrative assistant at Grubb & Ellis, where she developed a passion for the field. She went on to work at NAI Capital, where she quickly climbed the ranks from administrative assistant to office manager, overseeing the company’s top-performing administrative department while also receiving her real estate license. After 13 years at NAI Capital, Niblett took her career to the next level and is now the chief operating officer of Spectrum Commercial Real Estate, Inc., where she played a key role in the development of the company from the ground up. Today, the firm is a well-established commercial brokerage and property management company focusing on the San Fernando Valley and Santa Clarita submarkets.