The Westmont Women’s Leadership Luncheon, an inspiring community event dedicated to educating, enriching and empowering women, features keynote speaker Anja Manuel, renowned author, former diplomat and trusted advisor to Fortune 50 companies, on Friday, April 24, from 12–1:30 p.m., with check-in beginning at 11:30 a.m., at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. Purchase tickets, which cost $200 per person, at westmont.edu/leadership-luncheon.
Manuel will share her insights on global affairs and reflections from her own fascinating career journey to inspire emerging female leaders at Westmont.
The luncheon will also celebrate this year’s recipients of the prestigious Lady Leslie Ridley-Tree Spirit of Santa Barbara Award, Yvette Birch Giller and Sue Birch, for their extraordinary contributions to the community through their work with the Mosher Foundation. Sue, who has spent her career in education, has served on the boards of Laguna Blanca School, Marymount of Santa Barbara, All Saints Parish School, the Nonprofit Support Center, Opera Santa Barbara, Storyteller Children’s Center, Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute and Ridley-Tree Cancer Center. Yvette, the president and CEO of the Mosher Foundation, serves on boards of the Santa Barbara Zoo, Sansum Diabetes Research Institute, Storyteller Children’s Center, the Organic Soup Kitchen and Rooted Santa Barbara.
“It's a pleasure to live in Santa Barbara where so many believe in the powerful contributions Westmont women students will make as leaders in our society,” said Sherry Nasseri, chair of the Westmont Women's Leadership Council, which sponsors the luncheon. “We look forward to another exceptional gathering this year.”
This highly anticipated annual gathering brings together local community leaders, professionals and alumni for an afternoon of connection, inspiration and purpose. Proceeds from the luncheon directly support Westmont’s female students, providing vital financial resources as they pursue academic and vocational preparation for lives of impact.
Manuel cofounded and is principal of Rice, Hadley, Gates and Manuel LLC, a strategic consulting firm that helps U.S. companies navigate international markets. The firm includes Condoleezza Rice, former secretary of state; Stephen Hadley, former national security adviser; and Robert Gates, former secretary of defense. Manuel graduated from both Stanford University and Harvard Law School and wrote the book “This Brave New World: India, China, and the United States.” She serves as the executive director of the Aspen Strategy Group and Aspen Security Forum, a premier bipartisan forum on foreign policy in the U.S.
Since 2017, the luncheon has continued a legacy of powerful messages and meaningful engagement. Past speakers include Kathy Ireland, Tamika Catchings, and Henrietta Holsman Fore, whose words have encouraged women students to step boldly into leadership and service.
The generosity of sponsors of at all levels supports the event, including Platinum sponsor Mary Barbour; Gold sponsors Anna Grotenhuis, Anonymous, and The Hugh E. and Marjorie S. Petersen Foundation; and numerous Silver, Bronze, Table and Gift Bag sponsors.