[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 194 (Monday, November 16, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1032-E1034]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING THE 2020 WOMEN OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN GARAMENDI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, November 16, 2020

  Mr. GARAMENDI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 2020 Women of 
the Year. The honorees represent some of the most outstanding and 
dedicated women in the 3rd Congressional District. Nominated by their 
peers, these women and the leadership they have provided are being 
recognized for playing an integral and crucial role in improving the 
lives of everyone in their communities. This year, we mark the 100th 
anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing and 
protecting women's constitutional right to vote. Since then, our nation 
has seen women take great strides in every American industry from 
business to politics to the arts. This progress has not come easy and 
many women who have come before have worked hard and strived to achieve 
the independence and rights women have today. Though there is more work 
to be done to ensure that women have equal pay, flexible work 
schedules, and affordable education, each of the honorees will be a 
vital part of the work to get there.
  2020's Women of the Year are:
  Dawn La Bar is a dedicated public servant who has played a key role 
in her community's development. She has worked in the Fairfield City 
Manager's Office since 2011, where she has been at the heart of 
critical city efforts, such as the development and implementation of 
the City's Legislative platform, community revitalization projects, and 
affordable housing programs. Dawn uses her skill and expertise to bring 
together local and regional stakeholders to increase funding 
opportunities and further important projects. Recently she has taken on 
the crucial task of addressing homelessness in the Fairfield area and 
works tirelessly to provide those experiencing homelessness with the 
best possible outcomes. As the leader of the City's Homeless Services 
Division, she brings people together from all levels of government and 
industry to achieve a common goal. During the COVID-19 pandemic, her 
work became that much more critical, and she embraced the opportunity 
to build Fairfield's Project Room Key which secured shelter for so many 
at-risk individuals. Building on that momentum, Dawn helped lead an 
initiative to open an emergency shelter and secured additional funding 
to ensure individuals would have the opportunity to move on to 
permanent housing. Dawn's work, both throughout her career and during 
this pandemic, has had an incredibly positive impact on her community.
  Janet Lacy is recognized throughout the region for her musical 
ability, mentorship, kindness, and dedication to the Orland community. 
As pianist and organist of the local Federated Church of Orland, Janet 
has used her musical talents to awe and inspire ever since she came to 
Orland in the 1980s. Her kindness, patience, and commitment have 
allowed her to excel at mentoring local youth with an interest in 
developing their musical abilities. Janet's musical accompaniments can 
be found at nearly every community wedding or funeral in Orland, while 
her talent and patience have been foundational to the local community 
choir, The Glenn Chorale. She also volunteers her time as a docent at 
the Orland Art Center where she shares her artistic knowledge with 
visitors. Janet is also a member, and has served as President for 
several terms, of the Women's Improvement Club. In that role, she has 
spent her time furthering the group's mission, providing scholarships 
for local high school seniors, supporting the Orland Fire Department, 
Library, and Glenn County Senior Nutrition Center. In recognition of 
her special place in the hearts of her friends and neighbors, Janet has 
been selected as Orland Citizen of the Year and served as the Grand 
Marshall in the fall parade. Janet is a treasured member of the 
community and an indispensable resource for every group she serves. 
With her vast array of accomplishments and caring spirit, Janet serves 
as a shining example of philanthropic generosity and passionate service 
to everyone in her community. Her work on behalf of women, children, 
and families in her community will have a lasting impact on generations 
to come.
  Kathlan Latimer has dedicated her life to education. Beyond her 27 
years as a teacher in the Fairfield-Suisun School District, Kathlan has 
worked to help other teachers bring quality education to their 
students. Through her work over the past 12 years as a lecturer at UC 
Davis, and as a curriculum coach with the California Department of 
Education, Kathlan has had a positive impact on education programs 
throughout California. Kathlan's passion for education stems from a 
desire to improve the lives of every one of her students. She has long 
been a supporter of science and math educational programs, particularly 
focusing on underserved communities, working to ensure that all 
students have equitable access to STEM careers. To this end, Kathlan 
has worked as a mathematics coach and served on boards of professional 
mathematics educators at the county, state, and national levels. In 
addition to her tireless work in support of STEM education, Kathlan has 
been an invaluable resource to college students interested in pursuing 
a career in education. Imbuing these students with the same passion 
that has been the foundation of her career, Kathlan has been a mentor 
to many aspiring teachers and secured internships for countless more at 
local schools. Kathlan's career and volunteer work has had an 
immeasurable impact on the lives of countless students and serves as a 
model to all future educators.
  Leticia Quirarte is a passionate activist dedicated to serving her 
community. Leticia spends her time as a certified Covered California 
enrollment counselor with the Winters Healthcare Foundation where she 
helps residents in her community find the necessary resources to have 
healthy and long lives.

[[Page E1033]]

Leticia's expertise in healthcare advising is most evident through her 
crucial role in the Winters Healthcare Foundation's Promotora program, 
actively advocating for the health of local migrant seasonal farm 
workers. Serving as one of the founders and current president to the 
Winters Hispanic Advisory Committee, Leticia helps provide health 
education and devotes her time to helping her community members promote 
housing that is both inclusionary and affordable. Serving as an 
organizer for events like the Festival de la Comunidad and Dia de los 
Muertos, Leticia helps to bring 3,000 residents together to rally 
behind the Hispanic Advisory Committee. Passionate about improving the 
lives of immigrants, Leticia and the Hispanic Advisory Committee have 
sponsored annual citizenship programs to help people on the path to 
becoming a citizen. Leticia's philanthropic leadership in the Hispanic 
Advisory Committee has enabled the group to sponsor organizations 
throughout Winters such as AYSO soccer, the Winters Swim Team, Putah 
Creek Council student internship stipends, and the Winters' Munchkin 
Camp. Leticia's care and commitment to her community can be felt by 
many and her work will have a lasting impact for years to come.
  Dr. Phuong Luu has served both Yuba and Sutter counties as the bi-
county health officer since early January, working tirelessly to ensure 
the health of the communities in both counties. Dr. Luu began the 
position of health officer at a time when COVID-19 was still a 
mysterious virus with infections concentrated in Wuhan, China. As the 
threat of a global pandemic became apparent, Dr. Luu met with community 
groups of all sizes to ensure that concerns were addressed, awareness 
of the disease spread, and to ensure the health of every community 
under her care. Dr. Luu brought a top tier education and years of 
public health leadership experience to her role of bi-county health 
officer, and despite having very little time in the position at the 
start of the outbreak, she was well prepared to hit the ground running. 
Dr. Luu had served previously as the Director of Public Health in the 
Northern Mariana Islands where she oversaw the preparations, response, 
and recovery effort for the deadly Typhoon Yutu. This high-pressure 
experience prepared her well to do the work necessary in a global 
pandemic. Dr. Luu has been instrumental in developing all public health 
policy in her community, working with community leaders such as parent-
teacher organizations, local medical associations, the chamber of 
commerce, and Beale Air Force Base leadership. Dr. Luu's contributions 
to both Yuba and Sutter counties will be felt for years to come, not 
only through her continued efforts to ensure the health of the bi-
county area, but also in the lives that she has helped protect 
throughout this pandemic.
  Barbara Mann has been a dedicated community servant for years, 
bringing time, dedication, and leadership to countless organizations 
throughout Glenn County. As a former president of the local Parent 
Teacher Association, she worked to promote the welfare of students in 
her community. Her passion for education was passed on to her two 
daughters who became public school teachers. Barbara has also served as 
treasurer for the Stonyford Horseman's Association and a board member 
for the historical Willows Lamb Derby, helping to preserve a community 
tradition over 80 years old. Barbara's work also includes serving on 
the Willows Planning Commission, the Glenn County Elections Board, and 
the Willows Museum Board. Her current work as President of the Glenn 
County Seniors organization is more vital now than ever, as she helps 
ensure that seniors in her community have regular access to nutritious 
meals. Barbara has made an impact on every organization where she gave 
her time and is known throughout her community as a positive role model 
to all.

  Corkey Mapalo has unparalleled passion and dedication to helping 
those in need. She has worked at the Yolo County Food Bank for over a 
decade, both as a dedicated volunteer and an invaluable employee. 
Having retired from the County of Yolo, Corkey began volunteering at 
the food bank, where she found a passion for their mission. She is now 
a dedicated Director of Operations for the Yolo County Food Bank where 
she works with her colleagues to alleviate hunger and food insecurity 
throughout her community. Though always important, her work has never 
seemed more urgent than during the current Coronavirus pandemic. As 
need for food assistance has increased in recent months, Corkey has met 
the challenge head on, seeking out any opportunity for increased 
funding, greater donations, or increased distribution capacity. In just 
the past six months, Corkey has led the Yolo County Food Bank team to 
distribute more than five million pounds of food and is responsible for 
helping to feed over 45,000 residents of Yolo County each month. In 
addition to food distribution, Corkey has led efforts to distribute 
other essential items, most recently devoting her weekends to 
collecting and distributing essential supplies to victims of the LNU 
Complex fire. Corkey's devoted service is responsible for helping 
countless seniors, children, and residents of Yolo County.
  Julie Martin is a natural leader who has consistently dedicated her 
time and talent to improving the lives of those in need. The founder of 
the Yolo County chapter of 100+ Women Who Care, Julie has been 
instrumental in organizing large-scale philanthropic campaigns, 
volunteering her time and energy to ensuring that local non-profit 
organizations receive the funding they need to carry out their 
missions. 100+ Women Who Care is an organization dedicated to 
organizing contributions from women in the community into a bulk grant 
for Yolo County non-profit groups. Though the group's original goal was 
to maintain a membership of 100 women who could each donate $100 every 
three months, it has flourished under Julie's leadership, far exceeding 
that original benchmark for success. The group has donated hundreds of 
thousands of dollars over the years to community groups in need, often 
providing a financial influx at a critical time. Though it would have 
been easy to allow the group to fall by the wayside when the current 
pandemic made in-person meetings impossible, Julie and her steering 
committee realized that the need for their philanthropic work was now 
more important than ever. Since the onset of the pandemic, 100+ Women 
Who Care has donated tens of thousands of dollars to STEAC and to the 
Yolo Food Bank, enabling these organizations to continue their vital 
work when the community is most in need. Through her work with 100+ 
Women Who Care and her many other volunteer efforts, Julie has had an 
immeasurable impact on her own community and beyond.
  Alice McBride is a dynamic and gifted community leader who has been 
empowering others to fulfill their potential for decades. Highly 
respected throughout the Solano community, Alice is a teacher, 
preacher, coach, mentor, and consultant who selflessly draws on her own 
knowledge, experience, and wisdom to grow the lives of others. Her 
talents and inspirational leadership make her a sought-after speaker. 
As Founder and CEO of the Angelic Tabernacle of Christ Universal 
Outreach Ministries, Alice has created numerous other ministries to 
provide aid to the community, including the Divine Women Walking in 
Their Divine Destiny Conference, the Men of Valor Conference, Olives 
Around the Table, and the Kenya Internal Network Outreach. For over 20 
years, Alice has done important work through the Youth 18Teen-20 Years 
program, which seeks to avail young adults in need of resources 
required to succeed in school. She also selflessly serves as a 
Volunteer Hospital Chapel Coordinator with David Grant USAF Medical 
Group at Travis AFB. Here, she brings to bear her extraordinary 
patience, dignity, and emotional touch to help those who have lost a 
loved one progress through grief. Alice's grace and professionalism 
have helped countless people process loss and go on to find strength 
and fortitude. As a mother of three, grandmother of five, and now a 
great-grandmother, Alice's family spans five blessed generations. 
Alice's kindness, generosity, and inspirational leadership will have an 
impact for generations to come.
  Janie Nall is a dedicated community leader who is committed to 
serving those who serve their country. She is known throughout her 
community for her knowledge, leadership, and extraordinary 
achievements. She has given her time and expertise to countless 
community organizations, including the Yuba-Sutter Arts Council, 
Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club, Marysville Chinese Community, and 
the boards for Rideout and Sutter North Health Groups. Her passion for 
serving our men and women in uniform, combined with her incredible 
knowledge of issues of national defense have made her an invaluable 
member of the Beale Military Liaison Council, the California Governor's 
Military Council, the Air Combat Commander's Group, and the Air Force 
Civic Leader Group. Those at Beale Air Force Base know Janie to be a 
patriotic advocate for the base, servicemembers, their families, and 
the surrounding community. She currently serves as the Chair of the 
Beale Military Liaison Council, helping to raise over a million dollars 
for much needed improvements on base. Through her work, she helps raise 
the morale of the airmen and has a direct impact on base readiness, 
helping them to carry out their important mission. As a member of the 
Air Combat Command Commander's Group, Janie has brought invaluable 
leadership and insight to serious issues of national defense. In this 
role she also mentored others, helping them to grasp the importance of 
the Beale Air Force Base mission to the community and the nation. Her 
work ensures a legacy of leaders who support our men and women in 
uniform. As Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on 
Readiness, I have had many occasions to work with Janie and know the 
incredible value of her perspective. Janie's work on behalf of her 
community and her country cannot be overstated and her contributions 
will leave a lasting impact for years to come.

[[Page E1034]]

  Betty Nelson is a dedicated and passionate community servant who is 
driven to leave her community better off than how she found it. Over 
the years she has instilled this same drive in many young girls through 
her work as a Girl Scout troop leader. She taught them the importance 
of giving and serving and led by example. Betty has also worked at the 
Casa de Esperanza for the past 32 years, where she helps to educate the 
community and prevent domestic violence and sexual assault. Her 
unflagging energy and commitment to helping survivors has made her an 
invaluable member of the team. As a volunteer for Casa de Esperanza, 
Betty used her experience coming from a military family to pioneer the 
organization's outreach to Beale and Travis Air Force Bases. As part of 
this program, Betty trained the bases' First Sergeants and Lieutenants, 
helping to construct the first Sexual Assault Response Teams on these 
bases. This work leaves an incredibly important and lasting legacy. 
Betty now serves as the finance director and volunteer coordinator for 
Casa de Esperanza where she has trained countless volunteers, helping 
to expand the role and capabilities of the organization. Betty has 
provided decades of invaluable leadership and service to her community 
and her positive impact cannot be overstated.
  Jenette Ochsner's dedicated volunteer work has helped to build strong 
community bonds across cultural divides. Her work with both the 
Multicultural Women's Dance and the Sutter County Library Literary 
Services has helped shape the cultural vibrancy of her community. As a 
volunteer for the Sutter County Library, Jenette has served as a tutor 
both for the Citizenship Preparation and the Adult ESL classes, using 
her skills as an instructor to help those in her community become 
citizens. These classes are not only a steppingstone for citizenship, 
but for many these ESL classes provide the English skills needed to 
help with future employment prospects and other important goals. Her 
commitment to these individuals goes above and beyond her classroom 
duties, leading her to help many obtain their drivers licenses and take 
other steps to build independence. Jenette's passion for cultural 
diversity has led her to volunteer coordinating the Multicultural 
Women's Dance for the past six years. The Multicultural Women's Dance 
is a long-running event that encourages participants to share the 
dances and fashions of their cultures, build friendships across 
different communities, and promote the importance of diversity. 
Jenette's work building community for new immigrants and encouraging 
others to share their cultural heritage is a model of acceptance for 
all who know her.
  Susan Rotchy is a devoted advocate for people with disabilities and 
has been instrumental in securing increased funding for medical 
research. After becoming paralyzed from an automobile accident 19 years 
ago, Susan began her activism at the community college, when she 
successfully compelled them to become ADA compliant. Realizing her 
ability to inspire change, she put her unique perspective to work by 
advocating for important legislative change. Through her work with 
Californians for Cures, she helped pass the Roman Reed Spinal Injury 
Research Act of 2000, as well as the Stem Cell Research and Cures Act 
of 2004. Susan also co-founded the non-profit organization, Research 
for the Cure, which raises money to fund research into neurological 
diseases and conditions. All told, her personal experience of living 
with a disability, combined with her wealth of experience working with 
her peers has endowed her with an intimate knowledge of the needs and 
issues facing disabled individuals. This expertise has enabled her to 
offer guidance to countless advisory committees and organizations 
throughout Solano County, including the In-Home Support Services 
committee, the Solano Transportation Authority for Seniors and 
Disabilities, and the Consolidated Transportation Advisory. Her 
dedication was recognized in 2007, when she was named Miss Wheelchair 
California based on her advocacy, achievement, and representation of 
Californians living with disabilities. Susan is a vital member of the 
community whose resiliency and advocacy for others is an inspiration to 
all who meet her.
  Julie Shepherd is a dedicated volunteer and strong leader who has 
made lasting contributions throughout her community. As treasurer of 
the Sutter Youth Organization, Julie works to create an active 
community by helping to maintain facilities for youth sports, 
recreational activities, and schools. She plays a key role in the 
organization's fundraising efforts, ensuring a treasured institution 
will continue serving the city of Sutter. Her work enables the Sutter 
Youth Organization to remain a core part of the community, providing a 
central venue for important programs and events to take place. Julie 
also serves as the treasurer of the Yuba City Type 1 Diabetes Support 
Group seeking to create a safe space for those living with Diabetes in 
Yuba City. In addition to these leadership roles, Julie volunteers for 
several organizations in her community, giving her time and dedication 
to the annual Bike Around the Buttes event which aims to raise diabetes 
awareness, leading arts and crafts events with Yuba Sutter 4H, 
volunteering with Sutter County Friends of the Library, and supporting 
Brittan School and Sutter Union High School events. Julie's work and 
volunteerism has touched countless individuals and left a lasting 
impact on her community.
  I congratulate each of them and commend them for their work. I am 
inspired by them and firmly believe when women succeed, America 
succeeds!

                          ____________________