[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 164 (Tuesday, October 18, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1056-E1058]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING THE 2022 WOMEN OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN GARAMENDI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 18, 2022

  Mr. GARAMENDI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 2022 Women of 
the Year. The honorees represent some of the most outstanding and 
dedicated women in California's 3rd Congressional District. Nominated 
by their peers, these women are recognized for the integral and crucial 
roles they play in improving the lives of everyone in their 
communities. This year marks the 102nd anniversary of the 19th 
Amendment, which guaranteed and protected women's constitutional right 
to vote. In securing the right to vote, suffragists broke through a 
seemingly impenetrable barrier to women's full and equal citizenship in 
our country, signaling a new era of equality. Yet, even today, women 
still face significant barriers to their rights and liberties from pay 
discrimination to criminalizing women's reproductive rights. I take 
heart that each of this year's honorees will be a vital part of the 
work left to be done to realize women's full equality and rights.
  The 2022 Women of the Year are:
  Tracy Lahr is a dedicated and passionate teacher who has touched the 
lives of countless students. Several of her students took the time to 
write letters nominating her as a Woman of the Year, :describing her as 
loving, thoughtful, kind, supportive, uplifting, encouraging, and so 
much more. Their stories describe a woman who goes above and beyond to 
engage each and every one of her students, providing a supportive 
presence in their life as well as an inspirational force pushing them 
to pursue their passions and excel in school and beyond. Tracy teaches 
Drama, Show Choir, and Leadership classes at Lower Lake High School 
where students say she never stops working hard on their behalf. She 
encourages students to become involved in the performing arts and to 
grow their leadership skills. Her work makes the school a more vibrant 
place for every student and helps many discover new talents and 
interests. Tracy truly cares about the health and well-being of each of 
her students and makes an effort to connect with every one of them, 
offering support whenever it is needed. Educators play such a critical 
role in our communities and the lives of every young person. Tracy is 
an exceptional teacher who is a shining example of what it means to be 
a positive force in a student's life. While her school is surely sorry 
to see her retire from teaching, it is well-earned through her years of 
dedication to her students.
  Jill LeVake Abruzzini is an agricultural consultant and youth 
advocate who is an integral member of her community. She is a third-
generation member of California Women for Agriculture and has served as 
a representative for the involvement of young women in agriculture in a 
variety of capacities. After graduating college, Jill went on to become 
one of the youngest women Pest Control Advisers in the state. As not 
only the youngest but one of only a handful of women in this male-
dominated profession, one of her greatest accomplishments in the role 
has been mentoring other young women. She was invited to share her 
experiences as a panelist for the Grow by FarmHer event at the World Ag 
Expo and served as a member of the Cal Poly Crop Science Advisory 
Board. Over the past two decades, she has served in a variety of 
leadership positions and was recently promoted to Western Marketing 
Manager with Corteva AgriScience, overseeing operations in nine western 
states. She has dedicated her entire adult life to helping farmers with 
their crop protection needs and can frequently be found walking 
orchards, advising growers on how to manage pests and bring in a 
healthy crop. In addition to her professional accomplishments and 
active community involvement, she has three children who share her 
passions and are active in sports, 4-H and FFA. Her strong commitment 
to youth in the Yuba-Sutter area is demonstrated by her active 
involvement and leadership in 4-H and FFA programs. She serves on the 
Yuba Sutter Junior Livestock Auction Committee and has been a Governor 
appointee to the Yuba-Sutter Fair Board for six years. Jill is an 
integral member of the Yuba-Sutter agricultural community and an 
inspirational mentor for young women in agriculture.
  Emily Lo is a dedicated first responder who has spent 31 years as a 
firefighter, excelling in a career that has not always welcomed women. 
She immigrated to the United States with her family in 1981 and after 
attending Solano Community College Fire Academy, was hired by the City 
of Fairfield Fire Department. A year and a half later, she joined the 
Davis Fire Department, where she has served ever since. Since then, she 
has earned an Associate of Science in Fire Technology from American 
River College, and a Bachelor of Science in Fire Service Management 
from California State University, Sacramento. She was promoted to Fire 
Captain in 2002, and in February 2022, after 31 years in the fire 
service, she became the first female and Asian-American Battalion Chief 
in Davis Fire Department history. The dedication and strength needed to 
serve for 31 years as a firefighter is impressive for anyone, but even 
more so for

[[Page E1057]]

a minority woman working in a field dominated by men. Throughout her 
decades-long fire service career, she has been an active member of her 
union, Davis Firefighters Local 3494, serving as its Treasurer. She 
also serves as Co-Chair and Commissioner to the California Fire Fighter 
Joint Apprenticeship Committee's Commission to recruit women for the 
fire service, helping to mentor and encourage young female 
firefighters. She also volunteers every year during the Davis 
Firefighter's ``Fill-the-Boot'' Thanksgiving Basket program and gives 
her time working with a local non-profit organization supporting breast 
cancer survivors. Through her unselfish service, integrity, strength, 
and humility, she is an inspiration to all who know her.
  Olga Martin Steele is a strong and selfless leader. She is a member 
of Soroptimist International of Clear Lake where she has served twice 
as president, bringing new ideas and energy to the group as they serve 
women in need. She has also served on the Board of Directors as Public 
Relations Officer and has authored many publications honoring the 
members, events, and the club's purpose. Olga is a founding member of 
the Lake County Silver Foundation which was formed to help close 
funding gaps for senior programs facing budget shortfalls. She has 
served as the foundation's secretary since 2017 working to successfully 
serve seniors throughout Lake County. Olga is also a member of the all-
volunteer Lake County Community Radio 98.1 FM to support freedom of 
speech platform and community radio where she is currently serving her 
3rd term as President of the Board of Directors, responsible for budget 
setting, fund development, and policy making. Beyond this Olga also 
serves as a radio programmer of ``Voices of Lake County'' where she 
hosts and produces a list of weekly public affairs and public interest 
stories. Olga is a dedicated community servant who brings skilled 
leadership to all she does.
  Christa McClure is a dedicated community servant who works tirelessly 
to improve the lives of people throughout her community. She is 
currently the Acting Executive Director of Tri-County Respite Care 
Service, Inc. where she oversees a staff of more than 100 respite care 
workers and administrative staff. Tri-County Respite Care Service is a 
non-profit organization serving Yuba, Sutter, Colusa, Nevada, and 
Placer counties. Under her leadership, the organization provides 
critical support to caregivers of families with special needs and works 
to improve the lives of disabled individuals through increased self-
reliance. Christa has also worked in non-profit housing and assisted in 
the development and implementation of the State Healthcare Exchanges in 
Montana and Colorado which were created under the Affordable Care Act. 
Since 2019, Christa has served in many capacities on the Casa De 
Esperanza Board of Directors where she has generously donated her time 
to ensure the health of this important organization. Christa has 
dedicated years to working with others to improve her community through 
advocacy, philanthropy, and public service work. She is also a loving 
wife, mother of 8 children, and grandmother of 5 grandsons, and is a 
wonderful role model to all who know her.
  Dr. Frances McCullough is a lifelong educational professional 
committed to community enrichment and supporting literacy and learning 
in Solano County. Frances founded the Solano County Commission for 
Women and Girls to improve the economic status, health and social 
welfare, and overall quality of life for women and girls in Solano 
County. She is involved with the National Council of Negro Women, the 
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, is 
President of the Solano Community College Educational Foundation, and 
is a member of the Solano County Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, 
where she is founding and coordinating a youth academy for Solano 
County. Frances is most well known for her work with the Solano County 
Library Foundation where she is a member of the Board of Directors. In 
her retirement, Frances has been an active and dedicated community 
servant, helping with the founding of childcare services, founding the 
Friends of the Library, organizing a civic and social club for African 
Americans, organizing an annual Black History Program, and leading a 
Food Bank to feed countless county residents. Her civic involvement and 
volunteer work have been honored many times over the years. She has 
been named Grand Marshal for the City of Fairfield's 4th of July 
Independence Day Parade, Wednesday Club Volunteer of the Month, Tri-
City NAACP Medal of Freedom recipient, Honorary Commander at Travis Air 
Force Base, Special Ambassador for California Assemblymember Jim 
Frazier, Solano County Northern Democrat of the Year, and Woman of the 
Year for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority's Solano Valley Chapter. Frances 
treats volunteer work as her civic duty and serves her community with 
generosity and humility.

  Danette Mitchell is an Opinion Columnist for The Vacaville Reporter 
and a fierce advocate on a variety of important social issues. She is 
passionate about elevating Black voices throughout Solano County, 
ensuring their perspective is heard and represented. Danette has 
faithfully served as the Tri-City NAACP Communications, Press, and 
Publicity Committee Chair since 2017 where she monitors local and 
national 'media for issues and concerns impacting the Black Community. 
In that role she works to counteract derogatory and erroneous 
statements in local news media about African Americans and other 
minority groups, issuing press releases and statements on behalf of the 
Tri-City NAACP. Danette also serves as an advocate for missing and 
exploited African Americans. She has partnered with other Solano County 
residents, hosting a Human Trafficking Awareness event in Vallejo, a 
city that reports the highest incidence of human trafficking in Solano 
County. In 2021, Danette interviewed the national Black and Missing 
Foundation founders featured in the ``Black and Missing'' documentary 
series hosted by journalist Soledad O'Brien. Danette also served as the 
planning committee co-chair and member for Vacaville's Inaugural Black 
History Celebration and subsequent Annual Black History Celebration. 
Danette is an important voice in our community helping to lift others 
up and celebrate an important community that does not always receive 
adequate representation.
  Jessica Moser is a tremendous leader that touches many lives of those 
throughout our district and beyond. Jessica works as a Material 
Coordinator for Vertex Aerospace, delivering aircraft parts and 
equipment in support of the KC-JOA Extender aerial refueling tanker at 
Travis Air Force Base. Beyond her work, Jessica was the President of 
the Travis Spouse's Club and is the Lead Key Spouse for the 660 
Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Travis AFB. As President of the Travis 
Spouse's Club, she was able to network with base personnel, their 
dependents, and the local community to help care for all personnel and 
families assigned to Team Travis. She has mentored more than 146 
dependents, 85 of whom were dealing with their first deployment 
overseas. Jessica captained the logistics for Operation Homefront, 
Operation Proud Farewell, Operation Cookie Drop, the Cost of Courage 
Foundation, Wreaths Across America, a Holiday Meals military food 
drive, and a JROTC uniform drive. Jessica also brought her leadership 
to a global effort when she led an ``End Polio'' community project. Her 
team coordinated four fundraisers that generated $24 thousand, securing 
65 million vaccines, and directly contributing to the goal of worldwide 
eradication of polio. Jessica was also pivotal in supporting deployed 
members across the Department of Defense during the Afghanistan Non-
combatant Evacuation Operation. She rallied the community and sponsors 
to help build care packages, easing the stress of service members 
during the largest rescue in history. Jessica is an active volunteer 
with a variety of national and local non-profits bringing resources to 
military families. Her dedication to service members and their families 
and her commitment to service before self have been recognized before 
when she was named the Air Force Nominee for the Department of Defense 
Fisher Distinguished Civilian Humanitarian Award.
  Amy Nore is an inspirational leader in her community who exemplifies 
what it means to be a servant leader throughout every aspect of her 
life. In her role as Community Engagement & Emergency Response 
Administrator for the Yuba County Office of Education, Amy is the face 
of the Yuba County Office of Education. She actively participates in 
every community event in both Yuba and Sutter counties, not only 
representing the Office of Education, but also volunteering her time 
alongside her husband, children, and her children's families. One of 
the most difficult roles she has taken on was helping to lead the Yuba 
County Office of Education through the unprecedented and turbulent 
times of the COVID-19 pandemic, but she led with bravery and grace. Amy 
is also involved in many community organizations, such as the Yuba 
Sutter Task Force, Blue Zones, Yuba Sutter Food Bank, SAYLove, 
Marysville Art Club, Yuba Sutter Colusa United Way, Yuba Sutter Chamber 
of Commerce, and South Yuba County Rotary. Amy is an active leader in 
her community, generously giving her time to countless events and 
organizations.
  Doreen Osumi is a compassionate and dedicated leader in the public 
school system. She currently serves as the Yuba City Unified School 
District Superintendent where her work and mentorship have impacted 
countless individuals in the field of education. Her leadership has not 
only benefitted every student in the district but has played an 
important role in mentoring the next generation of public educators. 
Taking leadership of a community beset by wildfires, unsafe air 
quality, floods, and the global COVID-19 pandemic, Doreen has risen to 
meet the moment. She has

[[Page E1058]]

helped her community cope with the environmental challenge and 
compensate for the difficulties of learning during the COVID-19 
pandemic all the while expressing her passion for public education.
  Doriss Panduro is an outstanding leader and public servant in the 
Solano County community. A lifelong resident of Fairfield, she has 
become involved with a wide variety of community-based organizations, 
nonprofits, and grassroots advocacy groups to give back and be of 
service to the city that raised her. Doriss is a board member of APAPA 
Solano County Chapter and board member and past president of the Solano 
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Doriss has served in various public 
relations roles where she has connected individuals to resources 
locally and at the State level. She has also worked for three State 
legislators in the district and State capitol serving her community, 
She has been a huge advocate for small businesses and the Hispanic 
community throughout Solano County. This depth and breadth of 
experience have contributed to her success as a Fairfield City 
Councilwoman where she has had the opportunity to touch the lives of 
everyone in the City of Fairfield.
  Courtney Payne is a compassionate community advocate who demonstrates 
selflessness in all that she does. She is a licensed insurance agent 
and focuses on helping people navigate Medicare and other healthcare 
options as well as creating, building, and protecting their retirement. 
Through her work, she has become a phenomenal advocate for seniors 
throughout her community. Prior to working in insurance, Courtney 
worked in the field of psychology, helping children on the autism 
spectrum. Motivated by her experiences as a single parent and the needs 
she saw in others, she began her passion project, Threads to Thrive, an 
organization that provides business attire to men and women who cannot 
otherwise afford professional attire needed for interviews and new 
employment. This assistance helps remove a barrier to employment and 
improves confidence for many community members. Courtney also gives her 
time volunteering with a wide variety of other community organizations 
and nonprofits where she is known for her hard work and generosity.
  Darelyn Pazdel is a dedicated and passionate role model to everyone 
in her community. She is the current Director of Workforce Inclusion, 
Community Integration, and Transportation for PRIDE Industries, an 
organization that works to create employment for people with 
disabilities. Darelyn is a fierce advocate for people of all abilities, 
consistently demonstrating her belief that all people have talent, and 
that when people of all abilities know they are respected and have an 
opportunity to contribute, they can reach their full potential. Darelyn 
has also been a part of the Fairfield Suisun Chamber of Commerce for 
over a decade where she currently serves as Chair of the Board of 
Directors. Along with the 'amazing work she does in her professional 
capacity, she is an advocate for her community and gives back in any 
way she can. Darelyn is known as both a champion for small businesses 
as well as a strong advocate for individuals with disabilities in our 
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!

                          ____________________