In recognition of Women’s History Month for the month of March, it has been my great honor to commemorate Kristine Scott as Woman of the Year and the following 12 Women of Distinction in the 40th Assembly District for 2019. Read below to learn more about these amazing women! Thank you for all that you do for our community.
Woman of the Year
Councilmember Kristine Scott
Kristine Scott is the current Councilmember for the Rancho Cucamonga City Council, elected in 2018. She serves on several business and community organizations such as past Chair of Inland Action, Secretary of Boys and Girls Club of Greater Redlands-Riverside, Secretary for The Greater Ontario Business Council Board Member of the San Bernardino Valley College Foundation, Member of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Information Exchange Committee, and on the Advisory Board of 4 Purple Hearts. Ms. Scott is an experienced public affairs manager with the Southern California Gas Company serving as the point of contact for communities in San Bernardino to educate customers and stakeholders about activities, programs and services, responding to customer and local media inquiries and resolving customer complaints. She is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton with a Bachelor’s degree in communications specializing in public relations with a minor in American Studies. She is also an alumnus of California Connections, a statewide, issues-based, learning leadership fellowship through the Southern California Leadership Network and the Inland Empire Economic Partnership Regional Leadership Academy.
Women of Distinction
Lorraine Davila
Lorraine Davila has been a loyal servant to the Inland Empire. She has helped to organize clean ups in San Bernardino with Real Talk Real Actions and We Are the Change, San Bernardino Volunteers. As President Elect of the San Bernardino Sunset Rotary Club, she has joined forces with recruiting volunteers and networking within San Bernardino. Lorraine is also a full time student at the University of Redlands, completing her undergraduate in Business, where she will graduate in the fall. She also holds three associate degrees in Real Estate, Business Administration, and Business and Technology.
Jennifer Sparks
Jennifer Sparks is an accomplished musician and opera singer who is currently an instructor at Sixth Street School of Music in downtown historic Redlands, in addition to the Director of Music Ministries at The First Congregational Church in San Bernardino. Ms. Sparks has always been an educator with a heart, volunteering her time as a Harp Music Therapist for San Bernardino Sexual Assault Services at their Victims of Crime facility in Rancho Cucamonga, as well as at California State University San Bernardino for their Health Psychology courses. She helps with music education for various events such as at the Redlands Bowl, the California Theater of the Performing Arts in downtown San Bernardino. She is also a volunteer with the Kimberly Juniors, which aims to enrich the social development of young women.
Gina Johnson Smith
Gina Johnson Smith is a resident of Rancho Cucamonga and CEO and founder of SPMG, a content creation and marking firm. She is also the author of ‘100 Important Life Lessons for Everyone’ and ‘Life Lessons for Youth.’ Through her books, she mentors individuals and encourages them to create the life they’ll love through their own gifts and talents. Her wisdom and work with youth help them learn the life skills. Mrs. Smith has been happily married for 21 years and has four children and eight grandchildren. During her years in Rancho Cucamonga she has served her community by promoting important information on events, services, and resources available in our community through her company, often at no cost.
Police Chief Nina Jamsen
Chief Nina Jamsen joined the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in 1987 and achieved many milestones for women leaders in law enforcement. Chief Jamsen was the first female use of force expert, range master, and the first female police chief in the 40th district. Chief Jamsen has made a tremendous impact as the founding member of the Crisis Intervention Team, which improved how the Sheriff’s Department manages situations involving individuals struggling with mental health matters. In this role, she partnered with the Department of Behavioral Health to construct a comprehensive method of training for Sheriff’s employees to manage this issue. In 2013, Chief Jamsen founded Woman Leaders in Law Enforcement, Inland Empire Chapter. She possesses an Executive Certificate from the Peace Officer Standards and Training, which is the highest certificate awarded only to actual chiefs heading a police department or elected sheriffs.
Henrietta Aguilar-Chavez
Henrietta Aguilar-Chavez has been a resident of Highland for most of her life. She has been able to touch many lives through her involvement with St. John Bosco Mission in East Highland. As the Fiesta Chairman of the Mi Ranchito Fiesta in Highland, Henrietta has organized the event in all aspects, from the mariachi band entertainment, to children’s games, food, and decorations like pinatas and papel picado (paper cut) flags. Every Sunday Henrietta can be seen volunteering at the church, and throughout the week at prayer groups. She has been the glue that holds together the community of St. John Bosco Mission.
Erin Brinker
As a graduate of the University of Redlands with a Master’s in Business Administration, Erin has worked in the non-profit sector for several decades. Most recently she has served with the Making Hope Happen Foundation as director of Infant Toddlers Success program. This program provides research based parenting classes to parent of newborns up to 3 years old in the San Bernardino City Schools District. Erin is the founding member of the Inland Empire Children’s Book Project, which has given away over 70,000 book donations to local teachers for their students. Erin hosts a morning talk radio show “On the Brink” which is heard by over 30,000 listeners each day. Her show features diverse guests from authors to local experts in the areas of health, finance, politics, and technology. Erin routinely uses her radio show to spotlight local non-profits and help them tell their stories, such as Children’s Fund, The Food Bank, Time for Change, and many others. This year she is the President of the San Bernardino Sunset Rotary Club.
Dr. Deanna Stover
Dr. Deanna Stover has dedicated her career to public service for the betterment of health for the most underserved communities. Dr. Stover served as a medic in the United States Air Force from 1979 to 1983. She later earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from California State University, a Master’s in Nursing, and a Ph.D. in Nursing with an emphasis in health policy from Loma Linda University. She is currently the President and CEO at the Community Health Association Inland Southern Region where she is a champion for community health centers that serve vulnerable populations throughout the Inland Empire. Her leadership has led to more clinics opening and strengthened networks. In 2017, Dr. Stover was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown as a Commissioner to the California Healthcare Workforce Policy Commission. Her current national research on HIV prevention practices was published in AIDS Education and Prevention in February 2019. Dr. Stover’s dedication for building collaboration and health care sustainability to support the safety net is distinguished by her accomplishment and imparting her knowledge and experience to her peers and the future generation of healthcare leaders.
Toni Callicott
Toni Callicott has been an advocate for Community Services and Health Services in the Inland Empire. She has tirelessly dedicated her life to help the underserved and needy in our communities through clinical services, the refurbishment of over 50 homes for placement for the developmentally disabled through the California Housing Foundation, establishment of a Community Center to provide clinical and social services, and as CEO of the Inland Empire chapter of the American Red Cross. She is a past President of the Arrowhead United Way and the American Cancer Society. She has also served the youth of our community as vice Chair of Totally Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, and as Chair of the Civil Service Commission for the City of San Bernardino, Chair of the Juvenile Justice Commission for San Bernardino County Probation Department and Chair of the California Housing Foundation. Ms. Callicott has served as a Commissioner on the City of San Bernardino Water Board for over 20 years and as President since 2007. She is also the served in various positions St. Bernardine’s Medical Center, such as Director of Marketing & Philanthropy, Chair of the Medical Center Foundation, and Chair of the Community Board of Directors.
Karen Feld
After Karen Feld got her law degree from USC, she returned to San Bernardino. She has focused her career on representing people in court who cannot afford an attorney, ensuring they are not taken advantage of. Karen is the first person to ask “How can I help?” and will jump into action. Every December she hosts a holiday party for Operation Safehouse, a teen homeless shelter in the Inland Empire, providing an entire dinner for residents and a backpack full of food, school supplies, and gift cards. She also cleans up her community following the holidays, having picked up 4 tractor loads of trash dumped in Devore. Throughout the year she collects school supplies, blankets, jackets, and makes 50+ backpacks for children living in Mexico. Karen also houses animals on her rescue farm. As an avid swimmer, she volunteers for the Special Olympics, US Olympic Trials and stepped up to volunteer coach her son’s football team in grade school. Karen’s son is currently a Fellow at UC Riverside doing neuroscience research and she considers him her biggest accomplishment.
Kim Anthony-Morrow
Kim Morrow is a passionate social venture advocate and gifted fundraiser. With more than 25 years of experience in the small business and community development sectors, she has sourced more than $20 million in funding for worthy causes and social innovation projects. Ms. Morrow is the National Director of the Urban Philanthropy Institute (UPI), a nonprofit dedicated to positively impacting economically disadvantaged communities. Through its award-winning flagship program, Launch and Lead: Emerging Nonprofit Leadership Development Program, UPI currently provides training and support for more than 120 emerging nonprofits and social ventures in 31 states, with a focus on building sustainable organizations that create critically-needed jobs while providing transformative solutions for under-resourced communities. Prior to serving with UPI, Ms. Morrow served for more than a decade as the Director of Small Business Development for the Black Business Association. Ms. Morrow is also the author of “From Gifted to Greatness: Manifesting Your Greatness Through Giving” and provides nonprofit management consulting services worldwide.
Renee Regalado Kern
Renee Regalado Kern is a Redlands native and has lived in the area entire life. She is a wonderful ambassador in our community and strongly believes great impact begins at the local level. She has been involved with organizations that focus on education, childcare, homelessness, and oversight committees of public funds. Serving her community plays a significant role in her life, and Renee has been committed to educating the community on issues related to equality, environment, healthcare, and education.
Andrea Price
Andrea Price is a testament to education as a pathway to opportunity. A native of San Bernardino, she still resides in the city after escaping an abusive marriage. She has worked to make a better life for herself and her two children by returning to school to earn her Associate’s Degree and Bachelor’s Degree, and is currently enrolled to get a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership. Andrea is a state certified human trafficking advocate and also training in community policing. She has completed these programs in both Riverside and San Bernardino. While in school, she met her currently husband who has three children, combining families and going on to raise five children in all. Andrea has still found time to volunteer with Angel’s Closet, Operation Safe House, Open Door, and Asprinet mentoring program. In 2018 she was an honoree of the San Bernardino Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Commission for service to youth.