Meet the Advocacy Committee

Jennifer Dreyer, Chair. The most important role I have is raising my two daughters, 5 and 7 years old, who inspire and challenge me every single day. Every day, I think about being a role model for them in how I work, live and volunteer. I am fortunate to love what I do as the owner of Tamayo Consulting, Inc., a training and consulting firm that develops leadership capacity and communication skills in corporations. I am currently the Chair of the Board for Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest. I also love following politics, and am very involved in Run Women Run, which works to elect pro-choice women.

Shana Hazan, a 4^th generation San Diegan, serves on Women Give San Diego’s Advocacy and Education Committees. She works at Jewish Family Service where she oversees the agency’s award-winning Youth Leadership Programs, including the new Girls Give Back program. Before returning to San Diego in 2008, Shana lived in Chicago where she worked in Public Relations, taught elementary school, and worked in non-profit program management. In addition to her work with WGSD, Shana serves on the Executive Committee of Run Women Run, the board of Stanley E. Foster Construction Tech Academy, and is a founding member of Emerging Leaders at JFS.

Stacey Klaman. I’ve had a 22-year career in educational publishing. I'm a writer and editor who has worked for McGraw-Hill, Sally Ride Science, National Geographic and Google. In the last year I've begun to transition toward going back to school for a master's in public health with an emphasis and maternal and child health. In addition to WGSD, I'm on the steering committee of BE WiSE, a member of Athena, a Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) volunteer, and a doula at UCSD Medical Center.

Megan Lim. I've been fundraising for nonprofits in San Diego for six years, currently, as the Development Director of the San Diego Public Library Foundation and previously at Girl Scouts. The Advocacy Committee is brand new - so it's been thrilling to have a blank slate and brainstorm ways Women Give can educate the community and advocate for women and girls.

Deirdre Maloney. I am committed to helping nonprofits meet their missions through better business, and I do it in a number of ways. I speak all about the topic at conferences and public events. I write about it in my blog and my book, The Mission Myth (due out in October). And I provide customized services like strategic planning, board development, and marketing through my company Momentum San Diego.

Johanna Schiavoni. I volunteer with several organizations focusing on women's issues, politics, and the arts. As a member of the Advocacy Committee of Women Give San Diego, I recently went to Sacramento to lobby for legislation supporting women and girls across the state. While inspired by the experience, it reinforced for me how much work we have to do to raise up women and girls, to be sure their voices are heard and their needs are addressed. WGSD is working to do just that in the San Diego region. I am proud and humbled to be a part of this effort, and feel lucky to be working alongside WGSD's remarkable founders, members and grant partners. Johanna Schiavoni is a partner with Jacobs Schesinger & Sheppard LLP, a boutique law firm, where she specializes in appellate litigation

Kersten Wehde is the Associate Director of Major Gifts at Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, where she cultivates and solicits supporters who comprise the President’s Council. She has been a member of the Planned Parenthood development team for four years, having previously held the position of Grants Manager. She also serves on the steering committee of Planned Parenthood's national Development Officers Council. Kersten holds a B.A. in political science from the University of California, San Diego, and is a relatively new member of Women Give San Diego, serving on the grants, advocacy and community engagement committees.

Young Women Victims: A story of human sex trafficking in America

One of our members (who wishes to remain anonymous) wrote a beautiful piece about a very terrible and tragic issue.

While human sex trafficking is typically associated with developing countries, advocates for women and girls, human rights activists, and law enforcement agencies are sounding a disturbing alarm bell: this practice is happening in our own back yards! Indeed, over 100,000 American minors are exploited in the domestic minor sex trafficking trade each year. Despite commonly held perceptions that this is a "foreign problem," the majority of these children are American citizens, many of whom are inducted into this industry at the unthinkably young age of 12 - 14 years old. In the context of this practice, children, most of whom are girls, are coerced and forced into engaging in sex with "johns" in exchange for money. However, the girls receive no financial gain from this practice, all proceeds go to the "pimps," street gangs, and organized crime networks that control this trade. The girls are literally sex slaves - they are forced or coerced into sex with men, receive no financial gain for doing so, and possess few resources to break free from this exploitation.

The story of how girls (and less frequently, boys) become and stay victim to this practice is complicated. While the majority of victims come from under-resourced communities, are runaways, or in the foster care system, some are recruited from middle class households. Many victims have the shared experience of sexual abuse in their homes or extended families. Girls are often manipulated into this trade by a young man who poses as a "love interest" to the victim, pretending to pursue a romantic relationship with her, involving sex. Once intimate with the victim, he cajoles her (often gradually) into the practice of having sex with other men or "johns." This situation usually develops into a violent relationship in which girls are forced to continue the practice of sex with johns through beatings, rape, emotional abuse, and threats to harm family members. The once beloved "boyfriend" emerges as a brutal pimp or organized crime member, reaping profits from minor sex trafficking.

Unfortunately, California serves as fertile ground for this despicable trade, due to its international borders and the vast size and diversity of it's major cities, populations, and economy. Indeed, California houses 3 of the top 10 cities with the highest frequency of minor sex trafficking activity. Alarmingly, San Diego ranks #8 in the nation for high intensity minor sex trafficking. The prevalence of minor sex trafficking in California is made possible by the incredulously weak penalties for the crime in the state. Remarkably, penalties for minor sex trafficking range from only 4 - 8 years! Many drug related offenses garner much harsher penalties.

Citizens enraged by the practice of minor sex trafficking and the current weak penalties that don't come close to fitting the crime are organizing to make a difference. California Against Slavery (CAS) is a non-partisan organization that seeks to end minor sex trafficking in California, by significantly strengthening criminal penalties for engaging in this abhorrent crime. While CAS recognizes this is a complex issue, that must be addressed on many different levels, they feel the most immediate and effective action can be taken by significantly raising the risks and penalties to criminals, making the practice much less lucrative. To do so, CAS seeks to have a initiative on the November 2012 ballot that would enact stricter penalties. CAS and it's supporters are confident once California voters learn about minor sex trafficking and have the opportunity to impose harsher penalties for the crime, they will do so overwhelming.

As members of WGSD we can work with California Against Slavery to get this important intitiative on the ballot and help end the horrendous practice of minor sex trafficking. Join the WGSD team at the upcoming:

California Against Slavery "Move to Stop Modern Day Human Trafficking in San Diego!"

5K competitive timed race & 5K walk.

Sunday, August 28th Harbor Island Park, San Diego

7:30am registration | 8:30am race | 8:45am walk

registration: http://californiaagainstslavery.org/get-involved/walk/

Coordinator: Cassie, sd@californiaagainstslavery.org

WGSD Team Coordinator Debra Rappaport Rosen, d_rappaport@yahoo.com

The walk will be followed by speakers Brian Marvel (SDPOA), Detective Chappie Hunter, Daphne Phung (CAS), and Nikki Junker (survivor), and there will be informational tables from local organizations working against human trafficking.

For other ways to get involved, visit the California Against Slavery web site at http://californiaagainstslavery.org.

Member Promotions

Our talented members are at it again! Check out our members' latest promotions.

Sasha Clines was recently appointed as the Director of the Annual Fund, also known as the Parker Fund. The Parker Fund encourages alumni, parents and friends to renew their ties to Parker by giving annually. Gifts to the fund help create a rich and rewarding educational environment for Parker students.

Sasha worked previously as a medical device representative for both Cook Medical and Alveolus (Merit Medical), managing territories in Washington, DC and Virginia as well as in Southern California and Arizona. She also worked as an account executive at DG3, Diversified Global Graphics Group, a commercial and financial printer, as well as the Director of Business Development for Sustainability Matters, a green building materials procurement center in San Diego.

A Parker alumna and lifer, Sasha started in pre-school and graduated in 2001. She received her bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Communications from San Diego State University. As a San Diego native, Sasha is excited to be back her hometown and at her alma mater, Francis Parker School.

Kersten Wehde has been promoted to Associate Director of Major Gifts at Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest. In her new role, Kersten will cultivate, steward, and solicit the organization’s supporters who comprise the President’s Council. She has been a member of the Planned Parenthood development team for four years, having previously held the position of Grants Manager. She also serves on the steering committee of Planned Parenthood's national Development Officers Council. Kersten is a relatively new member of Women Give San Diego, serving on the grants, advocacy and community engagement committees.

Our WGSD Advocacy Chair was written up in the Del Mar Times for her charity work on August 9, 2011: http://www.delmartimes.net/?p=26178

Our Grantee's Fundraiser: Dress For Success San Diego

We wanted to pass along this invitation from our grantee partner Dress for Success San Diego. Please contact Dress for Success directly if you are interested in attending.

Women Give Member Profile: Valerie Nash

Valerie Nash is a member of Women Give San Diego and Owner of Nash & Associates, a small consulting company that works with foundations, government agencies, schools districts, hospitals and non-profit community organizations. Her work mostly focuses on addressing social and community needs through activities that range from assessments through to writing grant proposals. Valerie explains that the process can be complex and she and her staff have to wear many different types of “hats”.

“During the assessment phase we’re like detectives trying to figure it all out. Then we go into architectural and engineering mode, making sure we have a well-designed and structurally sound program. Once we’re all satisfied with the product it’s into grant writing which is a lot like marketing.”

Typically the end result is a product of some kind, or rather lots of smaller products that all work together: research papers, literature reviews, staffing and evaluation plans, budgets, logic models, even memoranda of understandings between partners and staff job descriptions.

“It’s a lot like doing a huge jigsaw puzzle!”

Valerie is motivated by a strong sense of social justice, combined with first-hand knowledge that community programs can make a difference. Valerie grew up on a government housing estate in Liverpool, England. She’s the oldest of six children, with parents who started their family as teenagers. She was also the recipient of the types of programs and services she now writes about. The local library was a second home where she read books about countries such as India and America. She credits reading as the key to her ambition to build a different type of life.

“I can distinctly remember reading about women, like Edith Cavell (British nurse and humanitarian during World War II) and Emily Pankhurst (leader of Britain’s suffragette movement”) and being completely inspired.”

It took some convincing for Valerie’s parents, who hadn’t graduated from high school themselves, to allow her to go to university.

“They didn’t understand the value of it. They wanted me to get a job as soon as I could. At that time they didn’t get the connection between education and economic success.”

But they get it now. With the help of government grants and programs that waived some of the entrance exam requirements for working class students, Valerie completed a bachelor’s degree in History at Warwick University, and post graduate studies in Education at Queen’s College Oxford. After a two year stint as a teacher at an inner city high school, she left the UK for Boston, Massachusetts where she received a Master’s degree in Psychology/School Psychology from Boston College. During a trip back to England Valerie picked up a short term consulting contract at her old high school. Her father’s reaction spoke volumes:

“Why are they giving that work to you? There’s men with families who are unemployed.” After hearing the explanation that the work required specific qualifications and experience the penny finally dropped. “They pay you that much because of all that schoolin’? That’s great”.

Turns out that some of her siblings thought so too. Her two youngest brothers recently graduated from John Moore’s University in Liverpool, both with degrees in Engineering and her sisters have both completed post-secondary education in hotel management and child development. Now retired, Valerie’s Mum went back to high school as an adult and completed her own education getting an A level in English literature

“She was always smart; she just needed to prove it to herself”

Valerie feels strongly that her life experience as much as her education contribute to her success, and also helps her understand the value of establishing systems that remove economic and other barriers.

“Programs and grants got me into college, once I was there it was up to me. I identify a whole lot with models that promote resiliency and offer access to positive role models. And I know from my own experience that there are girls and women out there who if given even just a small amount of assistance and encouragement will be the first in their families to get a degree, start a business and own a house.”

Valerie worked as a program manager and in-home counselor with a local child abuse prevention agency for a few years and became acquainted with many of San Diego’s non-profit leaders. But never having quite gotten the travel bug out of her system in 1997 she left California for a one year round the world trip during which she would volunteer at Hope Village a shelter for street children in Cairo, Egypt and a non-government organization The Concerned for Working Children in Bangalore India. She also wrote about her experiences and about other social justice issues such as female circumcision, sending her “papers” as emails to a few friends.

“It was the most unconscious and best marketing move I could have made. My writings ended up being circulated while I traveled and when I came back [to San Diego] people offered me work.”

Her first project was a community challenge grant for the YMCA for a teen pregnancy prevention program called Teen Link Community (TLC). The grant was successful and other projects and new clients trickled in. Within six months after returning from her travels she had saved enough money for a down payment on a four-bedroom craftsman home in Golden Hill. Her plan was to fill the rooms first with roommates and then one day with foster children.

Fate had a different plan. Valerie met her now husband Peter, through a dating website in Spring of 2000. A Canadian who after his own travels and career changes (ex-army/organic famer/software developer/entrepreneur) was ready to settle down, Peter convinced her that children would be their next great adventure. Their first daughter Maggie was born in 2002 and Molly was born in 2005.

Valerie now divides her time between San Diego and Canada. Her office in Golden Hill is still home base but with her girls at school in a small coastal town on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast Valerie is spending more time working remotely.

“It’s working better than I ever would have thought. I’ve become way more efficient and have learned that it’s quite possible to facilitate meetings and lead projects without ever leaving my computer. And I’m not spending any time stuck in traffic!”

Valerie got involved with Women Give San Diego when Jan Tuttleman and Linda Katz approached her to conduct a study about the economic status of women in San Diego. She completed most of the research in summer 2009 and with considerable assistance from Jan the report was finalized in November 2009. The work of Women Give San Diego impressed and motivated her on many levels.

“I thought it was wonderful that Women Give wanted to make sure there was a need for the organization in the first place. They intuitively felt that there was but they wanted to be sure and they were willing to do their due diligence. They also wanted to have as full of an understanding of the needs and opportunities as possible before moving forward with grant making. Their approach made such good sense to me.”

Valerie feels that there is a lot of potential for Women Give now that they have an established voice and a presence in the San Diego Community. She is curious to see how they are going to use advocacy to compliment grant making so it becomes a bigger effort, one that supports social change as way to improve the lives of women and girls.

“I love that Women Give allows me to be part of something that is bigger than myself, and that it makes philanthropy accessible to women who have young families or who are starting their careers.

Philanthropy is important to Valerie and she wants to make sure her daughters also see the value in supporting causes they believe in. It seems to be working. Just this weekend Maggie, Molly and their friends made over $70 profit with a Candy and Lemonade Stand on vacation at BC’s Savory Island (picture above). The post venture argument wasn’t over whether to give the money to charity – it was which issue was most deserving –abandoned pets or children in Africa. The end result being compromise and some great training for five future entrepreneurs, educators, mothers, maybe even Women Give members.

Donating for Social Change

As donors, we all want to give to nonprofits because we want our donations to make a difference in the lives of others – ultimately creating social change. At Women Give San Diego, we focus our giving on supporting nonprofits that improve the economic status of women and girls in San Diego through their services and programs.

Leslie R. Crutchfield, coauthor of Do More Than Give: The 6 Practices of Donors Who Change the World, states in an online Forbes article that “we wrote Do More than Give because we believe that, if society is to solve the complex problems that challenge our world today, then philanthropy must change. Nearly $300 billion is donated annually in the United States alone, yet progress toward addressing major issues—public school reform, health care access for the poor, climate change—remains stunted. At the same time, a relative handful of exceptional philanthropists have contributed to creating significant positive change. We wanted to study a cross-section of these exemplary donors and understand the practices they employ to achieve real results.”

In studying these donors, she and her coauthor developed the 6 Practices of Donors Who Change the World. The first practice is: Advocate for Change. Donors first needed to become educated about the causes they were funding and then become advocates for those who are affected by the cause.

One of the things I have been most impressed with about Women Give is that before the donor’s circle was formed, the co-founders did their homework. Literally.

They engaged Valerie Nash of Nash and Associates and member of Women Give, to do in-depth research and analysis of women and girls’ needs in San Diego.

The report identified that there are 1.6 million women and girls in San Diego where:

• · At least 250,000 women in San Diego are living in poverty
• · At least 80,000 living in extreme poverty
• · At least 84,000 women over 65 do not have sufficient income to meet their basic needs

Why?

• · Women are paid less than men
• · Growing number of women head of households who are unemployed or underemployed
• · The cost of living in San Diego is getting higher
• · Almost 60% of women in San Diego do not have a bachelor’s degree and women’s education level is indicative of her level of job

So why fund women and girls?

• · Research shows that economic growth for women has an important "multiplier effect.”
• · Women are more likely to share their economic gains with their families and communities at large - thus potentially making investment in women and girls a leveraged granting opportunity, no matter what your specific giving area focus.
• · A woman’s economic autonomy is impacted by her level of education and conditions in the workforce, such as availability of health insurance, pension plans, family friendly work environments and flextime.

The fourth practice from Do More Than Give is: Empower the People. From the Forbes article: “Catalytic donors don’t treat individual community members who are affected by problems such as poverty or sub-standard health care as “charity recipients.” Instead, they view local individuals as essential participants in the process of solving problems—for themselves. Catalytic donors solicit the community for ideas and involve members in campaigns in building the political will and organizing them to create change at the block, neighborhood, regional, national, and even global levels.”

Most of us are probably familiar with the adage that if you give a person a fish, they will eat for the day, but if you teach a person to fish, they will eat for a lifetime. In the world of women’s funds this is how we think: If you give a woman a fish, she will feed her family first and possibly go hungry. If you teach a woman to fish, she will feed her family first until the lake becomes polluted or her fishing rights are taken away. However, if you give women the resources and access to community capital, they will buy the lake, feed their families, keep the lake environmentally clean and have something to pass on for generations to come. As a movement, Women Give is about building sustainable community capital in order to support women and girls who are ready to buy the lake. (per San Diego Women and Girls Economic Health Report created by Nash and Associates for Women Give San Diego)

Next week, you will get a chance to meet Valerie Nash and hear about her incredible story of raising her own economic status and the current work she does to help social service agencies throughout the world.