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Pasadena Now, CA
April 13 2012
Rep. Schiff Honors 2012 Women of The Year
Rep. Schiff paid tribute to the "tireless work and achievements" of the honorees
Today, at a luncheon in Pasadena, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) honored
outstanding women from each of the communities (Alhambra, Altadena,
Burbank, Glendale, Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South
Pasadena, and Temple City) in the 29th Congressional District.
This recognition is made each year during Women's History Month. Below
is a full list of all the honorees this year: Joanna Vargas
(Alhambra), Carolyn Ingram Seitz (Altadena), Ellen Snortland
(Altadena), Nancy E. Guillen (Burbank), Debra Suh (Glendale), Diane
Gin (Monterey Park), Denise Houlemard Jones (Pasadena), Eleanor K.
Andrews (San Gabriel), Kay Mouradian (South Pasadena), Gretchen
Robinette (South Pasadena), Eva Arrighi (Temple City).
`It was a great pleasure to meet with the 2012 `Women of the Year'
awardees today, and to honor their tireless work and achievements
throughout its communities,' said Schiff. `Each woman honored today
has demonstrated an ability to bring people together, to get things
done, and to really leave their mark. They serve as role models for
all of us, and especially young people throughout the 29th
Congressional District, and it was my pleasure to recognize them.'
Every year, during Women's History Month, Rep. Schiff honors one
outstanding woman from each of the communities in the 29th
Congressional District. These women come from all walks of life and
represent the thousands of women who make a positive impact in its
region. While there are no specific criteria for nomination, Rep.
Schiff looks for women who - through their work or volunteerism - have
improved the quality of life for its community.
Schiff entered a special tribute to each woman into the Congressional
Record. Below are excepts:
Carolyn Ingram Seitz (Altadena) Today, I pay tribute to Carolyn
Ingram Seitz of Altadena, California. A zoning and planning consultant
who has worked on many projects in Altadena for the last two decades,
Carolyn moved to Altadena in 2000. Not long after she moved into
Altadena, Ms. Seitz became involved in the community, advocating for
community safety, and working with the Altadena Sheriff's Department
and community members on neighborhood nuisance and other issues. She
worked with her neighbors to form a neighborhood watch, and helped
other neighborhoods prepare and be organized for cataclysmic events or
natural disasters. Carolyn has also assisted with organizing Community
Emergency Response Team (CERT) trainings, which offer drills,
trainings and refreshers throughout the year. She is the Altadena
Sheriff's Station CERT Coordinator, a member of the Regional CERT
working group and sits on the Los Angeles County Operational Area
Disaster Corps Volunteers Advisory Council. When the Station Fire
occurred, Ms. Seitz worked tirelessly for many hours to ensure that
the community had updated information on the fire, and the probable
impacts caused by the rain that would result in flooding and mudflows.
Carolyn was appointed as the Chairwoman of the Altadena Sheriff's
Community Advisory Committee in 2007. In 2010 she brought together the
California Highway Patrol, American Red Cross, Pasadena Police
Department and community members to a successful Neighborhood Watch
Conference, which she organized at Loma Alta Park in Altadena. Along
with her extensive volunteer work with the Altadena Sheriff's
Department, Carolyn contributes many hours to organizations such as
the Quality of Life Center, Inc., Mentoring and Partnership for Youth
Development, the Altadena Chamber of Commerce and the Central Altadena
Little League. Recognized for her work in improving sheriff-community
relations, Ms. Seitz has also been honored with the Altadena Chamber
of Commerce's Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award in 2010. I ask all
Members to join me today in honoring an outstanding woman of
California's 29th Congressional District, Carolyn Ingram Seitz.
Ellen Snortland (Altadena) I stand today to pay tribute to Ellen
Snortland of Altadena, California, who is an inspiring and
extraordinary individual. Ellen has spent her life following a variety
of passions ranging from human rights to journalism to self defense.
Ms. Snortland received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of
California, Irvine in Theater and Film, and later a Juris Doctor (JD)
from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. After graduating, Ellen decided
that she could provide the most service to her community as an
advocate for women and children, a teacher, performer and media
professional. Ms. Snortland is the author of Beauty Bites Beast, which
has been translated in Portuguese and Spanish, featured on Dateline
NBC, and sold around the world. Ellen has also performed `Now that
She's Gone,' a one-woman show, which is a touching piece about family
and forgiveness, and in 2008, was nominated for a Pulitzer in Drama.
She has performed this show in New York, Los Angeles, Kansas, and
France among other cities, states and countries. She is currently a
Board Member and lead female instructor for IMPACT personal safety,
and teaches young boys and girls how to defend themselves from
predators, both physically and verbally. She provides valuable
services to its youth which they can draw from for their entire lives.
Ellen's accomplishments and roles in its community are innumerable.
She serves on the Board of 50/50 Leadership and Consumer Watchdog, and
is the Past President of the United Nations Association,
Pasadena/Foothills Chapter. Ellen attended the U.N. Fourth World
Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, the World Conference Against
Racism in Durban, South Africa, in the year of 2001, and the U.N.
Commission on the Status of Women for many years as part of the U.N.
Press Corps as well as a NGO delegate. Today, Ms. Snortland is a
columnist for the Pasadena Weekly and a blogger for Ms. Magazine and
Huffington Post. Ellen's work has been exceptional, and has proven
that one woman can truly achieve all she sets her mind to. I ask all
Members to join me today in honoring an outstanding woman of
California's 29th Congressional District, Ellen Snortland, for her
exceptional service to the community.
Denise Houlemard Jones (Pasadena) Today, I pay tribute to Denise
Houlemard Jones of Pasadena. A brilliant businesswoman with many years
of experience, Denise is a Management Consultant at DMJ Consulting
Services, a business she started, where she provides advisory services
to companies, colleges, agencies and individuals. She received a B.A.
in Sociology and Economics from the University of California, Los
Angeles, and a MBA from the University of Southern California. It is
noteworthy to mention Denise's unparalleled volunteer service to the
community, which includes an impressive list of accomplishments. She
has been a member of the Los Angeles Chapter National Black MBA
Association, National Association of Female Executives, Pasadena
Talks, Points of View Committee, Women At Work Young African American
Women's Conference, Black Women's Forum, City of Pasadena Intergroup
Relations Advisory Committee, and the City's Recreation Commission,
among others. Ms. Jones has also been involved with the Community
Health Alliance of Pasadena (CHAP), serving as a founding member,
acting as President several times, and currently serving on the
Marketing Committee. Presently, Denise is a member of the National
Council of Negro Women, Saint Andrew Catholic Church, YWCA
Pasadena-Foothill Valley, American Association of University Women,
City of Pasadena Northwest Commission, and the Pasadena Delta
Foundation, Inc., where she is a founding member. Along with being a
successful career woman, Ms. Jones has devoted countless hours of her
time volunteering for the Alkebu-lan Cultural Center, American
Institute for Cancer Research, Foothill Unity Center Food Pantry, and
the Latino History Parade and Jamaica. She is also an annual fiesta
volunteer at Saint Andrew Catholic Church.
Some of the honors Ms. Jones has received include the National Merit
Award, the William L. Blair Award for Service and Leadership, the
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Leadership Award, the YWCA Women of
Excellence Award, and the Women In Action's `Wind Beneath Wings'
Award. I ask all Members to join me in honoring a remarkable woman of
California's 29th Congressional District, Denise Houlemard Jones, for
her outstanding service to the community.
Kay Mouradian (South Pasadena) I stand today to pay tribute to Kay
Mouradian, EdD, of South Pasadena, who has provided the Los Angeles
Community Colleges with strong leadership and dedication for many
years. Attaining a B.S. from Boston University, an M.S. from
University of California, Los Angeles, and an Ed.D. from Nova
Southeastern University, Dr. Mouradian served the Los Angeles
Community Colleges as Professor of Health and Physical Education, and
advocated in the California Teachers Association for the importance of
physical education in California Community Colleges. In addition to
her love of education and advocacy for health, Dr. Mouradian is also a
very accomplished author.
Dr. Mouradian researched yoga in India for several months for her
dissertation. She has published articles about yoga for magazines,
with two much admired articles titled: Increasing Body Awareness
through Yoga's Relaxation Technique and Developing a Competency-based
Syllabus in Yoga for the Community College Curriculum. Kay's efforts
did not stop there, as she also published a guide for yoga instructors
who taught at the community colleges. In addition, Dr. Mouradian is
planning to write books tailored to help people who want to and are
interested in retaining a quality body, primarily during their elder
years. After several health crises, Kay's mother asked her to write
about her life. This opened a new chapter for Kay. Kay extensively
researched the Armenian Genocide of 1915 by reading numerous books and
traveling to Turkey. There, she visited the town where 25,000
Armenians, including her mother and her family, were ordered to leave
their homes at the time of the Armenian Genocide. She journeyed
through the deportation path, where over 2,000,000 Turkish Armenians
had to march for countless miles through the desert. Her findings and
experience led her to write A GIFT IN THE SUNLIGHT, An Armenian Story.
I ask all Members to join me in honoring a remarkable woman of
California's 29th Congressional District, Dr. Kay Mouradian, for her
exceptional service to the community.
Gretchen Robinette (South Pasadena) Today, I pay tribute to Gretchen
Robinette, a tireless volunteer, advocate, and remarkable woman of
California's 29th Congressional District. Born and raised in South
Pasadena, Gretchen graduated from South Pasadena High School, attained
a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master's
degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. Gretchen served
in the Peace Corps as an English language teacher in Malaysian Borneo
for two years, along with her husband, Vic Robinette. Ms. Robinette
was a teacher and librarian throughout most of her professional career
for South Pasadena High School, Rio Hondo College in Whittier, and San
Luis Obispo High School. Her commitment to education is also reflected
through her willingness to be involved in school issues. She assisted
in bringing the South Pasadena High School Library online, contributed
her time to help design the school's library when it was constructed,
and served in the Academic Senate at Rio Hondo College. Upon her
retirement from teaching a decade ago, Gretchen joined her husband's
CPA firm, where she holds the position of Office Manager. Ms.
Robinette has also served the community beyond the realm of education;
a fact that she attributes to her years of service in the Peace Corps.
She serves on the Board of Directors for the South Pasadena
Preservation Foundation, chairs the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce
Legislative Affairs Committee, in addition to serving as a Chamber of
Commerce Ambassador. A co-founder and former president, she currently
serves as a Board Member for Women Involved in South Pasadena
Political Action (WISPPA), an organization that works to improve
integrity, accountability and transparency in the city government of
South Pasadena. Past volunteer activities include serving on the South
Pasadena Public Library's Board of Trustees and the Board of South
Pasadena Beautiful. I ask all Members to join me in honoring an
outstanding woman of the 29th Congressional District, Gretchen
Robinette, for her extraordinary service to the community.
http://www.pasadenanow.com/main/rep-schiff-honors-2012-women-of-the-year
April 13 2012
Rep. Schiff Honors 2012 Women of The Year
Rep. Schiff paid tribute to the "tireless work and achievements" of the honorees
Today, at a luncheon in Pasadena, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) honored
outstanding women from each of the communities (Alhambra, Altadena,
Burbank, Glendale, Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South
Pasadena, and Temple City) in the 29th Congressional District.
This recognition is made each year during Women's History Month. Below
is a full list of all the honorees this year: Joanna Vargas
(Alhambra), Carolyn Ingram Seitz (Altadena), Ellen Snortland
(Altadena), Nancy E. Guillen (Burbank), Debra Suh (Glendale), Diane
Gin (Monterey Park), Denise Houlemard Jones (Pasadena), Eleanor K.
Andrews (San Gabriel), Kay Mouradian (South Pasadena), Gretchen
Robinette (South Pasadena), Eva Arrighi (Temple City).
`It was a great pleasure to meet with the 2012 `Women of the Year'
awardees today, and to honor their tireless work and achievements
throughout its communities,' said Schiff. `Each woman honored today
has demonstrated an ability to bring people together, to get things
done, and to really leave their mark. They serve as role models for
all of us, and especially young people throughout the 29th
Congressional District, and it was my pleasure to recognize them.'
Every year, during Women's History Month, Rep. Schiff honors one
outstanding woman from each of the communities in the 29th
Congressional District. These women come from all walks of life and
represent the thousands of women who make a positive impact in its
region. While there are no specific criteria for nomination, Rep.
Schiff looks for women who - through their work or volunteerism - have
improved the quality of life for its community.
Schiff entered a special tribute to each woman into the Congressional
Record. Below are excepts:
Carolyn Ingram Seitz (Altadena) Today, I pay tribute to Carolyn
Ingram Seitz of Altadena, California. A zoning and planning consultant
who has worked on many projects in Altadena for the last two decades,
Carolyn moved to Altadena in 2000. Not long after she moved into
Altadena, Ms. Seitz became involved in the community, advocating for
community safety, and working with the Altadena Sheriff's Department
and community members on neighborhood nuisance and other issues. She
worked with her neighbors to form a neighborhood watch, and helped
other neighborhoods prepare and be organized for cataclysmic events or
natural disasters. Carolyn has also assisted with organizing Community
Emergency Response Team (CERT) trainings, which offer drills,
trainings and refreshers throughout the year. She is the Altadena
Sheriff's Station CERT Coordinator, a member of the Regional CERT
working group and sits on the Los Angeles County Operational Area
Disaster Corps Volunteers Advisory Council. When the Station Fire
occurred, Ms. Seitz worked tirelessly for many hours to ensure that
the community had updated information on the fire, and the probable
impacts caused by the rain that would result in flooding and mudflows.
Carolyn was appointed as the Chairwoman of the Altadena Sheriff's
Community Advisory Committee in 2007. In 2010 she brought together the
California Highway Patrol, American Red Cross, Pasadena Police
Department and community members to a successful Neighborhood Watch
Conference, which she organized at Loma Alta Park in Altadena. Along
with her extensive volunteer work with the Altadena Sheriff's
Department, Carolyn contributes many hours to organizations such as
the Quality of Life Center, Inc., Mentoring and Partnership for Youth
Development, the Altadena Chamber of Commerce and the Central Altadena
Little League. Recognized for her work in improving sheriff-community
relations, Ms. Seitz has also been honored with the Altadena Chamber
of Commerce's Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award in 2010. I ask all
Members to join me today in honoring an outstanding woman of
California's 29th Congressional District, Carolyn Ingram Seitz.
Ellen Snortland (Altadena) I stand today to pay tribute to Ellen
Snortland of Altadena, California, who is an inspiring and
extraordinary individual. Ellen has spent her life following a variety
of passions ranging from human rights to journalism to self defense.
Ms. Snortland received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of
California, Irvine in Theater and Film, and later a Juris Doctor (JD)
from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. After graduating, Ellen decided
that she could provide the most service to her community as an
advocate for women and children, a teacher, performer and media
professional. Ms. Snortland is the author of Beauty Bites Beast, which
has been translated in Portuguese and Spanish, featured on Dateline
NBC, and sold around the world. Ellen has also performed `Now that
She's Gone,' a one-woman show, which is a touching piece about family
and forgiveness, and in 2008, was nominated for a Pulitzer in Drama.
She has performed this show in New York, Los Angeles, Kansas, and
France among other cities, states and countries. She is currently a
Board Member and lead female instructor for IMPACT personal safety,
and teaches young boys and girls how to defend themselves from
predators, both physically and verbally. She provides valuable
services to its youth which they can draw from for their entire lives.
Ellen's accomplishments and roles in its community are innumerable.
She serves on the Board of 50/50 Leadership and Consumer Watchdog, and
is the Past President of the United Nations Association,
Pasadena/Foothills Chapter. Ellen attended the U.N. Fourth World
Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, the World Conference Against
Racism in Durban, South Africa, in the year of 2001, and the U.N.
Commission on the Status of Women for many years as part of the U.N.
Press Corps as well as a NGO delegate. Today, Ms. Snortland is a
columnist for the Pasadena Weekly and a blogger for Ms. Magazine and
Huffington Post. Ellen's work has been exceptional, and has proven
that one woman can truly achieve all she sets her mind to. I ask all
Members to join me today in honoring an outstanding woman of
California's 29th Congressional District, Ellen Snortland, for her
exceptional service to the community.
Denise Houlemard Jones (Pasadena) Today, I pay tribute to Denise
Houlemard Jones of Pasadena. A brilliant businesswoman with many years
of experience, Denise is a Management Consultant at DMJ Consulting
Services, a business she started, where she provides advisory services
to companies, colleges, agencies and individuals. She received a B.A.
in Sociology and Economics from the University of California, Los
Angeles, and a MBA from the University of Southern California. It is
noteworthy to mention Denise's unparalleled volunteer service to the
community, which includes an impressive list of accomplishments. She
has been a member of the Los Angeles Chapter National Black MBA
Association, National Association of Female Executives, Pasadena
Talks, Points of View Committee, Women At Work Young African American
Women's Conference, Black Women's Forum, City of Pasadena Intergroup
Relations Advisory Committee, and the City's Recreation Commission,
among others. Ms. Jones has also been involved with the Community
Health Alliance of Pasadena (CHAP), serving as a founding member,
acting as President several times, and currently serving on the
Marketing Committee. Presently, Denise is a member of the National
Council of Negro Women, Saint Andrew Catholic Church, YWCA
Pasadena-Foothill Valley, American Association of University Women,
City of Pasadena Northwest Commission, and the Pasadena Delta
Foundation, Inc., where she is a founding member. Along with being a
successful career woman, Ms. Jones has devoted countless hours of her
time volunteering for the Alkebu-lan Cultural Center, American
Institute for Cancer Research, Foothill Unity Center Food Pantry, and
the Latino History Parade and Jamaica. She is also an annual fiesta
volunteer at Saint Andrew Catholic Church.
Some of the honors Ms. Jones has received include the National Merit
Award, the William L. Blair Award for Service and Leadership, the
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Leadership Award, the YWCA Women of
Excellence Award, and the Women In Action's `Wind Beneath Wings'
Award. I ask all Members to join me in honoring a remarkable woman of
California's 29th Congressional District, Denise Houlemard Jones, for
her outstanding service to the community.
Kay Mouradian (South Pasadena) I stand today to pay tribute to Kay
Mouradian, EdD, of South Pasadena, who has provided the Los Angeles
Community Colleges with strong leadership and dedication for many
years. Attaining a B.S. from Boston University, an M.S. from
University of California, Los Angeles, and an Ed.D. from Nova
Southeastern University, Dr. Mouradian served the Los Angeles
Community Colleges as Professor of Health and Physical Education, and
advocated in the California Teachers Association for the importance of
physical education in California Community Colleges. In addition to
her love of education and advocacy for health, Dr. Mouradian is also a
very accomplished author.
Dr. Mouradian researched yoga in India for several months for her
dissertation. She has published articles about yoga for magazines,
with two much admired articles titled: Increasing Body Awareness
through Yoga's Relaxation Technique and Developing a Competency-based
Syllabus in Yoga for the Community College Curriculum. Kay's efforts
did not stop there, as she also published a guide for yoga instructors
who taught at the community colleges. In addition, Dr. Mouradian is
planning to write books tailored to help people who want to and are
interested in retaining a quality body, primarily during their elder
years. After several health crises, Kay's mother asked her to write
about her life. This opened a new chapter for Kay. Kay extensively
researched the Armenian Genocide of 1915 by reading numerous books and
traveling to Turkey. There, she visited the town where 25,000
Armenians, including her mother and her family, were ordered to leave
their homes at the time of the Armenian Genocide. She journeyed
through the deportation path, where over 2,000,000 Turkish Armenians
had to march for countless miles through the desert. Her findings and
experience led her to write A GIFT IN THE SUNLIGHT, An Armenian Story.
I ask all Members to join me in honoring a remarkable woman of
California's 29th Congressional District, Dr. Kay Mouradian, for her
exceptional service to the community.
Gretchen Robinette (South Pasadena) Today, I pay tribute to Gretchen
Robinette, a tireless volunteer, advocate, and remarkable woman of
California's 29th Congressional District. Born and raised in South
Pasadena, Gretchen graduated from South Pasadena High School, attained
a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master's
degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. Gretchen served
in the Peace Corps as an English language teacher in Malaysian Borneo
for two years, along with her husband, Vic Robinette. Ms. Robinette
was a teacher and librarian throughout most of her professional career
for South Pasadena High School, Rio Hondo College in Whittier, and San
Luis Obispo High School. Her commitment to education is also reflected
through her willingness to be involved in school issues. She assisted
in bringing the South Pasadena High School Library online, contributed
her time to help design the school's library when it was constructed,
and served in the Academic Senate at Rio Hondo College. Upon her
retirement from teaching a decade ago, Gretchen joined her husband's
CPA firm, where she holds the position of Office Manager. Ms.
Robinette has also served the community beyond the realm of education;
a fact that she attributes to her years of service in the Peace Corps.
She serves on the Board of Directors for the South Pasadena
Preservation Foundation, chairs the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce
Legislative Affairs Committee, in addition to serving as a Chamber of
Commerce Ambassador. A co-founder and former president, she currently
serves as a Board Member for Women Involved in South Pasadena
Political Action (WISPPA), an organization that works to improve
integrity, accountability and transparency in the city government of
South Pasadena. Past volunteer activities include serving on the South
Pasadena Public Library's Board of Trustees and the Board of South
Pasadena Beautiful. I ask all Members to join me in honoring an
outstanding woman of the 29th Congressional District, Gretchen
Robinette, for her extraordinary service to the community.
http://www.pasadenanow.com/main/rep-schiff-honors-2012-women-of-the-year