2025 Non Event Women We Admire
Funds – Women we Admire
As part of the 2025 non-event fundraiser we asked members of the branch to tell us about the women they admire. We received many lovely nominations ranging from women in the public-eye, to branch members, and individuals in our private lives.
Women in the Public Eye
Abagail Adams, the 1st Second Lady of the U.S. and the 2nd First Lady. She maintained an extensive correspondence with a variety of people both famous and ordinary. She is best known for entreating John Adams to “remember the ladies”. She was asking for the right to vote in the late 1700s – long before the women’s suffrage movement. – Anne Taylor
Christiane Amanpour: Outstanding journalist – LaVerne Stout
Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Outstanding Justice of the Supreme Court, and a fighter for equality for all – Rory Keller
Sheila Bride: Long time Petaluma business owner, Petaluma Coffee Co., member of Petaluma Valley Rotary, dedicated community volunteer, advisor to Casa Grande Interact Club helping teens to develop community & international awareness – Karen Johnson
Ketanji Brown Jackson: Justice of the Supreme Court of the U.S. – Camille Sauvé
Rosalyn Carter: public figure who remained authentic & for her work with people all over the world – Noellene Sommer
Heather Cox Richardson: Historian, college professor, writer – Ruth Johnson
Madame Curie (Maria Sktodowska: Polish born physicist & chemist who revolutionized our understanding of radioactivity, discovering radium and polonium, Nobel Prize winner – Patty Shribbs
Amy Gutierrez for her resilience & ability to pivot! – Kris U’Ren
Kamala Harris: willing to run for President of the US and many years of public service including VP of the US – Ettamarie Peterson
Julia Morgan: 1st woman architect in CA, designed Hearst Castle & 700 other buildings – Kerry Vyner-Brooks
Michelle Obama: smart, diplomatic, a mother, a daughter, a wife – a woman like the rest of us – Karen Griffith. Inspiring young girls – Joanne Rooney
Mary Oliver: her poetry speaks to my heart! - Dorothy Suarez
Nancy Pelosi: for her political accomplishments and dedication to women’s rights – Dee Short
Nancy Pelosi: I admire her grit & determination, as well as her tenacity to never back down when confronting right-wing extremist policies. She was the 1st woman elected as the Speaker of the House in 2007 – Gail Rolka
Gloria Robinson: co-founder of Petaluma Blacks for Community Development, which brought attention to Black history; she was respected for her activism& volunteer work – Pam Granger
Eleanor Roosevelt: a strong woman before her time – Norma Jean Walsh
Members of the Branch
Stefanie Capps: for consistent leadership – Noellene Sommer
Elece Hempel: executive director at PPSC since 2011. She has established dozens of human services programs & is truly a community servant, a collaborator and an inspiration – Kathy Schmidt
Jean Read: leadership on gun safety – Teresa Barrett
Kathy Schmidt: - Cherry Baumann
Esther Schau: I admire her grace and patience but also for her open, welcoming and friendly manner – Claire Daunt
Kris U’Ren: for the time and commitment given to spreading equal rights & pay for women – Adrienne Kulasingam
Women of AAUW Petaluma: welcoming, energetic, making our world a better place for women. Community oriented, politically active, creative – just plain amazing! - Nancy Street
Women from our private lives
Bernadine Asher: my mother, who was a role model to every person she encountered. Her love, her devotion and her faith were boundless – Theresa Haire
Ethel Ginsberg: my grandmother, who came to the U.S. at age 16, under an assumed name and with no money, no English, and limited education, yet through hard work and perseverance became a small business owner, a property owner, a naturalized citizen and a lifelong learner. She believed women should have an education and a voice, and put er four granddaughters through college. She supported causes she believed in and never stopped working for a better world for all. She survived the holocaust, antisemitism, sexism & more with her head held high – Linda Ginsberg
Gloria Leonard: member of AAUW San Jose whose passion for public policy advocacy inspired action by and for so many – Jean Read
Mrs. Ravenscroft: was my 9th grade algebra II teacher. She showed me tby example that a woman could be successful at math, she helped me see my potential and encouraged my love for the subject – Sue Barnes
Sally Soderlund: my mother, at 69 years old, she bought her own residence and opened her own credit cards for the first time in her life! She lived independently and still driving till 93 years old. – Charlene Nugent
As part of the 2025 non-event fundraiser we asked members of the branch to tell us about the women they admire. We received many lovely nominations ranging from women in the public-eye, to branch members, and individuals in our private lives.
Women in the Public Eye
Abagail Adams, the 1st Second Lady of the U.S. and the 2nd First Lady. She maintained an extensive correspondence with a variety of people both famous and ordinary. She is best known for entreating John Adams to “remember the ladies”. She was asking for the right to vote in the late 1700s – long before the women’s suffrage movement. – Anne Taylor
Christiane Amanpour: Outstanding journalist – LaVerne Stout
Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Outstanding Justice of the Supreme Court, and a fighter for equality for all – Rory Keller
Sheila Bride: Long time Petaluma business owner, Petaluma Coffee Co., member of Petaluma Valley Rotary, dedicated community volunteer, advisor to Casa Grande Interact Club helping teens to develop community & international awareness – Karen Johnson
Ketanji Brown Jackson: Justice of the Supreme Court of the U.S. – Camille Sauvé
Rosalyn Carter: public figure who remained authentic & for her work with people all over the world – Noellene Sommer
Heather Cox Richardson: Historian, college professor, writer – Ruth Johnson
Madame Curie (Maria Sktodowska: Polish born physicist & chemist who revolutionized our understanding of radioactivity, discovering radium and polonium, Nobel Prize winner – Patty Shribbs
Amy Gutierrez for her resilience & ability to pivot! – Kris U’Ren
Kamala Harris: willing to run for President of the US and many years of public service including VP of the US – Ettamarie Peterson
Julia Morgan: 1st woman architect in CA, designed Hearst Castle & 700 other buildings – Kerry Vyner-Brooks
Michelle Obama: smart, diplomatic, a mother, a daughter, a wife – a woman like the rest of us – Karen Griffith. Inspiring young girls – Joanne Rooney
Mary Oliver: her poetry speaks to my heart! - Dorothy Suarez
Nancy Pelosi: for her political accomplishments and dedication to women’s rights – Dee Short
Nancy Pelosi: I admire her grit & determination, as well as her tenacity to never back down when confronting right-wing extremist policies. She was the 1st woman elected as the Speaker of the House in 2007 – Gail Rolka
Gloria Robinson: co-founder of Petaluma Blacks for Community Development, which brought attention to Black history; she was respected for her activism& volunteer work – Pam Granger
Eleanor Roosevelt: a strong woman before her time – Norma Jean Walsh
Members of the Branch
Stefanie Capps: for consistent leadership – Noellene Sommer
Elece Hempel: executive director at PPSC since 2011. She has established dozens of human services programs & is truly a community servant, a collaborator and an inspiration – Kathy Schmidt
Jean Read: leadership on gun safety – Teresa Barrett
Kathy Schmidt: - Cherry Baumann
Esther Schau: I admire her grace and patience but also for her open, welcoming and friendly manner – Claire Daunt
Kris U’Ren: for the time and commitment given to spreading equal rights & pay for women – Adrienne Kulasingam
Women of AAUW Petaluma: welcoming, energetic, making our world a better place for women. Community oriented, politically active, creative – just plain amazing! - Nancy Street
Women from our private lives
Bernadine Asher: my mother, who was a role model to every person she encountered. Her love, her devotion and her faith were boundless – Theresa Haire
Ethel Ginsberg: my grandmother, who came to the U.S. at age 16, under an assumed name and with no money, no English, and limited education, yet through hard work and perseverance became a small business owner, a property owner, a naturalized citizen and a lifelong learner. She believed women should have an education and a voice, and put er four granddaughters through college. She supported causes she believed in and never stopped working for a better world for all. She survived the holocaust, antisemitism, sexism & more with her head held high – Linda Ginsberg
Gloria Leonard: member of AAUW San Jose whose passion for public policy advocacy inspired action by and for so many – Jean Read
Mrs. Ravenscroft: was my 9th grade algebra II teacher. She showed me tby example that a woman could be successful at math, she helped me see my potential and encouraged my love for the subject – Sue Barnes
Sally Soderlund: my mother, at 69 years old, she bought her own residence and opened her own credit cards for the first time in her life! She lived independently and still driving till 93 years old. – Charlene Nugent
Copyright © 2003
Petaluma Branch
American Association of University Women
All rights reserved
Web Design by Ray Hendess
Petaluma Branch
American Association of University Women
All rights reserved
Web Design by Ray Hendess