The California Federation of Business and Professional Women (CFBPW) will hold its Annual Conference Friday, May 13th-Sunday, May 15th at the Courtyard by the Marriott, Sacramento Cal Expo., 1782 Tribute Road, Sacramento, CA. It will be a combination of in-person and virtual via Zoom. The meeting is open to interested members and the public. The Board meeting will be Friday, May 13th from 1:00-5:00 P.M. The Annual Conference on Saturday, May 14th will start with registration at 8:30 a.m. with the meeting starting at 9:00 a.m. The cost for registration for Zoom attendance is $25 and for in-person attendance is $40. The cost for lunch is $40 and for the Installation Dinner is $50.  Registration information can be found at https://bpwcal.org/events-listing/ or by contacting Lynn Brandstater at lynnbrandstater@gmail.com or (818) 606-2677.

The Saturday Luncheon Speaker is Holly Martinez, Executive Director of the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, who was sworn into the position on December 16, 2021. She joined the Commission in 2020 as Deputy Director. Prior to joining the Commission, Martinez served as Director of Programs and Advocacy at the California State Parks Foundation and as the Director of CalEITC4Me, an extensive education and outreach campaign for information on the California Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Her State service also includes serving as Director of AmeriCorps at the California Volunteers’ Office of the Governor and as Chief of Staff to First Lady Maria Shriver, where she worked to create and implement a range of programs serving low-income families, to empower women, and address barriers of inclusion for people with special needs. Martinez is a Sacramento native and a graduate of California State University, Sacramento with a BA in Communications and Public Relations.

Under Martinez’ leadership, the Commission secured an historic $7.9 million dollars to lead a Women’s Recovery Response effort and develop a California Blueprint for Women’s Recovery in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. She established a new fundraising arm of the Commission designed to level up impact for local change makers statewide. She led the Commission to increase partnerships including those with the California Partner’s Project, the California Budget and Policy Center, the Mexican Consulate and more. She has led the Commission’s groundbreaking work in reproductive justice as the State continues to take on first-in-the-nation policies protecting the rights of people who can become pregnant and has provided key vision and support to the rapid expansion of the Commission’s Equal Pay Program targeting corporate leaders in gender equity statewide.

CFBPW has a long history of creating and supporting the Commission. Soon after the creation of the National Status of Women Commission (SWC), CFBPW set up a committee to work for the establishment of a Status of Women Commission within the State government. In 1965 the California Advisory Commission of the Status of Women became a reality.  Marian Ash, who was CFBPW President in 1982-83, served as the

Commission’s first Executive Director in 1966-1967. Over the years many CFBPW members have served on the Commission Board. In 2012 CFBPW learned of the Governor’s proposal to eliminate the California Commission on the Status of Women. CFBPW had a phone-in along with other organizations in support of keeping the Commission and to continue its funding. These efforts saved the Commission, which is now called the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls and which continues to receive State funding for its operations. The CFBPW dinner Saturday evening will install the new officers of CFBPW for 2022-23. It is only in-person. The Sunday morning meeting, May 15th is the Post Board meeting in-person and via Zoom from 9:00-11:00 a.m.