(Photo by Francisco Chavira)

Comstock’s Women in Leadership

Each year, Comstock’s devotes our March issue to showcasing the achievements of women executives, entrepreneurs and innovators around the Capital Region. View the list of honorees from 2015 through 2025.

2025

2024

  • Cheyanne Anquoe, COO, Arnold Law Firm
  • Maggie Bender-Johnson, CEO, Bender Insurance Solutions
  • Dawnté Early, President and CEO, United Way California Capital Region and West Sacramento City Council member
  • Marcie Kahbody, Deputy Secretary, Agency Information Officer, California State Transportation Agency and Chief Information Officer, California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
  • Carmen Marsh, President and CEO, United Cyber Security Alliance
  • Katrina Salazar, CFO, California Correctional Peace Officers Association 
  • Rayne Thompson, Vice President of Government Relations and Sustainability, Sunkist Growers and Fruit Growers Supply Company
  • ​Michelle Willard, Chief of External Affairs, Sacramento State
  • Mirtha Villarreal-Younger, CEO and President, Agile Construction
  • Rachel Zillner, CEO and Co-founder, Clutch

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019 

2018

  • Amitis Pourarian: owner, The STUDIO Martial Arts & Fitness
  • Donna DeMartino: CEO, San Joaquin Regional Transit
  • Louise Walker: president and CEO, First Northern Bank
  • Carmela Castellano-Garcia: president and CEO, California Primary Care Association
  • Kristina Thompson; chief deputy, Sacramento Probation Department
  • Molly Weber: COO, The Urban Hive

2017 

  • Alexandra Cunningham: lead dancer, Sacramento Ballet
  • Carol Garcia: senior VP of marketing and business development, Community 1st Bank
  • Britta Guerro: CEO, Sacramento Native American Health Center
  • Martha Lofgren: partner, Brewer Lofgren
  • Shobha Mallarapu: founder and CEO, Anvaya Solutions
  • Quirina Orozco: deputy district attorney, Sacramento County

2016 

  • Donna Bland: president and CEO, Golden 1 Credit Union
  • LaShelle Dozier: executive director, Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency
  • Nancy Lieberman: assistant coach, Sacramento Kings
  • Jan Nolta: director, UC Davis Stem Cell Program and Institute for Regenerative Cures

2015

  • Bernadette Austin: project manager, Domus Development and co-chair of Women’s Leadership Initiative, Urban Land Institute
  • Dorene Dominguez: chair, Vanir Group of Cos and minority owner, Sacramento Kings
  • Cate Dyer: founder and CEO, StemExpress
  • Julie Freischlag: dean of the School of Medicine and vice chancellor of human health sciences, UC Davis
  • Meea Kang: president and a founding partner, Domus Development
  • Pamela Marrone: founder and CEO, Marrone Bio Innovations
  • Monica Miller: special agent in charge of the Sacramento field office, Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • Mary Rotelli: COO, Teichert Construction
  • Anne Marie Schubert: district attorney, Sacramento County
  • Jonna Ward: founder and CEO, Visionary Integration Professionals