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
- Jita Pandya Buño, Associate COO, UC Davis Health
- Elizabeth Ewens, Partner, Stoel Rives LLP
- Cassandra Jennings, President and CEO, St. HOPE
- Laura Knauss, President and Chief Practice Officer, Lionakis
- Cynthia Larsen, Partner, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
- Faye Nabhani, President and CEO, SAFE Credit Union
- Kimberly Parker, Program Manager, Nevada County Economic Development Office
- Ann Patterson, Cabinet Secretary, Office of the Governor
- Yvonne Pire, CEO, Trofholz Technologies, and Founder, The Rising Zone
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
- Leah Burdick, chief growth officer, PRIDE Industries
- Regina Cuellar, chairwoman, Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians
- Bonnie Ferreira, CEO, Mountain Valley Chapter of the American Leadership Forum
- Becky Johnson, tribal administrator, United Auburn Indian Community
- Lakhwinder Kaur, senior vice president, Sacramento Valley Market President, Five Star Bank
- Carrie Lane, CEO, California Association for Highway Patrolmen
- Risa Omega, president and general manager, ABC10
- Cindy Petersen, superintendent and CEO, Gateway Community Charters
- Cathilea Robinett, CEO, e.Republic
- Marisa Sharkey, co-founder and president, Birdies
2022
- Preet Ahluwalla, owner and chief investment officer, GNP Capital Partners
- Lora Anguay, chief zero carbon officer, Sacramento Municipal Utilities District
- Estella Atekwana, dean, UC Davis College of Letters and Science
- Krista Bernasconi, mayor, City of Roseville
- Nicole Elliott, director, California Department of Cannabis Control
- Sarah Hemly, president, Hemly Cider
- Amber Hoiska, vice President, Pac Shield Roof Services
- Melissa LuVisi, chief strategy officer, tab32
- Gloria Salazar, former CEO, San Joaquin Regional Transit District
- Sonia Susac, president and owner, TECMA
- Elizabeth Tudor, executive director, Nevada County Arts Council
2021
- Melissa Brown, director of legal clinics, McGeorge School of Law
- Dr. Diana Farmer, chair of the department of surgery, UC Davis Health
- Cassie Gilson, president and managing partner, Axiom Advisors
- LaKenya Jordan, executive director, California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls
- Elizabeth-Rose Mandalou, partner and cofounder, WM Restaurants
- Carol J. Ornelas, CEO, Visionary Home Builders of California
- Mary Paasch, principal engineer and vice president, Stantec
- Lydia Ramirez, senior vice president and chief operations officer, Five Star Bank
- Lorie Symon, president, Aerometals
- Betty Yee, state controller, State of California
2020
- Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, assemblywoman, 4th District of California
- Karen Bond, CEO, Cedaron Medical
- Dawn Clayton, general manager, Thunder Valley Resort
- Celia Esposito-Noy, superintendent and president, Solano Community College District
- Molly Hawks, chef and owner, Hawks and Hawks Provisions and Public House
- Melissa A. Jones, firm managing partner, Stoel Rives
- Olivia Kasirye, public health officer, Sacramento County
- Preet Kuar, CEO, Pacific Staffing
- Melyssa Laughlin, president and CEO, Visit Vacaville
- Erica L. Manuel, executive director and CEO, Institute for Local Government
- Cindy Messer, deputy executive officer, Department of Water Resources
- Nicole Montna Van Vleck, president and CEO, Montna Farms
- Allison Otto, executive vice president, Otto Construction
- Catherine Reheis-Boyd, president, Western States Petroleum Association
- Tina Reynolds, president, Uptown Studios
- Raksmey Roeum-Castleman, administrator, Telecare Corporation
- Wendy Saunders, executive director, Capitol Area Development Authority
- Alice Sauro, executive director, Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera
- Virginia Varela, president and CEO, Golden Pacific Bank
2019
- Deitra Kenoly, president and publisher, San Joaquin Media Group
- Angela DePaoli, president and CEO, Bargas Environmental Consulting
- Joelle Terry, senior vice president of communications, Sacramento Kings
- Nicole Howard, chief customer officer, customer and community services, SMUD
- Chrysa Tsakopoulos Demos, president and CEO, AKT Investments
- Selvi Stanislaus, executive director, Franchise Tax Board of California
- Shannon Deary-Bell, president and CEO Nor-Cal Beverage
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