Written by Kaya Daw Khan | Special to Observers
Hundreds of women dressed in black tie attended the 28th Annual Outstanding Women in Leadership (OWL) Awards Gala for a night of recognition, networking, and dancing.
Cassandra Walker Pai brought a touch of glitz and glamor to a networking event hosted by the Sacramento Valley chapter of the National Association of Women Business Executives (NAWBO).
Founded in 1975, NAWBO has chapters across the country and aims to connect, educate and elevate women business owners into larger economic, social and political spheres. The organization celebrates International Women's Day by hosting an awards ceremony that includes women leaders of all ages, races, and stages of their careers to recognize the best performing women entrepreneurs in Sacramento's business community. Praise the person who captured it.
No stranger to multitasking, Pai received NAWBO's highest honor, the OWL Wise Woman Award, to a standing ovation from the audience for the California Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors' newly launched Women's Leadership Council. It all started when I advised him to win the award. The award, also known as the Business Woman of the Year Award, recognizes a woman who embodies all aspects of success.
Pai has been a leader in communications, government, politics, and corporate interest advocacy for 35 years. She is the current president of Lucas Public Relations.
Pai said in her acceptance speech that she did not expect to receive the award, but instead attended a gala to celebrate her friend Lydia Ramirez, senior vice president of Five Star Bank, receiving the OWL Executive Woman Award. .
“I have to say it was truly amazing to be in that room, like many rooms I have been to. [Chamber of Commerce] In a room of women leaders who are at the top of their games, and then here we are, women starting the game, or in the middle of the game, and seeing Lydia Ramirez at the top of the game,” Pai said. He said this in his acceptance speech.
Early in her career, Pai recognized the correlation between a healthy business community, a strong economy, and the needs of individual families, especially in disadvantaged communities, which explains why advocating for businesses is so important. He said that he learned that. Her focus on her work is why she was hired by Sacramento, she said.
“I think one of the most important lessons I learned is that it's important to be comfortable taking risks,” Pai said. “Where you take the greatest risk, you get the greatest return and definitely the greatest satisfaction.”
Considering the point in her career, Pai sees her membership in NAWBO as an opportunity to be a role model, share experiences, mentor, and encourage other women leaders. She advises aspiring women entrepreneurs to remember self-care and says the benefit of NAWBO is being in a room full of like-minded people who can provide that support.
“Most of what I did that night while everyone was on the dance floor was I got a chance to chat with some of the women who were there. They were just asking for feedback and offering advice. He just wanted to ask and do something for me,” Pai said. “I think this is an opportunity for someone at this stage in my career to share pitfalls and best practices and try to offer advice, support and guidance. I think that's really important for the entire room.”
Liliana Bernal, president of NAWBO for the Sacramento Valley Chapter, said entrepreneurship and owning a business can be lonely, but NAWBO helps build social and business networks, giving back to the community and inspiring other women. She said it allows her to celebrate the women she supports. work.
“There are a lot of nominees this year. There are a lot of Black-owned businesses that we recognize, and one of the reasons for that is probably because they haven’t been recognized before. Our goal is to really open up and identify people in the community who are doing good things with Black-owned businesses that aren't necessarily recognized,” Bernal said.
Danielle Smith, chief strategy officer at Moxy Strategies, a full-service event management company, has been honored with the OWL Women on the Way Award, which recognizes up-and-coming female business owners less than five years old. She started her business during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Smith said she has always worked in full-service event management, even before she realized it was her path. During her college years, she planned and hosted parties and nightclub events for free in her free time. She said her advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs is to figure out what to do for free and if it's your passion.
“It's hard work, but it's even more rewarding. Connection, at least for me, comes through all the hardships,” Smith said. “It's empowering, and I started a business for myself because I wanted freedom, not just financial freedom, but freedom in general. I don't think there's a price tag attached to it. I think you just have the freedom to do what you want when you want.”
As a small business owner, Smith says she sometimes doesn't realize how much of an impact her hard work has, so it feels great to be recognized by a group of powerful women at the gala. he said.
Numerous Black women leaders were nominated across all award categories, including Laticia “Action” Jackson, nominated for the OWL Achievement Against All Odds Award, which recognizes women who have achieved success despite adverse circumstances. . Jackson is a U.S. Air Force veteran, fitness Olympian, and founder of N-Powered Coaching Academy, a life coaching organization dedicated to providing women with the resources to overcome barriers. I am the CEO.
“I am honored. I feel that all the healing work I have done to overcome abuse, trauma and domestic violence has been worth the tears,” Jackson said. “I had suicidal thoughts, anxiety, depression, and was in a very dark space in my life at one point, and now that I'm on the other side of it and standing in that truth, Helping other women overcome adversity and darkness so they can have a better life in the future is multi-layered and there is no one feeling or thought. think. ”
This is Jackson's first time attending the gala, and she said she feels great support from NAWBO. At one of the organization's meetings, she said she was honored to sit at a table with women leaders and have honest and open conversations, some of whom cried with her.
“I think it's also beautiful to see and respect the space that other women occupy in our lives, because women are taught to compete, but we're so much more powerful together.” It's going to happen,'' Jackson said.
Other Black women leaders nominated for the award include Trezana Renee, Malaika Daniju, Tiffany Martin, Nia McMeans and Shannon Scott.
List of 2024 OWL Award Winners:
Achievement Against All Odds Award — Dr. Jennifer Olson
Women Innovator Award — Christy Serrato
Women on the Way Award — daniel smith
Rising Star Award — Sophia Vudouris
Female Executive Award — Lydia Ramirez
Wise Women Award — cassandra walker pie
Vision Award — Mackenzie Wieser
