Event: Powerful Women of the Bay Awards Luncheon (2023)
Date: March 30, 2023
Location: Scott’s Seafood Pavilion Grill & Bar, Oakland
Photos (114): Edward Miller

One of the most highly anticipated annual events that celebrate and acknowledge powerful women took place at Scott’s Pavilion in Jack London Square, Oakland, California on March 30, 2023.  It’s the Power Women Of The Bay, where for the last 14 years Cathy D. Adams, Founder and Event Producer, has packed the house.  This year the Honorable Malia Cohen* provided the Keynote Address, captivating attendees with her empowering speech.

The Powerful Women of the Bay (PWOTB) Selection Committee choses eight distinguished and powerful women in recognition of Women’s History Month, and this year the event drew over 350 guests, from entrepreneurs and small business owners to political leaders and corporate executives.

Over the years Cathy has awarded Bay Area women across a variety of industries. PWOTB features a prestigious cohort of amazing women leaders who are passionate about educating, empowering, and connecting women in business and community.

PWOTB is also committed to introducing unique, intelligent and ambitious women to the roles of leadership. Each year the Innovator Award is presented to an emerging business leader. Their desire is to not only spotlight their achievements, but also offer support for their efforts to make a difference in their lives, their families, and our community.

This year’s awardees:
• Honorable Eleni Kounalakis – Lieutenant Governor, State of California
• Nola Turnage – Manager, Lead Operations Contracts & Co-Leader, OKTA
• Ramona Prieto – Head of UBER Public Policy & Communications, Western US
• Mary Huss – President & Publisher, San Francisco Business Times
• Honorable Mia Bonta – Assemblymember, State of California District 18
• Tali Bray, EVP – Head of Technology Diverse Segments Region Wells Fargo

Special Awards
• Dr. C. Diane Howell Entrepreneur Award: Dr. Chris Wachira – Founder & CEO, The Wachira Group
• Innovator Award: Ay’Anna Moody – Social Impact & Sports Senior Director, Golden State Warriors

Partial proceeds from the event benefit The Training Institute for Leadership Enrichment.
(TILE) is a nonprofit organization created under the leadership of Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA). TILE’s work is to increase the number of African American women in public leadership across California. TILE’s vision is to create a world where African American women see themselves as changemakers and formally engage in the processes to craft new, and refine existing, public policies for social change to benefit communities of color. For more information visit bwopatileleads.org.

* Additional representatives in attendance (partial) included Honorable Eleni Kounalakis, California Lt. Governor; Honorable Rob Bonta, California Attorney General; Mia Bonta, CA State Assemblymember District 18; Marcela Cortez, Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s Office; Sheng Thao, Mayor of Oakland; Kimberly Mayfield Lynch, Deputy Mayor of Oakland; Pam Price, Alameda County District Attorney; Attorney General Rob Bonta; Assemblymember Mia Bonta; Councilmember Kevin Jenkins; Councilmember Treva Reid; Councilmember Janani Ramachandran; Pamela Price, Alameda County District Attorne; Elmy Bermejo, SBA Regional Adlminsitrator; Barbara Leslie, Chair of the Port of Oakland Commisssion; Michelle Philips, Inspector General, City of Oakland; Cynthia Adams, President of the NAACP, Bay Area Chapter; Chuck Baker, President 100 Black Men of the Bay Area; Frances Cohen, President the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. – Oakland Bay Area Chapter; Honorable Ka’Dijah Brown, Berkeley Board of Director; Lateefah Simon, BART Board of Directors; Pat Turner, President Vallejo Chapter of NAACP and LaNiece Jones, Executive Director of BWOPA and Community Partner of the Powerful Women of the Bay.