Throughout the Bay Area, women entrepreneurs are making a real difference in their communities – mentoring others, leading by example, innovating within their industries and stimulating the local economy.
In October and November, we celebrated 44 women entrepreneurs at events in San Francisco, Alameda County, Silicon Valley, Contra Costa County and the North Bay. Thank you to everyone who came out to honor these amazing women and support Women’s Initiative!
Interested in becoming a sponsor of our 2012 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Awards or want to find out how you can be nominated in 2012? Contact Beatriz Rojas at brojas@womensinitiative.org
About Women's Initiative
Women’s Initiative is the nation’s largest microenterprise
training and funding organization. For more than 20 years,
we’ve provided training, funding and ongoing support to
low-income women so they can start their own businesses
and become economically self-sufficient. The women who go
through our program not only significantly increase their
income and assets, but also launch businesses, create jobs
and stimulate the local economy. For more information, please
visit our website www.womensinitiative.org
Chalet Restaurants, Lara Graham Truppelli, Oakland
Delphon Industries, Jeanne Beacham, Hayward
Garcia and Gurney, A Law Corporation, Melinda Garcia, Pleasanton
Genius Kids, Inc., Rennu Dhillon, Fremont
Granite Insurance Brokers and the Cyber Safety Academy,
Shawn Marie Edgington, Pleasanton
O'Lover Hats, Elwyn Crawford, Oakland 
Oakland Acupuncture Project, Whitney Thorniley and Roselle McNeilly, Oakland
Playworks, Jill Vialet, Oakland
The Mitchell Law Group and G.U.R.L.S. ROCK , Dr. Raye Mitchell, Oakland
The Performance Group, Suzanne Ashton, Emeryville
Thairapeutics, Michelle Battermann, Albany
Contra Costa County
Creative Research Management, Dr. Cheryl R. Mitchell, Stockton
Dynamic Office & Accounting Solutions, Tiffany Stuart, Danville
Hidden City Café, Shellie Bourgault, Richmond
Integrated Science Solutions, Inc., Cecelia McCloy, Walnut Creek
Jovance Salon & Barbering, Maya K. Parker, San Pablo
Lea Journo Cosmetique, Dawn Serpa, San Ramon
Norm's Place, Cindy Walsh, Danville
Private Eyes, Inc., Sandra James, Walnut Creek
Tina's Place, Tina C. Holtzclaw, Pinole
North Bay
Clubsource, Jill Stevens Kinney, San Rafael
Cowgirl Creamery, Peggy Smith & Sue Conley, Point Reyes
Elaine Bell Catering, Elaine Bell, Napa
J Vineyards, Judy Jordan, Healdsburg
Juice Beauty, Karen Behnke, San Rafael
Mighty Tea Leaf, Jill Portman, San Anselmo
Out West Garage, Maria do Ceu, Petaluma
San Francisco
Eventbrite, Julia Hartz
Hearsay Social, Clara Shih
Hot Studio Inc, Maria Giudice
InterSchola, Melissa Rich
Kara’s Cupcakes, Kara Haspel Lind
Lily Samii Collection, Lily Samii
Sage Consulting Associates, Cara France
Rebeca Jean Catering, Rebecca Jean Alonzi
WDG Ventures, Paula Collins
Silicon Valley & Peninsula
Freshness Farms, Nasim Hashemi, Los Gatos
Harrell Remodeling, Iris Harrell, Mountain View
Kingfish Restaurant & Studio Rincon, Kathy Petrin, Menlo Park
Olive Grove Consulting, Emily Hall, Belmont
Rock You, Lisa Marino, Redwood City
Solutus Legal Search , Julie Brush, Redwood City
The Grapevine Wine Bar of Willow Glen, Valerie Evans, San Jose
Women's Initiative Graduate
