State Leadership
The American Association of University Women (AAUW), founded in 1881, is the nation’s leading organization advocating equity for women and girls. Its national membership of 170,000 members and supporters seeks to advance equity for women and girls through research, education, and advocacy. People of every race, creed, age, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, and level of physical ability are invited to join.
The young organization’s presence in California began when San Francisco branch was established in 1884. By 1921, with thirteen active branches in the state, branch leaders saw a need for a statewide organization. The constitution for AAUW California was approved in October 1921.
| Organized 1921 | Incorporated 1956 | Branches 116 | Members 9,500 |
Social Media Accounts
AAUW Locations
AAUW California is the state’s most active and diverse organization for women with over 9,500 members in 116 branches, plus almost 2,000 members-at-large.
| AAUW California | AAUW National |
| www.aauw-ca.org | www.aauw.org |
| PO BOX 160067 | 1310 L Street NW, Suite 1000 |
| Sacramento, CA 95816-0067 | Washington DC 20005 |
| 916-389-0220 | 202-785-7700 |
| Office Hours: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm | Office Hours: 7:00 am – 2:00 pm Pacific Time |
| Monday through Thursday (closed major holidays) | Monday through Friday (closed major holidays) |
| [email protected] | [email protected] |
| [email protected] |
| 2023 | |
| September | Welcome Packet distributed to branch and state leadership. |
| September 30 | Deadline: Member renewal to avoid being dropped from AAUW National roster |
| October 15 | Deadlines: Group Tax Exempt Authorization due to National to be included in umbrella filing |
| October 21-22 | Leadership Team meeting - Zoom |
| November 15 | Deadlines: • Insurance and Fund Assessment payments to AAUW California • Branch Federal 990N- if not submitted to AAUW National by October 15 • State 199N to California Franchise Tax Board • State RRF-1 (Registration Renewal Fee Report) due to Attorney General’s Office |
| November 18 | Deadline: Speech Trek Memo of Understanding (MOU) due to Speech Trek Program Director |
| December 31 | Deadline: AAUW Fund donations to be credited for 2022 |
| 2024 | |
| January 20-21 | Leadership Team meeting: Southern California |
| February 15 | Deadline: AAUW State Named Gift Nomination |
| March 1 | Deadlines: • Candidate submission for the AAUW California board positions • Branch Named Gift Honoree nominations • Official national membership count posted • Speech Trek YouTube videos (1st Place branch winners) • Speech Trek Semi-Finals: Judging • Additional state candidate nominations |
| tbd | Virtual Lobby Days |
| March 15 | Tech Trek camper fees due |
| April 20-21 | Board of Directors’ meeting: virtual |
| April 27 | Annual Event |
| April 22-May 13 | Election: Members vote for state board nominees |
| June | State Leadership Team Retreat |
| July 1 | Deadline: Branch Officer Report (BOR) |
(Elected officers indicated by an asterisk *)
 | Sandi Gabe, President* 2022-2024 [email protected] |
 | Charmen Goehring, President-elect* 2023-2026 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion [email protected] [email protected] |
 | Kathy Ford, Chief Financial Officer* 2023-2025 [email protected] Investment Subcommittee [email protected] |
 | Tracey Clark, Secretary* 2022-2024 [email protected] |
 | Julika Barrett, Office Manager [email protected] |
 | Dawn Johnson, Director* 2022-2024 Communications Committee [email protected] California Connection [email protected] |
 | Amy Hom, Director* 2023-2025 Public Policy Committee [email protected] |
 | Melissa Maceyko, Director* 2023-2025 Public Policy Committee [email protected] |
 | Sigrid Moranz, Director* 2023-2025 Branch Development Committee - Leadership [email protected] |
 | Karen Vanderwerken, Director* 2022-2024 AAUW Fund Committee [email protected] |
 | Sharyn Siebert, Director* 2022-2024 Branch Support [email protected] |
 | Marsha Swails, Director* 2022-2024 Branch Development Committee - Membership [email protected] |
 | Dianne Owens Governance/Parliamentarian [email protected] [email protected] |
 | Deanna Arthur Nominations & Elections Committee [email protected] |
 | Randa Blanding Board 2 Board Editor [email protected] |
 | Mary Issac Tech Trek Program Director [email protected] |
 | Lana Widman Speech Trek Program Director [email protected] |
 | Shauna (Oenning) Ruyle GovTrek Program Director [email protected] |
| Tech Trek Program Director | Tech Trek Financial Liaison |
| Mary Isaac | Kathy Ford |
| [email protected] | [email protected] |
| 972-839-8888 (M) | 310-541-3981 (L) |
[email protected] |
|
| Director: Open | Treasurer: Open |
[email protected] |
|
| Director: Rebecca Jennings | Treasurer: Sue Jennings |
[email protected] |
|
| Co-Director: Joan Fisher Director in Training: Alice Matthews | Treasurer: Pamela Meyer |
[email protected] |
|
| Co- Director: Susan Pease Co-Director: Pat Grijalva | Treasurer: Vanessa Otto |
[email protected] |
|
| Co-Director: Diane Coventry Director in Training: Jessica Gong | Treasurer: Rory Keller |
[email protected] [email protected] |
|
| Director: Open | Treasurer: Gail Chesler |
[email protected] |
|
| Director: Jonae Fedor | Treasurer: Kay Clark |
[email protected] |
|
| Director: Open | Treasurer: Mary Isaac |
| Name | Email Address |
| Administration | |
| - State President | [email protected] |
| - Chief Financial Officer | [email protected] |
| Investment | [email protected] |
| - Office Manager | [email protected] |
| Branch Support | [email protected] |
| - Branch Newsletters | [email protected] |
| Communications | [email protected] |
| - Board to Board Editor | [email protected] |
| - California Connection Editor | [email protected] |
| - Social Media | [email protected] |
| - Webmaster | [email protected] |
| - Website and Calendar Updates | [email protected] |
| College/University | [email protected] |
| Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | [email protected] |
| AAUW Fund | [email protected] |
| - AAUW Fund Speaker Request | [email protected] |
| - AAUW Fund – Mooneen Lecce Giving Circle | [email protected] |
| Governance | [email protected] |
| Gov Trek | [email protected] |
| Leadership Development | [email protected] |
| Nominations and Elections | [email protected] |
| Speech Trek | [email protected] |
| Public Policy | [email protected] |
| - Legislative Advocate | [email protected] |
| - Title IX Coordinator | [email protected] |
| Speech Trek | [email protected] |
| Tech Trek State Contact | [email protected] |
| Tech Trek Finance | [email protected] |
| Tech Trek Davis | [email protected] |
| Tech Trek Fresno | [email protected] |
| Tech Trek Irvine | [email protected] |
| Tech Trek San Diego | [email protected] |
| Tech Trek Santa Barbara | [email protected] |
| Tech Trek Sonoma | [email protected] |
| Tech Trek Stanford Curie | [email protected] |
| Tech Trek Stanford Hopper | [email protected] |
| Tech Trek Whittier | [email protected] |
| Committee/Position | California Member |
|---|---|
| Board Chair | Julia Brown Oakland-Piedmont 575-556-9275 (L) [email protected] |
| Board Secretary | Cheryl Sorokin Marin 415-789-5305 (L) 415-730-0204 (M) [email protected] |
| Board Finance Chair | Peggy Cabaniss Orinda-Moraga-Lafayette 925-376-0311 (L) 925-708-5178 (M) [email protected] |
| Audit | Shaila Rao Mistry (Director) California Online Branch 951-738-2000 (L) [email protected] |
| National Advancement Committee | Dale Satake ( Director)Marin 415-924-2162 (L) 415-450-0821 (M [email protected] ) Dianne Owens Lompoc-Vandenberg 805-733-1734 (L) 805-570-9192 (M) [email protected] Julia Brown (Liaison) Oakland-Piedmont 575-556-9275 (L) [email protected] |
| Nomination | Susan Negrete (Vice Chair)Beach Cities 310-377-0642 (L) 714-402-1322 (M) [email protected] Mary Isaac La Mesa-El Cajon 972-839-8888 (M) [email protected] Cheryl Sorokin Marin 415-789-5305 (L) 415-730-0204 (M) [email protected] |
| Governance | Cheryl Sorokin Marin 415-789-5305 (L) 415-730-0204 (M) [email protected] |
| Inclusion & Equity | Shaila Rao Mistry (Liaison) California Online Branch 951-738-2000 (L) [email protected] Mark Hamilton Alameda 510-749-0738 (L) [email protected] |
Finance Committee | Peggy Cabaniss (Chair) Orinda-Moraga-Lafayette 925-376-0311(L) 925-708-5178 (M) [email protected] Roli Wendorf San Francisco 914-924-5319 (M) [email protected] |
| Investment | Peggy Cabaniss (Chair) Orinda-Moraga-Lafayette 925-376-0311 (L) 925-708-5178 (M) [email protected] |
| Public Policy Committee | Alicia Hetman California Online Branch [email protected] 530-300-5250 (M) Pryia Vedula Redlands 989-400-3242 (M) [email protected] |
| Year | President | Branch |
|---|---|---|
| 1921-1923 | Mrs. E.B. Stanwood | San Francisco |
| 1923-1925 | Mrs. Henry Goodcell | San Gorgonio |
| 1925-1927 | Mrs. C.M. Vanderburgh | Fresno |
| 1927-1929 | Mrs. Charles Kasch | Monterey Peninsula |
| 1929-1930 | Mrs. Malbone w. Graham | Santa Monica |
| 1930-1932 | Mrs. George Moyse | Glendale |
| 1932-1934 | Alice Anderson | |
| 1934-1936 | Mrs. E. L. Bennett | Fresno |
| 1936-1938 | Mrs. Frank G. Swain | Whittier |
| 1938-1940 | Mrs. L, Deming Tilton | Santa Barbara |
| 1940-1942 | Virginia Lanphier | San Mateo |
| 1942-1944 | Florence N. Brady | Glendale |
| 1944-1946 | Ysabel Forker | Bakersfield |
| 1946-1948 | Mrs. Georges. Graves | San Diego |
| 1948-1950 | Mrs. Donald Bean | Palo Alto |
| 1950-1952 | Mrs. Ray Winthrop Townsend | Long Beach |
| 1952-1954 | Mrs. Frank Hobart Marvin | Fresno |
| 1954-1956 | Mrs. Walter C. Fell | San Francisco |
| 1956-1958 | Mrs. Patterson Goodrich | |
| 1958-1960 | Mrs. William H.N, Bryant, Jr. | Santa Barbara |
| 1960-1962 | Juanita T. Massa | Walnut Creek |
| 1962-1964 | Dr. Margaret Fagin Hartung | |
| 1964-1966 | Meta Haupt | Los Angeles |
| 1966-1968 | Jane B. Winegar | Santa Cruz |
| 1968-1970 | Ione B. Paradise | Arcadia |
| 1970-1972 | Anita Miller | Sacramento |
| 1972-1974 | Rosellen Kershaw | Fresno, Santa Cruz |
| 1974-1976 | Marilyn Paluzzi | La Mesa |
| 1976-1978 | Evelyn R. Stanton | San Mateo |
| 1978-1980 | Jeannete Miller | Newport-Costa Mesa |
| 1980-1982 | Lynn Herz Harris | Redding, San Francisco |
| 1982-1984 | Sharon Schuster | San Fernando Valley |
| 1984-1986 | Carole Bovitz | Huntington Beach, Goleta Valley |
| 1986-1988 | Charlotte Pedersen | Merced |
| 1988-1990 | Eileen Givens | Glendale |
| 1990-1992 | Chris Winter | Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek |
| 1992-1994 | Nora Perry | Redding |
| 1994-1996 | Sue Bordner | Fullerton, Sacramento, Placerville |
| 1996-1998 | Karen Manelis | Fresno |
| 1998-2000 | Krys Wulff | Napa County |
| 2000-2002 | Joanne Brown | Concord |
| 2002-2004 | Sue Cochran | Petaluma |
| 2004-2006 | Kathleen Cha | Oakland-Piedmont & San Francisco |
| 2006-2008 | Rita Wustner | Walnut Creek, Concord, and CA Online |
| 2006-2008 | Donna Lilly | Del Mar-Leucadia and CA Online |
| 2008-2012 | Gloria Taylor | Berkeley |
| 2008-2012 | Judy Pfeil | Simi Valley |
| 2012-2014 | Alicia Hetman | California Online |
| 2014-2016 | Kathleen Doty | Alhambra-San Gabriel |
| 2016-2018 | Donna Mertens | Victor Valley |
| 2018-2020 | Catherine Foxhoven | San Mateo |
| 2018-2020 | Jane Niemeier | La Mesa-El Cajon |
| 2020-2022 | Dianne Owens | Lompoc-Vandenberg |