CALIFORNIA – Women in Los Angeles are changing the city for the better. As the world celebrates Women’s History Month this March, we are recognizing LA County Women demonstrating influence, impact, and leadership.
These 15 remarkable women are breaking barriers, challenging the status quo, shaping California, and reshaping the future by changing perspectives. Featuring changemakers from healthcare, government, and advocacy, to education and nonprofits, we are celebrating solidarity and leadership with these Angelenos dedicated to promoting gender equity and empowering women and girls throughout Los Angeles County.
With great pride and excitement, we acknowledge these women’s milestones as a powerful testament to what can be achieved through collaboration and shared commitment.
Honoring some of Los Angeles’s influential women advancing equity and health & wellness of women & girls:
Judy Chu, PhD, is a Member of Congress for the 28th District who is a member of the Democratic Women’s Caucus in Congress pushing for a Women’s Economic Agenda, which would bring equal pay, childcare, and paid leave into the modern age. Dr. Chu has been vital in the promotion of women’s rights and empowering community leaders to advocate for better policies. She has also been an outspoken voice to fight to protect reproductive rights nationwide. In September 2022, the House of Representatives passed the Women’s Health Protection Act, authored by Chu. Rep. Chu is a member of the Subcommittees on Health, giving her oversight over healthcare reform and crucial safety net programs for family support. Always a pioneer, Chu has been a catalyst for celebrating local women in the San Gabriel Valley who have contributed to their neighborhoods and communities through service, organizing, or leadership. Congresswoman Chu has become a powerful voice for those in need and is working tirelessly to eliminate disparities ensuring that minority communities can achieve health equity. Her commitment to education and knowledge has changed lives by positively influencing policy and increasing community learning and awareness. The Los Angeles native has also remained committed to standing up against racial and ethnic profiling, ensuring that all American citizens have the right to vote, and constantly supporting equal rights for opportunities for women. We are reminded of her incredible journey that has brought her here as the first Chinese-American woman elected to Congress which reflects on her history-making career.
Traci Park is a Councilwoman advocating for mental health access leading the charge to reform mental health and substance abuse laws. The American attorney, politician, and City Councilmember for the 11th district since 2022, has been sweeping improvements in legislative initiatives, and public safety measures. A Johns Hopkins University and Loyola Law School graduate, Park doesn’t come from a political background but knew she had to step up and try to make a difference on the Westside. She is working to implement urgent and compassionate solutions that get people off the streets and is driven to achieve results. Park invested in a 20-year career as an attorney before being elected to the LA City Council. Park has also offered leadership in preparation for the 2028 Olympic Games. Park’s mother was a school secretary and president of the California School Employees Association. The Councilwoman believes in rebuilding collaborative relationships between our communities. Some of her policy policies include partnering with mental health professionals and social workers. She is also concerned with reducing human trafficking and sex crimes, supporting victims, addressing the crisis of gun violence, and elevating hate crime prevention and enforcement. In her professional career, Park has received many coveted endorsements and awards for her dedication and commitment to the community.
Sonya Young Aadam, CEO of California Black Women’s Health Project, has been at the forefront of addressing pressing healthcare challenges with innovative and impactful initiatives and programs, improving the health and wellness of Black women and girls. Under her direction, she has led the charge in advancing health equity through advocacy, education, policy, and outreach. She is dedicated to making a continuous and intentional impact on the viability and sustainability of the organization in the fight for equity, and justice, providing a healthier future from preconception to aging. Aadam has been responsible for conducting groundbreaking statewide studies amplifying the voices of Black women to educate the public and policymakers to help eliminate gender and racial inequities in health status. Aadam has become a champion for training and mobilizing Black women and educating policymakers to actively address the inequities in Black women’s mental, emotional, and physical health. Aadams leadership is guided by values of empowerment, change, and collaboration. She operates 100% of her programming efforts centered on the fundamental belief that collective engagement is essential to effective prevention and early intervention. Aadam is unapologetic about advocating on the premise of intrinsic value in the history and heritage of Black women and employing culturally competent interventions that are relevant, appropriate, and effective. Aadam has received countless awards and honors, among them an NAACP Image Award recognizing her as an Unsung Hero.
Jan King, MD, MPH, is the Regional Health Officer for West and South Los Angeles. In her position of Regional Health Officer, Dr. King is responsible for overseeing key public health activities including oversight of STD, tuberculosis, and immunization clinical services; mass distribution of medications and vaccines during medical emergencies; and public health programming aimed at improving community health in West and South Los Angeles. A native of California, Dr. King is board-certified in internal medicine and completed the California Health Care Foundation’s Healthcare Leadership Fellowship at the University of California at San Francisco. Dr. King previously served as the Medical Director for the Office of AIDS, Epidemic Intelligence Officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Physician Executive for HealthCare Partners Medical Group. Dr. King has practiced medicine and lectured on public health in countries including Costa Rica, Cuba, South Africa, Malawi, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Kenya. She has served on numerous boards and advisory committees including the Charles Drew University School of Public Health, Los Angeles County Women’s Health Policy Council, the National Quality Center, Los Angeles Housing Authority, California State Department of Public Health Equity Commission, and the Los Angeles HIV Commission.
Erica Mangham is a Community VIP who has made a career of doing charitable work that benefits her community, especially working with children. Mangham devotes herself to supporting others and is a former executive director for Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times where she spearheaded efforts to help children who have been impacted by cancer. She has worked with Best Buddies International, Lupus Research Alliance and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. The Rancho Palos Verdes resident is committed to volunteering and is a mainstay helping hand with the Torrance Memorial Medical Center. Her work has also included working with the Boys & Girls Club where she has worked on initiatives securing resources for needy families. Mangham is the president of the National Charity League’s Palos Verdes chapter. Under her leadership, she promotes philanthropy and invests in the leadership of girls grades 7-12 to volunteer with their mothers at community nonprofits including hospitals, food pantries, and children’s agencies. Mangham, a champion for special needs children, has also offered support and offered leadership to numerous other community endeavors throughout the region including helping to inspire participants and solicit volunteers for the National League of Young Men. Mangham previously served as executive director at Variety – the Children’s Charity, where she was at the helm of 44 global offices.
Amy Turk, LCSW, is the Chief Executive Officer of the Downtown Women’s Center, the only organization in Los Angeles focused exclusively on serving and empowering women experiencing homelessness. Ms. Turk has worked in the fields of social work and homeless services since 2001 and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Before joining DWC, she spent seven years as the Director of Daybreak, a project of OPCC (now The People Concern) serving women experiencing homelessness. Ms. Turk has held numerous local, state, and national leadership positions in efforts to end homelessness. She is a recipient of the John A. Hartford Foundation Practice Change Leader award for her efforts to improve healthcare for older adults experiencing homelessness, and she served as a Systems Leader for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s 100 Million Healthier Lives Campaign. She is also a National Trauma Recovery Center Association Advisory Board Member, Los Angeles County Coordinated Entry System Councilmember, and was the previous Board Chair for Los Angeles Central Providers Collaborative.
Gloria Morrow is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Consultant/Trainer, Author, Speaker, and Director of the Behavioral Health at Unicare Community Health Center, Inc. Dr. Morrow manages the behavioral health department of their 13 clinics. Dr. Morrow is leading the way as a Christian therapist who uses spiritual principles to help clients heal from trauma and uses mindfulness practices to help others live a more peaceful and purposeful life. Her expertise in clinical psychology and holistic healing has won her national acclaim. Her groundbreaking workshop, S.A.F.E. (Spirituality and Faith Empowers), equips faith communities and mental health professionals with tools to support recovery. Dr. Morrow has been a champion in helping community members who are suffering from depression, anxiety, PTSD, relationship issues, grief and loss, and life coaching. Dr. Morrow seeks to make a difference in people’s lives and believes she has been called to do the work that she does in helping others on the road to becoming overcomers. Having endured her own battle with depression, Dr. Gloria felt a deep calling to support those suffering in silence. Dr. Morrow has also expanded her impact through storytelling, including a documentary The Things That Make Men Cry, and her first feature film Three Times a Lady.
Julia Mockeridge, DPH, is currently the Health Deputy for Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn. In her role, Dr. Mockeridge prioritizes creating and supporting policies that ensure County residents have equitable access to quality healthcare. Dr. Mockeridge was inducted into the inaugural cohort of Latina leaders representing Los Angeles County in the HOPE network where she works to improve education, healthcare, and economic development, enhancing the status of Latinas and helping with dismantling barriers. Prior to her current role, Dr. Mockeridge was a Physical Therapist for the Department of Health Services at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, specializing in acute rehabilitation. Outside of her professional roles, Dr. Mockeridge is engaged in her community through local social justice organizations; she is a board member for two non-profit organizations centered on people with disabilities, she is on a disability accessibility and accommodations advisory committee, and she volunteers for political campaigns and equity-focused organizations.
Jessica Schumer, MD, MPH, is changing the narrative serving as California’s Assistant Deputy Director for Chronic Disease Prevention for California Department of Public Health. Schumer is a pediatrician, public health leader, and social entrepreneur passionate about health equity, social justice, and the future of our planet. Schumer is dedicated to improving health outcomes by addressing the social determinants of health. As California’s Assistant Deputy Director for Chronic Disease Prevention, Dr. Schumer is committed to centering the voices of those most impacted by health disparities and focusing on state and local regulations, programs, and investments that improve equity and cardiometabolic health. She uses a strengths-based, life course, and interdisciplinary approach informed by years of practice in the safety-net system. Dr. Schumer completed her MD in New Orleans and during medical school co-led a multi-sector community health initiative for uninsured community members. That experience would lead Dr. Schumer to become the first Deputy for the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services. In that role, she led initiatives seeking to address racial and health disparities, workforce development, and employee wellness. Previously Dr. Schumer was the Assistant Medical Director of School Based Health at TCC Family Health, an FQHC in Long Beach, California, and was an advisor for All Children Thrive, a multi-sector collective impact effort.
Caroline Torén is involved with a wide range of projects helping with gender impact assessment. She is a consultant with the Los Angeles County Women & Girls Initiative. The WGI was tasked with examining the systemic issues that lead to inequitable gender outcomes and recommending changes to improve the quality of life for women and girls in the County. Caroline has a decade of experience developing and implementing gender-responsive policies and programs for the Swedish Defense and State Department, and the City of Los Angeles. She started her career overseeing the European Union’s Civilian and Military Crisis Management Missions and advocating for the implementation of the Women, Peace & Security Agenda in the European Union’s External Relations. After leading policy development processes at the European Correspondent’s Office and the United Nations Policy Department in Sweden, Caroline helped lead the work of the Los Angeles City Commission on the Status of Women. She has worked as a consultant since 2019, helping organizations design, implement, and evaluate gender-responsive policies, programs, and initiatives to advance gender equity and equality, and achieve systems change. Caroline holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Crisis Management from Uppsala University, Sweden, and a Master of Arts in Conflict, Security, and Development from King’s College, United Kingdom.
Germany Kent is a Hall-of-Fame world-renowned thought leader and influencer, author, producer, commercial actress, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and former FOX News evening anchor. Before moving to Los Angeles, Kent held leadership positions at four U.S. universities and served as an executive in corporate America at two Fortune 500 companies. She recently sat on the board of directors for the national non-profit organization All Cops Ain’t Bad from May 2022 to January 2025 where she served as an advocate helping to bridge the gap between cops and the community. In her role as an activist, she has met with the District Attorney, Chief of Police, the Assistant Chief of Police, sergeants, and detectives advocating on behalf of women. Her advocacy has had a groundbreaking impact on the lives of crime victims and she has helped to raise awareness to end violence against women worldwide. Kent has also been instrumental in advancing health equity through her advocacy helping to shape policy implementation for the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health. She has garnered an extensive range of awards for artistic merit and humanitarian achievements across her illustrious career. Notably, in 2023 she was named Shero of the Year by a 30-year-old Los Angeles nonprofit for her tireless efforts on behalf of Angelenos.
Tyan Parker Dominguez is a champion for women’s health, maternal and infant health. She is a healthcare systems expert and university professor at the University of Southern California who focuses on racial/ethnic disparities in infant mortality, preterm delivery, and low birth weight. Her areas of expertise include health equity, community mental health clinics, and inpatient and outpatient medical settings. Dominguez has been a leader in the field helping through education to advocate for program development, research, public policy, and health education pertaining to healthcare providers as she continues to incorporate curriculum and outreach for health and wellness advancements. For her impact, Dominguez has received the USC Center for Excellence in Teaching as a Faculty Fellow. She has also received the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work Hutton Patterson Award for Distinguished Teaching and Service, a Community Impact Award from the Council on Social Work Education, recognized as a Young Professional of the Year from the American Public Health Association – Maternal and Child Health. Dominguez has also been crowned as a Federal Appointee for the Secretary of Health and Human Services Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Suman Pendakur, EdD, has been a long-time effective leader and continues to lead successfully. With over 20 years of experience in the field, she has been a thought partner, trainer, speaker, and executive coach for more than 300 clients across higher education, non-profit, and corporate sectors. Her focus is on advancing racial justice in higher education and other sectors that benefit the well-being of women. Pendakur is the Chief Learning Officer and Director of the USC Equity Institutes at the USC Race and Equity Center. She leads three of the Center’s signature activities. A multilingual daughter of immigrants, Pendakur is the immediate past co-president of the Southern California chapter of NADOHE (SCADOHE), and currently sits on the Coqual Advisory Board. Sumi channels her energy, empathy, and intellect into a fervent mission—a mission that invites companies, organizations, and individuals to join a collective effort in shaping a future where narratives of progress, inclusivity, and justice reign supreme. Sumi’s multi-decade experiences offer a blueprint for any organization or individual seeking to enact positive change, showcasing the skills to motivate, envision, and strategically navigate transformative shifts. Pendakur believes we can accelerate the pace and create a future that transcends boundaries. She is actively championing collective energy, empathy, and intellect into a force for transformative action.
Millicent Gorham believes women deserve access to better preventive care and she is eliminating inequalities aiming to improve pathways for women patients. Gorham is the inaugural CEO of the Alliance for Women’s Health & Prevention (AWHP), a non-profit women’s health advocacy organization working to ensure that all women and girls have access. to high-quality, affordable preventive care. She leads efforts focused on policy issues related to women’s and girl’s health, specifically breast and cervical cancer, osteoporosis, and vaccines, with a health equity perspective. Gorham has over three decades of leadership experience in healthcare and advocacy and advocates for women to be proactive about their health recommending essential screenings and exams for teens and women in their 20s and onward. She has been with AWHP since its founding in 2022, serving as the Chair of the Board of Directors. Gorham has held numerous executive posts including being appointed to the Rockefeller Foundation Equitable Vaccination Advisory Council. She was elected to the Board of Trustees of Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts. The executive has also been appointed to the American Academy of Nursing Edge Runners National Advisory Council and was appointed by Chair of the City Council of the District of Columbia to serve on the Board of United Medical Center. Gorham previously served on the Advisory Council of the Pfizer Multicultural Center of Excellence and she is a recipient of the Labor Leader Award from the National Action Network.
Karol E. Watson, MD, PhD, FACC, is a professor of Medicine/Cardiology and a board-certified, fulltime cardiologist at Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Dr. Watson is the director of the UCLA Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Health Program at UCLA, the Co-Director of the UCLA Program in Preventive Cardiology, and the director of the UCLA Fellowship Program in Cardiovascular Diseases. Dr. Watson has had the honor of being a recipient of the California chapter of the American College of Cardiology Cardiologist of the Year. She is currently chair of the Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Toxicology Devices Panel of the Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Watson has over 100 publications and presentations on subjects including prevention of heart disease, vascular calcification, hormone replacement therapy, the metabolic syndrome, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and. cardiovascular disease in African Americans. She has been featured on Lifetime television, NBC News, and PBS, to name a few. Additionally, Dr. Watson was one of the physician hosts of the TLC television series “Guardian Angels, MD,” as well as an advisor to, and featured in the Emmy award-winning PBS series “The Mysterious Human Heart.” She received her undergraduate degree from Stanford University, her Medical Degree from Harvard Medical School, magna cum laude, and her PhD in Physiology from UCLA. Dr. Watson is currently the chairperson of the national advisory board for WomenHeart – a national organization dedicated to women with heart disease.
Summary
Women’s History Month celebrates the achievements of women through their experiences and accomplishments. In the last era, women have made vital contributions in various fields shaping California and our world. These trailblazing women have made their mark in history showing how they are leading the way.
