Maria Alexe–This Month’s Featured Reader

Feb 28, 2023 by

Maria Alexe is the owner and curator of ARTCITY Gallery in Bucharest, Romania, and the President of Romanian Soroptimist Union. The events she curates reflect her dedication to promoting social issues.

read more

Pico Iyer

Dec 31, 2022 by

Pico Iyer has been a full-time writer since 1982, publishing 16 books, translated into 23 languages, on subjects ranging from the Dalai Lama to globalism, from the Cuban Revolution to Islamic mysticism.

read more

Marilyn and Les Widd

Nov 26, 2022 by

Marilyn and Les Widd are the founders of Hearts of Baja Children’s Network, an organization formed to help support children in northern Baja California, Mexico.

read more

Deena Metzger

Oct 29, 2022 by

Deena Metzger is a writer, storyteller and healer. She developed therapies (Healing Stories) which creatively address life threatening diseases, spiritual and emotional crises, as well as community, political and environmental disintegration.

read more

Rick Stoff

Aug 31, 2022 by

Rick Stoff is a longtime activist for the homeless and co-founder of Volunteer Collective.  Rick believes that it is up to each of us to do our part, and to share the responsibility to help our neighbors in need.

read more

Valeria Aloe

Jul 31, 2022 by

Valeria Aloe is an award-winning author, speaker, and founder of the Rising Together Movement, as well as Board member of LUPE Fund and Vice President of Latina Surge, non-profits that advocate for Latina equal pay, access to education, and civic engagement.

read more

Russell Bishop

Jun 30, 2022 by

Russell Bishop is a best-selling author, consultant, and mentor.  He is the creator and CEO of Insight Seminars; a change strategy partner at Accenture; and Editorial Director at the Huffington Post.

read more

Anita Koroma

Apr 30, 2022 by

Anita Koroma is Founder/Country Director of Girl Child Network Sierra Leone, which supports thousands of girls from all backgrounds, as well as EcoJC Pad Enterprise, which generates funds and creates jobs by producing reusable sanitary pads

read more

Isha Daramy

Mar 31, 2022 by

A dedicated midwife, Mrs. Isha Daramy works to improve the lives of pregnant women and young mothers and to reduce natal mortality rate in both urban and rural areas of Sierra Leone.

read more

Mary Collins

Feb 28, 2022 by

Mary Collins is Senior Policy & Advocacy Coordinator for European Women’s Lobby, a membership based organization that brings together the women’s movement in Europe to influence the general public and European Institutions in support of women’s human rights and equality between women and men.

read more

Laura Lind

Jan 31, 2022 by

Laura Lind is a volunteer at Days for Girls (DfG), an award-winning NGO dedicated to ending period poverty. Though her church, she was able to go to Zimbabwe and make a DfG presentation to women in a small village.

read more

Laurel Airica

Dec 31, 2021 by

Laurel Airica is an English language linguist/educational entertainer, and creator of WordMagic Global: WordPlay That Unravels Mass Hypnosis –– and Elevates the Frequency of Consciousness.

read more

Athena Azevedo

Nov 30, 2021 by

Athena Azevedo is Executive Director/Production Director for the International Brazilian Opera Company (IBOC), producing with IBOC since their “Brazilian Opera” debut concerts in 2014. She is currently spearheading the art direction and development of Wildflower, the opera by librettist Nina Smart and composer João MacDowell.

read more

Vijali Hamilton

Oct 31, 2021 by

Vijali Hamilton, a visionary sculptor, poet, musician, performance artist, and author, is the originator of the World Wheel, Global Peace Through the Arts. Her work focuses attention on environmental, spiritual, and social problems.

read more

Beverly Bucur

Sep 30, 2021 by

Beverly Bucur is the Soroptimist International Director of Advocacy, working with the Soroptimist International UN Representatives, the Advocacy Committee and SI Board to ensure that Soroptimist International is the Global Voice For Women.

read more

Nina Smart

Aug 31, 2021 by

Dr. Nina Smart is a non-violent human rights activist, sociologist, and author who educates people about female genital mutilation (FGM) and works to eradicate the practice in Sierra Leone, West Africa and prevent its spread in the US and Europe.

read more

Elena Timofticiuc

Jul 31, 2021 by

Elena Timofticiuc is Executive Secretary of AIDRom–the Ecumenical Association of Churches from Romania. Beginning in 1992, her work has been dedicated to the recognition of  human rights in Romania, especially of women, victims of violence and trafficking for sexual or labor exploitation.

read more

Shuwen Liao

Jun 30, 2021 by

Shuwen Liao, Secretary General of Taiwan Coalition Against Violence (TCAV), has been working for the prevention and elimination of gender-based violence in Taiwan since 1988

read more

Ginger Cole

May 31, 2021 by

For the past 14 years, Gloria “Ginger” Cole has served in leadership positions at Soroptimist, and in September 2021, she will be installed as board director of Soroptimist International of the Americas.

read more

Carole Oglesby

Apr 30, 2021 by

Carole Oglesby, Ph.D., first President of WomenSport International, has a career focused on women’s/gender studies in sport and sport psychology that goes back more than fifty years.

read more

Pat Cane

Mar 31, 2021 by

Pat Cane, PhD, is Founder and Executive Director of Capacitar International. For more than 33 years, Pat has taught thousands of trainings in over 45 countries.

read more

Mariet Verhoef Cohen

Feb 28, 2021 by

Mariet Verhoef Cohen is Chair/President of Women for Water Partnership (WfWP) and past president of Soroptimist International Europe. She is a dedicated leader, a successful businesswoman, and an expert on water issues.

read more

Angela Peabody

Jan 31, 2021 by

Angela Peabody is the Executive Director and Founder of Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation, an organization dedicated to empowering women and girls to help end gender-based violence, especially female genital mutilation (FGM).

read more

Lee Gale Gruen

Dec 31, 2020 by

After retiring from her 37-year career as a probation officer, Lee Gale became an actress, author, public speaker, and blogger. Having developed her own second career after she retired, Lee Gale became an expert on helping seniors find fulfillment in their retirement.

read more

Mariya Taher

Nov 30, 2020 by

Mariya Taher is the US Executive Director and one of the founding members in of Sahiyo, an NGO founded in 2015 that works to bring an end to Female Genital Cutting (FGC) in Asian communities.

read more

Susan Burton

Nov 1, 2020 by

Susan Burton is the founder and president of A New Way of Life,  a program that provides reentry services for formerly incarcerated women.  She strives to mitigate the effects of, and ultimately eliminate, mass incarceration.

read more

Maka Chikowero

Sep 30, 2020 by

Maka Chikowero is a junior in high school in Madison, WI and the founder and president of MTC Educate a Girl Inc

read more

Lamia El Sadek

Aug 31, 2020 by

Lamia El Sadek, Ph.D is Managing Director of Dignity and Power Now, overseeing the organization’s operational structure and strategic direction.

read more

Athia Carrim

Jul 31, 2020 by

Athia Carrim is the Director of Education and Interfaith at the International Institute of Tolerance (IIT), an organization she and her husband founded in 2006.

read more

Jodie Evans

Jun 30, 2020 by

Jodie Evans is a political activist, author,  documentary film producer, and co-founder of the women’s anti-war activist organization CODEPINK.

read more

Pamela Anchang

May 31, 2020 by

Pamela Anchang is the founder and president of TIM.TV, The Immigrant Magazine TV, which provides a platform for immigrants in the United States.

read more

Saba Tesfayohannes

Apr 30, 2020 by

Dr. Saba Tesfayohannes is a founding member and current chair of the board of directors of ERISAT-Eritrean Satellite Television.

read more

Suzanne Taylor

Mar 31, 2020 by

Suzanne Taylor produces stimulating events, projects and experiences for sophisticated audiences with a visionary voice that challenges the status quo and helps people feel inspired to shift us from a worldview based on greed to where caring about each other is as important as caring about ourselves.

read more

Meymuna Hussein-Cattan

Feb 28, 2020 by

Meymuna Hussein-Cattan and her mother, Owliya Dima, are co-founders of Tiyya Foundation.  As refugees, they knew first-hand the challenges refugees face in resettlement.

read more

Lynda “Sunnye” Simpson

Jan 31, 2020 by

Lynda “Sunnye” D. Simpson is Vice President, Resource Development at the Tuskeegee Airmen Scholarship Foundation (TASF.) Working for this organization is a way of keeping a family legacy alive.

read more

Senait Admassu

Dec 31, 2019 by

Senait Admassu, MSW is the founder of the African Communities Public Health Coalition (ACPHC), a Los Angeles based non profit organization which was created from her passion and understanding of the complexities of underserved African Communities.

read more

Roya Adjory

Nov 30, 2019 by

Roya Adjory was featured in May, 2016 for her work in creating a green hair salon, for which she received a Climate Leader Award and Green Salon Certification.  In her search for better and safer salon products, Roya discovered Natulique, a line of products that are organic and free of toxic chemicals.  She has become their California distributor, and she has also begun political advocacy work to pass laws requiring safer products and more transparent labeling.

read more

Giselle Malluche

Oct 31, 2019 by

Giselle Malluche is the founder of Change to Humanity, a charity serving the homeless and food-insecure in Atlanta and Clarkston, GA.

read more

Annelise Schinzinger

Sep 30, 2019 by

Annelise Schinzinger is an expert in caregiving for the  elderly and dying and the author of The Art and Science of Caregiving: Stories of Inspiring Elders with an End-of-Life Guidebook

read more

Zebiba Shekhia

Sep 1, 2019 by

Zebiba Shekhia built a high school for girls in the Eritrean refugee camp in Sudan.  Opened in 2010, the school has graduated more than 500 children.

read more

Aman Berhe

Jun 30, 2019 by

Amanuel “Aman” Berhe is the founder and president of African Missions Empowering Network, (AMEN), a faith-based-Community organization dedicated to advancing  health, education, empowerment and solidarity among Eritrean refugees.

read more

Rebecca Paida

Jun 1, 2019 by

Rebecca Paida, MPH, CHES is Senior Program Manager at Nile Sisters Development Initiative (NSDI) in San Diego where she provides a wide range of services, including supervision, needs assessment, dialog with the community and with decision makers, and direct service.

read more

Lisette Gold

Apr 30, 2019 by

Dr. Gold will receive the Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles President’s Award for the Service Unit at the upcoming Annual Girl Scouts Volunteer Ceremony on April 13th for her work to make Santa Monica Girl Scouts exceptional.

read more

Soula SAAD

Feb 28, 2019 by

Soula SAAD is a writer, producer, and director whose images and music transcend borders. Since 2010 Soula has been developing a series of films on the feminine voice of the planet.

read more

Yasmin Kadir

Jan 31, 2019 by

Yasmin Kadir is the executive assistant and Program Coordinator for Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV), where she has coordinated and implemented national and local programs.  Yasmin is also a 2018-2019 NewGround Change-maker Fellow.

read more

Stefania Magidson

Dec 31, 2018 by

Stefania Magidson is the founder and president of Blue Heron Foundation, one of the largest non-profit organizations in the Romanian diaspora. Romanian-born, she has lived in the United States since 1983.

read more

Joanne Manzella

Nov 30, 2018 by

Joanne Manzella is a web developer, photographer, and graphic designer and a lifelong resident of Santa Monica, CA.  Because of her...

read more

Wen Chen

Oct 31, 2018 by

Dr. Wen Chen is an activist for Chinese culture and human rights.  She was born in China during the Great Cultural Revolution and eventually won a national prize at a science competition when she was 16. She came to the U.S. for graduate school and received a doctorate degree in Biology

read more

Stephanie LaMotta

Sep 30, 2018 by

Stephanie LaMotta is the founder of Death Row Dogs Rescue. In addition to dogs, Stephanie has rescued cats, fish, birds, pigs, horses, goats, sheep, and chickens.  Over the past 31 years, she has rescued about 3000 animals.

read more

Monalisa Okojie

Aug 31, 2018 by

Monalisa Okojie is the founder and president of Upward African Woman (UAW) to help eliminate  the poverty, illiteracy, and hopelessness confronting women and children in Africa and within our own city of Los Angeles.

read more

Jackie Behling

Jul 31, 2018 by

Jackie Behling is the founder and executive director of Global One Development Center.   She had become aware of the problem of...

read more

Sheila Laffey

Jun 30, 2018 by

Sheila Laffey, Ph.D. is an award-winning producer/director of documentaries and short dramatic films and Adjunct Professor of Film...

read more

Cameron Gharabiklou

Jun 1, 2018 by

Cameron Gharabikiou is the co-founder of Justice Law Group and current candidate for Lieutenant Governor of California.  Cameron and...

read more

Carol Rosenstein

Apr 30, 2018 by

Carol Rosenstein is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of MusicMendsMinds, Inc. Carol and her husband, Irwin, founded...

read more

Lila Silvern

Mar 31, 2018 by

Lila Silvern, pictured with her sons Drew and Eric, is the founder of the Drew Silvern affiliate, a non-profit chapter of Scholarship...

read more

Juliet Béynon

Feb 28, 2018 by

Juliet Béynon serves as project director for K9 connection, a nonprofit program that re-shapes the lives of teens in at-risk...

read more

Jay Grossman, DDS

Jan 31, 2018 by

Jay S, Grossman, DDS is the Founder and CEO of Homeless Not Toothless, a 501C(3) non profit program providing free dental care to the...

read more

Ameeta Nanji

Dec 31, 2017 by

Ameeta is an artist living and working in Venice, CA.  Born to Indian parents in Nairobi, Kenya, she studied art in London. She has...

read more

Jack Nordhaus

Nov 30, 2017 by

Jack Nordhaus, PhD has been a volunteer with Perfect Pet Rescue (www.perfectpetrescue.com), a West Los Angeles-based dog adoption...

read more

Janine Jordan

Oct 31, 2017 by

Janine Jordan is the founder of Green Wave, a non-profit in Costa Rica.  In her own words: My name is Janine Jordan. I am an artivist...

read more

Aziza Hasan

Sep 30, 2017 by

Aziza Hasan, M.A. is Executive Director of NewGround: Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change. Aziza has been part of the NewGround team...

read more

Mary Wright

Aug 31, 2017 by

Mary Wright’s ethereal art has always been inspired by nature. Mary is guided by the interrelation between the four elements – air,...

read more

Ronda Spinak

Jul 31, 2017 by

Ronda Spinak, pictured on the left with Salma Hayek and JWT’s PR consultant, Maureen Rubin, is producer and artistic director of...

read more

Susan Dillon

Jun 30, 2017 by

I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 1994. I then thought my life was over, but it has carried on quite happily. After...

read more

Mollie Hogan

Apr 30, 2017 by

Mollie Hogan is the founder and president of Nature of Wildworks.  She started out as a professional singer, but switched careers...

read more

David Sonnenschein

Mar 31, 2017 by

David Sonnenschein’s passions of art, science and communication guide the mission of his company iQsonics. A neuroscientist,...

read more

Sandra Beckwith

Feb 28, 2017 by

Sandra Beckwith is the author of two ebook series teaching civility and ethics to kids:  Master Keys for Kids and A Manner for All...

read more

Mary Ann Webster

Jan 31, 2017 by

Mary Ann Webster is a veteran Sierra Club member and environmental activist who has served over 20 years as Chair for the Santa...

read more

Sita Lozoff

Jan 1, 2017 by

Sita Lozoff is the co-director of the Human Kindness Foundation (HKF), a project she founded with her late husband Bo Lozoff more...

read more

Nina Smart

Nov 30, 2016 by

Dr. Nina Smart was born in communist Romania and spent her teenage years in Sierra Leone, West Africa.  Following her own harrowing...

read more

Ping Ho

Oct 31, 2016 by

Ping Ho MA, MPH, is the Founding Director of UCLArts and Healing. As a lifelong student of the arts, with master’s degrees in...

read more

Danielle Levy

Sep 30, 2016 by

Danielle Levy’s life goal is to contribute toward the creation of unity among all people.  To do this, she uses a framework of higher...

read more

Bea Ammidown

Sep 1, 2016 by

Bea Ammidown was born in New York, educated in Paris and Switzerland, and has had careers as an editor for Life Magazine and Harper’s...

read more

Shane Johnson

Jul 29, 2016 by

Shane Johnson is 15 years old.  For the last three years he has been working with an organization that finds adoptive homes for dogs,...

read more

Annie Goeke

Jun 29, 2016 by

Anne de la Bouillerie (known as Annie Goeke) has been a noted leader in the Greens and Peace movement worldwide for over a decade...

read more

Dorothy Reik

Jun 1, 2016 by

Dorothy Reik is founder and President of Progressive Democrats of the Santa Monica Mountains, and owner of a daily listserve which is...

read more

Lee Gale Gruen

May 19, 2016 by

Having developed her own second career after she retired, Lee Gale Gruen has become an expert on helping seniors find fulfillment in...

read more

Roya Adjory

May 19, 2016 by

Our first featured reader is Roya Adjory. I met her when I finished chemotherapy and was desperately looking for a hair salon free...

read more