Luncheon Features Former USAID Head 

The Westmont Women’s Leadership Council Luncheon features Henrietta Holsman Fore – a recognized leader in business, corporate boards, the U.S. government, the United Nations and nonprofit organizations – on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, 12-1:30 pm at Montecito Covenant Church, 671 Cold Spring Road, Santa Barbara. A limited number of tickets, which cost $150 per person, may be purchased online at westmont.edu/leadership-luncheon. For more information or to learn about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Toni Ramos at tramos@westmont.edu or call (805) 565-6050.

Anne Towbes, local philanthropist and community leader, will receive the 2025 Lady Leslie Ridley-Tree Spirit of Santa Barbara Award at the luncheon. For more than 35 years, Towbes has volunteered and supported numerous worthwhile causes in Santa Barbara, including the Women’s Fund, Santa Barbara City College, UCSB Foundation, the Hutton Parker Foundation, and the Towbes Foundation, which partners with local nonprofits.

“Our speaker, Henrietta Fore, has led a distinguished and fascinating career that I believe will inspire our local community leaders, professionals, alums and students alike,” says Sarah Camp, assistant vice president for advancement. “We’re thrilled that this event, which raises scholarship funds for Westmont’s female students, also celebrates the example set by Anne Towbes, an icon of Santa Barbara philanthropy. These two women exemplify the difference women leaders make in society.”

Fore, who has worked with the world’s top leaders and policy makers, served as administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and directed U.S. Foreign Assistance — the first woman in these positions. She served as undersecretary of state for management, COO for the U.S. Department of State, director of the U.S. Mint in the U.S. Department of Treasury and executive director of UNICEF.

Established in 2016, the luncheon and council seek to recognize and empower Westmont’s female students – to both thrive in their collegiate experience with needed scholarships, and to flourish in their future careers and vocations by connecting them to community professionals to share career and life insights, networking, internship and job opportunities.

Gold Sponsors include Renée Curtis and Anna Grotenhuis. Silver Sponsors are Channel Island Fiduciary Group, Crawford Speier Realtors, and Palm Tree. Bronze Sponsors include Christine Emmons and Bitsy Bacon, Steven and Denice Fellows, and Dr. Sherry, Clinical Psychotherapist. 

Current members include chair Denice Fellows, Kim Crawford (‘00), Courtney DeSoto (‘94), Amy Eddy (‘02), Anna Grotenhuis, Cheryl Miller, Sherry Nasseri (‘00), Drew Parisi (‘05), and Karen Yonally.

Past speakers include Teresa Goines (2016), Kathy Ireland (2017), Shauna Niequist (2018), Megan Alexander (2019), Tamika Catchings (2020), Lupita Knittel (2023), and Natalie Taylor (2024).

Each year, Westmont celebrates the example of a local leader for exemplifying the life and spirit of Lady Ridley-Tree whose generosity made a profound impact on Westmont College and touched the lives of many in the Santa Barbara community. Past awardees: Dave and Anna Grotenhuis (2023) and Chris Emmons (2024).