Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Local women nominated for recognition at dinner

The 21st annual Women of Achievement Awards Dinner will be held Sept 25 in the Imperial Ballroom of the Fairmont Hotel in downtown San Jose. Sponsored and produced by the nonprofit, San Jose-based Women's Fund, the celebration honors 96 women from throughout Santa Clara County for contributions in arts, communications, community services, corporate business, education, entrepreneurship, labor, professionalism, public office, public service, science and technology, sports and volunteerism.

One winner from each category will be singled out for special recognition at the dinner.

Among the honorees are many from Los Gatos and Monte Sereno:

* Joleen Callahan, nominated in the volunteer category, served 15 years on the YWCA board of directors, including board president and chairwoman of many committees. For four years, she chaired the Tribute to Women in Industry, which raised more than $140,000 to support programs for girls, women and families through the YWCA. She has also helped lead bimonthly tours through the YWCA's West Valley location for the past 17 years. Active in the Art Docents of Los Gatos, Callahan has provided teaching and funding of art programs for more than 20 years.

* In her volunteer leadership career, Elaine Knoernschild, another nominee in the volunteer category, has worn many hats, including foundation board member of Eastfield Ming Quong Foundation, co-chairwoman for the 1996 Summit League fundraiser benefitting the Visiting Nurse Association, president of the board of the American Lung Association, president of the board and co-chairwoman of the Capital Campaign for the San Jose Medical Center Foundation, and president of the Board of Trustees for the San Jose Repertory Theater. She served as a role model to girls through her work at San Jose's Lincoln High School as part of the Future Vision Project for the American Leadership Forum. She has also lectured at DeAnza College on respiratory therapy.

* Kristine McCann, president of Connection to Make a Difference, is a multifaceted volunteer, nominated in that category. She is president of the board of the Girl Scouts of Santa Clara County, an organization serving 16,000 girls and young women. She is co-founder of the Georgia Travis Center and was involved in the start-up of Santa Clara County's Volunteer Exchange and the Nonprofit Development Center. She has also served on the board of directors of the Community Hospital of Los Gatos and as vice chairwoman of the Kids Voting Silicon Valley, instituting "KidVention" during the 1992 presidential election.

* As director of the School of Nursing at San Jose State University, Dr. Bobbye Gorenberg provides leadership for a faculty of 46 professional nurses and more than 600 enrolled students. She has authored many articles on nursing and is in frequent demand for presentations at international conferences. In partnership with the community, Gorenberg developed the Nurse Managed Center, a health promotion/illness prevention model providing primary healthcare services to the medically underprivileged. She serves on the boards of trustees of Alexian Brothers Hospital and Live Oak Adult Day Services. She is nominated in the education category.

* Dr. Donna Heicher Conom, nominated in the professionals category, is a neonatologist specializing in the care of critically ill or premature babies and a founder of the Children's Multi-Specialty Group, which brings together a team of physicians specializing in caring for children's health and the ethical issues sometimes involved. She is also the medical director of a follow-up program for high-risk infants from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She has just been elected the first woman president of the Santa Clara Valley Medical Association.

* Donna DeGrande Dixon, nominated in the public service category, is human relations director for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Agency, in which she implemented new programs in the areas of workers' compensation, risk management, personnel, labor relations, equal opportunity, environmental health, safety and organization development and training. Previously, she served as director of labor relations and chief negotiator for the county of Santa Clara. She was recently recognized nationally for developing a three-day certificated Labor Relations Academy and is currently president of the California Public Employers Labor Relations Association.

* Christi Welter, nominated in the community service category, managed the United Way Community Celebration that featured the 1996 Olympic torch relay. Her commitment to culturally diverse communities led to her distribution of 10,000 applications for local community "Heroes." She is co-founder of Healthy Community, Healthy Economy, a joint venture Silicon Valley initiative. She has served on the boards of the West Valley League of Women Voters, the Youth Science Institute and the San Jose Symphony Auxiliary. In 1994, the California Senate recognized her as one of their Women of the Year.

* As senior vice president of marketing for the lithography company Ultratech Stepper Inc., Susan Billat, nominated in the science and tchnology category, helped the company position itself in the semiconductor industry. She has worked in the industry more than 21 years and is the first woman to chair the International Trade Partners Conference, along with the industry organization Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International. She is a member of the Junior League and the newly organized Semiconductor Women's Alliance and a volunteer at local high schools, where she speaks to female students about careers in science and engineering.

* Nancy Holleran, also nominated in science and technology, began training in chemistry at San Jose State University while raising three children alone. She would later rise through the ranks of IBM in 11 years to her current position as director of file integration. At one point, she was hired and promoted by Conner Peripherals to be vice president of technology integration and product engineering and testing; she later went back to IBM. She has served as mentor to many female engineers and managers over the years.

* Attorney and owner of the Spector Law Firm, Barbara Spector, nominated in the professions category, is the first woman to serve as president of the Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers' Association, among other groups. She co-founded the first women's litigation firm in the county and is a volunteer with the Santa Clara County Bar Association. Her achievements in community service include eight years on the Los Gatos Planning Commission, helping found the National Organization for Women, appointment as Gender Bias Liaison between county lawyers and superior court judges and working with organizations that advocate the rights of rape victims.

For more information about the Women of Achievement Awards Dinner, call 249-6636. Proceeds benefit six nonprofit entities, all of which help women in some way. Reservation deadline is Sept. 18.