Pam Tanase
Pam Tanase
Marsha Bailey
Marsha Bailey

The National Association of Women Business Owners, Santa Barbara chapter (NAWBO), will host its 2023 BRAVO Awards ceremony Thursday, March 16 to celebrate the achievements of eight women community, industry, and business leaders.

The luncheon and awards ceremony, titled Dream Big, Power On, is the largest since the BRAVO Awards started nine years ago. The event will be 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn Santa Barbara/Goleta.

Kathryn Martin
Kathryn Martin
Kate McHale Jensen
Kate McHale Jensen

The BRAVO AWARDS were created to recognize local women leaders who have enriched Santa Barbara economically, politically, philanthropically and socially.

Award recipients have taken the initiative to make an impact, brought new ideas to their industries, and motivated, educated and inspired others to become better.

Winners of this year’s awards include Marsha Bailey, founder/CEO Emerita of Women’s Economic Ventures, who will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award for her decades-long work to improve society through the economic empowerment of women.

Robin Elander
Robin Elander
Ana Guerrero
Ana Guerrero

Other winners are:

Pam Tanase, owner of Workzones, the first coworking club in downtown Santa Barbara, who will be honored as Woman Business Owner of the Year.

Kate McHale Jensen, owner of shirt design company KMJ Designs and winner of the Entrepreneur to Watch award.

Kathryn Martin, president/CEO of the Santa Barbara Symphony, and founder of The Career (Life!) Breakthrough Academy, who is this year’s Philanthropic Champion.

Annika Jensen
Annika Jensen

Robin Elander, executive director of Downtown Organization of Santa Barbara, to be awarded Public Policy Leader of the Year.

Ana Guerrero, founder of FirstGen_Resilience, a bilingual coaching service for first-generation college students, will receive the Education Advocate of the Year award.

Certified Public Accountant Annika Jensen will be recognized as NAWBO-SB Member of the Year.

Awan Haj, a senior at Dos Pueblos High School, is the Rising Star of the Year.

The madame of ceremony is Anne Pazier, owner of Santa Barbara Gift Baskets. Kathy Odell, CEO of Women’s Economic Ventures, is the keynote speaker.

Tickets for the 2023 BRAVO Awards must be purchased in advance. For more about the 2023 BRAVO Awards, visit https://nawbo-sb.com/upcoming-events/2023-bravo-awards/.

For more about NAWBO-SB and to become a member, visit https://nawbo-sb.com.