CommUnify’s CEO Patricia Keelean has been selected as one of the 2024 Top 50 Women in Business by the Pacific Coast Business Times. Keelean also was chosen as one of only six Editor’s Choice Award recipients.

An awards ceremony will be held 4:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 25 at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. Keynote speaker will be Elizabeth Cholawsky, CEO of HG Insights.

The event was launched more than 15 years ago and was the first program of its kind to recognize the vital contributions of women in business and nonprofit leadership for the Central Coast’s tri-county.

This year, Keelean was chosen from more than 200 nominees as one of the Editor’s Choice Award Winners. Tthe six Editor’s Choice Award winners include leaders in banking, healthcare, retail, nonprofits, and law.

Decisions are based on each woman’s achievements, roles, and contributions which make the Central Coast a better and more interesting place to live.

“Pat was a natural selection for an Editor’s Choice Award given the strength of her nomination by Marina Owen, CEO of CenCal Health, and her commitment to the CommUnify mission,” said Henry Dubroff, founder/editor of Pacific Coast Business Times.

Keelean, a veteran nonprofit executive in Florida, moved to Santa Barbara in 2017 as executive director and was named CEO in 2019.

Keelean said she found in Santa Barbara that despite its pockets of extreme wealth, Santa Barbara County has the second highest rate of poverty in California and that a number of community members work two or three jobs, struggling to keep a roof over their head and food on the table due to the high cost of living, according to CommUnify.

CommUnify said its 16 programs work to the benefit of all community members by bringing stability to the lives of those community members who need it the most.

“Pat is an incredibly collaborative leader. I see her tireless work to develop new programs aimed at improving the economic security of Santa Barbara County residents,” said Marina Owen, CommUnify Board chair and CEO of CenCal Health.

“It’s a privilege to lead this organization and to serve Santa Barbara County,” said Keelean. “And while it is such an honor to be recognized with this award, it truly is a group effort.

“There is no way that I would receive these accolades without the compassion and contributions of every single member of our team,” she said. “Our staff are incredibly effective, and completely and wholeheartedly committed to this community.”

Past Editor’s Choice honorees and keynote speakers have included: CNBC reporter Jane Wells; America’s first black woman winery owner, Irene Rideaux; Sherry Villanueva, CEO of Acme Hospitality; Ventura County CEO Sevet Johnson; Janet Garufis, CEO of Montecito Bank & Trust; Joanne Funari, COO, American Riviera Bank; and Pam Lopker, co-founder of QAD.

For event tickets, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2024-top-women-in-business-tickets-828457918937.