Alan Llavore | Office of Marketing and Communications | (909) 537-5007 | allavore@csusb.edu
The energy in the room was immediate — warm, open and unmistakably uplifting.
As attendees gathered at Cal State San Bernardino’s Santos Manuel Student Union North on Friday, March 20, conversations sparked easily among colleagues and strangers alike. Women from across Southern California, along with supportive allies, leaned into connection, introducing themselves, sharing experiences and creating a space that felt both empowering and deeply collaborative.
The American Council on Education (ACE) Women’s Network of Southern California (WNSC) Spring Lunch & Learn, hosted in partnership with CSUSB’s Growing Leadership Opportunities for Women (GLOW), brought together professionals from 23 colleges and universities — spanning community colleges, CSU campuses, private institutions and UC campuses — for an afternoon centered on the theme, “Leading on Our Own Terms.”
At the start of the event, when asked what she was most anticipating, Tara Giblin, ACE WNSC state board chair and vice president of instruction at Orange Coast College, said, “I’m looking forward to the connections we’ll make among ourselves with people we haven’t met before and the leadership lessons that we’ll hear from our senior leadership.”
For Kelly Campbell, CSUSB vice provost and GLOW founder, the purpose of the gathering was deeply personal.
“I’m passionate about women’s leadership because I want for every girl to feel that she can do anything, move in any direction and go as far as she wants to go, just like the queen on the chess board,” Campbell said during her opening remarks. “These events are important. The concept for today’s lunch and learn is based on the idea that women can enact leadership roles on their own terms.”
That message was reinforced by CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales, who reflected on the university’s progress in advancing women into leadership roles and the broader importance of representation.
“Speaking as a male leader in higher education, when I first arrived at Cal State San Bernardino, I looked around at my cabinet and campus leadership and realized that we had a significant gender diversity issue. Systematically, I set about changing that,” Morales said, noting the many firsts achieved during his presidency in appointing women to senior leadership roles. “It is important for all students … to see women in leadership roles. Such examples are part of our goal to build student success.”
The event’s featured panel brought together leaders from across California’s higher education systems: Wenda Fong, member of the CSU Board of Trustees; Berenecea Johnson Eanes, president of California State University, Los Angeles; Martha Garcia, president of Mt. San Antonio College; and Elizabeth Watkins, provost and executive vice chancellor at UC Riverside. Their conversation offered candid reflections on leadership, resilience and the value of staying grounded in one’s voice and experiences.
“This is your time to get to know somebody you don’t know, to network, to value who you are as a woman leader, to be mindful of this moment, be bold and courageous,” Eanes said during her remarks, encouraging attendees to connect with others and lead with confidence both at the event and in their broader leadership journeys.
For many, the opportunity to gather in person deepened the impact of the day. “Just being able to be in company with these women from all over Southern California from different institutions … is really an enriching experience,” said Teshia Roby, chair of the ACE WNSC Advisory Council.
Throughout the afternoon, that spirit carried into every interaction — from the panel discussion to moments of reflection during the “Owning Your Leadership Narrative” activity — reinforcing a shared commitment to growth, authenticity and mutual support.
For attendees, the experience left a lasting impression.
“Empowering, energizing and motivating,” said Leslie Trainor, lecturer in the management department at CSUSB’s Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration. “I really appreciate hearing the authentic stories of these leaders.”
“It was an opportunity to connect with other women and celebrate women in leadership,” said Amanda Mattox, CSUSB director of donor relations. “It was also an opportunity to hear from and learn from a panel of inspiring women who work in higher education and other influential leadership roles.”
By the end of the afternoon, the message was clear: When women support one another and lead authentically, the path forward expands for everyone.