Many are experiencing a sense of loss, hopelessness and despair following recent election outcomes. With this presentation, we’ll discuss how people can move from believing their voice doesn’t matter, to more helpful thinking and learning to contribute meaningfully through advocacy. Attendees will also learn about what’s working for others and normalize seeking support. 

Heather Walker Janz is a licensed marriage and family therapist, leader, speaker and online educator. She is also a wife, a mother, and is extremely passionate about using her voice to help and empower others. Heather has always known she wanted to help people through therapy. For the past 10 years, Heather has served as a leader in mental health, connecting with other professionals who deeply care about advancing the marriage and family therapy profession.

Heather’s unique past employment in college settings has allowed her to have an understanding about the difficult transitions that young people face. Her training for licensure included working in community mental health programs where she used evidenced-based practices to help teens relieve complex mental health problems. Today, Heather also provides support for young people who work in major tech and service industries by teaching them Cognitive Behavioral Therapy skills for reaching their goals. Heather was a Girl Scout as a child which led to a passion in serving leadership roles. Currently, Heather is the Secretary of the Board of Directors and Board Development Committee Chair for the Girl Scouts of Central California South (GSCCS) Council.

Heather is the CEO of Janz Family Therapy, Inc. JFT provides outpatient mental health services both in-person and virtually. JFT is a part of the Maternal Wellness Coalition of the California Health Collaborative and accepts MediCal & MediCare in order to be accessible to a majority of the mental health needs of the Central Valley. JFT also serves as an employment site for associates in training in order to grow the mental health workforce locally in our community.

The post Dinner Meeting January 7, 2025 appeared first on NWPC Fresno.

This is a NWPC favorite presentation by members of the local League of Women Voters. This year, Robin Chiero and Sue Goldman will share with us the information the League has compiled on the measures and propositions on the November 5^thballot. This is wonderfully helpful and a concise explanation of the issues involved in each measure and proposition.
 
Robin shared this information about herself: “I have been a member of the League of Women Voters of Fresno since 2021 and a member of the board as a Director of Voter Services since 2022.  Last April it was my honor to be elected as one of the co-presidents of LWV Fresno. I was a professor in the School of Education and Human Development at Fresno State from 1997-2014. Currently, in addition to my League work, I serve on the Executive Committee of the Emeriti and Retirees Association at Fresno State, I volunteer with the Valley Animal Center, and I’m active in P.E.O., a philanthropic educational organization.”
 
Sue shared this information: “I have been a member of the League for nine years and on the board for eight years. I started as secretary, then director of voter services, and now vice president of voter services. I am a retired school psychologist working first for the Fresno County Office of Education, and then for Clovis Unified School District.  I volunteered for decades with professional organizations functioning as a committee chair and/or an officer, at the local, state and international levels. I volunteer for KVPR as a member of the auction committee for their wine tasting and auction event.”

The post Dinner Meeting October 1, 2024 appeared first on NWPC Fresno.

CCWC is a one-day conference serving women of all generations, ethnicities, and backgrounds. The forum educates and facilitates idea-sharing about how to succeed personally and professionally in life while juggling the increasingly complex and diverse demands of family and community.

Attendees celebrate their accomplishments and become inspired to push further in life to reach goals they thought unattainable within their careers, relationships, and, most importantly, their own personal growth.

Karen Franz will share how the conference has grown and changed over the years and we will hear about speakers, topics, workshops and exhibitors at this year’s upcoming conference. Find out who benefits from the conference profits each year.

The post Dinner Meeting September 3, 2024 appeared first on NWPC Fresno.

Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 6, 2024. Our speaker will be Rabbi Dr. Laura Novak Winer. She will be discussing antisemitism in Fresno. 

Rabbi Dr. Laura Novak Winer is director of the Master of Educational Leadership Program at the Rhea Hirsch School of Education at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) and a member of the School of Education faculty, based on the Jack H. Skirball Campus in Los Angeles. Her graduate courses include Leading Change in Jewish Education, Creating Cultures of Learning, Entering Organizations, and Introduction to Jewish Education. Laura has published in a variety of academic and professional journals and popular media. She was the editor of several curricula and is a frequent presenter at academic and professional conferences and on webinars. She has been a regular contributor to Moment Magazine’s “Ask the Rabbis” column since 2010. Laura recently served as co-chair of HUC-JIR’s Teshuvah Working Group which developed a set of recommendations designed to bring healing to those impacted by historic misconduct and strengthen institutional accountability. She earned her doctorate at the William Davidson Graduate School of Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, focusing on how teachers’ connections to and understandings of Israel impact the decisions they make about what to teach and how to teach it. She received an MA in Jewish Education and rabbinical ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.
 
Rabbi Laura has lived in Fresno since 2011, when her husband, Rabbi Rick Winer was hired to be the rabbi at Temple Beth Israel. Laura and Rick are both deeply committed to interfaith and social justice work in Fresno, often collaborating in creating greater justice and wholeness in the community for all, especially those from historically marginalized communities. Rabbi Laura will often be seen at progressive rallies and marches and is often invited to be a guest teacher about Judaism and the American Jewish community in various settings in the greater Fresno area.

The post Dinner Meeting August 6, 2024 appeared first on NWPC Fresno.

Cyndee Loryang, Program Manager at the Fresno Center, has over fifteen years of experience providing cultural and language-competent support, prevention, and intervention services to the Asian American population in Fresno County.
 
Ms. Loryang is educated in early childhood development and social learning theory and has a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts. She has experience working with culturally diverse and marginalized communities including Asian American youth, adults, and older adults. She has experience developing educational and informational resources that effectively inform the Asian American communities about their rights and the many resources that are available to them.
 
She is bilingual, bicultural, and able to provide language support for parents who speak Hmong. She has worked across racial groups to strengthen alliances and has experience training and developing educational curricula to train and increase awareness of current issues.

Kellie Charfauros is the Program Coordinator-Job Specialist for the Workforce Development Program. She has three years of experience in Human Resources with the Fresno Center, where her roles include recruitment, employee relations, and organizational development. She oversees both the Better Career Access Program and the Fresno Economic Opportunity Development program.
 
Kellie was born in Salt Lake City but has lived most of her life in Fresno. She earned a BS in Health Administration Management from the University of Phoenix. She has over sixteen years of experience in the healthcare industry; including work at Community Regional Medical Center, Kaiser, and St. Agnes Medical Center. Additionally, she served as an Operational Manager for a Health care MSO. She has served as the Treasurer on the board for Kings Winery Medical Center for five years.
 
She enjoys helping other people and is dedicated to empowering individuals and fostering economic growth through targeted workforce development initiatives.

The post Dinner Meeting July 2, 2024 appeared first on NWPC Fresno.

Thomas is a Librarian with the Fresno County Public Library. After starting with FCPL in 2011, Thomas served in a variety of roles before joining the Library’s Collection Development department in 2015. Thomas’s duties include the selection of new print and digital books for the Library’s collection, and he is passionate about connecting Fresno County residents from all walks of life with the information they need. In his free time, Thomas enjoys reading, podcasts, and the NBA.

The post Dinner Meeting, June 4, 2024 appeared first on NWPC Fresno.

Our speaker will be Annalisa Perea, Fresno City Council President
“Update on Fresno City Issues and Plans”

Annalisa is well known as a successful businesswoman and an Urban Planner in the private sector. Annalisa works extensively on local environmental, economic, and community development issues for cities throughout California. Her primary focus has been to expand park space for neighborhoods, design roadway improvement projects to improve circulation flow, and build communities to decrease crime and improve pedestrian walkability. She has also been a champion for increasing affordable housing options here in the Central Valley.

On January 3, 2023, Annalisa was sworn in to the Fresno City Council representing District One and was then elected as Council Vice President. She became president of the Fresno City Council in 2024.

As a Fresno City Council member, Annalisa advocates for safer neighborhoods, an increase in government transparency, and affordable housing. She stands up for and supports the protection of the LGBQT+ community and working families, to ensure fair and equitable treatment for all.

Annalisa was elected as a Trustee on the State Center Community College Board of Trustees in 2018.  

Annalisa was born and raised in Fresno, she attended Fresno City College and received her B.S. in City and Regional Planning from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. 

Annalisa was an endorsed Fresno NWPC candidate in both of her elections.

The post Dinner Meeting May 7, 2024 appeared first on NWPC Fresno.

Sara Mirhadi has worked at Poverello House for over ten years. She supervises all client services programs such as Street Outreach and Navigation, emergency shelter programs, Map Point, and the Mens Residential Program. Her duties at Poverello House include designing and implementing programs for Poverello House. She is also the Secretary for the Madera Continuum of Care. Sara is a graduate of Fresno State and San Joaquin College of Law. She has lived in the City of Fresno most of her life. Sara has worked for the National Park Service, State Senator Jim Costa, City of Fresno, and the Workforce Investment Board. Poverello House is her dream job. Ms. Mirhadi will talk about the state of homelessness/unhoused women in Fresno and the programs and services available at Naomi’s House and the Poverello House.

Located on the grounds of the Poverello House in downtown Fresno, Naomi’s House is a 34-bed, emergency overnight  shelter for single, homeless women. Residents receive access to basic necessities, such as showers, clothing, meals and medical and/or dental care. Case management services are also provided, which assist residents in finding housing, accessing mental health care, and learning to make positive life choices to achieve self-sufficiency.

The post Dinner Meeting April 2, 2024 appeared first on NWPC Fresno.

Our speaker will be Fresno County Juvenile Justice Commission Chair, Marilyn Watts.

NWPC’s own Marilyn Watts will share with us the important and amazing work being done by a variety of partners who serve the juvenile justice needs and responsibilities of our community. She will explain the work being done by the Fresno County Juvenile Justice Commission, a state mandated, court appointed citizen’s commission that serves “to be a public conscience in the interest of justice for children and youth.” Their primary work focuses on the broad inquiry into the administration of juvenile justice, including the operations of our juvenile court, social and mental health services to youth, the safety and welfare of youth in group homes, and the safety and well-being of incarcerated youth as delineated by law.

Marilyn will be contrasting 1970s-80s attitudes about juvenile justice and the treatment of girls in the justice system with today’s emphasis on Restorative Justice and reducing incarceration. She will talk about how changing laws impact the juvenile justice system and create challenges and opportunities for the Fresno County Probation Department.

Things we may not know about Marilyn:

She was born and raised in Texas and New Mexico and her activism started there as she observed many injustices. She is a long time NWPC member, first joining in the late 1970s and often marched for women’s issues. She moved to Fresno after college and began her career as a Psychologist with the Fresno County Probation Department. She researched the effectiveness of programs for adults and minors and helped start the first treatment program for girls incarcerated in the Juvenile Hall.

She left Probation in 1987 and with Marsha Conant ran a successful small printing company for 25 years. After her retirement in 2006, she stayed active and productive in the community. Marilyn served for two years on the Grand Jury, including a stint as Foreperson; worked the 2010 Census; and for the past thirteen years she has given back to Fresno County Probation by serving on the Juvenile Justice Commission, including her current service as Chair.

The post Dinner Meeting March 5, 2024 appeared first on NWPC Fresno.

Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 6, 2024.

The topic for the meeting is, “Let’s Get Ready to Vote!” Our speakers will be Dee Barnes and Patty Cappelutti.

Dee Barnes was raised in the Valley and has lived in Fresno since 1977.  She has worked in the business office at the Fresno Police Department for the past 25 years.  Dee has been a registered voter since 1973, but started becoming very active in local politics while serving as the President of the Fresno City Employees Association. She also serves as Secretary of the Coalition of Organized Labor and belongs to numerous political clubs and groups. She was one of the leaders of the “No on Measure G” campaign to stop the privatization of residential trash service. Dee is an active member of the Fresno County Democratic Central Committee and is currently Chair of their Candidate Recruitment and Development Committee. 

Patty Cappelluti will explain that “postcarding” is a fun and effective way to encourage people to vote. Our handwritten and colorful cards invite people to read our message regarding the importance of voting. We will be targeting people who only vote sometimes and encouraging them to not sit out this next very important election.

The post Dinner Meeting February 6, 2024 appeared first on NWPC Fresno.