Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeannie Buss is set to be one of the key panelists at the Visionary Women Summit later this month.
The summit will also host the inaugural Visionary Women Trailblazer Award, which honors philanthropists Bridget Gless Keller and Carolyn Clark Powers. Keller is a civic leader whose humanitarian efforts have supported children and families in the Los Angeles area. The social impact organization, will celebrate its 10th anniversary with the Visionary Women Summit on Oct. 8 at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Powers is a philanthropist and arts advocate who has made an impact across visual and performing arts, music education and causes supporting children, women and health.
“Reaching our 10-year anniversary is both a celebration and a call to action,” Malea Farsai-Zafari, president of Visionary Women, said. “Visionary Women was founded to create a space where extraordinary women could come together, inspire one another and effect real change.”
She continued, “A decade later, we are proud to honor leaders whose impact resonates across industries and communities, while continuing to expand opportunities for women and girls. This milestone reminds us that when women lift each other up, we all move forward.”
Founded in 2015, Visionary Women gathers leaders across various industries to inspire change, expand opportunities and drive social impact. The organization has granted more than $3 million to more than 200 nonprofits supporting causes including education, health, housing, human rights and the arts.
Other highlights include the Visionary Prize for Women’s Economic Empowerment, which will be presented to Reshma Saujani, CEO of Moms First, founder of Girls Who Code and podcast host of “My So-Called Midlife;” and the Changemaker Award, which will honor Alex Morgan, Olympic gold medalist, World Cup champion and co-captain of the U.S. Women’s National Team.
The summit will also feature a women in sports panel, “Breaking Barriers: Female Owners Changing the Game,” moderated by journalist Giselle Fernández. Panelists include Willow Bay of Angel City FC, Buss of the Los Angeles Lakers, Charlotte Jones of the Dallas Cowboys and Lauren Leichtman of San Diego Wave FC.
The program includes a fireside chat with Morgan on pay equity. Raise Choir, a 14-member gospel ensemble, will also perform throughout the day.
Additionally, the summit will present the NextGen Scholars Initiative, which provides $5,000 scholarships to first-generation college students at institutions including UCLA, California State University Northridge and Otis College of Art and Design.
The 10th Anniversary Capital Campaign is a fundraising effort to sustain and expand Visionary Women’s grantmaking and programming for women and girls across Southern California and beyond.
Individual tickets are priced at $275 for members and $325 for non-members. Tables for 10 guests range from $2,650 (Silver) to $50,000 (Event Sponsor).