SAN BERNARDINO—Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) today recognized San Bernardino Brenda Dowdy as “Women of the Year” for the 45th Assembly District which he represents and 11 other women leaders from cities in his district.
“It’s my privilege to host this tribute to the women of the 45th Assembly District. This is a small sampling of the many distinguished women in the district. They demonstrate what it means to live a life of service and contribute in a wide array of ways to ensure thriving communities. I thank them all. This year we selected Brenda Dowdy for her unfailing devotion and care for some of our most vulnerable young people, homeless youth.”
The honorees are:
From San Bernardino:
Woman of the Year Brenda Dowdy has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of homeless students in the San Bernardino County. For more than 17 years she has served as the Homeless Education Project Manager in the Innovation and Engagement Branch for the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools. In that role, she has students and their families receive the resources they need to assist them in becoming self-sufficiency and obtain their desired educational opportunities.
Veronica Ramirez Amerson is director of the Educational Opportunity Program and Renaissance Scholars Program at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUB). She has dedicated her career to providing access to higher education to historically low-income students and leading retention programs within three higher Ed systems for the last 26 years. She also oversees the Renaissance Scholars Program at CSUSB, which serves current and former foster youth pursuing higher education.
From Rialto:
Lynn Summers, a lifelong San Bernardino County resident, is a dedicated professional, community leader, and entrepreneur. Summers worked for 20 years as an emergency room technician at Kaiser Hospital and is trained in disaster preparedness. She also served as a United Steelworkers organizer and commissioner on the San Bernardino County District Behavioral Health Commission. Summers is passionate about farming and food preservation. She is a county Master Food Preserver and Master Gardner and volunteers her time to share her knowledge with others. Her interest in agriculture led her to start a business, Summersprep. It integrates farming, preserving, and survival skills.
Dr. Rhea Gibbs, Ed.D. is a deputy superintendent in the Rialto Unified School District where she has been employed for 30 years. She is currently the Lead Strategic Agent in the district and has formerly served as teacher, program specialist, assistant principal,
elementary principal, middle school principal, and Lead Personnel Agent. Gibbs is a 36-year member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; former member of The Inland
Empire Chapter of Jack and Jill of America; member and former president of the
San Bernardino Valley Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, and former Western
Area nominating committee and election chair for The Links, Incorporated.
From Fontana:
Daisy Welsh is the co-founder and executive director of Working Dogs for
Warriors – a 501c3 nonprofit organization working to save lives from PTSD-related
suicide. While serving as a 9-1-1 Dispatcher with Fontana PD for 8 years, Welsh was
inspired to provide recovery tactics for first responders and veterans who are
continuously exposed to traumatic calls for service. Assistance programs include service dogs, CARE Team K9s, support groups, a private helpline app, and reading safaris with K9s are her tools in helping our local community members every day.
Arely Moreno is a proud veteran who served in the Army Reserve for six years. Throughout Moreno’s career, she demonstrated her passion for helping veterans with their educational endeavors. She chairs the Veterans and Government Affairs committee for the Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce. Through the committee, she develops and maintains relationships critical for veterans in the region. Moreno also serves as a public health community liaison for the Service Center for
Independent Life, working with targeted populations such as veterans, disabled individuals, and seniors.
From Highland:
Denise Moreno is the Volunteer Services Coordinator with the City of Highland. Moreno recruits volunteers and organizes community events. Moreno volunteers with the Highland Woman’s Club as a member and was past president. She is also a member of Radiant Rubies of Highland, a Red Hat Society group.
Erin Freeman 21 years is principal of the Serrano Middle School in the San Bernardino Unified School District. Freeman is an active community supporter and volunteer in local breast cancer awareness walks, toy and food drives, and works with community groups, including the Highlanders Boxing organization.
From Redlands:
Marissa Congdon is a distinguished professional in the fields of special education and behavior analysis. Beyond academia, Marissa has actively served her community in various capacities, volunteering for the Autism Society of the Inland Empire and serving as a behavior consultant for local school districts. During her tenure as faculty at a local university, she assumed the role of Faculty Director of the Disability Sports Festival, advocating for inclusivity and empowerment through sports and recreation. Currently, Congdon serves as the Vice Chair on the board for Autism Heroes, where she champions the rights and well-being of neurodiverse individuals.
Esther Martinez is an 11-year US Navy veteran and has worked for the City of Redlands since 2017. She visits local high schools to speak about life in the military and to introduce Emergency Management as a career. Esther hopes her passion for Emergency Management inspires others to volunteer or pursue a career helping others.
From Mentone:
Jacqueline Napolitano serves as the Vice Chair for the Mentone Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Mentone Area Community Association. Napolitano has volunteered hundreds of hours in the Adopt-A-Highway Program, leads donation and sponsorship drives for Mentone Days, Casino Night, and the Annual Film Festival. She has helped paint murals, clear land for a garden for the local elementary school, and make countless phone calls to secure funds, equipment, assistance, volunteers, vendors and locations needed for local events. She also assists in preparing weekly food bags for the homeless. She recently retired from a 25-year career as Division Supervisor for the California Highway Patrol Coastal Division located in San Luis Obispo.
Valerie Gutierrez has been a teacher for 21 years and will soon celebrate her 20th wedding anniversary with her husband, JP. Her volunteer activities include Christmas at the Burrage Mansion event, Mentone Highway cleanups, Mentone Elementary garden project, Mentone Elementary Christmas gift set up, Crafton Elementary Christmas gift distribution and Mentone Days celebration history booth.
