18th Annual Premier Santa Barbara Women’s Event Honors Four Civic Engagement Leaders

AWC-SB Presents the 2026 Women of Achievement Awards

Written by the Association for Women in Communications

On May 7, The Association for Women in Communications – Santa Barbara (AWC-SB) honored four extraordinary women whose work and leadership have strengthened and uplifted Santa Barbara’s immigrant community at the 2026 Women of Achievement Awards luncheon: Teresa Alvarez, Executive Director, Carpinteria Children’s Project; Primitiva Hernandez, Executive Director, 805 UndocuFund; Viviana Marsano, Assistant Dean, Civic and Community Engagement, UCSB; and Julissa Pena, Executive Director, Immigrant Legal Defense Center.

The honorees embody this year’s theme: Powerful Voices, Purposeful Change – Women Leading Through Civic Engagement, highlighting women who use their platforms to advance equity and strengthen communities. Tracy Lehr, celebrated journalist at News Channel 3-12, emceed the event.

More than 100 guests, including AWC-SB members, community leaders, educators, advocates, and sponsors, filled the historic Cabrillo Pavilion to celebrate the honorees and their important work in our community.

The honorees each answered thoughtful questions posed by emcee Tracy Lehr, shared their backgrounds, and told moving stories that reflect how the organizations they lead provide critical support to immigrants and their families. Their work through these organizations includes running the 805 Rapid Response Network; providing legal counsel; helping families know their rights and access resources and mutual aid; providing language support; and mentoring students to become engaged citizens.

Through their fierce commitment and compassion, these exemplary leaders elevate critical conversations, empower others to act, and inspire meaningful change.

When asked how community members can engage with their work, the honorees all agreed that showing up, speaking up whenever possible, and supporting their grassroots organizations and community-led solutions are all important ways to make a difference.

“It was an honor to celebrate these inspiring women leaders,” said Katya Armistead, AWC-SB Member of the Board of Directors and Women of Achievement Chair. “They truly embody the theme of civic engagement and leading with deep experience, powerful voices, and purpose.”
 
The 2026 Women of Achievement Luncheon is grateful to the following event supporters: Presenting sponsor Women Connect4Good / Dr. Nancy O’Reilly; the Santa Barbara Independent; Yardi; Natalie Orfalea Foundation; California Assemblymember Gregg Hart; KCSB-FM; Montecito Bank & Trust; Pip Printing; and Sage Publishing.

The annual Women of Achievement Awards event recognizes outstanding women communicators, providing inspiring role models for women pursuing careers in journalism, public speaking, writing, public relations, filmmaking, photography, and related disciplines. 

Learn more about becoming a member of AWC-SB at https://awcsb.org/become-a-member/.

AWC-SB hosts monthly meetings for its members and guests, featuring topics that help communicators hone their skills and stay up to date with important developments in the technology, practice, and ethics of communications.

ABOUT AWC-SB  

The Association for Women in Communications – Santa Barbara (AWC-SB) empowers women to develop and deepen the communication skills they need to succeed in a variety of fields. Members enjoy educational and networking opportunities to elevate their careers, enhance personal growth, and become agents of change. Now an independent organization, AWC-SB served for many years as the award-winning local chapter of the national Association for Women in Communications and is governed by an all-volunteer board.

AWC-SB members include journalists and broadcasters, entrepreneurs, designers and marketers, authors, corporate communicators, photographers, coaches, and public relations experts. AWC-SB offers opportunities to network with colleagues, hosts monthly meetings (free for members) featuring experts on current topics, and presents the annual Women of Achievement Awards event. Visit awcsb.org to learn more.

AWC-SB was founded in 2006 by communications consultant Lois Phillips, publisher Mindy Bingham, and producer Deborah Hutchison. They saw the need for a dynamic, local organization that crossed sectors to bring together professional communicators, solopreneurs, scholars, and corporate communicators as well as student communicators.