CAMARILLO — Three Ventura County residents will be honored with BIC’s Above & Beyond Award:
Carol Leish, MA is an educator, writer, disability advocate and motivational speaker who has spent decades promoting the capabilities of people with disabilities. Through her “Call Me Capable” work, she has helped educate others about disability, respect and empathy.
Graal Diaz, PhD, MSN, MA, CCRN-K is a healthcare leader and researcher whose work spans clinical research, healthcare education, trauma and surgical care, and healthcare disparities. She currently serves as a Research Consultant for Graduate Medical Education at Community Memorial Hospital and as the National Surgical Quality Improvement Administrator and researcher at Ventura County Medical Center.
Dotti Oliver is a lifelong Ventura County resident, longtime travel consultant and dedicated community volunteer. She has served in leadership and volunteer roles with numerous local nonprofit and higher education organizations and has helped raise more than $2 million for community organizations.
A Celebration with a Local Flavor
Guests will enjoy a champagne reception, gourmet dinner, live music, silent and live auctions, and the presentation of the Above & Beyond Awards.
The auction will feature an eclectic collection of experiences and items, including jewelry, wine, golf, local adventures throughout Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, and getaway experiences in destinations including the Caribbean, Shaver Lake and Las Vegas.
One of the featured sports experiences is particularly exciting: four tickets to the October 27 Anaheim Ducks vs. Vancouver Canucks hockey game, with priority parking. The seats are center ice on the Club level, offering an excellent view of the game.
The evening’s musical entertainment will be provided by Carlos Gonzales, a classical guitarist and longtime Ventura County musician and educator. Gonzales has performed and taught throughout Southern California and studied with internationally recognized guitarists, including Andrés Segovia and Julian Bream.
Why the Fundraiser Matters
Behind the celebration is a serious need. The Brain Injury Center of Ventura County serves more than 750 brain injury survivors and their families each year.
Brain injury can affect every aspect of a person’s life, often creating challenges that continue long after the initial injury. BIC is a non-medical support organization that helps survivors and their families navigate those challenges through individualized support and care coordination, Care Transitions, Trabajador(a) de Salud services, support groups, education, advocacy and other programs.
Funds raised through An Evening of Magical Memories help make these services available at no cost to brain injury survivors and their families.
Event: An Evening of Magical Memories — 23rd Annual Fundraiser
Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Location: Las Posas Country Club, Camarillo
Beneficiary: Brain Injury Center of Ventura County
For more information about the event, visit: https://braininjurycenter.org/eomm/