WEV CEO Nicki Parr with Trailblazer Awardee Kelly Mooney. Photo courtesy Women’s Economic Ventures.
Annual gathering highlights need for greater philanthropic investment in women and girls
SANTA BARBARA — On Oct. 7, WEV brought together community members, philanthropists and advocates at La Cumbre Country Club for its annual League of Extraordinary Women Luncheon in recognition of National Give to Women & Girls Day. The gathering celebrated the collective generosity that makes WEV’s work possible and called attention to the importance of investing in women’s economic futures.
Since its founding in 1991, WEV has worked to ensure women have access to the education, training, financial resources and support they need to shape their own futures. That work matters not only to individual women, but also to the families and communities strengthened when women have greater financial security and more choices.
“As today demonstrates, WEV is a community, a collective, a village…and a force for change,” said WEV CEO Nicki Parr. She challenged attendees to consider who has authority over their lives, emphasizing the confidence and independence women can gain when they have the resources to make their own decisions.
The luncheon also honored Kelly Mooney, founder and CEO of Equipt Women and Chairperson of Giving List Women, with the 2026 WEV Trailblazer Award. Mooney was honored for her leadership and commitment to creating opportunities for other women. Her recognition reflected the spirit of the gathering: progress happens when people use their influence and resources to help open doors for others.
The program featured WEV community members whose experiences reflect the lasting value of that investment. Jill Agonias, a former WEV client who is now a League donor, and Sandra Iraheta, a midwife and WEV advisory client, shared their perspectives on the role WEV’s support has played in their journeys.
WEV’s League of Extraordinary Women is an annual giving circle of over 180 women and men who support women’s economic empowerment through collective giving. Their investment helps WEV make opportunities accessible to women who might otherwise be unable to afford them, creating more pathways to financial stability and independence.
WEV thanks the sponsors whose generosity helped make the luncheon possible:Presenting Sponsor: Wells Fargo. Empower Sponsors: Bank of America, Nicholson & Schwartz. Innovation Sponsor: La Arcada. Thriving Sponsors:Amazon, Community West Bank, Farr, Johnen, & Associates, Montecito Bank & Trust, Nasif, Hicks, Harris & Co., Tileco, Village Properties.
About Women’s Economic Ventures
Women’s Economic Ventures is a nonprofit dedicated to the economic empowerment of women. WEV is a business resource network for anyone looking to start or grow a business and improve their business and financial skills. WEV provides a full range of small business support, including classes, consulting and access to funding, as well as financial literacy programs in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. While WEV’s focus is on providing pathways to economic mobility for low-income women, it welcomes everyone into the WEV community. Programs are offered in both English and Spanish.
Since 1991, WEV has provided business training and advisory services to more than 10,000 people and helped nearly 6,000 local businesses start or expand. WEV has deployed more than $10 million in accessible funding, generating an estimated $598 million in annual sales and sustaining or creating nearly 12,000 local jobs. WEV is a U.S. Small Business Administration Women’s Business Center. To support WEV’s work, visit www.wevonline.org/support