Five Ways to Put Hope in Action: Meet the 2026 Women Who Inspire Honorees
Co-Chairs Gauri Pendse & Pragati Gupta invite you to Women Who Inspire
Every ticket, bid, and sponsorship goes directly to Dress for Success San Francisco & San Jose.
Thursday, October 22, 2026 | San Jose Woman's Club | 5:30 PM
Learn more about Women Who Inspire here.
An Olympic gold medalist bringing championship culture to the Bay Area. A philanthropist training the next generation to give. A leader who handed his company's future to a woman he believes in. A baker turning pies into purpose for nonprofit organizations and companies like Apple and Google. And a Client Ambassador who signed her first client just weeks after graduation.
This October, you'll be in the room with all five of these incredible leaders for Women Who Inspire, our signature Dress for Success San Jose fundraiser.
Women Who Inspire is a celebration of the people who choose to make a difference. This special evening brings together community leaders, business professionals, philanthropists, volunteers, and advocates who believe that stronger communities are built when people invest in one another. At its heart, it's about hope in action, finding meaningful ways to engage with our community, celebrating those already doing the work, and recognizing that each of us has the ability to spark change, open doors, and build community.
Women Who Inspire recognizes honorees whose stories best reflect this theme.
Together, these awards celebrate the many ways people help women thrive:
Trailblazers shape what's possible.
Changemakers strengthen communities.
Philanthropic Leaders invest in opportunity.
Allies open doors.
Builders grow opportunity.
Spark recipients demonstrate the life-changing impact of opportunity.
We are so proud to name our 2026 Women Who Inspire honorees.
Trailblazer: Kerri Walsh Jennings
Three-time Olympic gold medalist. Five-time Olympian. Now, she's bringing that same championship spirit home.
Kerri Walsh Jennings is the Founding Owner of MLV NorCal. A Bay Area native, Kerri began her volleyball career at Stanford University, where she was a two-time NCAA champion. She went on to become a five-time Olympian, three-time Olympic gold medalist, and Olympic bronze medalist in beach volleyball, establishing herself as one of the most accomplished athletes in the sport’s history.
Beyond the court, she co-founded p1440, a purpose-driven youth-to-pro volleyball platform designed to expand access, competition, community, and opportunities for athletes to train, compete, and develop throughout their careers.
At MLV NorCal, she's helping build a professional indoor volleyball franchise from the ground up, with a focus on building a world-class, championship-caliber culture, elevating the athlete experience, and creating a fan experience that resonates throughout the Bay Area. Her leadership reflects a lifelong commitment to volleyball, community, and to inspiring the next generation of female athletes.
Philanthropy & Leadership: Helen Owen
Helen Owen is one of Santa Clara Valley's most celebrated philanthropists and fundraisers, with decades of hands-on leadership and service to organizations across the region. She has raised millions for causes close to her heart and has been recognized with numerous humanitarian and philanthropic honors.
Her service has included leadership with organizations such as HOPE Services, JW House, O’Connor Hospital Foundation, Santa Clara University, and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. In recent years, she's made it her mission to inspire and educate the next generation of community-minded leaders, especially women, to carry forward her legacy of service and help create a stronger, more inclusive region for all.
Ally: Nicholas E. Adams
Nicholas E. Adams is Executive Chairman of NINICO, a communications advisory firm, and a longtime business and civic leader in Silicon Valley. A fourth-generation San Josean, he has spent much of his career giving back to the city through business, civic, arts, and community leadership.
A passionate advocate for building strong, meaningful careers for women in the communications industry, Nicholas believes leadership is about creating opportunities for others to lead. In 2026, he announced NINICO's first-ever female president, Sarah Farrant, placing his full faith in her leadership to guide the company into its next chapter. His commitment to mentorship, inclusion, and empowering women reflects a broader belief that stronger leaders and stronger communities are built by investing in one another.
Builder: Voahangy Rasetarinera
Voahangy Rasetarinera is the founder and CEO of The Giving Pies, a San Jose-based bakery built on the belief that business can be a force for good. Born and raised in France to Malagasy parents, she spent more than a decade working as an executive administrator before taking the leap into entrepreneurship. What began with pies grew into something much larger. Voahangy built The Giving Pies around a simple idea; create food that brings people together while using the business to give back.
In 2024, Voahangy was named Woman of the Year for California Assembly District 28, and The Giving Pies was selected for the Super Bowl LX Source supplier program. For Voahangy, success is about more than what you build, it's about how what you build can create opportunity for others.
Spark: Sonia Arteaga
Sonia Arteaga is our Dress for Success Client Ambassador, and her story is exactly why this award exists.
Sonia didn't take the traditional path. After high school, she joined the workforce to help her mom pay the bills. In her 30s, she decided to go back to school, balancing motherhood and her degree as a transfer student at San Jose State University. In the middle of that journey, a friend mentioned Dress for Success, and everything changed.
Through the organization, Sonia completed a Google Career Certificate, received career coaching, and was selected for Project Premium, a year of free LinkedIn Premium that helped her grow her professional network. Two weeks after graduating, she launched her own marketing business, and quickly signed her first client.
Dress for Success San Francisco/San Jose empowers women to achieve economic mobility by providing a network of support, workplace attire, and career skills and tools for success.