SCWC General Session Panel Discussion

TOPIC: Empowerment – views from women in finance and business; and the impact of Covid on women – taking control of your journey

Panel Moderator: Lisa Stevens

Eleni Kounalakis

California Lieutenant Governor

Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis was sworn in as the 50th Lieutenant Governor of California by Governor Gavin Newsom on January 7th, 2019 . She is the first woman elected to the post . From 2010 to 2013, Kounalakis served as US Ambassador to the Republic of Hungary and in 2015 published her acclaimed memoir, “Madam Ambassador, Three Years of Diplomacy, Dinner Parties and Democracy in Budapest” (The New Press) . Prior to her service, Kounalakis spent 18 years as an executive at one of California’s most respected housing development firms, AKT Development . Throughout her career, she served on numerous boards and commissions including California’s First 5 Commission, the San Francisco War Memorial, San Francisco Port Commission and the Association of American Ambassadors . Eleni Kounalakis graduated from Dartmouth College in 1989, earned her MBA from U .C . Berkeley’s Haas School of Business in 1992 and holds an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the American College of Greece . She is married to Dr . Markos Kounalakis and the couple has two teenage sons, Neo and Eon .

Evelin Martinez

Bank of America Business Banking Manager

Evelin Martinez has been in financial services for 28 years and is currently a Business Banking Manager for Bank of America . Evelin is passionate about motivating and influencing others to achieve what they didn’t think they could . Evelin serves on the board of HOPE, an organization focused on the empowerment of women and minority youth .

Pamela Weatherspoon

Huntington Hospital Vice President, Enterprise, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion|

Pamela Weatherspoon is the Vice President, Enterprise, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Huntington Hospital . Prior to joining Huntington Hospital, she was the director of diversity and inclusion at Jersey City Medical Center for two years, and prior to that she led diversity and community engagement at Legacy Health . Ms . Weatherspoon has been a tireless advocate for creating positive equitable change for those who are most marginalized and/or underserved for almost 20 years . She has received local and national awards for her work in community organizing and advocacy for equity . Ms . Weatherspoon received her bachelor’s degree from Portland State University and her MBA from Concordia University .