AWL Founders
Dea Spanos Berberian: 
Dea Spanos Berberian, co-owner of The Spanos Corporation since 1994, serves as its executive vice president, director and secretary. She has been the co-owner of the Los Angeles Chargers National Football League Team since 1998. Throughout her career, Spanos Berberian has dedicated her time and efforts to giving back to the community, serving in a variety of ways to benefit community and nonprofit organizations. She credits her father's influence in instilling in her the value for community and seeing giving back as a responsibility and moral obligation. Since 2008, Spanos Berberian has been a co-chair of the United Way Community Foundation of San Joaquin Super Bowl Raffle, which has raised over $3.4 million for local charities. She is also the vice president for Stockton's Ready to Work program, a local nonprofit dedicated to reducing the number of homelessness in San Joaquin County. Spanos Berberian has been recognized for her outstanding contributions to the community with the 2010 Athena Award and the Helping Hands Award from Good Will in 2013. A Stockton native, Spanos Berberian served on the University of the Pacific Board of Regents from 1996-2007 and is a founding member of the Advancing Women's Leadership Forum. She is married to Pacific alumnus Ron Berberian and has three sons and five grandsons.
Kristen Spracher-Birtwhistle: 
Kristen Spracher-Birtwhistle has spent over 28 years working for Kaiser Permanente and the Permanente Medical Group, where she is currently a Medical Group Administrator in Santa Rosa. Throughout her time at Kaiser she has overseen complex region-wide initiatives including capital expansions and the construction of new medical centers. She has made it a priority to introduce community-oriented programs - initiating and supporting the Neighbors in Health Program for the Stockton Medical Group, founding the Child Abuse Prevention Services Program for The Permanente Medical Group, and creating a mobile health clinic that provided care to uninsured patient. Her hard work and dedication to the community has led to her being the recipient of awards including the Erickson Diversity Award, Business Manager of the Year from the Stockton Chamber of Commerce, ATHENA Award, and the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award. Her career accomplishments exemplify her outstanding dedication and involvement in the community, embodying the favorite piece of advice she received from her mother "always finish what you start!" Spracher-Birtwhistle currently resides in Stockton with her husband Steve. She has two children.
Judge Consuelo Maria Callahan: 
Judge Consuelo Maria Callahan is a member of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, having been appointed by President George W. Bush in 2003 and unanimously approved by the senate three months later. She began her career in Stockton as a deputy city attorney where she spent 10 years working for the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office, specializing in child abuse and sexual assault cases. Her hard work and determination is evident through her career accomplishments, including being the first woman and Latina to be appointed to the San Joaquin County Superior Court. After spending 10 years with the District Attorney's Office, Callahan was appointed a commissioner of the Stockton Municipal Court in 1986 and was elevated to the Superior Court bench six years later. In 1996, Governor Pete Wilson appointed her to serve on California's Third District Court of Appeal. Callahan's distinguished career has been marked by awards such as the Humanitarian Judge of the Year Award by the American Board of Trial Advocates and the American Inns of Court Ninth Circuit Professionalism Award. Callahan is married with two children, 1 grandchild, and served as a Regent for the University of the Pacific for 9 years.
Kathleen Lagorio Janssen:
Kathleen Lagorio Janssen is a trailblazer in both her professional life and through her community involvement. In 1996, she became president and CEO of her family farming company, Ace Tomato. As a product of her leadership, Ace Tomato grew to be one of the largest growers, packers, and shippers of fresh market tomatoes in the west. Janssen was the entrepreneurial developer of one of the country's largest business communication systems, Lagorio Communications, which at its peak was one of the top eight communication companies in the country. Janssen began her career as a teacher for Stockton Unified School District, where she spent 17 years, ultimately becoming on the first woman presidents of the Stockton Teachers Association. In addition to her being the recipient of both the ATHENA and the Susan B. Anthony award, Janssen's commitment to community involvement led to her recognition as the 2004 Stocktonian of the Year. Janssen is the outgoing chair of the Board of Regents; she has been recognized with the Medallion of Excellence from Pacific for her contributions to the university. She and her husband, Dean, have three sons and three grandchildren.
Cyril Seligman:
Cyril Seligman is founder, president and CEO of EMMI Physician Services, which provides medical insurance claims processing, accounts receivable and practice management services to health care providers, with offices in California and Colorado. Seligman is an acknowledged expert in the health care delivery system and has served as a consultant to physicians, group practices and governmental agencies. She was named Stockton Business Woman of the Year in 1963. Seligman is a strong advocate in promoting women's leadership. In 1987, she was selected to receive the ATHENA Award, which recognizes individuals for actively assisting women in their achievement of professional excellence and leadership skills, and was nominated for the Small Business Administration's Women in Business Advocate Award. A Stockton native, Seligman is active in numerous civic and health care organizations, including serving on the Foundation Board for St. Joseph's Hospital and the Interim Board of Trustees for San Joaquin General Hospital, and was elected chair of the Stockton Board of Port Commissioners in 1975. Seligman currently resides in Stockton with her husband Howard. She has two children and four grandchildren.