Bruin Belles
Established in 1946, Bruin Belles Service Association is a student organization at UCLA dedicated to community service and the promotion of women’s leadership. Bruin Belles Service Association is a non-partisan, non-religious organization.
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Join us for our Women’s Leadership Conference!
Hear from inspiring women leading their fields tell their stories of ambition, dedication, and passion. An opportunity to discuss the experiences of women that are often unverbalized, witness how connection, instead of competition, can shape us into the women we choose to be.
The Woman I Choose to Be: Women’s Leadership Conference
Sunday, February 21st, 2027
1:00pm - 5:45pm
Carnesale Commons, Palisades Room
Asha Dahya
Dahya is a journalist, content creator, and founder of GirlTalkHQ.com. She has worked for MTV, Nickelodeon, Disney, Fox, ABC, MSN, CW, and The Food Network, producing and hosting both digital and broadcast shows.
Karon Jolna
Jolna is the executive director of Ms. Classroom at Ms. magazine, leading its education initiatives to bring Ms. to the college classroom – and feminist scholarship to the pages of Ms. magazine.
Previous Speakers
Sara Guillermo
Guillermo is the CEO of IGNITE, the nation’s largest and most diverse young women’s political leadership organization. She has been featured in national media outlets such as NPR, New York Times, ABC and NBC.
Christine Simmons
Simmons is the former president and Chief Operations Officer of the three-time WNBA Champion Los Angeles Sparks. In 2019, Simmons was named Chief Operating Officer of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Alejandra Campoverdi
Campoverdi is a First 5 California State Commissioner, a former White House aide to President Obama, and a media executive. Under President Barack Obama, Campoverdi was the first White House Deputy Director of Hispanic Media.
Questions/Inquiries:
Contact: womensleadership@bruinbelles.com
Angelia Trinidad
Trinidad is the CEO and founder of Passion Planner, a multimillion dollar company, providing a tool that helps people create the life they’ve always wanted.
Valorie Kondos
Kondos is the former head coach of UCLA Gymnastics. “Miss Val” has led the Bruins to seven national championships. She is the third most-winning NCAA gymnastics coach.
Shirley Wang
Wang is the founder and CEO of Plastpro Inc., a leading US manufacturer of fiberglass entry doors. She is the co-founder of The Walter and Shirley Wang Foundation, a philanthropic organization.
The Women's Leadership Conference is an annual program the Bruin Belles Service Association has organized for over 25 years. The conference invites female-identifying individuals at UCLA and beyond to discuss contemporary challenges facing women and gain tools to accelerate their personal and career goals.
In the past, the program has focused on finding the similarities between female experiences that bond us. In recognizing how our differences further the success of all women, this year's program, “The Woman I Choose to Be,” centers on the pursuit of personal passions in a time of polarizing dialogue about what it means to be a “real woman.” The goal is to highlight diverse stories of womanhood and the boundless descriptions of female capability so that you can leave feeling empowered to shape your own future and become the woman you choose to be.
In this nearly five hour program, you will have the opportunity to listen to career professionals across disciplines tell their stories of success. We encourage you to be actively engaged, offering breakout sessions that will further explore developing topics of interest. You’ll gain access to a network of organizations and career professionals, ensuring you will leave with new connections.