In commemoration of Women’s History Month and the women whose leadership and service strengthen Santa Cruz County, the Santa Cruz County Office of Education (Santa Cruz COE), in partnership with the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH) and Lookout Santa Cruz, is proud to announce the honorees that will be recognized at the 2026 HERstory Celebration.
Now in its third year, HERstory is a welcoming, interactive community celebration that highlights women nominated by the public and selected by a committee. This year’s program recognizes “10 Women to Know,” honoring community-nominated women across three cohorts: Legacy (lasting contributions that continue to influence Santa Cruz County), Impact (impacting Santa Cruz County today), and Rising (impacting Santa Cruz County’s future).
The event will take place Friday, March 6, 2026, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History in downtown Santa Cruz. State Assemblymember Gail Pellerin will serve as emcee.
In addition to the formal program, guests will be invited to connect with women-focused community organizations through tabling, conversation, and shared resources. The celebration also connects to a year-round exhibit experience through the new HERstory Pod at the Santa Cruz MAH, a permanent space designed to help preserve and share local women’s history.
“We are proud to honor women whose leadership has strengthened Santa Cruz County across generations, and who continue to inspire us today,” said Pellerin. “HERstory is a chance to celebrate the stories behind that service, connect with the people and organizations moving our community forward, and recognize the legacy, impact, and rising leaders making a difference across Santa Cruz County.”
HERstory is part of the MAH’s First Friday downtown festivities, inviting attendees to continue the evening in and around the museum after the formal program concludes.
Event Details
What: 3rd Annual HERstory Celebration
When: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, 2026
Where: Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH), Downtown Santa Cruz
Information: https://sccoe.link/herstory
Admission: Free
HERstory 2026 Honorees: ‘10 Women to Know’
Legacy
Women whose lasting contributions continue to influence Santa Cruz County
Rose Marie Filicetti (in memoriam)
Rose Marie Filicetti was a civic leader and community catalyst whose work shaped women’s leadership and nonprofit collaboration across Santa Cruz County. She co-founded Breaking the Glass Ballot, served as a founding board member of Digital NEST, and launched initiatives including Now From Here and Non-Profit Connection Santa Cruz County. Known for building networks that amplified women’s voices and strengthened community infrastructure, her legacy continues to inspire the community she helped build.
Mary Gaukel Forster
Mary Gaukel Forster is a transformative educator and youth advocate whose decades of leadership have shaped generations of students, teachers, and school leaders. As an instructional leader and mentor at Costanoa High School and beyond, she has championed career preparation and student-centered learning. Her service also includes CASA, NAMI of Santa Cruz County, hospice support, and veteran advocacy.
Gail Michaelis-Ow (speaker)
Gail Michaelis-Ow is a nurse practitioner and lifelong reproductive health advocate whose work expanded access to care in Santa Cruz County for more than five decades. She began volunteering with Planned Parenthood of Santa Cruz County in 1973, became a paid community educator in 1975, and helped open the county’s first family planning clinic in 1976. After the organization merged with Planned Parenthood Mar Monte in 1996, Gail continued serving the community through 2025, leaving a lasting mark on generations of patients and families.
Impact
Women who are impacting the Santa Cruz County of today
Consuelo Alba
Consuelo Alba is the visionary co-founder and executive director of the Watsonville Film Festival, where she champions Latino filmmakers and expands access to the arts. Under her leadership, the festival has grown into a powerful platform for cultural storytelling and racial equity. A former board president of the Santa Cruz Arts Council, Consuelo continues to advance inclusion and representation in the region’s creative landscape.
Yadira Flores Martinez (speaker)
Yadira Flores Martinez is a community organizer, equity leader, and teaching artist whose work centers youth leadership, racial justice, and cultural healing. As community engagement director for County Park Friends, she co-leads the Young Outdoor Leaders program, connecting youth and families to nature and career pathways. She also serves on the Latino Affairs Commission and brings a bridge-building approach across parks, art, and civic life.
Laura Marcus
Laura Marcus is the CEO of Dientes Community Dental and a champion for healthcare equity in Santa Cruz County. Over the past decade, she has guided Dientes’ growth from a single clinic into a network of five locations, expanding access to comprehensive dental care for underserved residents. Through workforce development, cross-sector partnerships, and coalition-building, she has helped strengthen the county’s healthcare safety net.
Rising
Women and girls shaping the future of Santa Cruz County
Amara Anderson (co-speaker)
Amara Anderson is a senior at Santa Cruz High School and a student leader advancing racial equity across local campuses. As president of her school’s Black Student Union and a leader of the countywide BSU network, she has expanded membership, built partnerships with community organizations, and strengthened youth advocacy. Through organizing and public education, Amara is helping shape a more inclusive future for Santa Cruz County students.
Hilda Yadira Cortez Mendez
Hilda Yadira Cortez Mendez is an 11th-grade student and youth leader with United Way Santa Cruz County’s Jóvenes Sanos program. She promotes mental health awareness, peer wellness, and civic engagement while balancing academics and family responsibilities. Through empathy, resilience, and commitment to community well-being, she is emerging as a powerful voice for youth leadership in South County.
Sasha Pavy
Sasha Pavy is a barista and emerging labor leader who played a central role in a successful unionization effort across three Verve Coffee Roasters cafés. She stepped forward to organize coworkers, advocate for fair working conditions, and build collective strength. Her leadership shows how everyday courage can reshape workplace culture and advance worker rights.
Ivory Woodson (co-speaker)
Ivory Woodson is the founding president of Soquel High School’s Black Student Union and a youth advocate for racial justice. She has led school-wide initiatives, organized community partnerships, and helped unify BSU chapters across the county. Her leadership reflects the power of student voice in creating lasting change.