WiPS 2025 Convening

On September 5, 2025, women from across Orange County gathered together in Brea, CA to discuss a taboo topic: POWER.

Hosted by the North Orange County Community College District, the Women in Power Spaces (WIPS) convening is designed to bring women from different sectors together—Education, Politics, Healthcare, Technology Finance, Business and Law—to build relationships, share information, and develop practical plans to uplift all female-identifying people to the upper bastions of influence.

The sold-out event gathered over 150 people to examine the intersectionality between gender and political power, economic rights, reproductive rights, and gendered violence. Expert participants include keynote speaker Nina Jankowicz, acclaimed author of books such as How to Be A Woman Online; Dr. Caroline Heldman, Professor of Gender Studies at Occidental College and co-author of the textbook Women, Power and Politics; Krista Hollinger, CEO of Planned Parenthood Orange and San Bernardino Counties; Darcy Totten, Executive Director of CA Commission on the Status of Women & Girls; Sharon Quirk-Silva, Assemblywoman for the 67th District; Dr. Deepti Gandhi, physician and menopause expert; Gabrielle Blanchard, Board Member of relationship violence organization Human Options; and Betty Yee, former CA State Controller and 2026 candidate for governor.

Attendees called the Convening “extremely thought-provoking and inspiring,” “incredibly powerful” and noted that the day “reminded us that we don’t have to navigate leadership alone.”

Thank you to all the speakers, sponsors, event committee members and attendees for making the inaugural WiPS event such a success.