Girls Inc. of Carpinteria to honor Jane Benefield and Jena Jenkins
Jane Benefield is chair of the Carpinteria
Planning Commission.
Jena Jenkins is the programs specialist at the
Carpinteria Library.
Jane Benefield, chair of the Carpinteria Planning Commission, and Jena Jenkins, programs specialist at the Carpinteria Library, will be honored at the Girls Inc. of Carpinteria “Women of Inspiration” event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 3 at the nonprofit’s campus, 5315 Foothill Road in Carpinteria.
The keynote speaker will be Katie Goodman, an award-winning musical comic, actress, director, writer, author and speaker. She has been seen on Showtime’s “The Green Room,” on Current TV as a pundit and on TruTV in one of the most watched “Impractical Jokers” ever.
She is signed with Comedy Dynamics, North America’s largest independent record label, and her album, “Halfway Closer to Dead,” is available on Itunes.
Her comedy music videos have amassed more than 2 million hits on Youtube and several more million on Facebook. Ms. Goodman is also a featured blogger for the Huffington Post, has contributed to O, the Oprah Magazine, and is the author of “Improvisation for the Spirit” and the funny children’s book, “The Night Our Parents Went Out.” She is a nationally touring keynote speaker on the topic of using the tools of improv comedy in everyday life.
As the creator and headliner of “Broad Comedy,” an internationally touring satirical musical show that she and her husband Soren Kisiel write and direct, she has raised more than $2 million for Planned Parenthood and the ACLU.
Her solo show, “The Mid-Life Crisis Tour,” has played off Broadway in New York City, where she received a Time Out New York Critics Pick for Best Cabaret. She and her husband were nominated for the EPIC Award from the White House Project and were also nominated for the MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant for their extensive work in theater.
Ms. Benefield has served on the Carpinteria Planning Commission for almost two decades. Before moving to Carpinteria, she worked for the city of Los Angeles and its planning department. Ms. Benefield now lends Carpinteria her wealth of planning knowledge and inspires the community through her bold voice and insightful perspective.
A communications specialist whose heart lies in storytelling, Ms. Jenkins has a knack for bringing groups together and building understanding. In addition to her role at the Carpinteria Library, she co-created the project “Gather for Good” to usher communities toward bonding through project-based volunteerism and currently serves as vice president of the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District board of directors. She has a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in counseling psychology.
The “Women of Inspiration” event will feature an all-new format this year. Held as a luncheon in previous years, it will feature a half-day retreat and networking lunch.
Attendees can join two breakout sessions in the morning, participating in smaller group workshops created to uplift, engage and inspire. They will then join the larger group for a community lunch in Girls Inc. of Carpinteria’s brand new courtyard, followed by the keynote presentation.
Workshop speakers include Sonia Aguila, National Teacher of the Year; Danielle Bordenave, owner of Spark45 Fitness; Lauren Bragg, goal coach and wellness vixen; and Marisol Alarcon, immigration attorney at Alarcon Legal.
Those who are unable to attend the half-day event but would like to participate in the luncheon portion honoring Ms. Benefield and Ms. Jenkins can contact Girls Inc. of Carpinteria at 805-684-6364 or girlsinc-carp.org.
Tickets are $200, and all proceeds support Girls Inc. of Carpinteria’s programs and mission to inspire girls to be strong, smart and bold.
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria is a member of Girls Incorporated, a nonprofit organization. Girls Inc. of Carpinteria currently serves more than 1,100 youth in the Carpinteria Valley, from pre-K through 12th grade. To learn more, become a volunteer or offer support, visit www.girlsinc-carp.org/.
email: mmcmahon@newspress.com
FYI
For more information or to purchase tickets for “Women of Inspiration,” call 805-684-6364 or visit girlsinc-carp.org.
