Women’s Leadership Summit

Registration is FREE and open to ALL currently enrolled CSUSM community members with a special focus on students. Only students can receive our swag items being that our funding is supported by student fees. 

The Women’s Leadership Summit is a forum for participants within the Cal State San Marcos community to connect, explore and engage in topics on women’s leadership and empowerment. This year's theme is focused on "Amplify Your Voice: Your Impact." Networking activities will allow students to build a positive and supportive network of diverse women who vary across professional disciplines and life experiences.

We will seek to provide participants the opportunity to learn more about their individual identities and the unique influences they have on their leadership styles. With these new experiences and community, student participants will know to challenge the limitations placed on women and will have the confidence and strength to empower others.

• WHEN: Friday, March 7th, 2025 at 9:30 AM - 2:30 PM
• WHERE: USU Ballroom
• RSVP: Register by Wednesday, March 5th! 

Rooted in the philosophies of intersectional feminism, we recognize that while all women experience oppression, we also all experience oppression in varying forms based on race, age, class, gender, sexuality, dis/ability, etc. With that in mind, we want everyone at the Women's Leadership Summit to feel supported, included and represented. We are intentionally inclusive of transgender, nonbinary, intersex, gender non-conforming, and male-identified individuals.

All registered CSUSM students are encouraged to participate. CSUSM does not consider sex, gender, or any other protected status as part of the registration process. Providing one's pronouns is OPTIONAL and is not required or considered part of the registration process for one's attendance at the symposium. 

Questions?

Email: amcgeever@csusm.edu

Individuals with disabilities, who would like to attend this event, please contact amcgeever@csusm.edu regarding any special accommodation needs. It is requested that individuals requiring auxiliary aids such as sign language interpreters and alternative format materials notify the event sponsor at least seven working days in advance. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations in an effective and timely manner.

2025 Schedule Overview:

2025 Speakers & Topics:  

• Keynote Speaker: Melissa Villagomez

  Melissa Villagomez (she/her) is a nonprofit leader, keynote speaker, and advocate for foster youth, dedicated to creating lasting impact through community-driven change. With over a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, she has raised awareness and funding for the foster care community, using her own lived experience to inform her work.

  A proud alumna of California State University San Marcos (CSUSM), Melissa graduated in 2012 and is now completing her Master’s in Nonprofit Leadership and Management at the University of San Diego. Her academic journey has strengthened her expertise in organizational development, fundraising, and social impact.

  Melissa is a TEDx San Diego speaker, delivering a powerful talk on "Breaking the Cycle of Foster Care Through Caring Communities," where she highlighted the importance of support networks in transforming lives. Her journey from foster care to nonprofit leadership is a testament to resilience, determination, and the power of advocacy. Through her work, she continues to inspire others to drive meaningful change in their communities. For more insights into Melissa's work and philosophy, you can watch her TEDx talk.

• Empowered Leadership: From Lived Experience to Community Advocacy with Jessica Kidd

  Empowered Leadership: From Lived Experience to Community Advocacy: In this interactive and empowering breakout session, Jessica Kidd will share her transformative journey from a homeless addict to being a passionate advocate and leader in North County. As an employee at Solutions for Change, Jessica will highlight essential insights that have fueled her success in driving community change, fostering personal growth, and empowering others to embrace their transformations.

  Jessica Kidd (she/her) is the Community Engagement Associate at Solutions for Change, where she is a dedicated fundraiser. A graduate of the Solutions Academy and a proud Overcomer, Jessica has been part of the organization for 4 years. With a passion for community empowerment and sustainable solutions, she is committed to breaking the cycle of dependency for families in need. Jessica plays a key role in engaging donors, supporters, and partners to further the organization’s mission. Through her work, she finds great fulfillment in helping families transform their lives—just as she once did.

• Body Empowerment in Today's Society with Feminist Unite

  Body Empowerment in Today's Society: Explore body empowerment through the lens of intersectionality, feminism, and sex positivity. This session will examine how identity, representation, and advocacy shape empowerment, challenge societal stigmas, and promote autonomy and self-expression. Through discussion and reflection, participants will gain tools to foster inclusive and affirming spaces while embracing empowerment in their own lives.

  Luna Canham (she/her) is the president of Feminists Unite. She's a Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies major in her senior year at CSUSM. Her passion lies in advocating for human rights and fostering open, educational discussions about gender, sex, sexuality, mental health, and well-being. She is dedicated to understanding how she can better serve others by breaking down the barriers surrounding social constructions of body, identity, gender, and sexuality. She is excited to be a part of more open conversations surrounding sex, sexuality, and intersectionality, and continually learn about how she can help educate and inspire others.

  Angelica Solorio (she/her/ella) is the Vice President of Feminists Unite. She's in her second year at CSUSM, majoring in Criminology and Justice Studies with a minor in Spanish. Their passion lies in education and discussion around reproductive justice, sex/sexuality, and mental health. She loves open discussions on taboo topics, breaking down stigma, and helping people feel safer and more confident in their sexuality.

• Femmes Diaspora: Resistance, Resilience, and Revolution with France-Luce Benson
  Femmes Diaspora: Resistance, Resilience, and Revolution: Professor France-Luce Benson will share excerpts from three of her plays in a dynamic performance celebrating the resilience, complexities, and power of revolutionary women in Haiti's history. Following the performance, Professor Benson will lead a writing workshop in which participants will create theatrical pieces that express their own relationship to leadership, inspired by the women who have shaped their lives.

   

  France-Luce Benson (she/her) is an award winning, Haitian-American playwright/screenwriter and Assistant Professor of Theatre at CSU San Marcos. From 2021-2022 she was a staff writer on Paramount’s series Lawmen: Bass Reeves. Her play Detained was the winner of four NAACP Theatre Awards. Additional honors include The Lily’s Lorraine Hansberry Award, Dramatist Guild Fellow, NYSCA's Individual Artist Award, Sony Pictures Television Diverse Writers Fellow, Zoetrope’s Grand Prize for original screenplay, and Sam French OOB Festival Winner.

   

  Her plays have been produced in New York at the Apollo Theatre, Billy Holiday Theatre, The Fire This Time Festival, and Ensemble Studio Theatre where she is a company member; across the country at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, L.A.'s Fountain Theatre, New Jersey's Crossroads Theatre, Juggernaut Theatre in Miami, Fl.; and internationally at the Afropea Festival in Marseille, and Global Voices Theatre in London. She’s a recipient of Sony’s Teaching Artist Award for Innovative Curriculum. Her plays have been published by DPS, Samuel French, and Routledge. She’s a proud member of the Writer’s Guild of America and the Dramatist Guild.
• Using Inclusive Language with Char Booth

  Using Inclusive Language: The words we choose have the power to make people feel celebrated and valued. Our language can also - intentionally or unintentionally – exclude or alienate others. This workshop explores inclusive language strategies that will help attendees communicate respectfully and with the goal of bringing everyone into the conversation, no matter the venue.

  Char Booth is the Interim Co-Dean of Administration & Advancement of the University Library at CSUSM, and was Associate Dean of the CSUSM University Library from 2015-2024. Char’s work explores the intersection of advocacy, leadership, and pedagogy in higher education libraries. Char was previously the Director of Research, Teaching, and Learning Services at the Claremont Colleges Library, and has held positions at the University of California at Berkeley and Ohio University. Their publications include the Ilene F. Rockman Award-winning Reflective Teaching, Effective Learning: Instructional Literacy for Library Educators (ALA Editions) and Informing Innovation: Tracking Student Interest in Emerging Library Technologies (ACRL).

• Cultivating Confident Leaders with the WGEC

  Cultivating Confident Leaders: Step into your power and unlock your full potential in this workshop! This interactive session will explore how to reframe self-doubt, embrace your unique leadership style, and and move forward with confidence. Through reflection and discussion, you’ll gain insight into empowerment, resilience, and creating an action plan that aligns with your values. Whether you're just beginning your leadership journey or looking to level up, this workshop will inspire you to rise, thrive, and lead with authenticity.

  Isabel Martinez (she/her/ella) is a second-generation Latina college student proudly following in the footsteps of the strong Latinas in her family who paved the way for her. Currently studying Psychology with a minor in Dance at CSUSM, she aspires to earn her master’s degree and become a school psychologist, focusing on supporting students on the autism spectrum. Isabel began her journey at the Women and Gender Equity Center as a Peer Educator and is excited to take on the role of Peer Coordinator for the 2024-2025 academic year. Passionate about intersectional feminism, she is dedicated to creating a brave space for underrepresented communities at the WGEC. 

  Alexa Alcala (she/her) is a non-traditional first generation college student majoring in Psychological Sciences and Cognitive Sciences. She is working at the Women and Gender Equity Center and is most passionate about women's health and biopsychology. Alexa hopes to join the ongoing research in the field of women and women's health. 
• Add to Dictionary: Writing and the Multi-Cultural Voice with Shaymaa Abusalih

  Add to Dictionary: Writing and the Multi-Cultural Voice: This workshop explores the impact of multicultural voices in literature, media, and everyday language. Through discussion and reflection, we’ll examine how diverse expressions shape storytelling, challenge norms, and empower individuals to embrace and amplify their unique voices.

  Shaymaa Abusalih (Pen Name: Smitty) is a Sudanese-American poet just starting out on an exciting journey of spoken word and emotional expression. Writing has always been her comfort and compass in life, but in 2024, her writing was published for the first time in Poets Underground's second anthology, STILL HERE. From there, she's taken the stage and "blessed the mic" at several events throughout the San Diego area to amplify her voice and explore the community of words.

  In December 2024, she received the Poem of the Year Award at SDPF24 Coda, a poetry festival. Shaymaa graduated from California State University San Marcos in 2017 and is currently pursuing her masters degree in Literature and Writing as a CSUSM alumna-employee. 

2025 Planning Committee Members

• Co-Chair: Alycia McGeever
  

  Co-Chair: Alycia McGeever (she/her) is the Assistant Director of the Women and Gender Equity Center (WGEC). She is a UC Irvine alum with a BA in Sociology and Education Sciences. She started her Student Affairs career at CSUSM as a Graduate Assistant in 2019. She received her Master's in Postsecondary Educational Leadership from SDSU in 2021. Working at the WGEC is a dream come true as it combines her love of intersectional feminism and student advocacy! Before working at CSUSM, she worked for Girl Scouts and Girls Incorporated empowering young women to believe in themselves. She enjoys traveling, exploring new food spots, and baking! 

• Co-Chair: Makayla Hall
  

  Co-Chair: Makayla Hall (she/her) is the Coordinator of Leadership Programs for the Student Leadership and Involvement Center. She is a Chapman University alum with a BA in Integrated Educational Studies and Psychology. With a love for leadership, she continued her educational journey at Chapman and received her Master’s in Leadership Development in 2022. She is passionate about leadership, cultivating a sense of belonging, and fostering a care-centered environment. She enjoys all things outdoors and loves to spend time traveling with friends and family! 

• Staff Representative: Karen Tinajero-Vazquez
  

  Karen Tinajero-Vazquez (she/her/ella) is a Reference and Instruction Librarian at the CSUSM Kellogg Library. She works primarily with first-year students and teaches foundational information literacy and research skills. She is a UC Riverside and University of Southern California alumni, where she received her Master’s of Management in Library and Information Science. Her current research interests include collective and intentional self-care, academic internships, and validation theory. She’s passionate about maintaining her Duolingo streak and spends her free time practicing  her violin and playing video games.

• Faculty Representative: Dr. Mikee Inton-Campbell
  

  Dr. Mikee Inton-Campbell (she/her) is assistant professor of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at California State University San Marcos where she teaches Trans and Queer of Color Studies. Her work centers on trans representation in Philippine and Asian film and media. She is also a board member of the Society of Trans Women of the Philippines (STRAP) and a senior fellow at the Center for Applied Trans Studies (CATS).

• Staff Representative: Megan Muret
  

  Megan Muret (she/her) is the Associate Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, University Advancement. She is a UCLA alum ('21), where she earned a BA in Economics with a minor in Spanish. She also holds a Master's in Educational Leadership from TCU ('22). Megan's passion for higher education stems from her time as a beach volleyball student-athlete at both UCLA and TCU, an experience that shaped her career trajectory. She is motivated and inspired by the transformative power of education, and the leadership development opportunities it offers. Megan believes in fostering a culture of empowerment, connection, and growth. Outside of work, she still enjoys playing beach volleyball and loves spending time outdoors with family and friends.   
• Student Representative: Alexa Acala
  

  Alexa Alcala (She/Her) is a non-traditional first generation college student majoring in Psychological Sciences and Cognitive Sciences. She is working at the Women and Gender Equity Center and is most passionate about women's health and biopsychology. Alexa hopes to join the ongoing research in the field of women and women's health. In her free time she loves to hang out with her two kitties Clover and Pepper, participate in yoga and spend time being crafty with her friends.

• Student Representative: Mariah Serna
  

  Mariah Serna (she/her) is a proud second-generation college student pursuing a degree in Psychological Sciences with double minors in Criminology and Justice Studies, as well as Literature and Writing. She currently works at the Student Life and Involvement Center (SLIC), where she enjoys engaging with her campus community. Mariah is deeply passionate about social justice, with a particular focus on advocating for the wrongfully accused, a cause close to her heart. She is thrilled to join this committee and is eager to collaborate in creating meaningful change. Outside of her academic and professional pursuits, Mariah loves reading, writing, and spending time at the beach with friends.