President's Message

Heather Stern
WLALA President 2018-2019

August 2019 

At the risk of repeating every WLALA President before me, each in their own august words, each in the August newsletter of their own tenure:  I’m done!

Yes, it’s that time again.  The time for the peaceful transition of power.  As you all knew when you elected our own wonderful Jennifer Leland to be President for the 2019-2020 Board term, she will be officially taking the reins shortly as we move forward to our next Board year.  

But don’t worry.  I will still see you again, and again, and again, undoubtedly.  I will see you at our 100th Anniversary party on September 21, 2019 (reserve your tickets now!), where we will be installing all our new officers, celebrating this milestone of 100 years of our bar association, hearing wonderful words of inspiration from our keynote speaker Brenda Feigen (http://www.feigenlaw.com/Profile.html), and honoring our very worthy awardees, the Hon. Holly J. Fujie, Nancy Mintie, and the ACLU of Southern California.  You really do not want to miss this landmark event for our bar and our legal community.  

I will also see you before the party and after the party at our various WLALA events and programs, because regardless of what position I may or may not serve on the Board, WLALA will always be a part of my community.  Serving as President this part year has been a tremendous experience and opportunity and I’ve enjoyed every last minute of the hundreds and hundreds of emails, truly I have.  But alas I must now be put out to pasture, to join the exalted group of Past Presidents of yesteryear where I secretly hope to be automatically endowed with the same wise stature with which I have always viewed this group from the vantage point of a non-member.  If there is a secret handshake, I promise to learn it well.

And now before signing off, I must send my most appreciative and loudest thanks to everyone who helped make my Presidency a success.  My deepest gratitude to WLALA’s Executive Administrator Kay Burt and its Administrative Assistant Janelle Battaglia, who keep our bar association working smoothly among their many, many, many other contributions.  My Executive Committee — Jennifer Leland, Michelle Abidoye, Jessica Kronstadt, Mary McKelvey, and Janet Hong — you are amazing and your collaborative support and hard work make all things possible.  WLALA’s Board members for 2018-2019 (you know who you are): very many thanks to you all for your commitment and dedication and for always making this organization look good.  To my firm Parker Ibrahim & Berg LLP and everyone in the community who sponsors WLALA and attends our events and otherwise supports this amazing bar – thank you!  And to my family, especially my husband and equal partner in all things, I am incredibly grateful and appreciative of your constant, unwavering, and heartfelt support.  

Thank you all, and see you again soon.

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