Congratulations to Alison Wales, our league's Leadership Team 1st vice-president!

U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) announced the five winners of the 2025 Congressional Women of the Year award from the Central Coast. The award  honors exceptional women across the 24th Congressional District who have made a positive impact on their communities.

The five winners of this year’s award are: Alison Wales from Lompoc, JoAnne Meade Young from Santa Barbara, Lisa Kawamura from Arroyo Grande, Julie Rodewald from Los Osos, and Cherie Eulau from Ventura.

Our league's current 1st Vice-president, Alison Wales, is one of the honorees. She is a dedicated advocate for survivors of sexual violence. She was instrumental in establishing a 24/7 crisis hotline at the North County Rape Crisis Center and creating a prevention education program that works with local schools to reduce incidents of sexual violence. She also launched the She Raised Her Hand initiative to address the unique challenges faced by female veterans, many of whom struggle with PTSD, military sexual trauma, and reintegration into civilian life. She is a true champion for the North County community.

Carbajal will recognize the winners by permanently entering the accomplishments of each woman into the official Congressional Record, preserving their stories and their impact on the community. An award ceremony will be held at a later date.

LWVNSBC congratulates these impressive women!

Read more about the award, and read the biography of each winner here.