National Latina Business Women Association-San Diego [NLBWA-SD]

08/17/2026

🚀 Grow Your Business with AI – FREE Virtual Workshop (En Español)! 🤖📈
Ready to put AI to work for your business? Join the San Diego County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce for a FREE Grow with Google virtual workshop in Spanish designed specifically for small business owners and entrepreneurs.
🗓 Tuesday, August 25, 2026�⏰ 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM (PT)�💻 Virtual & FREE
During this interactive workshop, you'll learn how to:�✨ Write effective AI prompts�💡 Generate creative business ideas�⏱ Save time by automating repetitive tasks�📊 Build a personalized plan to start using AI in your business right away
No previous AI or technical experience is required—just bring your business challenges and your curiosity!
📩 For more information: mailto:[email protected]�🔗 Register today: https://sdchamber.org/event/make-a-i-work-for-you-workshop-en-espanol/

🚀 ¡Haz que la IA trabaje para tu negocio! Taller Virtual GRATUITO (En Español) 🤖📈
La Cámara de Comercio Hispana del Condado de San Diego, en colaboración con la Cámara Regional de Comercio de San Diego, le invita a participar en un taller virtual GRATUITO de Grow with Google, diseñado especialmente para pequeños empresarios y emprendedores.
🗓 Martes, 25 de agosto de 2026�⏰ 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. (PT)�💻 Virtual y GRATUITO
Aprenderá a:�✨ Crear prompts efectivos para IA�💡 Generar ideas innovadoras para su negocio�⏱ Ahorrar tiempo automatizando tareas repetitivas�📈 Desarrollar un plan personalizado para implementar la IA de inmediato
¡No necesita experiencia previa en inteligencia artificial ni conocimientos técnicos!
📩 Más información: mailto:[email protected]�🔗 Regístrese aquí: https://sdchamber.org/event/make-a-i-work-for-you-workshop-en-espanol/

Acompáñenos a un taller gratuito de “Haz que la IA Trabaje para Ti”, liderado por un Coach de Grow with Google. ¿Listo para poner la IA a trabajar para usted? […]

08/14/2026

Membership Spotlight: Jennifer Zuñiga | Chaplain / Mindful Health & Wellness Coach

This week, we are proud to spotlight one of our own, Jennifer Zuñiga, a dedicated NLBWA-SD board member, currently serving in Memberships since 2024.

Jennifer’s commitment to community goes far beyond her role on the board. As a Workplace Chaplain, she supports employees through grief, crisis, stress, and difficult seasons of life—creating space for people to feel seen, heard, and supported.

Her passion for serving others also extends into advocacy and volunteerism, including her work supporting sexual assault awareness and survivors, mental health, grief support, and other community initiatives. Her mission has always been centered around helping people feel supported, empowered, and reminded that they do not have to walk through difficult seasons alone.

In 2025, Jennifer was honored with the Resilience Award at the NLBWA-SD Brunch Cruise, recognizing the strength and perseverance she has demonstrated while continuing to serve and uplift others.

Her passion for wellness has also grown into a new chapter. Last year, Jennifer earned her Mindful Health & Wellness Coach certification, and she is now taking the next step by building her own wellness coaching business. Through this work, she hopes to help others develop healthier habits, strengthen their well-being, and create a more balanced and mindful life.

Jennifer also continues to use her personal journey to make a difference. Recently, she completed a 75-mile bike ride throughout San Diego to raise awareness and funds for cancer prevention and treatment research, in honor of her mother, who lost her battle with cancer.

Donations are being accepted through August 28. If you would like to support Jennifer’s cancer fundraiser, the donation link will be available in the comments below.

Jennifer’s story is a powerful reminder that resilience is not simply about what we survive—it’s about what we choose to do with what we’ve been through.

08/06/2026

Member Spotlight: Gaby Gonzales, LMFT

This week we’re proud to spotlight Gaby Gonzales, founder of Comunidad Therapy, a bilingual private practice dedicated to making mental health care more accessible, culturally affirming, and representative of the communities it serves.

Born and raised in East Los Angeles to immigrant parents, Gaby has devoted her career to supporting individuals facing trauma, mental health challenges, substance use, and recovery. Her experience spans nonprofit organizations, crisis intervention, and six years serving active-duty military members and their families as a therapist for the U.S. Navy.

Today, Gaby is passionate about breaking the stigma surrounding mental health—especially within BIPOC communities—by providing compassionate, trauma-informed, bilingual care that empowers healing and resilience.

Thank you, Gaby, for the incredible impact you’re making in our community. We’re honored to have you as part of the National Latina Business Women Association San Diego!

08/05/2026

You’re ALL Invited!

Join the San Diego County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the San Ysidro Community & Economic Development Corporation, and National LBWA San Diego for an evening of meaningful networking, great conversations, delicious appetizers, and drinks!

Thursday, August 27
5:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Las Americas Premium Outlets

Whether you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, professional, or community leader, this is a great opportunity to make new connections and grow your network.

🎟️ Register today using the QR code on the flyer. We look forward to seeing you there!

07/30/2026

Member Spotlight: Diana Canales | Financial Advisor / Entrepreneur

We’re proud to recognize Lifetime Legacy Member Diana Canales, a dedicated financial advisor, entrepreneur, and community leader with more than 23 years of experience helping individuals, families, and business owners achieve their long-term financial goals.

As a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones, Diana provides personalized guidance in retirement planning, investments, estate and legacy planning, 401(k) rollovers, IRAs, college savings plans, and business retirement strategies. She is also the co-founder of 1944 Collectibles, an online business specializing in custom challenge coins and military collectibles.

Diana is passionate about giving back to the community through financial education, speaking on estate and probate planning, and hosting local networking events that bring entrepreneurs together to connect, collaborate, and grow.

Connect with Diana:
📍 Edward Jones
7787 Parkway Dr., Suite 2A, La Mesa, CA 91942
📞 (619) 567-5236
🌐 1944collectibles.com

Thank you, Diana, for making a lasting impact in our community through your leadership, service, and commitment to helping others build a brighter financial future.

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07/23/2026

Proud daughter of a Kurdish refugee and a Mexican immigrant, Juanne has built her career on the values of resilience, compassion, and community. Her story is a testament to the power of hard work, purpose, and giving back.

She began her career in healthcare administration in family practice before transitioning into oncology, where she gained valuable experience across multiple specialties. These roles deepened her understanding of patient care and reinforced the importance of compassionate communication, care coordination, and creating meaningful experiences for every patient.

Driven by a passion for making an even greater impact, she transitioned into healthcare external relations, where she found her calling connecting patients with vital resources while helping healthcare organizations strengthen their relationships within the communities they serve.

Today, she serves as a Marketing Specialist at Heart and Wellness Center, where she collaborates with a dedicated team of cardiologists to develop strategic marketing initiatives, foster community engagement, and support the organization's mission of delivering exceptional cardiovascular care. Through her work, she helps amplify a practice that places patients at the center of everything it does.

Beyond her professional achievements, Juanne is an invaluable part of the National Latina Business Women Association – San Diego family as our Events Chair. Her creativity, organization, and commitment have helped create meaningful experiences that bring our members together and strengthen our community.

We are also incredibly proud to celebrate her recent award nomination—a well-deserved recognition of her leadership, dedication, and impact in both healthcare and the community.

Congratulations, Juanne! Thank you for inspiring us with your passion, service, and commitment to uplifting others. We are honored to have you as part of our organization and can't wait to see all you continue to accomplish. 💙

Please take a minute to vote for our Events Chair for this incredible award.

https://cw.sdmag.com/healthcare/healthcare-rising-star?entry_id=6a517e8f34518807684de0f4

07/16/2026

Member Spotlight: Claudia Rios-Gastelum | Co-Founder & Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Well-Mamas Counseling

Claudia is a daughter of immigrants, wife, mother, neurodivergent, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and co-founder of Well-Mamas Counseling, a specialty maternal mental health practice serving San Diego County.

She co-founded Well-Mamas Counseling after recognizing a gap in maternal mental healthcare, where many families struggled to find culturally responsive therapists who accepted health insurance. Today, her practice provides individual and couples psychotherapy for adults navigating preconception, pregnancy, postpartum, and parenthood, while also supporting all adults seeking compassionate mental health care.

Claudia and her team are committed to making therapy more accessible by accepting insurance and providing culturally responsive services. They also partner with community organizations to offer bilingual mental health workshops that reduce stigma and increase awareness. Beyond her practice, Claudia is helping strengthen family engagement by organizing parents and supporting her child’s school community.

We are proud to recognize Claudia for her dedication to improving maternal mental health, expanding access to culturally responsive care, and making a lasting difference in the lives of families throughout San Diego. Thank you, Claudia, for the compassion, leadership, and heart you bring to our community.

07/10/2026

Member Spotlight: Itzel Ballew | Well-Mamas Counseling

Meet Itzel Ballew—psychotherapist, co-founder of Well-Mamas Counseling, and a passionate advocate for maternal and perinatal mental health.

Itzel’s journey into this work is deeply personal. Through her own experiences with the challenges of stepmotherhood and postpartum anxiety, she discovered how overwhelming the transition into parenthood can be and how often parents struggle in silence. These experiences inspired her to dedicate her career to helping individuals and families navigate life’s biggest transitions with compassion and evidence-based care.

At Well-Mamas Counseling, Itzel and her team provide specialized psychotherapy for individuals, couples, and families. Their practice focuses on relational healing, trauma recovery, women’s mental health, and perinatal mental health. By maintaining a culturally diverse team that reflects the San Diego community, they ensure clients receive compassionate, culturally responsive care where they feel truly seen, heard, and supported.

As a leader, Itzel’s impact extends beyond the therapy room. She empowers her team to provide trauma-informed, culturally sensitive care while working to break generational cycles of trauma. Whether supporting new parents through the challenges of postpartum life or helping couples build a strong foundation before welcoming a child, her mission is to strengthen families and create a healthier, more resilient community.

We are honored to recognize Itzel for her dedication to empowering families, advancing mental health awareness, and creating lasting change throughout our community.

Thank you, Itzel, for being a valued member of the National Latina Business Women Association–San Diego. Your leadership and heart are making a meaningful difference.

07/05/2026

Happy 4th of July from the National Latina Business Women Association – San Diego!

Celebrating freedom.
Honoring our heritage.
Empowering our future.

Wishing our members, partners, and unity, state, joyful, and meaningful Independence Day!