2022 Woman of the Year
Kelli Michele
Kelli Michele is a Christian Wellness Educator and Certified Coach who brings together her passions for health and wellness with a love for helping others live their best lives through faith, health, and communication. She founded the Institute for Health by Faith (IHF) whose mission is to build up the next generation of Christian Leaders. She facilitates the growth of Christian Leaders through her ICF (International Coaching Federation) accredited coach training program. The Christian Leadership Development Program at IHF encompasses spiritual health, physical health, and relational health where individuals learn how to become certified coaches and excel in their health, life, and leadership skills. Kelli also founded Living Faith First to help women who feel lost build a new foundation based upon God’s principles and find overall balance while living faith first. She is the author of a women’s devotional “Her Growth with God.”
Meet the Nominees
Irene Basdakis
From Massachusetts, Irene moved to Los Angeles, became an attorney, law professor and started a company to help students prepare for the California bar exam. In 2019 she became Director of FOCUS Southern California (socal.focusna.org) whose mission is to engage people in Christ’s call to serve by providing resources to communities in need. Under her leadership, 3,660 volunteers donated over 12,000 hours distributing essential items and 2.1 million pounds of food to neighbors in need. A founding member and past President of the Parish Council at St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church in San Juan Capistrano, she continues to serve on the Church’s Council. She is a Board of Director Member with the Community Action Partnership of Orange County and the Hellenic Law Society of California. Irene and her husband John have two adult children – Caroline and Spiro.
Marla Harchut
After 27 years with Verizon/GTE Directories, Marla Harchut did not let her retirement slow her down. In July 2016, Marla launched Seacliff Living magazine to help local businesses and residents connect with one another. Her mission was to assist Huntington Beach businesses to thrive via the philosophy of “Shop Local, Support Local, Stay Local.” The magazine also supports local charities. Marla provides non-profits free space each month to share what they do and where they could use some help. Throughout her career, Marla has been gratified to hire many single working mothers who she mentored to success. She continues to support working mothers through her involvement in Path Forward, Working Women of OC, and The Mom Project. A Huntington Beach resident for over 40 years, Marla and her husband Glen have three children: Tyler, Ryan, and Kylie.
Jill Hardy
Jill Hardy’s family has called Huntington Beach home for five-generations. Family discussions often revolved around the city’s growth and preserving the city’s culture. Jill decided at a young age the best way to impact these changes was to get involved. She served on the Huntington Beach Youth board during high school. Upon returning home from U C Santa Barbara, she joined the Historical Society and Bolsa Chica Land Trust. She was appointed to the Planning commission in 2001 and was elected to the Huntington Beach City Council in 2002 at the age of 31. As a council member for 16 years Jill is most proud of her efforts to protect open spaces including saving the Little League baseball fields at Wardlow Park and developing Bartlett and Irby parks for recreational use. Jill teaches at Marina High School. She and her husband Greg Moore have two children.
www.JillHardy.com
Marie Monet
Marie Monet was born in France. She is an aesthetician and skin care expert who worked as a celebrity makeup artist and body double. She now owns a salon in Huntington Beach MONET’S European Skin Care Med Spa (www.mariemonet.com). Her desire is to achieve radiant, healthy looking and feeling skin for every client. Marie’s other passion is giving and serving others in a multitude of ways. Marie is a Susan G Komen sponsor and donates a percentage of her revenue to their organization. She donates her aesthetician services to Hello Gorgeous a charity that supports women through cancer. Marie prepares shoe boxes for Samaritan’s purse and backpacks for the homeless through her church. She sponsors a child through Compassion International, gives to Joyce Meyers Ministries, and David Jeremiah. Marie and her husband George love to entertain at their Huntington Beach home.
Leesa Novack
As Director of Communications for Patton’s Steel Corporation Leesa works with more than 100 team members to build morale and a spirit of collaboration. She is also passionate about serving the community and regularly volunteers at Casa Colina Hospital for Rehabilitation in Pomona. All while prioritizing the needs of her family. As the proud mother of five children ranging in age from 28 to 44 and a grandmother of 7, Leesa inspires others by freely sharing her own story of being given up for adoption at birth, becoming a mother at 17, healing her own traumas, and supporting her children through their journeys of addiction and recovery. She shares her powerful message of hope at treatment centers and works closely with women who are seeking the tools necessary to enter back into society as strong and capable individuals with sense of purpose.
Stephanie Solomon
Stephanie Solomon’s motto is “live every day like it's your birthday.” By the age of 30 she authored two children’s books titled #knowyourworth and Delicious Dreams. She also published Aloha ‘Oe. Each book was inspired by her own life experiences and those of important people in her life. Stephanie is a firm believer in turning difficulties into something good and “purpose over profit” as she donates a portion of her book proceeds to charity. She has raised over $15,000 for breast cancer research and education around children’s cancer. Stephanie has been featured in VoyageLA and ShoutOut LA, she is the CEO of her travel franchise Know Your Worth Cruise Planners, and she works in the dental field doing marketing and community outreach. Stephanie is an avid golfer, and she has a pet tortoise named Penelope Joy featured in her books.
www.pursuitofstephanie.com
