History

“It is vital that we prepare and inspire talented women to run and become involved in the political process – so that we can continue to increase the ranks of women at the local, state, and federal level. I am honored to be a part of the Marian Bergeson Series, as I believe it represents a promising future for the Republican Party.”

~Mimi Walters

• Read bio

  In November 2014, Mimi Walters was elected to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. She currently represents the 37th District of California in the State Senate. She was overwhelmingly elected to the Assembly in 2004, re-elected in 2006, elected to the State Senate in 2008 and re-elected under new district lines in 2012. Mimi Walters possesses a background in business, finance and local government. Her professional career has included serving as an investment executive for seven years at a major investment banking firm.

  Mimi began her public service at the local level, as a member of the Laguna Niguel City Council in 1996. She served as Mayor in 2000. As a Councilwoman, Mimi was a leading voice for fiscally responsible government and local control. She is past Chair of the Laguna Niguel Investment, Banking & Audit Committee. A champion for lower taxes, less intrusive government, fiscal responsibility and property rights, Senator Walters has been active in conservative causes for many years. A graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles, Mimi and her husband, David, live in Orange County with their four children.

“For over 25 years my personal passion has been promoting women within the Republican Party.  With my many relationships with Republican Women within my firm, Kate Keena Public Affairs, we realized a definite need for training programs. In 1995 I became one of the eight founders of the California Women’s Leadership Association (CWLA).  Next, I became the Campaign Manager for Mimi Walters’ Laguna Niguel City Council Campaign, and as a result she went onto win the State Assembly, the State Senate and became the Congresswoman-elect in the 45th District.  What an honor to work with her.  During that time we established the Marian Bergeson Excellence in Public Series in 2004.  Our one and only thought to lead this Series was Senator Bergeson because of her distinguished career in Republicans politics but more importantly her willingness to always serve as a mentor to those women who wanted to enter the political arena:  either run for office, seek an appointed office or work behind the scenes.  Senator Bergeson was a tremendous mentor to Mimi over the years as she was too many others as well.

Now over ten years later this Series has become California’s top premier training program exclusively for Republican woman at all levels. We have many ladies to thank besides Mimi.  Lindy Harvey, Julie Vandermost,  Linda Ackerman, Pat Douglass and Emmy Day and so many others who stood up to take a stand and make the Senator Bergeson Excellence in Public Service Series happen.  Great women coming together for the good of Republican women and we owe it all to these women and many other others but most importantly Senator Marian Bergeson.”

~ Kate Keena

• Read bio

  In 1995 after serving two well respected not-for-profit organizations for over ten years, Kate launched her own public affairs firm.  To this day she’s the principal of Kate Keena Public

  Affairs/Public Relation taking on special projects to advance specific causes.  Her career has involved many infrastructure projects such as transportation and water and other municipal interests. In these capacities she was highly successful in creating awareness, understanding and education of complex technical issues on the local, regional and national level, building coalitions, developing strategies and persuasively communicating client messages to a variety of audiences.

  Distinguished Qualifications:

  • Strategic communications for the public, private and not-for profit sectors
  • Building strategic partnerships and collaborative alliances
  • Adept in identifying and recruiting key community stakeholders
  • Legislative advocacy and government relations
  • Grassroots mobilization
  • Media strategies and crisis communications
  • Skilled in understanding complex scenarios and analyzing the impact on the various stakeholders

“All issues are women’s issues and encouraging and engaging women to articulate and advocate their positions and perspectives on local, state and national matters and lead efforts to advance sound policies and legislation is a strong passion of mine. Over ten years ago, I joined with four influential and accomplished women who were equally motivated and determined to create a leadership development program for women throughout California that would support their pursuit in serving as public leaders. With the launch of the Marian Bergeson Series, named for a truly outstanding American leader and patriot, we now proudly showcase a significant number of graduates serving at all levels of government and civic organizations and where they have had positive impact on the lives of so many in their communities. With congratulations and gratitude to the program founders and leaders, trainers, mentors and scholars for their hard work and tremendous progress made over this past decade, the Marian Bergeson Series has become the preeminent program fostering future leaders that is directly shaping today’s political landscape. More and more Republican women are pursuing their own pathway to power having gained the skills to do so because of this program and I am so thrilled to have been a part of its inception and in providing a measureable tribute to The Honorable Marian Bergeson.”

~Lindi L. Harvey

• Read bio

  Lindi L. Harvey has served as a business executive and consultant in private sector, government, nonprofit and NGOs developing comprehensive strategies, policies and programs; alliance and stakeholder management; and, effective communication outreach efforts for significant and substantial impact in achieving the goals and mission of each organization. She has held several senior-level positions in the federal government as an appointee in the George W. Bush Presidential Administration to include the Office of Global Women’s Issues for the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. National Park Service for the U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Women’s Business Council for the U.S. Small Business Administration. Lindi’s responsibilities at State Department included managing and conducting diplomatic initiatives that included training programs on entrepreneurship and leadership skills directed to widen women’s economic, educational, civil society and community engagement opportunities. Her private-sector career includes serving as Senior Vice President/Managing Director for the Geneva Capital Strategies Division of Citigroup, where she specialized in mergers and acquisitions, succession planning, business growth and product expansion strategies addressing marketplace conditions for privately held entrepreneurial companies. Lindi is a committed volunteer focusing on women and youth leadership development, health care, public policy advocacy and civic engagement having a long history of political involvement at all levels of government and in political campaigns.