> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Jennie Garth, top executives and award-winning trial attorney headline LA Times Studios Inspirational Women Summit in Santa Monica - URL: https://www.smdp.com/jennie-garth-top-executives-and-award-winning-trial-attorney-headline-la-times-studios-inspirational-women-summit-in-santa-monica/ - Published: 2026-11-14T11:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-14T10:59:59.000Z - Author: Michelle Edgar Actress, entrepreneur and author Jennie Garth, Angel City Football Club CEO Amy Taylor, award-winning trial attorney Maro Burunsuzyan and beauty entrepreneurs Chriselle Lim and Sarah Gibson Tuttle were among the prominent voices taking center stage Thursday as the sixth annual LA Times Studios Inspirational Women Forum and Leadership Awards brought a full day of panel discussions and an evening awards dinner to the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows. Held Thursday, the event featured five panels exploring the booming business of women's sports, entrepreneurship, leadership and personal reinvention, culminating in a dinner ceremony honoring eight women whose achievements are shaping Southern California's business and community landscape. Anna Magzanyan, president of LA Times Studios and NantGames, described the gathering as an opportunity to recognize women shaping business and their communities while inspiring the next generation of leaders. The event was presented by Yurman & Yurman, with platinum sponsors Abelian Law Firm and Michelman & Robinson, and support from 7EQUIS, Banc of California, City of Hope, Forvis Mazars, Lewis Brisbois and Patriot Bank. Among the afternoon's featured speakers, Garth, best known for Beverly Hills, 90210, offered a personal reflection on how turning 50 transformed her understanding of success and self-worth. Speaking with Magzanyan about her book "Choose Me," Garth described spending much of her life seeking validation from others. “At 50, I spent 50 years of my life just not believing in myself and putting my worth into someone else's hands,” she said. Her turning point came when she stopped asking whether others liked her and began asking herself a different question, “Do I like me? Yes, that's all I need,” she said. Garth encouraged women to embrace reinvention regardless of age, arguing that experience can provide the confidence to pursue unfamiliar opportunities. “The older we get, the better it is to start something new and scary, because you have so much more that you've lived and learned and experienced,” she said. “I want the most out of everything, including myself,” Garth added, describing success as an ongoing pursuit of growth and fulfillment rather than a final destination. That theme of redefining success carried into a conversation with trial attorney Burunsuzyan, who founded her law firm at 26 in 1994 and spent more than three decades building a legal career while raising two sons. Burunsuzyan recalled juggling three to six jury trials annually while remaining present for her children, sometimes bringing bankers' boxes of depositions and medical records to Sky Zone trampoline park so she could prepare cases while her sons played. “If I had to do it all over again, I would do it the same way. It was all worth it,” she said. Today, with both sons practicing alongside her, Burunsuzyan said her definition of success has shifted from courtroom victories to watching the next generation carry forward her values. “To see my work ethic through them, to see clients raving about them, to see them do depositions, is what success means to me today,” she said. Her greatest professional lesson, she added, has been learning when to listen. "It's taught me to listen more than talk. You're almost always ahead of your opponent if you just listen.” Burunsuzyan, whose firm has represented more than 150,000 California consumers, received the evening's Professional Services award. The challenges of establishing leadership in traditionally male-dominated industries were also explored during “Creating the Precedent,” moderated by Los Angeles Times Assistant Managing Editor Angel Jennings. The discussion examined professional risks, pivotal decisions and mentorship, with participants including Lara Shortz of Michelman & Robinson and Lauren Prince of Flamingo Estate. Panelists emphasized confidence, calculated risk-taking and creating opportunities for future generations. The afternoon opened with “Playing to Win: The New Business of Women's Sports,” featuring Taylor; Stacy Johns, president of the Los Angeles Sparks; and Alisha Childress, head of competition for Major League Volleyball. Moderated by LA Times Studios host Angelica Coronado, the panel examined increasing investment, sponsorship opportunities and fan engagement in women's athletics, particularly as Los Angeles prepares for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The discussion highlighted the growing commercial value of women's sports as teams, leagues and investors work to build sustainable business models around expanding audiences. Entrepreneurship and consumer brand development also featured prominently in a discussion moderated by Melissa Magsaysay, bringing together Lim of PHLUR, Jennifer Meyer of Jennifer Meyer Jewelry, Gibson Tuttle of Olive & June and Clare Vivier of Clare V. The founders discussed how personal storytelling, product innovation and customer relationships can drive business growth. Lim said PHLUR's fragrance Missing Person, inspired by longing and emotional connection, generated a waitlist of 250,000 consumers. Gibson Tuttle described how Olive & June capitalized on demand for at-home nail care during the pandemic, growing from $2 million to $32 million in one year, according to her remarks. Meyer traced her jewelry company's beginnings to a leaf design symbolizing new beginnings, while Vivier described building her accessories brand through personal storytelling and partnerships with Los Angeles manufacturers. The afternoon's conversations gave way to an evening ceremony honoring women across eight categories spanning technology, healthcare, financial services, professional services, consumer goods, entertainment, construction and community leadership. Laura Shaff, president and chief financial officer of Malibu-based skincare company OSEA Malibu, received the Consumer Goods & Retail award, recognizing her leadership in the beauty and wellness industry. Collene Greenlee, managing director and West Region head of Commercial Bank at Citibank, received the Financial Services award, recognizing a career spanning more than three decades in banking and business leadership. Nancy Coblenz, president and co-founder of Stellenium, was honored in Future Systems for her work expanding access to technology and artificial intelligence. Victoria Thain Gioia, co-founder and CEO of women's health supplement company Perelel, received the Healthcare & Life Sciences award. The awards presentation highlighted the company's reported $27 million funding round. Brenda Brkusic Milinkovic, president of GrowthDay Entertainment, received the Sports & Entertainment award. She described helping build a free, around-the-clock personal development streaming network available in 195 countries. Rosemary David Reyes, CEO of Central City Community Health Center, received the Education, Nonprofit & Government award. She said the organization had recently opened its 18th clinic and reported more than 235,000 patient visits while serving underserved communities across Los Angeles and Orange counties. Kathleen Abbott, chief revenue officer of Shawmut Design and Construction, received the Real Estate & Construction award. Her career spans more than 25 years, including leadership at Arcadis, where she helped oversee a U.S. environmental business employing approximately 3,000 people. Burunsuzyan rounded out the eight honorees with her Professional Services award, bringing the day's conversation about ambition, motherhood and legacy full circle. For Santa Monica, the gathering brought together influential voices from across Southern California's business, legal, sports and creative communities at a time when women are reshaping industries and expanding their influence. Across the day's discussions and evening honors, a consistent message emerged: Success is measured not only by titles or financial achievements, but by the risks women take, the communities they serve and the opportunities they create for those who follow.