With the theme “Live, Love, Learn,” the fifth annual Women’s Festival is planned for March 9 and 10 on the Santa Barbara City College West Campus.

For the past eight years, Tracy Beard was most recently the human resources and special events director for the philanthropic Dreier Group. She also has spent that time supporting philanthropic events.

“I have a passion for women’s issues, mental health issues and charitable children’s programs,” Beard said. Her efforts have lead to raising $2.5 million for Boys and Girls Club of Santa Barbara, CASA, Girls Inc., the Mental Health Association of Santa Barbara and the Children’s Creative Project. In 2008, Beard was honored with Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce Volunteer Merit Award from Girls Inc. of Carpinteria.

She has been on the board of directors for Girls Inc. of Carpinteria the past six years as head of the development committee. She serves as an advisory member to the Santa Barbara nonprofit organizations Hearts Therapeutic Horse Riding and the Mental Health Association. She has been a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals since 2008.

Beard holds a certification from the Santa Barbara Non-Profit Support Center in fund development. She is a longstanding member of the Society for Resources Management. Prior to working for the Dreier Group, Beard was the regional human resources director for Marriott Corp. restaurants division in Washington, D.C., for 10 years.

In 2007, she received the distinguished “Spirit of Excellence” fundraising award from the International Special Event Society at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley.

The Women’s Festivals are held in March to coincide with Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, which is March 8. The event seeks to address key issues facing women today in an interactive, multi-cultural, and entertaining format, while providing ground for networking, referrals and resource sharing. Proceeds go to founding nonprofit organizations, including: the National Association of Women Business Owners, Girls Inc., Future Women CEOs, SCORE.org and Women’s Economic Ventures.

Festival speakers include: Lynda Weinman, co-founder of Carpinteria-based Lynda.com, the rapidly growing online educational service; Heidi Kuhn, founder of Roots for Peace, which helps remove land mines; Marilyn Tam, former Nike and Adidas executive; poet Lucia de Garcia; and Marsha Brown, author of “The Million Dollar Conversation.”

Business sponsorships are available. For more information, see www.womensfestivals.org.

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