SHE LEADS: Strong, Smart and Bold Women of San Diego

Join Girls Inc. of San Diego for an inspiring and fun night of food and drink under the stars to further our vision of creating a more equitable society led by powerful girls and women.

We're also thrilled to announce the honorees of this year's event. These outstanding leaders were selected for their standout contributions in business and community, and because of their commitment to making an impact on girls and women.

The event will also include libations, light bites, and lawn games. Dress in your favorite San Diego summer casual.

Geneviéve Jones-Wright

Geneviéve is a native San Diegan, attorney and activist, who was raised by her single mother Mae in Southeast San Diego. While in the fourth grade, Jones-Wright decided to pursue the law after she was inspired by the achievements of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.

Geneviéve graduated from Patrick Henry High School, received a bachelor’s degree from the University of San Francisco, her law degree from Howard University School of Law, and her Master of Laws from California Western School of Law in San Diego.

Jones-Wright served San Diego County as a public defender for 13 years and ran for San Diego County District Attorney in 2018 and in 2024 she ran for Mayor of San Diego.

Geneviéve serves as the Founding Executive Director of Community Advocates for Just and Moral Governance, also known as MoGo, holding government accountable to everyone, especially marginalized communities. Geneviéve is also the founder of Motivation.In.Action (MIA), a professional motivational speaking firm that inspires people, particularly women and young people, to “write their own stories” and to live with purpose.

Geneviéve Jones-Wright was inducted into the San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame in 2021 for her lifetime of accomplishments and exceptional contributions to the San Diego region and her tireless work impacting the community at large.

Jessica Pride

Jessica Pride is the managing attorney at The Pride Law Firm, where she has been championing the rights of sexual assault survivors for over seventeen years. Representing victims of child sexual abuse, adult sexual assault, and sexual harassment nationwide, Jessica provides trauma-informed services to her clients. She was one of the first civil attorneys to hire a full-time, in-house victim advocate to support her clients, ensuring every person who calls for help connects to the resources they need, even if she cannot take their case.

Jessica's dedication extends beyond her clients to the entire survivor community. As a former President of the board of directors of Center for Community Solutions (CCS), our local domestic violence and rape crisis center, she has shown her commitment to community support. She is also opening Sirona Sexual Assault Healing Center in San Diego, the first of its kind in the country, offering cutting-edge trauma treatment to survivors.

Co-founding and currently co-chairing the Sexual Assault Litigation Group at the American Association of Justice (AAJ), Jessica volunteers her time to train other sexual assault and abuse attorneys in trauma-informed litigation, ensuring survivors are treated with the utmost care and respect no matter who they turn to for legal help.

At The Pride Law Firm, Jessica leads a team primarily comprised of women, fostering a supportive and empowering work environment. As a mother, she understands the importance of balancing professional dedication with personal responsibilities, and she brings this empathy to her practice every day. She is doing her part to end and heal sexual violence, with dreams of making her job obsolete.

Shirley Yager

Shirley Yager is a business and market development executive with 20+ years of experience evaluating, quantifying, and validating new markets, business opportunities, and launching high-tech products. Her work results in the generation of new revenue streams and the creation of new business units. Most recently Shirley served as Director of Product Management at Qualcomm where she analyzed new growth areas, M&A deals, and formulated strategy for Qualcomm’s $6+ billion technology licensing business.

For the Armed Services YMCA, Shirley is the Board Secretary and serves on their Board of Management. She mentors college students at San Diego State University (SDSU), volunteers as a Board Advisor to startup entrepreneurs and founders with SDSU ZIP Launchpad, and mentors startup companies with Techstars Powered by SDSU. To enable girls and women to succeed in STEM careers, Shirley serves on the Advisory Board of Greater Than Tech and Girls Inc. of San Diego. She graduated from SDSU with an MBA (Marketing Strategy) and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management.

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