Pasadena Magazine Power Women 2023

WOMEN PASADENA OF

For our annual Women of Pasadena feature, we chose to look at a range of impressive women in a variety of fields who are making a local impact.

Some are established company founders, others are new business owners— and this year, we looked beyond professional paths to celebrate what can be a woman’s hardest yet most rewarding job: motherhood. We’re excited to share this intimate look at some of our town’s finest leading ladies.

PRODUCED BY SAMANTHA BROOKS

JAMIE HALLER

DESIGNER BY NING CHAO

After two decades shaping Los Angeles’ laid-back look as a fashion designer for local brands EVER and NSF, Jamie Haller took advantage of the pandemic lockdown to pursue new creative passions. Whether it’s working on her eponymous shoe line or restoring historic homes, Haller discusses her unconventional workdays.

What surprised you about working in the fashion industry?

Even though most of fashion is populated by women, the industry— especially the denim world—is a boys’ club, so you’re working around a bunch of men. Not everyone takes direction well from a woman, so you have to figure out how to best communicate without ruffling the structure.

How does this skill translate on your other projects?

Construction sites are also full of men. I really had to learn how to work with people on everybody’s different levels.

You launched your shoe collection during the pandemic. Did that shift the dynamic?

I’m fairly new to the shoe industry, so I’ve just got my head down and am doing my thing. After not traveling during lockdown, I finally went to Italy last summer and met the people I had already been working with for a year and a half. It was exciting to meet them in person.

What is your typical workday?

I have two kids, so I’m like a pinball, all over the place. I try to spend one or two days in the office, but I might also be on jobsites or in my warehouse packing shoes and filling orders. I’m typically going from 6:45 in the morning until midnight, but I’m spending time with my family in that time—going to gymnastics, soccer, and school with the kids.

What prompted the switch from fashion to interior designer?

In 2012, my husband and I bought income property as a personal investment plan. Duplexes and triplexes were our retirement strategy. All of a sudden, I was restoring these income properties as a hobby. My introduction to Craftsman style was when we bought our 1905 Craftsman in Angelino Heights. We had to carefully gut and restore it and I fell in love with that process.

What brought you to Pasadena?

There are a lot of Craftsman homes in Pasadena, so I get a lot of people asking me for help here. I appreciate a town that celebrates historical homes.

What’s next for you?

For my shoe line, I wanted really cool, beautiful, comfortable shoes that go from day to night and dressy to casual and look good all the time. From October to March, I wear my penny loafers every day, but I’m coming out with new sandals for spring that I’m really excited about.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY PETER CHRISTIANSEN VALLI

NIKKI HIGH OWNER,

OCTAVIA’S BOOKSHELF

BY SARA SMOLA

working, I have people dropping off food, asking if there’s something they can do to help, and introducing me to people they think I should know. The community rooting for me in such a way reaffirms that this was the right location.

What is the biggest challenge you face as a Black woman in your industry?

space for you.” It’s sometimes difficult to pick myself back up from that because then I was like “Who’s going to lease a space to me?”

Where would you like to be five years from now?

When avid reader and Pasadena resident Nikki High couldn’t find any local bookstores that prioritized Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) writers, she set out to do something about it. In February 2023, she opened Octavia’s Bookshelf (octaviasbookshelf. com), Pasadena’s first independent bookstore that exclusively highlights BIPOC authors, including the shop’s namesake, Pasadena native and science-fiction writer Octavia Butler. With no outside investor support, High looked to crowdfunding site GoFundMe for assistance.

The BIPOC concept resonated with allies and the literary community and helped her raise over $20,000. Located on North Hill Avenue, Octavia’s Bookshelf’s works run the gamut—from graphic novels, children’s literature, and cookbooks to historical, cultural, and art books.

What made you decide on Pasadena as the bookstore’s location?

I’ve lived in Pasadena for 45 years. Growing up in Pasadena, I had so much support. There were programs for kids like me and a sense of community and pride. I knew when I opened my bookstore, I wanted to honor that. I want people to come in here and feel safe and supported.

How do you feel Pasadena influences you creatively and emotionally?

There’s so much geographic beauty to absorb here, which keeps my creative juices flowing. When I’m in the bookstore

Walking and living in this body in America is a challenge every day. I’m sort of muddling through this process without a ton of examples around me, but I’ve been able to curate a group of supportive people, friends and family, who keep me encouraged. When I was searching for a brick-and-mortar location, there was a building site I was interested in—I didn’t say I was prioritizing BIPOC writers—and the property manager said, “A bookstore is exactly what we need.” So, I went to the space and, once he saw me, he said, “I don’t think this is going to be a good

I feel like Octavia’s Bookshelf will be in multiple locations, throughout Pasadena and surrounding areas. I’m also thinking of writing a children’s book myself.

What advice would you give to young women?

I want them to know there are support systems out there—you just have to find them. You can find them in your neighborhood, in your family, in my bookstore. I think that women, and particularly Black women, need to stand in their own power. That doesn’t happen overnight, and you definitely stumble, but you just have to keep getting back up.

THERESA ARMOUR

They say that “necessity is the mother of invention” and, lucky for Burke Williams Pasadena loyalists, that was the case for Theresa Armour. After a successful career working for German television, Armour found herself housebound with three small babies, craving the relaxing indulgences she had experienced while traveling. With her husband, Bill, Armour opened the first Burke Williams in 1984, with a Pasadena location following shortly. With Bill hailing from Pasadena (and countless Rose Parades attended by

CO-FOUNDER, BURKE WILLIAMS

BY SARA SMOLA

the family), choosing the city as a Burke Williams destination was an easy decision for the duo. Now, Armour and her team are focused on laying new foundations, including rolling out a Burke Williams skin-care line and expanding the Simply Massage brand into additional markets.

How do you feel Pasadena influences you creatively?

Our location in Pasadena was originally an old carriage house built in the early 1900s. The haylofts are now massage rooms and

the central court is now our luxurious lobby. We are just finishing a refresh and have captured style elements from that time as well as hung archival Pasadena photos from long ago. It is without a doubt our most historically charming location.

What is the biggest challenge you face as a woman in your industry?

Instead of a challenge, I actually find it an advantage to be a woman in this profession because the majority of our guests are female. I have witnessed great strides over these past 40 years for women in the workplace. I am proud that the majority of our key management positions, as well as our service providers, are held by women.

What’s a typical workday for you?

My day typically begins with a design team meeting generally followed by email catchup. Interactions with my management core team members, discussing current challenges, opportunities, and ideas round out my typical day.

How have you learned from challenges or setbacks?

The concept of massage was different back in the 1980s—in the urban environment it was not an accepted, much less accessible, practice. So, trying to get investors, trying to lease space, and trying to explain the idea to others was incredibly challenging. My advice would be, in the face of unforeseen obstacles, remember the passion that ignited your dream. Small steps create momentum and momentum overcomes obstacles. What’s new and innovative will take people time to process and accept.

Suffering from acne since third grade, Daisy Jing had pimples that turned cystic by college. When dermatologists didn’t give her skin clarity, she began self-treating with microneedling and vitamin C. Inspired by her results, Jing patented her own gold-plated microneedling tool and developed skin care line Banish to treat acne and scarring—made-to-order, packaged, and shipped in Pasadena.

How has your career deviated from your childhood aspirations?

Growing up as a first-generation Chinese immigrant, the acceptable career choices were doctor, engineer, or accountant. I thought I was going to be a dentist or dermatologist. I am very blessed that we’re going to celebrate our 10-year anniversary.

What challenges do you face as a woman in the beauty industry?

I think that being a woman actually helps me because I have an innate understanding of my target demographic. But people are always surprised to learn I handle the back end of the business as well and know about the finances and operations.

What’s a typical workday like for you?

In the mornings, I drop my daughter off at school and try to get a workout in. Then it’s straight to work. During the week, it’s mostly Zoom calls and meetings. I spend an inordinate amount of time on TikTok—both watching and creating content. I also work full days on the weekends when I can catch up and do deep work.

How do you avoid burnout working seven days a week?

I’m very fortunate my parents help with my daughter on weekends because that’s when I’m able to teach at Club Lagree. I love working out!

DAISY JING

FOUNDER AND CEO, BANISH

BY NING CHAO

What do you consider some of your top career accomplishments?

There are a few. When I was awarded Forbes’ 30 Under 30, when Banish was an Inc. 500 company, when we got into our first retail partner, when we got into our first five-star resort, and when I did a Ted Talk.

What did you learn from challenges you’ve faced during your career?

I’m a type-A perfectionist. While you think that would help your business, sometimes it prevents me from taking risks. I’ve learned that so much of business is timing, which is something you can’t control. My advice to women: We spend too much time beating up ourselves over ‘mistakes’ and feeling guilty. Instead, we should always focus on moving forward and the opportunity ahead.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I’d like to keep growing the Banish team so I can focus on what I do best—managing and motivating. I love everyone I work with and hope we can grow together for the next decade.

DANIELLE EVANS

ACCOUNT MANAGER, NESTLÉ

BY SAMANTHA BROOKS

Growing up in South Pasadena, Danielle Evans spent her high school summers working at 21 Choices and the Gap on Colorado. After graduating from Harvard-Westlake, she attended Stanford University, where she majored in communications. She then worked as a buyer at Robinsons-May and later earned a business degree at USC. Now an Account Manager at Nestlé, she works from home in La Cañada Flintridge, where she lives with her husband, Ben, and twin 4-year-olds.

You’ve been at Nestlé for most of your career. Did you ever imaging staying at one place for so long?

I’ve been able to change roles over the years and work on different sides of the business. Years ago, I was in a supply chain role I didn’t love, and after a meeting, a senior leader in sales pulled me aside and said, “Your personality seems to fit better in marketing or sales. I want you to do a rotation on my team.” I took her up on it, and that’s when I began to feel passionately about consumer-packaged goods—recipe development, shopper behavior, market-pricing dynamics, packaging communication.

Describe a typical Monday.

My son is the family’s alarm clock every day around 6 a.m., and once my kids are awake, their energy is 10 out of 10. We’re in the car

around 8:00 for drop-off at a neighborhood preschool. Then I’m back home to start my workday around 8:30 in a quiet house. My kids get out of school at 3 p.m., so our nanny, Vania, picks them up and takes them to their after-school activity, the park, or Descanso Gardens, and brings them home around 4:00. I’m fortunate I can multitask baking a sheet-pan dinner while wrapping up my workday emails. We all sit around the kitchen island for dinner around 5:30 p.m., and the kids are full of energy and chatter. They wind down for bed around 8:30 p.m., so Ben and I have just enough time to decide what to stream before I inevitably fall asleep. I’m lucky if I make it to 10:00.

How did you decide to go back to work after having kids?

My maternity leave was seven months long, which was fortunate.  I did not think about work until around month six when I started to feel the urge to use my professional skills again. Because I’m able to work from home, I can see my kids playing in the yard from my office and can visit them between meetings, which reduces the dreaded mom guilt.

How do you find a balance?

Finding time for myself is the hardest for me because it’s the easiest to back burner, but lately I’ve been taking two hours on Sunday afternoons for myself. I always feel better afterward.

KATE SACHS

Being a mom can be a thankless job—the hours are long, the pay is nonexistent, and the clients are demanding to say the least. Yet, it comes with rewards. Kate Sachs, a stay-at-home mom of three, chose to pause her career in public relations in order to focus on raising her family in Altadena. Sachs regularly utilizes her skills from past jobs in human resources and public relations while raising her 12-year-old twin boys and 6-year-old daughter, as well as through volunteering.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

If you asked my 6-year-old self, I was going to be a marine biologist and live by the ocean. I don’t think stay-at-home mom was ever in my realm of consciousness. My mom worked when I was growing up; my grandmothers worked. I always knew I wanted to have a family—I just never thought through the logistics.

Describe a typical Monday.

There are a lot of variables from the time that I drop the kids off until I pick them up. During that time, I try to accomplish as much as I can to prepare for the upcoming week, which usually involves a few meetings, an event, and everything in between. Things are most “typical” when the kids are at home, like after school, because they have their scheduled activities.

How did you come to the decision to be a full-time mom?

It took me awhile to become pregnant with our now 12-year-old twins, then I had to go on bed rest midway through my first trimester. Having to take care of my own health was the first time I really considered putting

STAY-AT-HOME MOM AND VOLUNTEER

BY SARA SMOLA

something before my career. Ultimately, we decided that it made more sense for me to become a full-time mom. I’m grateful that we had that as an option.

How do you find a balance?

It is important that, as women, we support each other to be our best selves. I take a parenting class and there’s a lot of talk right now about mindfulness and gratitude, so I’m trying to make that more of a practice in my everyday life. I’m also very lucky to have a wonderfully supportive husband who encourages me to make time for myself.

What do you love about raising a family in the Pasadena area?

Pasadena has so much to offer—the Southern California Children’s Museum, parks, programs for after-school activities and sports. La Cañada Presbyterian Church has a parent-ed program that I’ve been attending since the boys were 2 and, whether you’re a working mom or stay-at-home mom, it’s a great way to connect and find support. We also love going into Los Angeles, taking the kids to cultural events, museums, and new restaurants.

An afternoon to network and inspire.

hosted by

Thursday, April 6, 2023

Tickets, tables & info at:

pasadenamag.com/wib

POWER WOMEN

michele.downing@gmail.com 626-523-6939

compass.com/agents/michele-downing

DRE # 01046965

MICHELE DOWNING

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ESTATES DIVISION / REALTOR

COMPASS

I have worked in real estate since 1988. In 2012 I had the opportunity to become a Founding Partner of Partners Trust Real Estate Brokerage in Pasadena. Then in 2017 Partners Trust Real Estate and Pacific Union International merged to create the #1 Independently Owned and Operated Real Estate Company in California. Today we are all COMPASS.

I have been recognized for my uniquely tenacious, nurturing, and supportive service. I am a full-time professional who takes pride in quality representation, skillful negotiation, and aggressive marketing. These qualities and abilities have led to numerous recognitions both at COMPASS and with the local community.

I also understand the importance of always keeping my clients’ best interests at heart. My reputation for honesty, trustworthiness, and fairness are the cornerstones that define my character and competence. My clients find that I have a unique ability to identify what is truly important to them and to then create swift results that fulfill those chosen dreams and desires.

My husband and I have lived in South Pasadena for over 35 years where we raised our two daughters. Now our daughters are married and we are blessed with three grandchildren. My longevity in the area has provided me with exceptional knowledge of all our local communities throughout the San Gabriel Valley. I am currently a proud longtime member of the Pasadena Foothills Association of Realtors and South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce.

I have been South Pasadena’s top producing residential agent for nine consecutive years. I was 2022 Broker Agent Advisor 5 Star Award Winner. Named one of Los Angeles magazine’s 2023 Real Estate All-Stars, I sold close to $200 million in 2021 and 2022.

UNA BATTAGLIA LICENSED ESTHETICIAN AND PRACTICE MANAGER

Essentia Esthetics

My desire to help others lead me into the medical field. After graduating from Northwestern University with a Masters in Physical Therapy, I moved from Chicago to Pasadena, CA with my husband, Steven Battaglia, MD. I practiced Physical Therapy and became a specialist in lymphedema management.

After taking time off to raise my four children, I chose to pursue a new field in aesthetic medicine. I found my passion as an esthetician and love this exciting, innovative field. I particularly enjoy incorporating my physical therapy techniques and lymphatic massage into every facial treatment.

In the Fall of 2022, I founded Essentia Esthetics, a medical spa in the Playhouse District of West Pasadena. At Essentia, I am both the principal esthetician and practice manager. I am embracing the challenges and opportunities of a dynamic and growing business. Essentia Esthetics offers a range of services, including custom facials, microneedling with platelet rich plasma, neuromodulator injections, and fillers. As we grow, I hope to add more services to our beautiful facility.

I am grateful for our amazing staff and the energy and enthusiasm they bring to work every day. We love this community and look forward to many years of service and success.

547 East Union Street Pasadena, CA 91101 626-470-1277

essentiaesthetics.com

LORA UNGER

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Pasadena Symphony & Pops

Lora Unger is deeply passionate about stewarding the orchestra’s role as a connecting force for good in the community and providing our youth with the far-reaching benefi ts of music education. Under her leadership, the orchestra stands today as the community’s preeminent leader for live symphonic music at Ambassador Auditorium and the LA Arboretum, entertaining audiences of more than 50,000.

Unger believes in the transformative power of music education and free access to concerts for families. A critical centerpiece of the orchestra’s mission, the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestras serve more than 800 students from 29 cities, 17 school districts, and 84 schools in both weekly after-school ensemble rehearsals and supplemental in-class instruction within the Pasadena Unified School District. She created Student Access, which provides more than 3,000 students and families with free access to main stage concerts year round.

150 South Los Robles Avenue, Suite 450, Pasadena, CA 91101 626-793-7172

pasadenasymphony-pops.org