On Thursday, September 29, the Long Beach Post hosted an event to honor young people from around the city who are doing great things to better their community and beyond. Out of hundreds of nominations from our readers, judges chose 40 winners, representing a range of professions and activism. The Post will be profiling each honoree in the coming days.
Lisa Mae Brunson, 37, founded Wonder Women Tech in 2014, a nonprofit that educates and celebrates women and diversity in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics).
Shortly after Brunson learned she would be honored as a 40 Under 40 winner, she was also notified that she was being appointed by the City of Long Beach to serve as a commissioner on the Commission of Technology and Innovation. She took time to thank Mayor Robert Garcia for the support, as the nonprofit was invited to host a sister conference in London and Washington DC next year. Wonder Women Tech will have their major conference at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center in 2017.
“We are able to expand globally because of the roots we are planting right here,” said Brunson. “This allows me to truly continue building the legacy of Wonder Women Tech and forge a path for our community to thrive and benefit from technology, economic, and civic development.”
Described as “bold,” “incredible” and a “visionary” by her nominators, Brunson “aggregates women and supporters for unprecedented change within her community for a global vision,” according to her fans. Wonder Women Tech seeks to address and transform the gender biased workforce by practicing gender inclusion, helping individuals discover their passions and making media more representative of the people who consume it, according to her nominators.
“It’s always humbling to hear first hand how you might impact another person’s life or a community,” said Brunson. “I was honestly really surprised that I actually won. With all the amazing people who are part of the Long Beach community, […] it was so wonderful to be nominated.”