Girls Inc., the girls' leadership organization founded in 1864, will host its annual National Luncheon in Los Angeles on Tuesday, November 17, at the Beverly Wilshire.
NEW YORK, Nov. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Girls Inc., the girls' leadership organization founded in 1864, will host its annual National Luncheon in Los Angeles on Tuesday, November 17, at the Beverly Wilshire. Bringing together philanthropists, entertainment and business leaders, and Girls Inc. supporters, the luncheon will honor three extraordinary women whose achievements and inspirational leadership serve as an example for the new generation. The event will also spotlight the voices and experiences of girls and alumnae who will share how Girls Inc. has helped them build the knowledge, skills, and confidence to navigate challenges, pursue opportunities, and shape their futures. These young leaders will present awards to this year's honorees, including the following:
Gloria Calderon Kellett - Showrunner, Writer, Director
Calderon Kellett is an award-winning writer, producer, director, actress, and activist whose work expands opportunities for all voices to be represented on screen and stage. She is best known as the co-creator, executive producer, director, and star of the Emmy-winning reboot of "One Day at a Time", as the creator and showrunner of the acclaimed series "With Love" and for her work on the play "One of the Good Ones" which marked a milestone as Pasadena Playhouse's first commission from a Latine playwright. Her upcoming world premiere of her new play, "What We Leave Behind", opens in February at IAMA Theatre Company in Los Angeles.
Calderon Kellett champions mentorship, industry leadership, initiatives that foster belonging in the arts, and environmental sustainability in entertainment. Her honors include TIME's Top Latine Leaders recognition, the Television Academy Honors, Mental Health America Media Award, ALMA Award, Imagen Award, Vanguard Award, NHMC Award, and Sentinel Award. She has also been nominated for a Peabody and recognized by The Hollywood Reporter in its 50 Most Powerful Showrunners and Top Women in Entertainment issues, as well as by People en Español among its Top 20 Latine Leaders in Climate Change.
Kassidy Johnson Jacobs - Director of Corporate Affairs at Amgen Inc.
Johnson Jacobs is a communications leader and storyteller with more than 20 years of experience helping organizations connect with the people they serve. At Amgen Thousand Oaks, she leads corporate affairs, communications and community engagement, connecting people with the company's work in bioscience.
Before joining Amgen, Johnson Jacobs held communications and public relations roles at First Horizon Corporation, ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Race Point Global, The Pivot Group, AFSCME and the Feminist Majority Foundation. At First Horizon, she led communications and social media strategy during the company's two-year merger and conversion with IBERIABANK. At ALSAC, she developed a multicultural influencer program, created their issues and reputation management department, helped achieve $3.2 million in fundraising goals in her first year and led a CEO-appointed team that presented recommendations on diversity, equity and inclusion.
Johnson Jacobs brings that same commitment to connection and opportunity to her community work. She helped build the BioScienceLA-powered-by-Amgen Summer STEM Camps, introducing students to biotechnology through hands-on learning and conversations with industry professionals. She also shares her career journey at community events and has welcomed Girls Inc. of Los Angeles participants to Amgen for a campus and lab visit. Through the Braxton Daryl Johnson Foundation, she supports the Last Mile Scholarship, which has helped nearly 30 students complete college over the past decade. A self-proclaimed "girl's girl," mentorship, especially for girls and women, is central to her leadership; she works to help young people discover new possibilities and see themselves as future innovators and leaders.
Rita Cooper Lee - Global Head of Communications and Publicity, Apple Worldwide Video, Apple TV
One of the founding members of the Apple TV team, Cooper Lee is a visionary communications leader whose work has shaped the global entertainment landscape. Since joining Apple in 2017, Cooper Lee has led an organization spanning publicity, communications, awards, talent relations, events and experiences. Together with her team, she champions Apple's original series and films, elevating award-winning, culture-moving storytelling and connecting it with audiences around the world through high-impact publicity and awards campaigns.
Through her leadership, Cooper Lee has amplified an extraordinary range of groundbreaking Apple Original stories. These include Academy Award-winning and history-making films such as "CODA," the first and only film from a streaming service to win the Oscar for Best Picture, and "F1," which became the highest-grossing sports film of all time and earned an Oscar for Best Sound. On the series side, she and her team have led campaigns for Emmy-winning, global hit comedies including "Ted Lasso," "The Studio" and "Widow's Bay," alongside an acclaimed slate of series such as "Pluribus," "Severance," "Shrinking," "The Morning Show" and "Your Friends & Neighbors."
This year, Apple TV made history as the most Emmy-awarded network and earned the distinction of winning Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards faster than any other streaming service or entertainment studio. Cooper Lee and her team have been instrumental in the communications, publicity and awards efforts behind these milestones, shining a global spotlight on the filmmakers, performers and creative teams whose work made them possible.
With a career spanning Apple, Disney and Warner Bros., Cooper Lee has helped bring some of entertainment's most celebrated stories to audiences around the world, including the "Harry Potter," DC, Marvel and Disney Channel Original Movie franchises. Her leadership has earned industry honors including the AAFCA Rosalind Stevenson Award for Excellence in Publicity, Cablefax PR Executive of the Year and recognition as one of PR News' Top Women.
Beyond her professional achievements, Cooper Lee is deeply committed to mentorship and creating opportunities for others to find their voices, develop their talents, and realize their full potential.
Joining the honorees will be a special appearance by GRAMMY Award-Winning Artist Coco Jones. Jones has captivated the world with her timeless artistry, sensual voice and emotive songs to become one of R&B's leading voices. She signed with High Standardz/Def Jam in 2022 and released the EP What I Didn't Tell You with the lead single "ICU," which has been certified platinum. In 2024, she was nominated for an impressive five Grammy Awards—including the coveted Best New Artist accolade— and won for Best R&B Performance "ICU." The song was lauded by fans and critics alike and peaked at #1 on the Billboard R&B Airplay chart, leading to Best New Artist wins at the BET Awards, The Soul Train Awards and NAACP Image Awards. Last year, Coco released her debut album, Why Not More? which earned her a nomination for best R&B Album at the 2026 Grammys. The album also earned Coco the #1 New R&B Artist Debut of 2025, #1 for Current R&B Album Sales, Top 3 among Current R&B Albums and she hit the Top 10 of the Billboard 200. The album continued to make waves with hit single "Taste" reaching #1 at R&B Radio, and Coco went on to release the deluxe version Why Not More? (MORE!) featuring "Other Side of Love" with Alicia Keys. Performing "Lift Every Voice and Sing" at the Superbowl this year, and releasing new singles "LUVAGIRL", "Body So Tea" and "Love Me Through", Coco Jones shows no signs of stopping. Aside from music, Coco is a sought after actress, recently appearing in Malcom D.Lee's psychological thriller Strung and starring in and executive producing the romantic comedy, That's Her. Jones will also reprise her role as Hilary Banks in a 'Bel-Air' spinoff 'Hilary', which is currently in development at Peacock and she will also be executive producing.
"We are proud to celebrate Rita Cooper Lee, Gloria Calderon Kellett, and Kassidy Johnson Jacobs—three remarkable women whose leadership and accomplishments demonstrate the power of using your success to generate opportunities for others," said Girls Inc. President and CEO Dr. Stephanie J. Hull. "Their leadership reinforces what we strive to instill in every girl: the importance of leading with character. We honor these leaders for creating a world where the next generation has an even greater chance to succeed. We are also delighted that GRAMMY Award-Winning Artist Coco Jones will join us to talk about the importance of amplifying girls' voices and championing the power and potential of girls everywhere."
The Girls Inc. National Luncheon in Los Angeles is an annual fundraiser supporting the Girls Inc. Experience, which combines trusted mentorship, pro-girls spaces, and holistic, research-informed programming to help girls recognize their strengths and reach their full potential. Across the United States and Canada, Girls Inc.'s Network of 76 Affiliates reaches more than 126,000 girls. Funds raised through the luncheon help extend this work to more girls, providing access to experiences that support positive outcomes and prepare them to thrive.
Credentialed media required to rsvp to Liz Velez by Nov. 15 at [email protected].
About Girls Inc.
Girls Inc. is a network of local organizations that works with schools and in communities across the United States and Canada. Through direct service and advocacy, Girls Inc. equips girls with the knowledge and skills to effect positive changes in their lives and to become leaders who will change the world. Professionally trained staff and volunteers provide mentorship, supportive spaces, and research-informed programming that address the challenges girls face and are proven to help them succeed. Together with partners and supporters, Girls Inc. is building the new generation of leaders. Join us at girlsinc.org.
Media Contact
Elizabeth Velez, Girls Inc., 1 212.269.4630, [email protected], www.girlsinc.org
SOURCE Girls Inc.
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