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The Definitive Guide to Women’s
Organizations in San Diego
Research by Lauren Narasky & Ashlee Ryan
We have all heard how important networking is to fur- Another important feature of NAFE membership is its
thering our career, but with so many options out there 60,000 circulation magazine which goes to all members
how do we decide which organizations are worthy of our and partners. There are 100 chapters nationwide, with
time and which we would be better off avoiding. What over 60,000 members representing some 20,000
it comes down to is often your reason for the associa- business owners. There are about 300 members in the
tion. Do you want to help promote your business or do San Diego area spread between the 4 local networks.
you simply want to give back to the community and help FEES: 2 yr membership = $60; $80 if outside the US
those less fortunate than yourself? In many cases both 1 yr membership = $39; $49 if outside the US
goals can be accomplished with a simple membership, NAFE members are also automatically members of
since many women’s organizations pride themselves Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), a bipartisan
on their philanthropic focus while allowing successful advocacy group.
women to meet and chat about not only their busi- NAFE members receive discounts on various services
nesses, but also their families and life challenges. To and products some including 1-800-flowers.com, DHL
many women this is their only form of socializing in what Express, Avis car rental, and barnesandnoble.com just to
is the crazy schedule that most working women face name a few.
today, so how do you make a choice that won’t have
you scrambling from one side of San Diego to the next,
calendar in hand trying to keep track of which meeting
at which restaurant on which day you are attempting to
attend. Choices must be made. When you first set out
to “Join” we tend to overdo it. But then we are women,
we can multi task…we can have it all. But can we? Not
if it means 6 meetings a week along with those 7 am
6 breakfasts inbetween getting our children to school and
keeping our businesses running smoothly. You have to
make a decision; you have to figure out which organi- Soroptimist International
www.soroptimist.org/
zations will be beneficial and which are not worth our
time. Below is an informational guide to some of the Soroptimist International strives to be a global voice for
major Women’s Organizations in San Diego. I am sure women through awareness, advocacy and action with
we have not found all of them, but we have highlighted almost 95,000 members in nearly 120 countries. The
some of the most popular so you can have a definitive organization was founded in 1921 in Oakland, California.
guide at your fingertips. It began with 80 women who were interested in helping
out their local communities through volunteer services,
yet were not allowed to join any men’s organizations.
Since then, its membership numbers have grown greatly
and the group now focuses on helping women around
the world improve their lives. They also strive to help
women achieve economic and political equality by giving
women a voice and leadership roles.
The word Soroptimist is coined from the Latin words
soror and optima, and loosely translated as “best for
women.”
Soroptimist International members focus on “Making a
Difference for Women.” They do this by undertaking club
projects such as providing women with basic literacy and
National Association for Female Executives income-generating skills; funding career development
Website: http://www.nafe.com programs for teen mothers; helping minority women ob-
Founded in 1972, NAFE prides itself on its “history of tain routine medical care; and raising community aware-
providing education, networking, and public advocacy ness about domestic violence.
to empower its members to achieve career success There are 654 clubs in the United States, and more than
and financial security. Members are female executives, 1,400 worldwide. There are 15 local chapters in San
women business owners and others who are committed Diego County with approximately 500 members.
to NAFE’s mission: the advancement of women in the
workplace.”
May/June 2008
