California
Women Judges

President's Message

Judge Audra Ibarra

President, California Women Judges · Santa Clara County

“You’re the hero!” That’s what I used to tell my daughter when I finished reading her a fairy tale. I loved reading to her, and she loved fairy tales. But I was frustrated by the trope of a damsel in distress waiting for a prince to rescue her. They were all the same. Cinderella, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White . . . . So, I’d read the stories as written, and then I’d shut the book and say, “Save yourself and others. Don’t wait for someone else to do it. You’re the hero.” I wanted her to understand she has the power to make things better.

That’s true of all of us. We have the power to advance gender equity in our courts and judiciary. And we can’t wait for someone else to do it. We’re approaching parity on the bench. Women accounted for 44.9 percent of judicial officers who responded to a December 2025 Judicial Council survey. But representation alone is not enough. Equity also means equal justice, equal opportunity, equal respect and the elimination of bias.

California Women Judges’ mission is to advocate for meaningful gender equity and inclusion in the judiciary and to support and empower women judicial officers throughout the state. Although we’re only two years old, we’ve made significant strides. Our first board of directors, led by President Michelle Williams Court, laid the foundation for our organization. Our current board—the first elected by our statewide membership—has built on that foundation an organization designed to endure.

CWJ’s theme this board year has been Delivering on Our Promise: Empowering All Women Judges. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished and deeply grateful to our board of directors and committee chairs, who launched 11 standing committees and delivered in three big ways:

First, they built community. They more than doubled our membership through personal outreach, small gatherings, receptions, online member exclusive programs and our new book club. Most importantly, they created a safe and supportive space where members can share experiences, discuss gender equity issues and know they’re not alone.

Second, they invested in our members’ professional development. They launched our mentorship program and our distinguished speaker series, where state, national and international women leaders, from different backgrounds (judiciary, film, finance, culinary arts, sports etc.), share their experiences and wisdom. They hosted programs on the court of appeal and women’s perspectives on presiding over a courtroom. And CWJ recommended judges to the Governor’s Office for elevation to the court of appeal.

Third, they strengthened CWJ’s brand and influence. They launched our newsletter and law student internship program. They created an internship scholarship and are forming the CWJ Foundation. They established our organizational identity by selecting our colors and member created logo. CWJ joined the Bench Bar Coalition and the California Affinity Judicial Association Coalition and became an affiliate of the California Judges Association. CWJ lobbied the legislature in support of judicial security and compensation. And CWJ is receiving its first award, the Breaking Barriers Award, from California Women Lawyers later this month.

These are the accomplishments of extraordinary women who gave generously of their time, energy and talent to build something bigger than themselves—an organization that will last beyond their time on the bench.

This newsletter is dedicated to our first member-elected board of directors, each of whom co-chaired a committee—Michelle Ialeggio (president-elect), Wendy McGuire Coats (secretary), Valerie Navarro (treasurer), Michelle Williams Court (immediate-past-president), Jennifer Baronoff, Wendy Behan, Nicole Bershon, Sonia Cortés, Lee Edmon, Amy Guerra, Joyce Heinrichs, Jessica Kronstadt, Jayne Lee, Elizabeth Macias, Andi Mudryk, Connie Quiñones, Adrienne Rogers, Leila Sayer and Monica Wiley—and to our member co-chairs Dina Amani, Holly Fujie and Amy Yerkey.

It has been an honor to work alongside these incredible and inspiring women to develop a brand, a community and programs worthy of our members. Together, we’re delivering on CWJ’s promise—and we’re just getting started. . . . I look forward to supporting our incoming board of directors and am excited to see the organization continue to grow under President Michelle Ialeggio’s leadership.

Why CWJ, Why Now, Why Me, Why You?

Judge Michelle Ialeggio

San Diego County · CWJ’s Incoming President, 2026–2027

When I think about why I said yes to leading California Women Judges, I keep coming back to four questions: Why CWJ? Why now? Why me? And why is this organization worthy of my time, attention, talent, and priority? The same reasons it is worthy of yours.

The answer to each is deeply personal.

I have spent my entire legal career advocating for the advancement of women in the law. In 2020, I became the first woman elected to an open judicial seat on the San Diego Superior Court. I was proud of that milestone, but I have never viewed it as an endpoint. Rather, it reinforced for me how important it is for women to see others succeeding in the profession—and to have women willing to reach back, open doors, create opportunities, and make the path a little easier for those who follow.

Today, I serve in a criminal trial assignment and as Assistant Supervising Judge of the East County San Diego branch. I am a wife, and also the mother of two children, ages seven and ten. We all have the same 24 hours a day. Balancing the demands of a judicial career with raising two young children has taught me something I could not have fully appreciated earlier in my career: Women do not have to choose between being accomplished professionals and being present, engaged mothers and members of their communities. But creating a legal profession and judiciary in which women can do both requires intentionality, support, and leadership.

I also know something about endurance. Before becoming a judge, I was a marathon runner. I’ve had to downgrade that commitment to smaller races in recent years. However, running a marathon taught me to not simply focus on the finish line. I have to keep putting one foot in front of the other, pace myself, support the people running beside me, and understand that the difficult miles are often where the most important work happens.

I think leadership is much the same.

Why CWJ?

The judiciary can be an incredibly rewarding profession, but it can also be isolating. Judges are expected to make difficult decisions independently, often without the ability to discuss the substance of their work with colleagues or friends outside the judiciary. For women judges, that isolation can sometimes feel even more pronounced.

That is why I believe California Women Judges fulfills such an important role.

CWJ creates a connection that matters. It provides camaraderie, mentorship, friendship, professional development, and a sense of belonging. It reminds us that although we sit alone on the bench, we do not have to navigate our careers alone.

What drew me to CWJ in the first place was its commitment to inclusivity. I believe strongly that an organization designed to support women judges must also be a place where every woman judge feels welcome, valued, and connected. Our strength comes from the diversity of our experiences, backgrounds, perspectives, assignments, and generations. What kept me coming back to CWJ was meeting the extraordinary women on the exploratory committee who helped form this organization. We came from courts all around the state, with the same lack of free time, but the same goal of knowing there was a need for California Women Judges to support other women in our judiciary.

CWJ is not simply about celebrating how far women have come. It is about making sure the women coming behind us have an even stronger foundation on which to build. This year, California Women Judges formed California Women Judges Foundation, with that key principle in mind.

Why now?

The number of women judicial officers in California has increased significantly over the years, and that progress deserves to be celebrated. But representation alone is not the finish line.

There remains a disparity in the number of women serving in leadership positions within our courts.

That matters.

Leadership positions provide opportunities to shape policy, influence court culture, mentor colleagues, allocate resources, and help determine the future direction of our judicial institutions. If women are well represented on the bench but less represented in positions of leadership, we have more work to do.

This is the moment to focus not only on getting women to the table, but on ensuring that women have meaningful opportunities to lead at the table.

I want CWJ to be part of that work.

We can help women judges develop the skills, relationships, confidence, and support necessary to pursue leadership—not because every woman must seek a leadership position, but because every woman should know that leadership is available to her.

Why me?

I do not believe I have all the answers. I believe in asking good questions, listening carefully, and bringing people together.

My career has given me the opportunity to work in many different capacities within the legal system. I have spent my professional life advocating for women and have had the privilege of watching women lawyers and judges break barriers that once seemed immovable. I’m inspired by CWJ’s past Presidents Michelle Williams Court, who was not just California Women Judges’ first President, she was confirmed as a federal judge while serving in that capacity. And to our most recent President Audra Ibarra who helped launch CWJ from an organization in its infancy, to one that doubled its membership in one year and has provided valuable programming for our members that keep us coming back for more.

Now, as a trial judge and Assistant Supervising Judge, I have the opportunity to see the judiciary from another perspective. I understand the demands of the courtroom, the responsibilities of court leadership, and the realities of trying to build a meaningful career while raising a family or taking care of aging relatives.

And as a mother of two young children, I understand that the choices and challenges facing today’s women lawyers and judges are not abstract. They are real, immediate, and ongoing. I’m also aware that sometimes my kids don’t have a parent sitting next to them at every school function that is set at 10 a.m., but that my young children are proud of what I do and the impact I am making for our community by serving.

I also bring the perspective of someone who believes deeply in the power of relationships. Whether in the courtroom, in court administration, or within CWJ, I believe we accomplish more when we support one another.

Why this focus of time, attention, talent, and priority?

Because I believe who leads matters.

It matters when a young lawyer walks into a courtroom and sees a woman presiding. It matters when a new judicial officer has a mentor who understands her experience. It matters when a woman judge considers whether she is ready to take on a leadership role and hears another woman say, “Yes. You are, and you will figure out how to juggle it all.”

And it matters when women judges have a community that understands the unique rewards and challenges of the work we do.

My goal for CWJ is not simply to make our organization larger. It is to make it stronger, more connected, more inclusive, and more consequential.

I want our members to know one another. I want women judges at every stage of their careers, including retired, to find a place within this organization. I want us to create opportunities for mentorship and leadership development. I want us to celebrate one another’s accomplishments while also being honest about the barriers that remain.

Most importantly, I want CWJ to be an organization that women judges are proud to belong to—and one that they genuinely miss when they are not part of the room.

I have spent much of my career helping advance women in the law. Leading California Women Judges feels like the natural continuation of that work.

So, why CWJ? Because women judges need one another.

Why now? Because representation has grown, but leadership parity has not yet caught up.

Why me? Because I believe in this mission, I have spent my career working toward it, and I am willing to put in the miles.

And why this focus of time, attention, talent, and priority?

Because there is still work to do—and I believe we are stronger when we do it together.

Congratulations to Our New Board

Voting closed on October 9, 2026. Please join us in congratulating the 2026–2027 Board of Directors, who will be sworn in at the Annual Meeting on October 25, 2026.

Gatherings

On August 12, 2026, CWJ members met for a quick dinner after work before cheering on the Golden State Valkyries as they took on the Minnesota Lynx at Chase Center in San Francisco.

Invited to a CWJ Event? Don’t Hesitate. Show Up!

By Judge Ai Mori, San Francisco County

I don’t remember the names of all my professors, but I remembered Stephanie Clarke. She was my Legal Research & Writing (LR&W) professor who taught us first-year law students how to write clearly and concisely, and with compassion for our clients and their causes. I remember being surprised and thanking her when she gave me an award for my appellate brief. I went home that evening and reread my brief, wondering what it was that made it stand out. Who knew I could write? She was the first one who told me I could.

Fast forward almost 30 years…

Last month, a colleague invited me to a CWJ-organized Valkyries basketball game and pre-game dinner. I hesitated a bit as I sometimes do before saying yes to going out, especially on work nights. Some thoughts that popped into my head – hmm, I’m already attending another event that week. Maybe I should get ahead on my tentative rulings. Who will feed and walk the dog?

Well, I am so glad I went, not only because I had a great time with awesome CWJ members, but also because when I arrived at the restaurant and sat down, I realized that the person sitting across from me was none other than Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Stephanie Clarke. “I’m your former LR&W student!” I thanked her again for the award and told her that I spent 20 years of my legal career writing for appellate justices at the California Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal before joining the bench last year. I told her that her class and award gave me the confidence to keep writing.

I had thought about my LR&W professor from time to time through the years, and I’m so glad I got the opportunity to thank her again. So, if someone has helped you, encouraged you, thank them. Do a better job than I did to keep in touch. And if someone invites you to a CWJ event, don’t hesitate, show up! You never know who you may connect or reconnect with.

Non Solae Estis: United in a Common Cause

Judge Nicole Bershon

Los Angeles County · Incoming President, California Judges Association

I’m in my late 50s. I don’t like crowds. I hate long lines. I avoid spending prolonged periods of time outdoors because I’m prone to skin cancer. I have officially become my mother.

So, why then, did I willingly trek to the other side of Los Angeles County on a hot, sunny day in early August to see Noah Kahan perform at the Pasadena Rose Bowl, an outdoor arena with a reputation for long lines and even worse traffic?

Well, first of all, I love Noah Kahan, as does my 18-year-old daughter. And I’ll take any opportunity to spend time with her before she leaves for college, just the two of us (well, us and 60,000 other concertgoers). With his deeply personal music exploring such themes of self-doubt, loneliness, and anxiety, Noah (I consider us friends at this point) is this generation’s Bob Dylan/Paul Simon/Cat Stevens. The first two acts, rockers Annabelle Dinda and Gigi Perez who front all-female bands, set the stage for what was a transformative musical event.

I tend to avoid crowds because, beyond hating waiting in lines, it seems that lately people are angrier and more impatient than ever. Social media is rife with clips of altercations at the supermarket, sporting events, and, with increasing frequency, on airplanes. There were long lines everywhere at Noah’s concert, from the parking lots to the food, and, of course, the bathrooms. Yet, I did not overhear one nasty comment or observe one fight among the throngs of people that day.

At one point, I incorrectly assumed the queue ended at the entrance to the women’s bathroom and unwittingly cut off the entire second half of the line waiting patiently alongside a neighboring wall. No one said a word, and when I belatedly realized my mistake and began to apologize to the women behind me, they responded sweetly, “Don’t worry about it.” When I expressed gratitude from my middle-aged bladder, the younger women in front of me offered to let me cut the line even further. I politely declined, thanked them profusely and marveled at how delightful everyone was. We continued to exchange pleasantries until we reached our respective stalls. I was actually a bit sad to leave that happy little bubble and return to my seat.

We were a diverse crowd that night. Though mostly female, we spanned all ages (mine was not the only mother-daughter duo that night), races, sizes, sexual orientations, clothing, hair styles, and beverage choices. Judging by the cars in the parking lot, a variety of income brackets were also represented. Yet, Noah’s music seemed to stir something deeply emotional in all of us, and as we left the concert beneath the glow of fireworks, we were united under an umbrella of goodwill despite the myriad paths that brought us to that moment.

That positive energy continued even as thousands faced hours-long shuttle lines back to an off-site parking lot and rippled through the crush of folks who opted instead to walk the mile and a half back to their cars. As my daughter and I joined hundreds of concertgoers literally hiking back to our cars (Google Maps led us along an off-road, canyon path), many in flip-flops and mini-skirts, I heard not one word of complaint. Rather, there seemed to be a collective amusement over the unexpected turn of events as we traded directions and suggestions for finding an UBER. I felt a sense of hopefulness that despite the divisiveness around us, we could draw strength from each other during challenging times. Judging from the smiles and laughter among the sea of humanity trying to get home, it seemed many felt it, too.

What does any of that have to do with CWJ, you ask? Well, this column marks my last contribution to CWJ’s newsletter as I sadly leave this amazing board to assume the reins of the California Judges Association. When I joined CWJ’s exploratory committee over four years ago, we were in the throes of the Pandemic. All of us were trying to navigate a new normal in our courts, our homes, and in our communities. Those initial ZOOM meetings served as a refuge from the storm. We were a diverse bunch, from all over California, with varying years on the bench, representing all judicial disciplines. Yet, as we vented our frustrations with online learning, expressed fears of COVID’s effect on our older parents, and worried about the future, we were united in our optimism about what this organization could become. Looking back over all we have accomplished since then, it seems that optimism was well-placed.

I would be remiss in closing if I didn’t acknowledge the recent passing of Gloria Steinem, the mother of feminism. Though over the past few years that other “F-word” has become a dirty word, we cannot ignore her lifelong advocacy for women’s equality in the workplace. I was fortunate to meet her as an awkward adolescent with frizzy hair and oversized glasses, struggling through the hell that is middle school. My father, who knew her from their hometown of Toledo, Ohio, bragged that I was a straight-A student. Ms. Steinem looked me in the eye and encouraged me to be whatever I wanted to be. She gave me hope that day, similar to what I felt on those early ZOOM calls and which permeated the crowd that August night as we left Noah’s concert.

When I was appointed in 2013, women constituted 31% of California’s judiciary. Thirteen years later, we are at 45%. Our California Supreme Court is majority female, as have been the last two Chiefs. Almost half of our Court of Appeal justices are women, as are a significant percentage of our counties’ presiding judges. Ms. Steinem once said, “When unique voices are united in a common cause, they make history.” I’m filled with hope as we keep making history, and I will continue to walk alongside you as we reach our ultimate destination.

A Powerful Start: CWJ Launches Book Club with New York Times Bestselling Author

By Judge Amy Yerkey, Los Angeles County

Our mission at the California Women Judges has centered on advocating for meaningful equity and inclusion through targeted education and outreach. It was in this spirit that we officially launched our inaugural CWJ Book Club last month, gathering a group of about 30 superior court judges and appellate court justices for a moving and legally vital discussion.

For our first selection, we chose Take My Hand by New York Times bestselling author Dr. Dolen Perkins-Valdez. The novel—which received the 2023 NAACP Image Award and the American Bar Association’s prestigious Silver Gavel Award—strikes at the core of our mission. Based on the seminal lawsuit, Relf v. Weinberger, the book recounted the compelling origin of medical informed consent as we know it today. The book demanded that the reader look closely at historical, state-sanctioned overreach and the systemic biases that have historically discounted women, particularly women of color, within healthcare and public institutions.

We were incredibly honored that Dr. Perkins-Valdez joined us virtually for the entire hour. She completely captivated us with behind-the-scenes stories of her journey to the Southern Poverty Law Center and her interactions with the real-life individuals who inspired the book. She shared how she decided to write the novel, detailing her early conversations with the lead attorney, Joseph Levin (called Lou Feldman in the novel). In a remarkable twist of fate, Dr. Perkins-Valdez revealed that many of her fictional depictions of Levin wound up being entirely true—a fact she discovered later when she met Levin’s daughter after the book was published. Hearing how she took these raw historical experiences and transformed them into such a compelling journey for the reader was unforgettable.

On a deeply resonant note for our profession, Dr. Perkins-Valdez emphasized that the law must be moral, highlighting this as a core takeaway she hopes we receive from her work. This sparked a rich open discussion among our members, with at least one judge transparently sharing what they might do differently in their own courtroom as a result of reading this book.

Overall, the event was a profoundly meaningful experience and a fantastic way to kick off the CWJ Book Club. It served as a powerful reminder of why we must always approach our benches with an open mind, acute awareness, and human empathy, especially when complex civil rights or healthcare issues appear before our courts. We look forward to seeing everyone at the next CWJ book club in January!