Women with Vision

Celebrating Our 78th year!

Vol. 41, Issue 4, October 2024

The executive board of AAUW Fallbrook met on September 4, 2024. Follow the link below to view the minutes. This page is password-protected.

General Meeting/Membership Brunch and Tech Trek

It was great to see you all after our summer break. This is the first time we have combined the Tech Trek and Membership meetings.  

Our brunch meeting was delicious and a big success with record attendance. Sharon Robinson and team did a great job and our four Tech Trekkers were truly inspirational. We even had one Tech Trek parent “pay it forward” and make a generous donation to sponsor a camper in 2025. I loved the tee-shirt! Great idea, Sharon. 

In addition to learning more about Tech Trek, we honored our member Kathy Bierbrauer with a Lifetime Achievement Award, which is so well-deserved! See the story below.

The Membership part of the meeting gave us all a chance to learn about our Mentorship Program, and all of our interest groups. We got at least three new members. Be sure to look for them and welcome them at the upcoming meetings. 

Speaking of membership—who do you know who would embrace our mission and meet the membership requirement of AA degree or equivalent? Invite them to a meeting or give Patty Carlson their name and email address. 

Saturday, October 12, 2024

General Meeting

North County League of Women Voters and

Local School Board Candidates

Fallbrook Public Utilities District Conference Room 

990 E. Mission Rd., Fallbrook

Doors open 10:00 am, meeting starts at 10:30 am 

The North County League of Women Voters will provide non-partisan information on those often-confusing propositions on the November ballot. We will also have an introduction to the AAUW Fallbrook-endorsed school board candidates. This meeting will be open to the public, so feel free to bring your family and friends to learn more about the election issues. Check for your EVITE and be sure to RSVP as soon as possible, as members will have priority and seating is limited. 

Saturday, November 9, 2024

General Meeting

Barriers to Women in STEM

Fallbrook High School

Doors open 10:00 am, meeting starts at 10:30 am

Member Dr. Karin Moore will share the presentation she made at AAUW National's NCCWSL Conference last spring. Her presentation focuses on the results of her doctoral dissertation on barriers to women in STEM. 

Friday, December 6, 2024

Red Stocking Fundraiser and Holiday Party

Theme: It's a New Old Fashion

Community Room, Rolling Hills Estates

5:30 pm–8:30 pm

Thank you to Sharon Robinson for her support in procuring this venue.

This holiday event is our main fundraising activity. Start thinking about your year-end giving and about any business colleagues or others who may be interested in supporting our important mission.

I welcome our new member, Pam Eskue, as my committee lead for Programs. Welcome aboard Pam and thank you for all your help.

Heard any great speakers that you think we should have for our meetings? Please send your ideas to Patty Carlson.

People sometimes ask the purpose of awarding a lifetime achievement award and what warrants this honor. The purpose, simply put, is to recognize the service of an individual to an organization. The why in this case is an easy question to answer when the subject receiving the award is Kathy Bierbrauer.

Kathy embodies the very essence of “service to the community” and her energy and background speak much about who she is and what has driven her to give so much of herself to others. In addition to her work with AAUW, she has volunteered at the Angel Shop and has been a member of Rally for Children for decades. Kathy has been a generous annual donor to the AAUW College Scholarship Program in the name of her parents, Eunice and Roy Hart.

She was born in Vallejo, California, the first of five girls spread over 25 years; it is certainly where she must have first learned what she is known for—sharing and caring. She graduated from St. Joseph High School in Berkeley, California and went on to college where she received a BA in mathematics and teaching. For 30 years, (from 1969 to retirement in 1999), she put her education to use and worked for IBM in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She started as a systems engineer working with IBM 360 computer systems, and at retirement, she was chief executive with key medical groups in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, including the Mayo Clinic. She balanced her busy executive world with an appreciation of nature while living on 2.5 acres of wooded land for 30 years in Stillwater, Minnesota.

Those who know Kathy well recognize that she has utilized her education, career skills, and ability to balance life in an enviable manner. She has a charisma that pulls people into her circle of friends, and she keeps her friends. Once a friend, always a friend.

She met the man who would share her life (Chet Bierbrauer) and married him in 1971. Their son, Jason, was born in 1973 and their daughter, Jessica, in 1976. Eight doting grandchildren aged 12 to 22 continue to keep her busy during visits together.

June 29, 2004 was a lucky day for Fallbrook AAUW because after encouragement from Chris Young, who was chair of the AAUW Mentorship Program, that was the day Kathy joined the organization and the Mentorship Program. For years, she served on the AAUW board as corresponding secretary and was vice president for four years. She mentored the amazing number of eight young women in the AVID program and is very proud of the fact that all her mentees have either graduated from college or are currently enrolled in college.

Kathy jokes about the way she first joined the board of AAUW. Dot Zenovic, president at that time, turned to her at a meeting and said, “Since you are new, we will make you corresponding secretary. It’s the best way to get to know people.”

Elizabeth Leader, former president of AAUW Fallbrook, has this to say about Kathy and her contribution to AAUW and achievements over the years:



“Kathy has been a leader in our branch since she joined over two decades ago. She is a creative thinker and problem solver who has always been ready to jump in and make things happen. She is also one of the kindest people I know, always stopping by with flowers or her signature dark chocolate for members who are ill. Kathy and I co-mentored young women in the mentorship program for the last 10 years, and that is how I got to know her, through our many outings, as well as serving on the board with her. We both had business backgrounds and shared many experiences as women working in large corporations in the 1990s. I have learned so much from Kathy over the years and am very lucky to be able to call her my friend.”

When Kathy was asked the question, “What accomplishment are you most proud of after all these years with AAUW,” she giggled and said, “the AAUW Mah Jong Tournament.” And indeed, these annual fundraising tournaments were co-promoted by Kathy and Araxy Moosa. Kathy’s love of the game, her skill, her energy, and the camaraderie that goes with Mah Jong helped to make each tournament very successful over the years.

There is no question that Kathy will continue to provide AAUW with the wisdom and advice for which she is so well known. This award is so much more than a pat on the back for work well done; it is a collective hug from all her admiring friends at AAUW.

Elizabeth Leader with Kathy

Delores Pascal, Kathy and Jimena Ramirez

Making Christmas cookies—

Delores Pascal, Jimena Ramirez and Kathy

Carlsbad Flower Fields—

Jimena Ramirez, Elizabeth, Kathy and Delores Pascal

International Fundraiser—

Nancy Heins-Glaser, Kathy, Elizabeth Leader, Young Milton and Bobbie Miller

Induction to board—

Kathy, Jeannie Curtwright, Susan Duling,

Elizabeth Leader and Young Milton

IBC Luncheon—

Marilee Ragland, Beverly Thordarson, Elizabeth Leader,

Sherry Ludwig, Carrie Hughes, Kathy and Betty Gilbey

The mentorship program is off and running. Sue Schaeffer and Carolyn Thom went through 13 new sophomore applications and were able to match all 13 with mentors. It’s a great group of girls and we have lots of planned activities. We are thrilled to have three former mentees as mentors this year! Our first meeting will be our annual Ice Cream Social on Oct. 2 at the high school. We are looking forward to a great year! 

The AAUW Fallbrook Public Policy Committee registered voters on National Voter Registration Day on Tuesday, September 17 at Fallbrook Library and Northgate Market. Four AAUW members worked shifts with three community members to register voters. Thanks to all who participated.

Elizabeth Stuver registering voters at

Northgate Market in Fallbrook

The AAUW Fallbrook Public Policy Committee meets again on Thursday, October 10 at 1:30 pm at the home of Joy Frew. Let Joy know if you would like to attend.

2024 Ballot Propositions

Support AAUW California Public Policy Priorities

By Amy Hom and Missy Maceyko, Co-Chairs, AAUW California Public Policy Committee



This November, California voters will decide the fate of 10 statewide ballot propositions. While we encourage members to support additional propositions that may capture the spirit of AAUW California’s Public Policy Priorities (PPPs), we suggest that four of the propositions on the ballot in 2024 deserve a YES vote from our members for their explicit alignment with AAUW California’s PPPs.

Proposition 2, Public Education Facilities Bond Measure (2024), proposes issuing $10 billion in bonds to fund construction and modernization of California’s public education facilities. $8.5 billion would be allocated to K-12 schools and $1.5 billion would support improvements at community colleges. Many school facilities are over 50 years old and require significant upgrades to meet current technology and education needs. Research shows that modernized school facilities correlate with better test scores, higher attendance, and improved teacher retention rates. The last time districts received state funding for infrastructure improvements was in 2016, when Prop 51 authorized $9 billion in bonds. That money has now run out, and Prop 2 would help fund school projects totaling $3.5 billion that have already been approved and are awaiting funding.  

AAUW California supports “Adequate and equitable funding at all educational levels, including pre-school and post-secondary,” so we support a YES vote on Proposition 2.

Proposition 3, Constitutional Right to Marriage, would amend the California Constitution to recognize the fundamental right to marry, and would remove the language banning same-sex marriage, passed by voters in 2008, from the state constitution. In practice, the ban has been nullified since a Supreme Court ruling in 2013 which allowed same-sex marriages to resume in California. Proposition 3 will enshrine the fundamental right to marry and protect against any potential future changes to federal marriage protections. 

AAUW California supports “Guarantee of civil and constitutional rights for all, including all forms of gender identity and expression, and all family structures,” so we support a YES vote on Proposition 3.

Proposition 4, Parks, Environment, Energy, and Water Bond Measure, would allocate the state to issue $10 billion in bonds to fund various environmental, energy, and water projects. While there are a range of projects that this ballot measure would fund that would benefit all Californians who are confronted with the impacts of sea-level rise, extreme heat, wildfire dangers, and air/water pollution, proposition 4 would also require that 40% of the bond revenue be used to fund activities that benefit communities with lower incomes or that are affected by environmental changes or disasters. Also, as AAUW California’s Public Policy Committee has pointed out in the past, addressing climate issues and advancing gender equity is directly related to environmental sustainability, and vice versa.

AAUW California supports “Social and racial justice for all members of society, including equal access to quality affordable healthcare, housing and a healthy environment,” so we support a YES vote on Proposition 4. 

Proposition 32, Raises Minimum Wage, would raise California’s current minimum wage of $16 per hour. Employers with 26 or more employees would pay $18 per hour beginning in 2025. Employers with 25 or fewer employees would pay $17 per hour in 2025 and $18 per hour in 2026. California has a high cost of living and our current $16 minimum wage is well below the estimated living wage needed to support a household’s basic needs. Women and communities of color bear the burden of low-wage jobs. The California Civil RIghts Department (CRD) released data showing that in 2021, roughly half of all Latino, Black, and Native American workers earned $32,329 or less - $10,000 less than the state’s per capita income. 54 percent of all workers in California earning $32,239 or less were women.

A minimum wage of $18 will reduce income inequality and improve the standard of living for millions of California workers, especially women and people of color.

AAUW California supports “Economic Security for All Women,” so we support a YES vote on Proposition 32

For guidance on additional ballot measures that are adjacent to, but not directly within, the scope of AAUW California’s PPPs, please see this excellent guide provided by the League of Women Voters of California. 

Voter Links

AAUW Advocacy Links

Here is the current reading schedule for the Bibliobabes Book Club. See the AAUW Fallbrook calendar for details each month.



October –My Brilliant Friend 

November – The Women

December – The Holdout

January – The Alphabet vs the Goddess

Happy reading!

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The Diversity Equity and Inclusion Group met for "Coffee and Conversation" on September 18, where we discussed many things, including future field trips of interest and a possible Action Project for the 2024-2025 year.

• At the Wednesday, October 16 meeting, we will have our annual luncheon to introduce any possible returning or new members to this interest group. We will meet at Diane Summers's home from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Please bring a salad to share. Interested guests are welcome. The address is 2345 Trails End, Fallbrook.

• On Saturday October 19 at 5:00 pm, again at Diane’s house, we will have a special Native American Dinner and Drumming Circle with a quest, Sister Bear, to lead us in some indigenous customs and practices. Bring a drum if you have one, but we will have extras.

• Our meeting in November will be the second Wednesday, the 13th, due to the Thanksgiving holiday and people traveling. At this meeting, we will discuss the various holiday customs we all have experienced.

• In either November or December, we are planning a field trip to visit an Afghan business in Vista, with a lunch to follow. Check future newsletters for the exact day and time.

• There will be no meeting in December due to travel and holiday activities.

• Wednesday, January 15 will be our regular "Coffee and Conversation" meeting. At that time, we will be making plans to attend the Chinese New Year festivities at the Buddhist Temple in Bonsall, which will be Wednesday, January 29.

• The rest of the year’s activities have not been decided. Keep in mind, we need to formalize our Action Project, which we will share as soon as plans are clear. Also, other things may pop up, like watching special diversity films, which we do at Margie Mosavi’s house. Lastly, our goal is to do a presentation about our Action Project for the General Group in the spring.

We have expanded the Hiking Group to include outings as well. We have planned outings to the San Diego Botanic Gardens, to Temecula, to brunch at the Hotel Del Coronado, for shopping and lunch at the University Town Center in La Jolla, Mission San Antonio de Pala, Rancho Bernardo Winery, and walking and breakfast in Carlsbad Village. We hope you all can join us. 

An email will be sent to all members of the new Hiking and Outings Group a week prior to the event. You can put yourself on our email list by sending a request to Rachel Rose. In addition, upcoming events will be announced in our AAUW Newsletter and on the website.

Generally we will meet the fourth Thursday of the month, except in November and December, when we will meet on the third Thursday of the month so that it does not interfere with Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Thursday, October 24 at 10:00 am

Old Town Temecula. 

We will meet at Le Coffee Shop at 41955 Fourth Street. Come 15 minutes early and grab coffee and a pastry. We will walk around Old Town Temecula and stop at various shops and the Olive Oil Company. Well behaved dogs okay to bring.

Thursday, November 21 at 10:00 am

University Town Center, La Jolla. 

We will meet at Williams Sonoma— they have outdoor sofas where we can gather.  We will walk around and shop/window shop singly or in a group. Plan to have lunch. Well-behaved dogs okay to bring.

Thursday, December 19 at 10:00 am

Naked Cafe, Carlsbad Village.  Easy parking.

Let’s have breakfast at the Naked Cafe (check out their menu online if you haven’t been there before) and then walk around Carlsbad Village. Well-behaved dogs okay to bring.

Thursday, January 23 at 10:00 am

Encinitas and Solana Beach

Let’s meet at The Taco Stand at 642 S. Coast Hwy 101 and walk around Encinitas. We’ll circle back for lunch at the Taco Stand. If we have time we’ll go over to Solana Beach. Well-behaved dogs okay to bring.

Thursday, February 27 at 10:00 am

Balboa Park

Meet in front of the Mingei Museum. There is a little cafe there. We will walk around and end up at the Spanish Village to check out all the pottery and artists guilds. Lunch at the same little cafe.

Here is information about parking. I usually park near the Fleet Science Center, but if lots are full, you can park across Park Blvd at the Federal Building and take the tram.

You may or may not want to carpool.

Many thanks to Kathy and Chet Bierbrauer for hosting our first Movie Review Night of the year. We had a lively discussion of the Netflix series, The Three Body Problem, led by Richard Moore. Movie Review Night is always an excellent opportunity to have casual discussions with members and their spouses in a fun, collaborative environment.  

Our next review and potluck is scheduled for October 18. We will review the new movie Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which is currently playing at many theatres nearby. I encourage you to watch it soon. We are never sure when it will disappear from the theatres. It is not due for streaming until the end of November! We still need hosts, reviewers, and co-hosts for the remainder of the year.  

Watch for an Evite for future movie reviews. Invitations go only to those who have expressed interest. If you want to be added to or deleted from the mailing list, send your request to Carole Hodges.

Back Row: Skip and Margot Dokken, John & Susan Duling, Richard Moore, Kathy Bierbrauer

Front Row: Karen & Larry Baker, Paul Schumann, Grace & Phil VanderWerf, Jack Ragland, Diane Summers

Richard Moore

Carole Hodges

The UkuLadies are gearing up for a new year of playing. Please consider joining us on Friday, October 11 at 2 p.m. at Patty Carlson’s home. We have extra ukuleles if you’d like to give playing a try. We’re all pretty new to this, so come join our fun. 

Margot Dokken, UkuLadies coordinator

Karen Langer Baker—

Former Teacher, Artist, AAUW Leader

Karen has been an AAUW member for 40 years.

Fullerton AAUW 

1962–1986

Fallbrook AAUW 

2008–present

Mentorship Director, AAUW Fallbrook

2012–2023

President, AAUW Fallbrook 

2023–present

"I joined in Fullerton in 1962 and stayed until I left in 1986. I rejoined AAUW in Fallbrook in 2008 when Marilee Ragland asked me to go in her place to talk to a group of girls about being an artist. 

I had no idea who they were or what organization they were in. 

It was a mentorship group 'career day' being held at Chris Young’s house. I joined immediately and became a mentor for the first time that September.

I have mentored several girls since then and have developed some lasting relationships with a few. In 2012 I took over as director of the group and stayed until becoming president of the branch in 2023. One of my former mentees has joined AAUW and is now a mentor!"