MEET THE WOMAN LEADER
‘MAKING THINGS HAPPEN’
for the
PRANCING PONIES ALL WOMAN CAR SHOW

BETTYE J. SAXON, Ed.D., EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

Dr. Bettye Saxon currently serves as External Affairs Regional Director on the Central Coast for AT&T Communications Inc.  As a Director, Dr. Saxon is primarily responsible for community and government relations on behalf of AT&T.  She develops and implements the strategies that will lead the region through its next generation of Network Services as AT&T makes its IP Transition. Dr. Saxon is also a highly respected keynote speaker on topics such as “Leadership Skills for the 21^st Century” and “Women in Leadership”.

Prior to this appointment, Dr. Saxon was recruited into Pacific Bell/SBC Telecommunications Inc., in June 1999, to serve as an Education Advocate in Sacramento, CA. As an Education Advocate, Dr. Saxon served as a Technology Specialist to the K-12 education communities speaking on the transformation taking place in education through the use of technology.  She also conducted teacher training workshops on “Technology in the Classroom”, as well as “The Design, Development, and Delivery of On-Line Courses”.

Dr. Saxon has resided in California for the past 20+ years. During this time Saxon worked in the telecommunications industry for companies such as GTE and Network Solutions.   Saxon also worked for the State of California, Dept. of General Service Telecommunication Division as a Telecommunication Specialist.

Mother of two children;  Elisha Wilson graduate from Seattle University in June 2019 and Andre Carpenter; Senior Technology Specialist with Apple Inc.

Education:
Ed.D. University of San Francisco Organizations & Leadership (Focus on Technology in Education) MA, Counseling Psychology, BS, Information Systems Management

Community Service and Leadership Role with the following organizations:

• Board Member CA State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) Foundation
• Community Board Member for CSUMB Otter Student Union Board of Directors
• Advisor on the Panetta Institute of Public Policy Student Program
• Chair 2019 Circle of Red with the American Heart Association
• Member of the Chancellor’s Associates Circle UC Santa Cruz
• Advisory Board for Hartnell Community College STEM Programs
• Past Board Chair Junior Achievement of Northern CA

MEET THE PRANCING PONIES ALL-WOMAN CAR SHOW PRESENTER
ROSEANN TORRES, CEO – TORRES LAW GROUP
Oakland Unified School District District 5 Trustee

Roseann Torres is the founding attorney and CEO of Torres Law Group, opened in 2004 when she moved to Oakland CA.  She is also serving her second term on the OUSD School as Trustee for District 5, being elected first in November 2012 and again in November 2016.

Roseann began her legal career in government in San Joaquin County, first as a Deputy County Counsel then as a Deputy District Attorney. She moved to Oakland in March 2004 and opened her own firm to serve the community after seeing a huge need for bilingual attorneys and handles personal injury matters.

Roseann was raised by a single mom and there were many financial challenges that plagued the family, such that when she saw how her own education created financial security and independence, the calling to give back and work with underserved youth arose. She has trained high school students for mock trials, proving to be very rewarding as many students were facing severe hardships yet they were eager to learn and became fierce advocates when acting as lawyers advocating in their cases.

Roseann did not escape her own share of issues in high school, such that in freshman year, because of bullying she decided to drop out. Her mother, a Buddhist, stepped in to insist that she attend youth activities at the church. Fortunately, it was there that she was exposed to a diverse group of professional women, many who became her lifelong mentors.  The intervention of successful role models got Roseann back on track in high school, and because mentors have played a critical role, the law firm has offered internships and job shadowing to numerous high school students for the past decade.

Becoming engaged in the Oakland community so heavily, led to the political trajectory of running for the school board to represent District 5 in the Fruitvale.  Roseann is most proud of passing the Ethnic Studies policy that is offered to all freshman as A-G requirement, the Sanctuary District policy to protect our most vulnerable population of newcomers, immigrant, and Muslim children, and plays an active role on the state level as a leader in CA Latino School Board Association.