Women Who Lead, Class of 2022 (from left): Leticia De Lara, Martha Garcia, and Tara Lazar.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TRACY NGUYEN
Grab any statistical source and you’ll see the number of women in leadership positions falls sorely short of what it should be 50 years after Helen Reddy proclaimed, “I’m unbeatable, I’m creative … I am anything I want.”
That’s why Palm Springs Life annually identifies and celebrates role models in our midst who exemplify the “I Am Woman” feminist anthem. This class of Women Who Lead 2022 — nonprofit executive Leticia De Lara, entrepreneur Tara Lazar, and educator Martha Garcia — make a daily, meaningful impact on the people they serve.
They will be fêted May 25 at a Women Who Lead 2022 luncheon featuring keynote speaker Suzanne Somers at The Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage. The entertainer and entrepreneur, a Palm Springs resident for 45 years, has a simple but inspiring message for the women who will attend the event: Pursue your passions.
“A passionate woman is unstoppable,” says Somers, who has built a health and wellness empire with products ranging from the ThighMaster exercise device and FaceMaster facial toning system to a line of Suzanne Organics haircare and skincare products and Gut Renew, a supplement containing more than 60 vitamins and minerals. “Never take no for an answer. I use the ‘rule of intention.’ I ‘intend’ to do this, so I will do it. I dream it, I talk about it, and I visualize my end game over and over again until I am there.”
The Women Who Lead 2022 honorees can relate. We asked each of them about the qualities that have led to their success and how they inspire others.
For luncheon tickets, visit palmspringslife.com/women-who-lead.
TARA LAZAR
Women Who Lead 2022: Business Leader
Founder, F10 Creative
“I like to create experiences, however that takes shape.”
Tara Lazar, founder of the F10 Creative hospitality enterprise, began her entrepreneurship with the 2008 opening of Cheeky’s in Palm Springs. People waiting on the sidewalk for a table to breakfast there on weekends fueled her drive. Within a decade, she added restaurants (Birba and Mr. Lyons), bars (Seymour’s and Toucans), catering (F10 Catering + Events), and a boutique hotel (Alcazar), all in Palm Springs. Last year, she opened High/Low restaurant in Oceanside.
What do you consider to be the core of what you do?
I like to create experiences, however that takes shape — whether it’s in hospitality, making great food, or just making people happy. I love to take people out of their lives and create something experiential.
What is the first thing you do when you begin work in the morning?
I review the [previous day’s] revenue numbers. Then I open my email.
What is the most important thing for people to know about you in the context of being a leader in your community?
I really care about the people I work with. I try to create a work environment that is fun and gratifying. I work backward from that: If my team is happy, they will exude that to the guests.
What is your greatest professional achievement?
I created a prototype food truck to feed people in food-scarce areas with dignity. One of the problems with food trucks is people have to queue up. My truck has lockers down the side to keep food hot or cold, and 20 people can approach the truck at a time.
What professional mistake have you made that was a pivotal learning moment?
I opened a restaurant that didn’t have the ability to have much volume. That meant I couldn’t hire enough staff and an executive chef, so it pulled me away from my other restaurants. It taught me that if I want to scale, I have to scale bigger and I can’t do everything myself.
What was the biggest challenge you overcame, and what is the biggest challenge you face today?
The biggest challenge I overcame was COVID. We had to let go all our staff and close our restaurants. We lost money and inventory and said goodbye to people, risking the fact that some [staff] wouldn’t come back.
Regarding your work, what is your greatest fear?
That people will stop coming to our restaurants.
Regarding your work, what makes you happiest?
Seeing my staff happy, making friendships, enjoying themselves, and loving their work. I think that’s just rad.
What is your strongest personality trait?
I am a risk taker.
Is there an overriding philosophy that carries you from one step to another?
Proceed as if success is inevitable. I saw that on a magnet.
What do you do when you begin feeling overwhelmed by responsibilities?
I meditate through an app. I will take time out, or I will just start spinning in circles like a hamster.
What three words best encapsulate your style?
Fun, versatile, inspiring.
Finish these sentences:
My first paying job was … working for a Thai silk tie company, cutting fabric into tie shapes and helping make brochures to market the patterns we had.
My biggest non-job-related talent is … I play liar’s dice really well.
My friends call me … T, T-Rex, or Radlazar.
When I’m alone, I … love to play word games in The New York Times.
LETICIA DE LARA
Women Who Lead 2022: Community/Nonprofit Leader
CEO, Regional Access Project Foundation
“I like to lead by example and do the right thing.”
Leticia De Lara climbed the ladder from migrant farmworker to CEO, earning a master’s degree in business administration from California State University, San Bernardino, along the way. After 10 years at the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services, 11 years as chief of staff for Supervisor Roy Wilson, and four years as district director to Supervisor John Benoit, she leads the Regional Access Project Foundation, which addresses unmet needs in health and juvenile intervention for residents of eastern Riverside County.
What do you consider the core of what you do?
Because of my background of being a farmworker and seeing families struggling to make ends meet, I consider my primary role to be advocating for people.
What is the first thing you do when you begin work in the morning?
I check in with my staff to see what they are working on and check my calendar to make sure we present our best front to the public.
What is the most important thing for people to know about you in the context of being a leader in your community?
I have high expectations of myself. I like to lead by example and do the right thing. My mentor, Roy Wilson, would say, “What would you want others to see in the quality of work you are doing?”
What is your greatest professional achievement?
The fact that I am entrusted with leading an organization that has the ability to make a difference and that our board has confidence in allowing me to have flexibility and be creative.
What professional mistake have you made that was a pivotal learning moment?
I didn’t have the right balance between work and my personal life. I have done a lot to prioritize my family and health, more so than I did in the past.
What was the biggest challenge you overcame, and what is the biggest challenge you face today?
It was not until I was able to realize that I had as much to offer as others that I became confident in my ability to make decisions. The challenge today is that there are so many organizations looking for help.
Regarding your work, what is your greatest fear?
That I will stop having ideas or become the kind of person that dreads going to work or gets angry at things that don’t matter.
Regarding your work, what makes you happiest?
When people tell me after a meeting or event that RAP’s contribution was key. It makes me happy to know we made something positive happen.
What do you think is your strongest personality trait?
Being an optimist, looking beyond obstacles and not being afraid to try new things.
Is there an overriding philosophy that carries you from one step to another?
To treat people the way I want my mother to be treated. Having a bad day doesn’t mean it has to be a bad day for somebody else.
What do you do when you begin feeling overwhelmed by responsibilities?
I walk. It helps me feel physically better and expands my ability to think beyond the obstacle before me. Being in a quiet place, I think option A, option B, option C.
What three words best encapsulate your leadership style?
Creative, empathetic, thoughtful.
Finish these sentences:
My first paying job was … harvesting crops.
My biggest non-job-related talent is … gardening.
My friends call me … Lety.
When I’m alone, I … like to watch movies with happy endings, read, and putter in my yard.
MARTHA GARCIA
Women Who Lead 2022: Rising Star
Superintendent/president, College of the Desert
“I believe education can transform lives.”
Martha Garcia, superintendent/president of College of the Desert since August 2021, previously held the same position at Imperial Valley College for 21 years. She holds multiple degrees: a doctorate in educational leadership and a bachelor’s in criminal justice administration from San Diego State University and a master’s in educational counseling from National University.
What do you consider to be the core of what you do?
I have the opportunity to make decisions and provide guidance for programs and services that impact students, their families, and future generations.
What is the first thing you do when you begin work in the morning?
My days are booked with meetings. If I have time before them, I start responding to emails.
What is the most important thing for people to know about you in the context of being a leader in your community?
That I consider myself a transformational servant leader. I believe education can transform lives, and I am here to serve our students and the community.
What is your greatest professional achievement?
The tiny-house project for students of Imperial Valley College who were homeless or at risk of becoming homeless became a reality in early spring 2021. Lotus Living Community was my vision but created in partnership with the city of El Centro and the college.
What professional mistake have you made that was a pivotal learning moment?
With the housing project, we signed a contract with a developer who went bankrupt. That reminded me that when I am leading an effort in which I have no experience, it is vital to surround myself with experts. It also reminded me to take the time to research those with whom I am entering into an agreement.
What was the biggest challenge you overcame, and what is the biggest challenge you face today?
Even though I have been a community college professional for over 22 years, it was still a challenge to transition to the presidency. The biggest challenge now is to move a construction project that was committed to the community forward [referencing a Palm Springs campus for College of the Desert].
Regarding your work, what is your greatest fear?
That I haven’t done everything I could to do the best for our students.
Regarding your work, what makes you happiest?
The opportunity to engage with students.
What is your strongest personality trait?
Caring for the well-being of others.
Is there an overriding philosophy that carries you from one step to another?
Lead by example, and let your fundamental values drive your actions.
What do you do when you begin feeling overwhelmed by responsibilities?
At the end of the day when I go home, I try to recenter myself. If I am working on something extremely detailed, I say to myself, “Just for today, I am not looking at it anymore,” so I can come back to it with a fresh mind. If it is something due the next day and I have to get up at 4 a.m., I will.
What three words best encapsulate your style?
Perseverance, hardworking, and honesty.
Finish these sentences:
My first paying job was … delivering pizzas for Little Caesar’s.
My biggest non-job-related talent is … Latin dancing.
My friends call me … loyal.
When I’m alone, I … reflect. I may read a daily devotional or listen to music.