Building Brave Remarkable Women 2026

September 23, 2026

2:00 PM - 5:30 PM

Location
The Pacific Club
4110 MacArthur Blvd, Newport Beach, CA 92660

Purchase individual tickets and browse auction items.

About the 2026 Event

Presented by The Trailblazing Women | Benefiting Girl Scouts of Orange County

Join us for an inspiring afternoon celebrating courageous leadership, meaningful connections, and women making a lasting impact in business, community, and beyond.

This collaborative, groundbreaking event brings together an extraordinary panel of speakers sharing their personal journeys, leadership insights, and stories of bravery:

Jill Schulman, U.S. Marine Corps veteran and bestselling author of The Bravery Effect
Rachel Kellogg Amerau, Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Gold Award Girl Scout and emerging leader, Aarna Mahale
Danni Remington Smithson, CEO / Founder of The Trailblazing Women

Every remarkable woman was once a girl with a dream. That's why proceeds from this event support Girl Scouts of Orange County and its mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Honored to Feature:

Jill Schulman

Keynote speaker on the science of bravery, bestselling author of The Bravery Effect, and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.

Her work is grounded in a simple idea: fear is inevitable. Hesitation is optional. Bravery is trainable. Her evidence-based Bravery framework gives leaders and teams a practical system to build the skill of bravery and act despite uncertainty.

With a Master’s in Applied Positive Psychology from UPenn and more than 25 years of business experience, Jill works with leaders and teams responsible for driving growth, making high-stakes decisions, and executing under pressure. She helps them eliminate hesitation, make bold decisions, and follow through when it counts.

Rachel Kellogg Amerau

Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Rachel leads nutrition initiatives focused on advancing the Make America Healthy Again movement, including helping drive efforts to “flip the food pyramid”. Her work centers on reshaping the nation’s approach to food and health.

A registered nurse with experience across both the public and private sectors, Rachel is passionate about changing America’s food culture and helping families return to foods with simple, recognizable ingredients.

Most importantly, in addition to her work in health policy, Rachel is a mom, wife, fitness trainer, and proud Californian.

Aarna Mahale

Gold Award Girl Scout, advocate, and leader with a passion for connecting cultures, amplifying voices, and driving meaningful change.

She has interned with the Orange County Board of Supervisors and the City of Irvine, and served as Girl Scouts of Orange County delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, where she advocated for gender equality and co-founded Empower Her Everywhere, an international advocacy initiative.

A multilingual student and accomplished musician, Aarna hopes to pursue a career in public service focused on health policy solutions particularly those impacting women and girls.

Danni Remington Smithson

Trailblazer in Community Business Banking

Danni launched her career more than 40 years ago and has spent the last 35 years building lasting relationships throughout the Irvine/Newport Beach communities. As EVP/Regional Manager for California Bank of Commerce, she manages a significant client portfolio and leads the Bank’s Orange County Advisory Board.

A passionate advocate for women in business and leadership, Danni has created groundbreaking women’s programs centered on empowerment, connection, and opportunity. Her passion for creating meaningful impact extends far beyond banking. As a Board Member for multiple nonprofit organizations, she dedicates her time and leadership to causes that make a lasting difference.

Ambassador Sponsor

Cadette Sponsor

Brownie Sponsor

Daisy Sponsor

To donate to the Silent Auction, please contact Yajaira De La Paz at ydelapaz@girlscoutsoc.org.

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Danni Remington Smithson at dremington@bankcbc.com.