By Denise Ortuno Neil
Palm Springs has long been a popular vacation destination. And now with the onset of stunning downtown revitalization, Palm Springs’ star is rising even higher. Amy Blaisdell not only helps promote all the best in Palm Spring, but is doing it with a community drive to also help local female youth become rising stars as well through Women’s Leaders Forum of the Coachella Valley and their Young Women Leaders Mentoring Program.
Amy Blaisdell has a love for Palm Springs. She grew up in nearby Rancho Mirage, and attended valley schools. Blaisdell moved forward with her education receiving a Bachelors of Arts in Communication from Saint Mary’s College of California and a Masters in Broadcast Journalism from San Francisco University.
Blaisdell entered the world of broadcast journalism as a news producer in Palm Springs at KMIR TV. She moved on to become a producer at the NBC affiliate in San Francisco. She came back to the desert and opened City News Service, a news wire that serves Southern California. She covered the Coachella Valley for them reporting on a wide range of topics including everything from local government to healthcare and arts and entertainment.
Her work at City News Service led her to her position at the City of Palm Springs, where she now serves as their Communications Director. Blaisdell is the official spokesperson for the city of Palm Springs and handles all media inquiries about upcoming city events, operations and policies of the local government and city leaders. She also is in charge of the city’s news releases, website and their government access television station where they broadcast all of their city council and commission meetings. In an extension of her abilities, she manages different local marketing campaigns and initiatives for the city of Palm Springs such as the Festival of Lights Parade, the Mayor’s Race and Wellness Festival, which is in partnership with the Clinton Health Matters Initiative, just to name a few.
Besides promoting Palm Springs, Blaisdell is the President of the Women Leaders Forum of the Coachella Valley. WLF focuses on empowering and developing women leaders of all ages and backgrounds.
When she finds any down time she enjoys spending time with her 9 year old son Jake and is also an avid Tennis player. As a single mom she deems herself lucky to have supportive co-workers and city manager which help to give her balance. She feels deeply about giving back to the community and is on the Board of Directors of FIND Food Bank, “The cause is close to my heart,” said Blaisdell.
She is excited to promote this year’s 2nd Annual WLF event, Women Who Rule! Awards Luncheon and Silent Auction that takes place on Friday, January 31st at the Aqua Caliente Casino Resort and Spa at 11am. The event will be hosted by KESQ TV’s Karen Devine and CBS Local 2’s Brooke Beare.
WLF will be honoring 4 phenomenal women; local philanthropist Donna MacMillan, Kathy Greco; CEO of Desert Healthcare District, Joan Boiko; Communications Manager of Palm Springs Unified School District and Susan Stein; Creative Producer of Fashion Week El Paseo and Fashion Editor of Palm Springs Life Magazine.
The event will also present its inaugural “Superman Award” to Jim Houston, who for the past two years has underwritten WLF’s “Jackie Lee Houston Merit Scholarship.” The scholarship awards $10,000 to one student based on merit and fully completing the Young Women Leaders Mentoring Program. The program involves the young women in public speaking, community service and a range of other life enriching focuses. Proceeds from the event will benefit the WLF Young Women Leaders Mentoring Program. Last year the organization raised over $100,000 in scholarship and distributed 22 scholarships to the best and brightest of students enrolled in the mentoring program, “It is life changing for them,” said Blaisdell. WLF has over 100 high school students enrolled in the Young Women Leaders Mentoring Program from all valley school districts.
The event promises to be inspiring with well over 300 women leaders from around the valley including the majority of local women CEO’s.
Blaisdell’s goals for the future of WLF is to continue expanding partnerships with different local organizations in an effort to instill in WLF’s Young Women Leaders the importance of giving back. She is also excited about her beloved city of Palm Springs and all of the progressive changes that are happening in the city, including the historic transformation of the former Desert Fashion Plaza and the revitalization of downtown, which will be assisted by the cities recently passed Measure J — putting millions of dollars back into the capital improvements which will transform the city.
Blaisdell has a passion for Palm Springs and for the work she does with WLF and FIND Food Bank. She is indeed a leader — and working hard to guide Palm Springs and our valley’s young women into a boundless future of success.
For tickets to the WLF event visit www.wlfdesert.org
