In celebration of Women’s History Month, Nevada County Supervisors honored four women leaders on Thursday with awards.

Wrynna Kohler, Pamela Rasada, Ninel Hernandez and Sophia Martin received their awards from Supervisors Lisa Swarthout, Sue Hoek and Heidi Hall at a ceremony at the LOVE Building in Grass Valley.

“It is a privilege to recognize the four women receiving these awards today,” said Chair Hall, who kicked off the awards. “We celebrate not only their remarkable accomplishments but also the contributions of countless women leaders across Nevada County."

Wrynna Kohler: EmpowerHer Award

Supervisor Lisa Swarthout presented Wrynna Kohler with the EmpowerHer Award, which honors outstanding women who exhibit exceptional leadership, vision, and dedication in empowering others.

Kohler is the owner of Native Wren, a clothing and home store on Mill Street in downtown Grass Valley that specializes in locally made products and goods produced in the United States. Inspired by her early career experience with local nonprofit Bright Futures for Youth, Kohler founded her own nonprofit, Giving Wren, which focuses on giving back to children in the community. Giving Wren partners closely with both Bright Futures for Youth and the Friendship Club.

“Supporting youth in need is crucial to securing the future of our country, and I’m far from done working to stabilize the foundation for those kids who slip through the cracks,” said Kohler.

Pamela Rasada: Trailblazer Award

Supervisor Sue Hoek presented Pamela Rasada with the Trailblazer Award for an individual who exemplifies leadership, innovation, and pioneering efforts in our community. Until recently, Pamela worked as a longtime senior policy analyst and has used her extensive knowledge of government to help her neighbors on the San Juan Ridge.  

Five years ago, she founded the San Juan Ridge Community Coalition, which launched the Harmony Health mobile clinic, providing weekly health services at the San Juan Ridge Family Resource Center and North San Juan Community Center. The coalition also organized a Back-to-School event, introduced a free store and public health vending machine, added a community wellness fair to the Cherry Festival, and coordinated monthly social services at the local library.

Rasada also worked with Supervisor Hoek to secure a crosswalk on Highway 49 near the Ridge Café through advocacy to CalTrans.

“Putting my knowledge to work on The Ridge was a no-brainer for me because of my own upbringing, the daily obstacles my single mother faced and the lack of programs to help people in our situation back then,” said Rasada. “Everything I do to uplift individuals and my community is 100 percent in honor of my mother. I want to be sure that individuals and families of all types have access to the services that are available to them to help increase the potential that they could also thrive.”

Ninel Hernandez and Sophia Martin: Next-Gen Award

Supervisors Chair Heidi Hall, who recently named 2025 as the Year of Youth for the County, presented Ninel Hernandez and Sophia Martin with the Next-Gen Leadership Award, which recognizes young, emerging leaders who demonstrate exceptional achievements, innovation, and promise. Both Hernandez and Martin are members of Nevada County’s Youth Commission, seniors at Truckee High School and dedicated advocates for the Latino community.

Hernandez traveled to Washington D.C last summer to participate in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s NextGen Latino Leadership Program. She plans to pursue a career in women’s health, focusing on the Latino community, which often faces limited healthcare resources.

“As youth, the work we do collectively is incredibly important to me because I believe that young people have the power to create lasting change. We all have the power to shape the world, and together, I know we can create a future that is more just, more inclusive, and more impactful for everyone,” said Hernandez.

Martin started a program, Los Puentes Lingüísticos or “Language Bridges” in English, which was inspired by the cultural divide at her school. The program invites Hispanic students into Spanish classrooms to lead cultural presentations and conversation groups. Although French and Arabic are not offered at her school, she studies both languages independently. Martin also created and chaired the Elections and Civic Engagement Committee on the Youth Commission and served as a poll worker during the November 2024 Presidential Election.

During her remarks, Martin spoke of her desire to make a difference from a young age and her experience as a poll worker, describing the experience as “one of the few non-partisan political spaces where a sense of unity around American ideals of civic engagement can be felt.”

 “I encourage all of you to look towards your neighbor, the person next to you in the checkout line, your relatives who share different political views. Instead of looking towards them with your routine annoyance, vengeance or disbelief, I challenge you to find even a single thread of acceptance, interest, or curiosity. Because it is through this curiosity that we can uncover a mosaic of hope for a more united and compassionate America,” added Martin.