Assemblymember Jim Frazier names his 2015 Woman of the Year

Assemblymember Jim Frazier (D – Oakley) honored Lisa Rico on the Assembly Floor as his 2015 Woman of the Year for the 11 th Assembly District.
Rico, a 26-year resident of Vacaville, has committed her personal and professional life to enriching the lives of those around her. For 20 years, she ran a small marketing firm in Vacaville that catered to the needs of local businesses and non-profit groups. Rico later decided to close the firm and instead devote her spare time to humanitarian efforts that she was passionate about – art, the empowerment of girls and women, and her community.
“Being able to work on projects that matter means a great deal to me,” said Rico. “To be honored for the same means even more.”
Rico traveled with Women for Women International founder, Zainab Salbi, to Bosnia, Croatia and Rwanda to promote the women’s rights in Third World countries. In 2010, she began an art project in Africa at an upper secondary boarding school for girls. For three consecutive summers, Rico traveled to Rwanda and held daily art lessons for students.
During her time there, Rico established a special relationship with one of the orphan students, Chantal Mahoro. The relationship eventually progressed into a “quasi-adoption,” which ultimately allowed Chantal to come to the United States and study at Arizona State University.