Inaugural LIVE LOVE THRIVE Women's Empowerment Conference Held Honoring Lisa Vanderpump and Nicole Ehrlich

(Photo Credit: Julie Hopkins)

The first-ever Live Love Thrive Conference was held on Saturday, November 12 in West Hollywood and featured a line-up of trailblazing women leaders in a series of sessions designed to assist attendees in both finding their life's purpose as well as in funding, marketing and manifesting it. The conference was presented and co-sponsored by the City of West Hollywood, the Women's and Lesbian Gay Advisory Board and Honda of Downtown Los Angeles.

The all-day event kicked-off with a welcome by West Hollywood Mayor Lauren Meister and Lindsay Horvath, West Hollywood City Councilmember and LGBTQ rights advocate. The creative force behind the Live Love Thrive Conference is Catherine Gray, a ground-breaking filmmaker, motivational speaker, and radio host, who also founded the online community 360Karma.com, a presenting sponsor of the conference. Live Love Thrive Radio, Gray's weekly interview show on United Broadcasting Network (UBN), was recently picked up by music giant I Heart Radio.

The day-long event was emceed by FOX News Radio entertainment reporter Michelle Pollino. Musical performances by Drum Café and 80's Disco legend Pamala Stanley bookended the conference.

Five speaker sessions were interspersed with a premiere of episodes from the Live Love Thrive web talk series, followed by the presentation of the 360 Karma Women Awards. Honorees included Nicole Ehrlich, Grammy Award-winning producer, filmmaker and co-producer of the critically acclaimed documentary The Hunting Ground, and Lisa Vanderpump, philanthropist, entrepreneur and television personality.

Highlights of the outstanding women featured in the web episodes and on the conference panels include Ann Donahue, creator of the popular CSI series; film producer Bonnie Bruckheimer, long-time producing partner of Bette Midler; well-known author of The Candida Diet, Ann Boroch; Mind/Body Energy Expert Brandy Gillmore, and Tabby Biddle, author and leadership coach.

"We brought together a remarkable group of women: speakers, special guests and attendees who recognize we are stronger together. Women came to inspire and be inspired and to play a part in creating a new paradigm that shifts women into more positions of influence and equality," notes Gray.

Conference sponsors included Honda of Downtown Los Angeles, whose general manager, Carolyn Olavarria, is the first Latina GM in the country to head a Honda dealership; Debra Smalley Luxury Real Estate; the luxury hotel, restaurant and spa Sunset Marquis in West Hollywood; leadership coach Dani Rukin; City of West Hollywood; Kelly Lynch KPL Select Mortgage, Inc.; Maria Shtabskaya, financial advisor, Morgan Stanley; IPK; From the Heart Productions; Printing Palace; LOL, Ladies of L.A.; Universal Broadcasting Network; Donahue/Scheibel; Iolite Product Consulting; West Hollywood Lifestyle Magazine; Pump Restaurant, West Hollywood; CMD Fertility, Dr. Catherine DeUgarte; Living Trust Express; Net Effects Traders; E The Magazine for Today's Female Executive; Women in Film Los Angeles; RTB Financial Group; League of Women Voters; and The L-Project, Los Angeles; Universal Broadcasting Network, broadcast the conference live all day, with their female hosts. The after party was held at Vanderpump's upscale Italian eatery Pump Restaurant/Lounge.

www.LiveLoveThriveConference.com