Meet the Special Guests Appearing at The Disco Ball This Year
The Disco Ball on April 18 is set to be an unforgettable evening, and along with our Success Honorees, we’re proud to welcome four exceptional special guests whose influence spans global leadership, media, design, and entertainment. Their work has shaped industries, elevated important conversations, and inspired audiences around the world. We’re honored to have them join us for a night that celebrates impact, progress, and possibility.
Event Details:
Date: Saturday, April 18, 2026
Location: Terra Gallery, San Francisco
Time: 6 pm Reception | 7 pm Dinner & Program | 9 pm After Party
Honorary Co-Chair Rita Moreno
Rita Moreno is a pioneering actress, singer, and dancer whose career spans more than eight decades. She is one of the few performers to achieve EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) status and was the first Latina to win an Academy Award for her role in West Side Story. Her contributions to the arts have been recognized with some of the nation’s highest honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of Arts, and the Kennedy Center Honor.
Honorary Co-Chair Fernanda Fisher
Fernanda Fisher founded her jewelry design business, Nandiz Designs, in 2010 after attending CCA in the Bay Area and has been creating stunningly vibrant handmade jewelry ever since. She was originally inspired by attending the Tucson Gem Show and seeing the vast array of gemstones and materials available and decided, on the spot, to become a jewelry designer. She sold every piece at her first trunk show and is still throughly enjoying the design process with each new piece she produces. She specializes in top quality natural colored gemstones and pearls and has become known for her unusual compositions and use of color. She is gratified to hear from many customers that their Nandiz Designs pieces are huge favorites and are used on a daily basis to complete their favorite outfits! Fernanda does not follow trends and enjoys creating unique and collectible art to wear that stands the test of time.
Special Guest Joanie Bily
Joanie Bily serves as Chief Executive Officer of Dress for Success Worldwide and is an influential thought leader in the employment and workforce solutions industry, with over 30 years of experience driving growth, innovation, and strategic transformation. Known for her purpose-driven leadership, Joanie has built high-performing teams and led large-scale business transformations across communications, marketing, public relations, and brand strategy. Before joining Dress for Success, she served as President of RemX, the professional staffing division of Employbridge, and help senior executive roles at Monster, Randstad, and Adecco.
Master of Ceremonies Janelle Wang
Janelle Wang is an Emmy Award-winning anchor at NBC Bay Area, where she leads weeknight newscasts. She has covered major stories across the country and around the world, including reporting from the Winter Olympics in Sochi and Beijing. Prior to NBC, she spent more than eight years at ABC7 in San Francisco, earning recognition for both breaking news coverage and in-depth reporting.
We look forward to celebrating alongside these remarkable guests at the Disco Ball—an evening that brings together leaders, supporters, and champions of Dress for Success San Francisco/San Jose. Their presence underscores the momentum behind our work and the impact we can achieve together.