Local Female Entrepreneurs to be Recognized at Event Raising Funds for Educational Grants Benefiting Local Women
The Girlfriend Factor (GFF) – a local nonprofit which provides renewable educational grants and emotional support to adult women who choose to improve their lives through higher education and occupational training – will be hosting its 2024 GoGirl! Luncheon on Friday, November 14, 2025, beginning at 11 a.m. at the Grand Hyatt Indian Wells.
This year’s theme, “Self-made Women,” highlights the power of determination, vision, and community in shaping lives and futures. Two local “self-made women” have been selected as the honorees of the 2025 GoGirl! Luncheon: Norma Castaneda, Chief Operating Officer of Fidelis Health Group and Founder of HR Advantage; and Chrissy Armstrong, Owner & President of CHRISSY’S On El Paseo & CHRISSY’S Kids.
Norma Castaneda is Chief Operating Officer for Fidelis Specialty Pharmacy, a Latino-owned specialty pharmacy specializing in rare bleeding disorders. She is also the founder and CEO of HR Advantage, LLC, a consultancy specializing in business start-ups, talent acquisition, workforce planning, and revenue generation strategies. Norma serves on Eisenhower Medical Center’s Board of Governors and its Latinos in Philanthropy Advisory Board, the College of the Desert Foundation’s Board of Directors, and is co-chair of the Government Affairs Committee for the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy.
Chrissy Armstrong is the Founder, Owner and President of Chrissys.com, a curated collection of designer fashion clothing and accessories for women and kids, as well as the popular trend-setting local store, Chrissy’s on El Paseo, featuring brands and styles that cross generations and seasons. Before opening her store on El Paseo, Chrissy sold jewelry at a booth at the College of the Desert Street Fair. After finding a place to open a shop on El Paseo, her entrepreneurial spirit continued to blossom – offering what Chrissy defines as “modern, ageless and effortless” merchandise featuring designer brands, denim, outerwear, shoes, jewelry and accessories.
Castaneda and Armstrong are extraordinary examples of local self-made women who exemplify the importance of community involvement and have served as role models for many in the Coachella Valley. These dynamic women embody what it means to be self-made, breaking barriers and making a lasting impact in both business and community service.
The GoGirl! Luncheon is a signature fundraising event for The Girlfriend Factor, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping Coachella Valley women return to school and achieve their educational and career goals. Through GoGirl! Grants: GFF provides financial assistance and emotional encouragement to women committed to transforming their lives.
“When women become productive members of our economic workforce, they help not only themselves but their families and the society around them – which is why our mission is to support women in our community who go back to school to have a second chance at a career passion they were not able to pursue in their earlier years,” said Joan Busick, Founder of the Girlfriend Factor. “We believe in the power of girlfriends, and that when women have the encouragement of their girlfriends, they can accomplish anything they set their minds to and that is why the Girlfriend Factor exists.”
GoGirl! Grants are $3,000 per year for full-time students and are renewable, meaning GFF will continue to support qualified recipients until they graduate. Recipients must be 25 years of age or older and show financial need. Schools the recipients attend include: College of the Desert, California State University – San Bernardino, University of California Riverside – Palm Desert Campus, Chapman University, International School of Beauty, California Desert Trial Academy and Loma Linda School of Dentistry.
To date, the Girlfriend Factor has supported over 230 local women with over $840,000 in grants as they pursue four-year degrees or occupational certifications. Most of these women stay within the community to gain employment and “give back” by contributing to the local workforce because they are already established here. The Girlfriend Factor will be celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026.
Guests of the November 14 luncheon will have the opportunity to meet current grant recipients and learn about their educational/career goals and plans. Individual tickets for the upcoming GoGirl! Luncheon are $125, and sponsorships are also available.
For more information about GFF and to purchase tickets, visit www.girlfriendfactor.org or call (760) 772-9594.
