Downey Chamber names Alexandra Hanks, daughters as speakers for Women’s Empowerment Conference

Alexandra Hanks, left, will be a featured speaker at the Women’s Empowerment Conference on March 20. Photo courtesy Downey Chamber of Commerce

DOWNEY — The Downey Chamber of Commerce has announced Alexandra Hanks and her daughters, Alyssa and Allie Hanks, as the third featured speakers for its Women’s Empowerment Conference on Friday, March 20, at the Rio Hondo Event Center.

The mother-daughter trio are the owners of Allie & Paws Grooming in Downtown Downey. Chamber officials said Hanks’ story as a local entrepreneur and parent has inspired many in the community and will add a multigenerational perspective to this year’s program.

According to the chamber’s announcement, Hanks was raised by two entrepreneurs and grew up immersed in small business life. Her parents, a Cuban salon owner and a Peruvian car dealership owner, modeled daily what it looks like to build something from the ground up.

Hanks has shared that she spent afternoons at her mother’s salon and even sat in on business meetings with her father, experiences that shaped her belief that business ownership is accessible to anyone willing to pursue it with discipline and courage.

Now joined by her daughters, Alyssa, 30, and Allie, 18, Hanks operates Allie & Paws Grooming in Downey. The chamber described the family as a “mother/daughter trio” whose journey reflects resilience, hard work and a commitment to building opportunity across generations.

Hanks joins previously announced speakers Elicia Ybarra, founder of Pretty Hands, Hard Punches, and Dr. Konita Wilks, chief executive officer of Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center.

Ybarra is expected to speak on self-defense and resilience, drawing from her experience as a martial artist and advocate for women’s safety. Wilks, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and Navy combat veteran, brings more than two decades of leadership experience in healthcare and public service.

The Women’s Empowerment Conference will be held at Rio Hondo Golf Club in Downey. Networking begins at 9 a.m., followed by the main program and lunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tickets are $70 per person and include lunch and event giveaways.