Megan Belmonte Receives Tamara Austin Legacy Award at 2025 UC Irvine Dynamic Womxn Awards

Claire Trevor School of the Arts leader honored for lasting contributions to equity at UC Irvine

Megan Belmonte, director of access & engagement at UC Irvine’s Claire Trevor School of the Arts, has been named the Tamara Austin Legacy Award recipient at the 2025 UC Irvine Dynamic Womxn Awards. Presented by the UC Irvine Womxn’s Center for Success, the award recognizes a staff member whose leadership and advocacy create a lasting impact on campus and in the broader community.

Now in its 12th year, the Dynamic Womxn Awards celebrate UC Irvine students, staff and faculty who serve as leaders and role models in advancing gender equity. The Tamara Austin Legacy Award, named in honor of the Womxn’s Hub inaugural director, is awarded to a current UCI staff member who has demonstrated long-term commitment to equity and empowerment, with a minimum of five years of service to the campus.

“This award means that everything I do, everything I am, as a leader, is working in the way that I intend it to,” said Belmonte. “It means that my teammate feels supported. It means that how I approach my work, my team and my students is how I should be approaching these things. It is validating.”

Belmonte, an experienced arts manager, has spent more than a decade cultivating equity-centered community engagement at the Claire Trevor School of the Arts. Her work as director of access and engagement connects UC Irvine’s creative programs with local communities, placing mentorship and inclusion at the core of her leadership philosophy.

“Megan’s advocacy and community engagement work are not just due to her role but are deeply rooted in who she is and how she chooses to move through life,” said Kaysie José, a colleague in her award nomination. “After 13 years, I know her influence and leadership have permeated the school, and the ripples of her impact will be felt for many more.”

In addition to her work at UC Irvine, Belmonte holds a graduate degree in arts management from Claremont Graduate University and a bachelor’s degree in art history from Occidental College, where she also served as a student-athlete on the women’s soccer team.

“I do everything with intention,” said Belmonte. “I talk openly about my self-evolution. I share my age. I push against "how things have always been done" to find how they can best be done, to support people. These feel like important choices as a woman and a leader of women. Do I wish my approach were the standard for leadership? Yes. Is it? No. And will I continue to lead with intention, vulnerability, awkwardness, bravery and kindness, to help make it the standard? Absolutely.”

The Womxn’s Center for Success at UC Irvine advances gender equity by raising consciousness around social justice, fostering personal growth, building community connections, and increasing access to resources that support holistic wellness.

Image: (left to right) Megan Belmonte and Kaysie José at the UC Irvine Dynamic Womxn Awards.

To learn more about the 2025 UC Irvine Dynamic Womxn Awards, visit here. To learn more about The Women’s Center for Success at UC Irvine, visit womxnscenter.uci.edu.