Deborah Reheard Heads Oklahoma Bar Association

It is a first for the Oklahoma Bar Association! The OBA's top three newly-elected officers are WOMEN. Who are these extraordinary women? Deborah Reheard of Eufaula will serve as the 2011 President of the Oklahoma Bar Association. She earned her JD from Tulsa College of Law in 1987. She has served the OBA in numerous leadership roles including as chair of the Women in Law Committee (2002, 2003 and 2009) and was the first woman elected to Oklahoma's Judicial Nominating Commission.
Meanwhile Cathy Christiansen of Oklahoma City has been elected to serve as 2011 President Elect and Judge Reta Strubhar of Piedmont will serve as 2011 Vice President. Their swearing-in ceremony is January 14, 2011 at the Oklahoma Supreme Court in Oklahoma City. Congratulations to all three!
For more information see okbar.org story here.

Dana Murphy to Chair Oklahoma Corporation Commission in 2011

Dana Murphy will serve as Chair of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission in 2011. The commission regulates utilities, telephone companies, oil and gas drilling and more. Dana is a geologist, an oil and gas attorney and a very smart gal. She'll be terrific. Oklahoma is in good hands.

Women-Owned Businesses: Census Bureau Update

Forbes has an article by Caroline Howard entitled "Women-Owned Businesses: Numbers Climb, Revenue Lacking" which is very interesting. It summarizes a recently released report entitled Survey of Business Owners: Women-Owned Businesses: 2007.

 Here are a few highlights but click on the title above and read the whole thing for yourself.

There are more women-owned businesses in the U.S. than businesses owned by men but the women's are generating less revenue.  States with the largest pool of women-owned companies were California, Texas and New York. Maryland was top as the state with the highest percentage of businesses with a female owner.   Oklahoma falls in the 24.8% to 28.7% of all businesses are women-owned. The national Average is 28.7% Women control the majority (52%) of all businesses in the health care and social assistance sector.

Here is the Census Bureau's Dec 7, 2010 press release on their recent survey.

Rita Aragon at the OK State Capitol Art Museum

Soon to be our Secretary of Veterans Affairs and a wonderful one she will be, too.

Jean Shepard Inducted into Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame

Congratulations to Jean Shepard for being inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame last month. Shepard was born on Nov 21, 1933 in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. She first made it on the charts with her "A Dear John Letter" in 1953 - a duet with Ferlin Husky. Her following success led her to be invited to join the Grand Ole Opry in 1955. Her greatest success came in the 1960s and 1970s, including the songs "If Teardrops Were Silver" and "Slippin' Away." Shepard is the longest-living female member of the Opry. She is ranked 74th on the "Top 100 Country Music Artists of All Time."  Read NewsOK article here.

Got any ideas on another Oklahoma musician who should be inducted into this hall of fame?

Pearl Carter Scott Story in Film and Book

A while back I got to attend the premier of the movie "Pearl: The Story of Pearl Carter Scott". It is the true story of a young Oklahoma woman who remains to this day "the youngest licensed pilot in America." Pearl was Chickasaw and the Chickasaw Nation was instrumental in getting this charming movie produced.

On Monday, December 20 at 6:30 p.m. the producer of the film, along with the author of the book "Never Give Up! The Life of Pearl Scott Carter" , and several cast members from the film "Pearl: The Story of Pearl Scott Carter" will be at Full Circle Bookstore in 50 Penn Place, Oklahoma City. The DVD and the book will be on sale. Y'all come!

Rep Anastasia Pittman Honored at Asia Society Banquet

State Rep. Anastasia Pittman was honored at the Asia Society of Oklahoma’s Annual Award for Excellence Banquet as the Outstanding Civic Leader.

The banquet also honored Jacqueline Sit as Outstanding Asian American, the Japan America Society of Oklahoma as Outstanding Member Association, and Melencio R. Linga as Outstanding Individual Member.

“It is an honor to be recognized alongside Ms. Sit, Mr. Linga, and the Japan American Society of Oklahoma,” Pittman, D-Oklahoma City, said. “The banquet celebrated the 25 years during which the Asia Society of Oklahoma has developed a sense of community among Asian Americans and the people of Oklahoma through an exchange of ideas, information, culture, and experience.”

Xuan “Spring” Kim Nguyen, a former president of the Asia Society of Oklahoma and Senate staffer, said she nominated Pittman because of her active interest in the Asian communities of Oklahoma.
“We have always chosen a good leader who is involved in the Asian community,” Nguyen said. “Some leaders, you never see their face. Anastasia Pittman has always been present at events in our community. She shows that she cares.”

Nguyen served as president of the Asia Society of Oklahoma in 2003 and from 2008 to 2009. She said past Outstanding Civic Leaders have included Governor-elect Mary Fallin, Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins, and Department of Human Services Director Howard Hendricks.

The Asia Society of Oklahoma is comprised of member organizations representing nine Asian countries – China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. The Asia Society organizes three events annually – the Asian Festival in May, a Taste of Asia in August, and the awards banquet in November. This year’s banquet was held Nov. 6, 2010 at the Sheraton Hotel.

Pittman was appointed by former House Speaker Chris Benge (R-Tulsa) to the House International Development and Tourism Committee in 2008 after being nominated for it by former state Rep. Shane Jett (R-Tecumseh), chairman of the committee.

Source. Oklahoma House of Representatives, Media Division, December 7, 2010

Oklahoma Women's Coalition Board Hard at Work

Sorting through old photos. Thought I'd share the October 2010 OWC board meeting.

Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Dana Murphy

There was a very nice article about Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Dana Murphy in the Dec 3, 2010 issue of The Journal Record. Before her election to the Commission, Murphy had served 8 years as an administrative law judge at the Commission so she was intimately familiar with how things worked at the agency. She has a geology degree from Oklahoma State University and worked as a geologist for 10 years before earning a law degree from Oklahoma City University.  In all, she's worked in the petroleum industry over 20 years. She is a perfect fit for the Oklahoma Corporation Commission and I am delighted she is there now for the next 6 year.

Marnie Taylor Named New President/CEO of OK Center for Nonprofits

Congratulations to Marnie Taylor who will soon become president and CEO of the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits.  She will be taking the position currently held by Debby Hampton who is resigning to become president and CEO of United way of Central Oklahoma on January 1. Debby will replace Bob Spinks who will retire from United Way April 1 after 10 years as CEO. Taylor is an uber-volunteers with tons of nonprofit board experience and will be terrific. (Both Bob and Marnie current serve on the Center's Board of Directors.)  Good luck to all three of these great Oklahomans in their new adventures.

OK House Speaker Names 8 Women to Committee Leadership Positions

Oklahoma House of Representatives Speaker Kris Steele has announced the committee chairs and vice-chairs for the 2011 and 2012 legislative sessions. There are 70 Republicans in the House in 2011 and 26 committees - i.e., 52 slots (although 6 vice-chairmanships actually went to Democrats).

Six chairmanships went to women: 
Pam Peterson (Human Services)
Sue Tibbs (Public Safety)
Ann Coody (Common Education)
Sally Kern (Long-Term Care and Senior Services)
Lee Denney (Appropriations Subcommittee on Education)
Lisa Billy (Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety)

Two vice-chairmanships went to women: 
Marian Cooksey (Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Health and Social Services)
Leslie Osborn (Appropriations Subcommittee on Natural Resources and Regulatory Services)

Congrats, ladies! Women rock!!!

You can see all committee leadership positions by clicking here.

Paula Pechonick is 1st Female Delaware Tribe Chief

Bartlesville-based Delaware Tribe elected its first female chief recently.

Paula Pechonick defeated the current chief, Jerry Douglas, 44% to 38%.

Pechonick has 15 years experience serving on the Delaware Tribal Council, on the tribe's Trust Council, and as a tribal judge.

Here is her Facebook page and an article on her at Native American Times.

Oklahoma's "Five Indian Ballerinas"

There is a lovely article in The Oklahoman on Sunday, Nov 28, 2010 entitled "State's 5 Indian ballerinas turn out graceful heritage." There is good information about all five of these remarkable women - Moscelyne Larkin, Marjorie Tallchief, Maria Tallchief, Rosella Hightower and Yvonne Chouteau - in the article but EVEN BETTER is the additional pictures and video at The Oklahoman's archival webpage. Check it out at ndepth.newsok.com/five-indian-ballerinas.
These five Oklahomans are depicted in the State Capitol *(see image of mural above) and were declared "Oklahoma's Treasures" by former Governor Frank Keating in 1997.

Oklahoma Champions for Early Opportunity (OKCEO) Push for early Childhood Education

Last Wednesday, Oklahoma leaders from across Oklahoma met at the Governor's Mansion to launch "Oklahoma Champions for early Opportunity" or OK-CEO. They pledged to spend the next year promoting projects that will better prepare Oklahoma infants and toddlers for school. First Lady Kim Henry kicked off the event which was organized by the Potts Family Foundation, Smart Start Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Business Roundtable.

"If we invest in early childhood we can improve our economic climate in Oklahoma and we won't loose as many people as we do to remediation and incarceration," said Pat Potts, Potts Family Foundation President, pictured here with her husband Ray Potts.

The photo is from The Oklahoman article about the event and the quote is from the KSBI blog post which also features a video clip.

Oklahoma Arts Council Honors Oklahoma Women

Fifteen individuals and organizations were recently honored for their significant contributions to the arts in Oklahoma. The awards ceremony took place November 10, 2010 on the fourth floor Rotunda of the Oklahoma State Capitol. Two women -- Ann Graves of Tulsa and Michi Susan of Oklahoma City -- received the Governor’s Arts Award. Other Oklahoma women were also recognized at this Oklahoma Arts Council sponsored annual event. You can read about them in this Oklahoman article and in this Tulsa World article.

Roberta Preston to Head Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma

Congratulations, Roberta Preston, on being selected the next CEO of Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma. Click here for details. 

OU's Jill Irvine Doing Research in the Balkans

Great news for Dr. Jill Irvine, Director of the Women's and Gender Studies Program at the University of Oklahoma. She received a US State Department Research Fellowship and will be working as a Research Associate at the Five Colleges Women's Studies Research Center at Mt. Holyoke and as an affiliate  of Harvard University's Center for European Studies. She'll travel to the Balkans to do fieldwork on women, war, and political transformation.

OCU Grads Angela Monson, Martha Peixotto-Smith, Ekaterina Marsakova Zoubkova Honored

Oklahoma City University's Alumni Association will honor several special alum this weekend including Angela Monson, Martha Pelxotto-Smith, Ekaterina Marsakova Zoubkova. Here is what OCU says about these extraordinary women:

Monson, ’76, was elected chair of the Oklahoma City School Board last year. She has been engaged in activities related to health care policy for 28 years and currently serves as associate provost for the Office of Community Partnerships and Health Policy at the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center. She also serves as an adjunct associate professor in the department of family and preventive medicine. She is a member of the OU Medical Center Board of Trustees and of the Oklahoma City/County Board of Health. Monson was a member of the Oklahoma State Senate from 1993 until November 2005 and of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from November 1990 until her election to the Senate. She was the primary sponsor or co-sponsor for much of the legislation pertaining to health care coverage, financing and delivery systems in Oklahoma and was one of the chief architects of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, the state’s Medicaid Agency. As a community activist, Monson has worked with elementary schools, churches and other community organizations providing technical support and assistance to many after-school programs and other related initiatives.

Peixotto-Smith, ’06, earned her Masters in Nursing Degree from OCU’s Kramer School of nursing. She is retired as director of emergency services, outpatient services and the transplant program at St. Anthony Hospital. Peixotto-Smith also served on the Governors Council for trauma Legislation and Emergency Preparedness. She continues to serve on the Oklahoma State board of Health Traumatic Brain Injury Council and outreach programs,such as the largest feeding program in Tulsa with trinity Episcopal Parish. Peixotto-Smith teaches part-time for Oklahoma City University. She said herlife has been enriched by attending OCU, not only helping her re-tool from an acute-care nurse to a nurse educator, but also pointing her to serve in the science and art of nursing wherever she is called.

Zoubkova, ’95, learned about OCU through St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City. A native of Ulyanovsk, Russia, she transferred to OCU in 1994 and decided to become a pastor. After graduating from OCU, Zoubkova attended the Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City and then returned to Russia to begin serving a church in Pervouralsk, Siberia. Her husband’s job later took her to Tyumen, Siberia, where there was no United Methodist Church so Zoubkova became a social worker and started a local church. Today, she serves as pastor of the Tyumen United Methodist Church of the Salvation and is the only female pastor in the region. Her church is involved in humanitarian aid to former orphans now in prison and to orphans in Usalka and Uspenka. She also conducts a prison ministry prisoners and guards.

Congratulations!

Source. http://www.okcu.edu/news/?id=4721

E. Ann Nalley Inducted Into Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame

Dr. E. Ann Nalley, Professor of Chemistry at Cameron University, was inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame last month. She was the only woman among the 11 academic inductees this year. Congratulations, Dr. Nalley! Read more here.  The Hall of Fame is a program of the Oklahoma Higher Education Heritage Society.

"Muscogee Daughter"

Susan Supernaw was Miss Oklahoma of 1971 and wrote a book about her experience -  "Muscogee Daughter: My Sojourn to the Miss American Pageant" - a  decade ago. Her book manuscript received the Native Writers' "Circle of the Americas Award" in 2003 but the book took a while to get published. Now University of Nebraska Press has published this fascinating tale. I am eager to read it and add it to my Oklahoma Women library! You can read Betty Lytle's book review in The Oklahoman here and a review of the book in Monsters and Critics here.

Kristen Chenoweth to be Inducted into OK Hall of FameInduct Kristin Chenoweth, Judy Love Tomorrow

The Oklahoma Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is November 4. Six Oklahomans will be inducted including two women -- Judy Love and Kristin Chenoweth. Read more about the program and honorees here.

Jennifer Seal Named Oklahoma's Preserve America History Teacher of the Year

Putnam City North High School teacher Jennifer Seal has been selected the Oklahoma Preserve America History Teacher for 2010.

One teacher is selected from each state. Read more about Seal, what she and her school get along with the honor, and what comes next for Seal HERE.

Congratulations Kelly Dyer Fry on NewsOK.com's Recognition

The Southern Newspaper Publishers Association recently recognized NewsOk.com as the "Best Website" in the category of newspapers with over 50,000 circulation.

Today Kelly Dyer Fry is vice president of news and information for OPUBCO Communications Group and also General manager of NewsOk.com. But before that she was director of multimedia at The Oklahoman and before that she was general manager of NewsOK.com. So her finger prints are all over the website and she most certainly deserves congratulations for this honor!

Journal Record's Woman of the Year YouTube Video

The Journal Record has posted a very nice video on YouTube that gives the highlights of their Woman of the Year Banquet last Friday in Oklahoma City.
Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/user/JournalRecord#p/u/8/sqVxoY-ARNk

Consumer Queen is from Edmond, OK

What are the odds? I go to the first session on the first day of Blog World  and New Media Expo 2010 in Las Vegas today and introduce myself to the person to my right - - - and he turns out to be from Edmond, OK.

 Here I am with Daniel Garcia. His wife, Melissa Garcia, is Consumer Queen.com (printable coupons, product reviews by expert moms, company sponsored giveaways, sales information for your local area and more).

A Great Weekend of Futzing With Family

I really "took off" this weekend and just played with family. My younger step-daughter, Margy, came from Austin, TX to attend the Woman of the Year banquet Friday night with her older sister, Adena,  my amazing husband, Larkin and me. We were joined by friends Lindsay LaFevers Archer and Debbie Yoeckel. It was a fun night and a relaxed weekend of getting caught up on family news and just futzing around.

Now I just face a mountain of emails to answer, mail to respond to, a couple quick projects to get done, a video interview,  3-hour Bible Study class, and packing before I take off for blog World 2010 in Las Vegas!! Yikes.

Cindy Simon Rosenthal selected 2010 Woman of the Year

Tonight Cindy Simon Rosenthal was selected the Journal Record's 2010 Woman of the Year.Rosenthal is Mayor of Norman, OK and Director of the Carl Albert Center at the University of Oklahoma. You can view her faculty bio here.

Congratulations, Cindy!!!!! (Click on images to enlarge.)

It was great to see so many Okahoma Women's Coalition board members there tonight and to see the YWCA of OK City, Girl Scouts of Western OK, Resonance of Tulsa, the N.E.W. Leadership program and Parent Child Center of Tulsa recognized as Programs Making a Difference.

Congrats OSU Students Joshua Cole, Kyle Richardson, Melyssa Gilbert, Kristin Shepherd

With Larkin at OSU Spears School of Business Scholarship Banquet last August 29th.  Picture take with Larry Crosby, Dean of the OSU Spears School of Business, and recipients of this year's Larkin B. Warner Endowment Scholarships - Joshua Cole, Kyle Richardson, Melyssa Gilbert and Kristin Shepherd.

The OSU Spears School of Business awarded 346 scholarships totalling $607,237 this year. : - )                                                                                                                                                              

Oklahoma's Largest Women-Owned Businesses

Q. What do YOU think are Oklahoma's largest women-owned businesses? 

A. Enterprises (Oklahoma City)

Bonus Building Care (Indianola)

Bentley Hedges Travel Service Inc (Oklahoma City)

Terry Neese Personnel (Oklahoma City)

Source. The Journal Record, August 17, 2010

Click on image above to enlarge.

Oklahoma Journalists Melba Lovelace & Susan Ellerbach

Congratulations to two extraordinary Oklahoma women journalists - Melba Lovelace and Susan Boling Ellerbach. Both were inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame this spring. 

Lovelace writes the "Melba's Swap Shop" column for The Oklahoman. Ellerbach is Managing Editor of the Tulsa World. Information on the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame is on display in Exhibition Hall (3rd floor), in the Nigh University Center at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond.

Debby Hampton to Head United Way of Central Oklahoma

Every since Bob Spinks, long time President and CEO of United Way of Central Oklahoma, announced his intent to retire, the nonprofit world has been wondering who would take his place.

Today we know: Debby Hampton - current head of the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits - will step into the position January 1, 2011.

You can read all about it by clicking here.  Congatulations, Debby!!!

Image from http://journalrecord.com/files/2010/03/hampton-debby-web.jpg

Teen Parent Resource Center in Oklahoma City

Did you know there is a resource center for teen parents in Oklahoma City whose mission is to help our Oklahoma teen parents "Get Back on Track"?

According to their website,  Teen Parent Resource Center (TPRC) encourages teen girls and boys "to become better, self sufficient and nurturing parents and teens as well as great contributors to our society's well being."

They also provide information and referrals -- providing teen parents with resources and connections to other agencies that can help meet their needs. Resources include regularly scheduled classes on education and academic tutoring, leadership skills, job searches, budget and money management, parenting education and counseling. In addition, the center will house items for newborns and toddlers, such as clothes, diapers, furniture and baby formula and food.

You can learn more at their website and follow them on Facebook.

Movie "Pearl" About Oklahoma Woman Showing at Warren Theatre in Moore, OK Sept 10-16.

Check out this great movie -- esp for kids -- about an Oklahoma woman!

The Chickasaw Nation is pleased to announce that its first feature film “Pearl” will be showing at the Warren Theatre in Moore starting Friday, Sept. 10 through Thursday, Sept. 16.

“Pearl” is an award-winning film that tells the true story of Eula Pearl Carter Scott, a Chickasaw who in 1928 became the youngest licensed pilot in the nation.

Tickets are on sale now. Four showings of the film will be available each day. For more information about show times, contact the Warren Theatre movie line at (405) 703-3777. Tickets are available at the Warren Theatre box office or online at http://www.movietickets.com (enter Moore, OK).

I went to the premiere of this movie this summer and enjoyed it very much. This is a well done movie about a remarkable Oklahoman. She died in 2005 right here in Oklahoma; you can read her obit here.

Tulsa's Kathy Taylor Is Changing Jobs Again: Thanks, Kathy!

Kathy Taylor recently announced that she will be stepping down from her role as public servant to join the law firm McAfee & Taft later this fall. Taylor is the former Secretary of Commerce for the State of Oklahoma and the former mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was elected the 38th Mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma on April 4, 2006, in the city's largest voter turnout for a mayoral election. She is only the second woman to serve as Tulsa's mayor. Most recently, she has been serving as Governor Brad Henry's top education advisor and chief of education strategy.

Oklahoman Lacey Russ Named Miss America's Outstanding Teen

Congratulations to Lacey Russ of Cordell, Oklahoma who won Miss America Outstanding Teen in Orlando, Fl on August 28. She was already reigning Miss Southwestern Oklahoma State University Outstanding Teen and Miss Oklahoma Outstanding Teen. She received a $30,000 scholarship and more. Read related article here.


Photo from http://missteenoklahoma.org

August 26: Celebrate Day Women Won the Vote in USA

There is a nice article in The Oklahoman today about women's suffrage entitled "Oklahoma was among first states to allow women's right to vote."

Read more: http://newsok.com/oklahoma-was-among-first-in-u.s.-to-allow-womens-voting-rights/article/3488891#ixzz0xjo7W6cK

Wikipedia's page on women's suffrage in the US begins,

Woman suffrage in the United States was achieved gradually, at state and local levels, during the 19th Century and early 20th Century, culminating in 1920 with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which provided: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex."

And here is more on the topic from About.com: Women's History --

August 26, 1920: The Day the Suffrage Battle Was Won
On August 18, 1920, the Tennessee legislature voted -- by one vote! -- to ratify the 19th Amendment giving women the vote. But it was still almost a week before parliamentary maneuvers and official certification could be completed, and the Amendment officially ratified. Read more about that last part of the long road to women's suffrage: August 26, 1920: The Day the Suffrage Battle Was Won

Women's Suffrage Quiz
Check out how much you know about the women's suffrage movement with this online quiz: Women's Suffrage Quiz

Oklahoman Lauren Zuniga on the Time Bomb That Is Woman!

Here is a 5 minute tape by incredibly talented Oklahoma artist Lauren Zuniga who turns words into bullets that pierce your heart. Enjoy and pass it along.

Norman Artist Debbie Kaspari Finds Sketch Books After Tornado

Great new! Oklahoma artist Debbie Kaspari, who lost her Norman home to a tornado, found her sketchbooks! She said, "I swear I heard angels singing when my sketchbooks were found. The roof was chainsawed and peeled back, and under the debris, there they were. Safe." You can read more at her post Nature is a moody muse. The image of Debbie working in her ruins cames from her terrific blog Drawing the Motmot. It was taken by photographer extraordinaire Tim Ryan who's blog is From the Faraway, Nearby. TR's blog was runner up for the 2009 Okie Blog Award for Best Photography. Just one of his MANY amazing photos is posted below.

Susan Walton Appointed to The Women's Alliance Board

Susan Walton, Executive Director of Oklahoma City's Suited for Success, has joined the board of directors of The Women's Alliance.

The Women's Alliance is a national organization of independent, community based members who provide professional attire and career skills training to low income women and their families seeking self sufficiency.

Suited For Success provides professional clothing and career development services to low-income women who have completed a job training or job readiness program and are actively seeking employment. We feel that our services empower our clients to successfully obtain and maintain employment thus ensuring their economic independence. Our services are available to our clients at no charge.

Journal Record Names "50 Women Making A Difference" in Oklahoma

Each year The Journal Record honors fifty women making a difference in Oklahoma. They announced their picks for 2010 a while back and I am pleased to note that nearly a quarter are members of the Oklahoma Women's Coalition. Indeed, 4 of the 50 are current or past board members of the Coalition (Alison Anthony,  Andrea Chancellor, Cathy Stackpole, and me). You can watch a video of several of the women who were early winners of the Woman of the Year award here.  

On Friday, October 8, we will gather at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum to hear from Jessie Rasmussen, Vice President, Buffett Early Childhood Fund. The Journal Record will present several scholarships, honor some programs benefiting women in Oklahoma and announce the 2010 Woman of the Year.

You are invited to attend this statewide celebration of women. Tickets are $150 and can be purchased by calling The Journal Record (405-278-2820).

Oklahoma's Brenda Edwards is New Chair of Caddo Nation

M. Scott Carter in The Journal Record July 30, 2010 had a nice profile on Brenda Edwards, the Caddo Nation’s new chairwoman. I'd love to share it here but The Journal Record uses a firewall to keep the masses out. Anyway, it was a lovely article and congratulations and best of luck to Chair Edwards!

Cara Cowan Watts Honored

From Indian Country Today

The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers has named Cara Cowan Watts, of Claremore, Okla., winner of the 2010 Robert E. Stewart Engineering – Humanities Award. The award, which honors outstanding contributions of agricultural engineering students to the advancement of the interaction of the profession and the humanities, was presented June 23, at the ASABE 2010 Annual International Meeting, held in Pittsburgh, Penn.

A member of the Cherokee National Tribal Council, Watts was selected for the award in recognition of her outstanding efforts toward the integration of Cherokee culture with engineering research and outreach.

Read full article by clicking here. 

Check Out This Video on Joan Korenblit, YWCA-OKC's 2010 Embrace Award Winner

Take a look at this great video about Oklahoman Joan Korenblit, the 2010 "Embrace Award" winner. It was shown June 19th at the YWCA of Oklahoma's Purple Sash event. Joan is Executive Director of Respect Diversity Foundation, a non-profit, tax-exempt 501 (c) (3) non-partisan educational foundation that teaches tolerance for all people.

Sydna Yellowfish Named Oklahoma Native American Woman of the Year

Sydna Yellowfish is the American Indian education coordinator for the Edmond School District. She was recently named Oklahoma Native American Woman of the Year by the Changing Winds Cultural Society earlier this year.

You can read an article about Ms. Yellowfish and watch a short video of her at http://newsok.com/article/3465566 and also read about her in this Edmond Sun article.

Fletcher School District's Kathy Turner Named Oklahoma's "Superintendent of the Year"

Fletcher School District Superintendent Kathryn Turner has been named Oklahoma's 2010 "Superintendent of the Year." She was honored June 10 during the Oklahoma Association of School Administrators Annual Conference hosted by the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration in Oklahoma City. Turner has 24 years of experience in education and has served as superintendent at Fletcher for the past six years. She was recognized for numerous accomplishments including adding a new library, additions to the agricultural building and renovations to the high school gym. She also started an after-school program for enrichment and remediation and a free summer academy for children in the school idstrict. Read more here.

Lake Park Elementary School Teacher Katherine Bishop Receives National Teaching Honor

Congratulations to Lake Park Elementary School special education teacher Katherine Bishop. She was recently named one of four teachers in the nation to receive the National Education Association Foundation's 2010 Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence. According to the NEA Foundation's website:

Katherine Bishop - Special Education Teacher
Lake Park Elementary School
Bethany, Oklahoma

Katherine Bishop believes that everyone has barriers to learning, but she realizes it often takes time to pinpoint exactly what they are and how to help. Bishop has created a classroom rich in technology to celebrate her students’ abilities while honoring their differences.

Thanks to an amplification system funded by a grant Bishop co-authored, her instruction can be understood by the student who is unable to block out certain noises and another who struggles to distinguish between similar sounds. In her classroom, students may simultaneously preview an assigned book as hard copy, using e-text readers, or with headsets for an audio version.

Bishop received her B.S. from the University of Central Oklahoma in 1991 and National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification in 2000. She co-chairs the NBPTS Exceptional Needs Standards Committee and serves on the NEA IDEA Resource Cadre.

You can watch a videa about Katherine at https://www.neafoundation.org/pages/educators/awards/teaching-excellence-awards/2010-finalists/

99's Museum of Women Pilots

The 99's Museum of Women Pilots held a dedication to celebrate the Grand Re-opening on June 26, 2010.

The museum is located near Will Rogers World Airport and was closed for seven months of refurbishing. The museum added and expanded several exhibits, such as a "Dreamflyer” flight trainer, an array of female aviators around the world and a display of women's vintage aviation fashions that includes go-go boots and outfits that cleverly convert from skirts to pants and tops.

The re-opening featured NASA Astronaut Randy Bresnik, grandson of Alfred Bresnik who was the personal photographer of Amelia Earhart. He returned a scarf belonging to Earhart which he took with him into space. You can read more of The Oklahoman article HERE and about women pilots HERE.

Jeannette Smith is New Bricktown Association Exec Dir

Welcome Jeannette Smith, the new Executive Director of Bricktown Association. She's been director of marketing for Penn Square Mall for 17 years. You can read more here.

Gerry Bonds :eves OETA

Last night was the last OETA "Oklahoma News Report" episode featuring Gerry Bonds, George Tomek and Ross Dixon. Yup - they've been let go. SORRY!!! I am going to miss them and the other programs they did as well. OETA officials said it was a cost cutting measure but really, do you believe that?! I think they just used budget constraints as an excuse to drop the old folks. As a proud and happy member of the dreaded "older generation," I am offended but not surprised.

Read About Oklahoma's Wonderful Hannah Atkins (1923-2010)

Here are a few more places that you can go to  read about Oklahoman Hannah Atkins who died June 17, 2010. She was such a smart, gracious woman and brave, honest public servant. I have only the warmest memories of working with her. I am so sad that she is gone. My thanks to  Diane Blank with the League of Women Voters of Norman, OK who provided the links below:

BlackPast.org: Remembered & Reclaimed

Remembering Hannah Atkins, 1923-2010, United Nations Association of Greater Oklahoma City

Hannah Atkins Obituary, The Oklahoman

Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture

Laurie Penix Invents Zomm

I love my ZOMM. It was a little pricey but NOTHING compared to replacing a lost iPhone. And with my ZOMM, I never get more than 30 feet away from it without it letting me know. Now The New York Times has given it a nice review and you can read the review here. This product was invented by Laurie Penix and her husband - who live in Tulsa; you can follow Laurie on Twitter (@theZOMM).

2010 Oklahoma Women's Coalition Annual Meeting & Issue Forum

Yesterday was the Oklahoma Women's Coalition Annual Meeting and Issues Forum. We met at Francis Tuttle Technology Center in Oklahoma City (Building 7) which was beautiful; I highly recommend this facility for events. Ned's catered and the food was perfect. We had a great turnout of extraordinary Oklahoma women leaders from across Oklahoma.  We began with a quick business meeting - elected new officers and board for 2010-2011. (I've stepping down as Chair but will stay on the board and chair the Leadership Development Committee,) We did special recognitions for Faye Henson's service as Treasurer, Quin Tran Dykstra's wonderful leadership as chair of the Communications Committee. And had a lovely award for Representative Kris Steele for his leadership sponsoring House Bill 2998 which creates a program that diverts non violence, low risk women offenders away from prison into an alternative facility where they can receive drug  treatment, job raining, etc.

And then we had three excellent panels during which you could hear a pin drop (so I think people were interested)! The first panel was "Legislative Update: What Happened This Session (That Impacts Oklahoma Women and Girls)?" Oklahoma State Senator Susan Paddack (pictured here with CEO of YWCA OKC Jan Peery (left) and Executive Director of Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma Karen Morgan (right) talked about the 2010 Oklahoma legislative session and offered tips on advocating, etc. while Jan Gilmore Loftis (left in second image), the Oklahoma Women's Coalition Administrator, talked about bills impacting women in the session just ended. Our Advocacy Committee (chaired by Jan Peery) and board of directors elected to be conservative this year and only officially support two bills and one budget initiative - all of which passed.

The second panel was entitled "Connecting the Dots Between Education, Poverty and Incarceration." I moderated and opened with statistics on women and poverty in Oklahoma. Erin Taylor, Academic Project Coordinator at the Oklahoma State Regents for higher Education described Project SMART (Single Mothers Academic Resource Team) which she directs. Debbie Boyer with the Division of Female Offender Operations, Oklahoma Department of Corrections gave a great talk on characteristics of incarcerated women in Oklahoma.

Our final panel was on "The State of Domestic Violence in Oklahoma." Jan Peery moderated and made opening remarks that set the tone. Jackie Steyn, LPC, Chief Programs and Compliance Officer at the YWCA of OKC and Andrea Hamor Edmondson, Administrative Program Officer with the Injury Prevention Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health (and the Coordinator of Rape Prevention Education Program) spoke. All three presentations were riveting.

Donna Lawrence (right in final image), incoming Coalition Chair, closed the program by sharing ways Oklahomans can get involved in the Coalition. I received the Coalition's first Pioneer Woman Award (see picture) - pretty sweet, huh?!?

Why are you not a member of this organization yet?!? $25; $10 for students. We'd love to have you as a member -- men,too! You can join the Oklahoma Women's Coalition online by clicking HERE.

Prudence Little Remembered

Prudence Little died on the 22nd day of May, 2010 at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX. I had the great honor of participating in a few activities with this remarkable woman and am deeply saddened at her passing. Pru attended Wellesley College and graduated with honors in economics in 1965. She then attended the University of Oklahoma College of Llw and graduated first in the class of 1968. She had a stellar legal career and contributed greatly to numerous Oklahoma programs and I urge you to honor her contributions by taking a moment to read her obituary (Click here to view Prudence Little's Obituary in The Oklahoman). Equally noteworthy is that she did it all with grace and kindness and patience and wisdom. Add to that the fact that she spent the past 35 "dealing with" cancer -- advanced melanoma (diagnosed in 1975), advanced breast cancer diagnosed in (1998), ovarian cancer (diagnosed in 2004), and advanced melanoma cancer again (diagnosed 6 months ago). I can't even begin to comprehend how to cope with that burden yet Pru dealt with it extraordinary grace and courage. I wish I'd known her better; I envy those who did; and I grieve her passing. I am making a donation to the Oklahoma Women's Coalition today in her memory. Who do you know who deserves to be remembered for the way they touched your life or the lives of Oklahomans? Take a moment to honor their life.