Linda Steele Brown: Interim Superintendent, OKC Schools

This is old news but worth noting. When Bob Moore left last spring, the Oklahoma City Public School District's School Board named Linda Steele Brown as Interim Superintendent. She has worked in the school district since 1974 and done practically everything. We wish her good luck and success until the district's national superintendent search is completed.

UCO Offers Women's (Higher Ed) Leadership Conference

Here is The Journal Record's article which you can also read at http://www.journalrecord.com/viewstory.cfm?recid=71534:

Women’s leadership conference offered at UCO
9/21/2006

EDMOND (JR) – Preparing women to assume leadership positions in higher education administration is the goal of a one-day workshop sponsored by the Oklahoma Women in Higher Education at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. The conference – “Maximizing the Leadership in You” – is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 3 at UCO. The cost is $60.

Speakers will include Belle Wheelan, president of the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and Anne Morgan, a consultant, historian and writer. Topics for sessions include communication skills, mentoring, networking strategies and leadership development.

The Oklahoma Women in Higher Education is part of the American Council on Education’s Network. More information on the conference is available by calling Debbie Blanke at (405) 225-9151. The deadline for registration is Oct. 19.

Oklahoma's Women Attorneys Meet in Tulsa 9-28-06

The Oklahoma Bar Association's Women in Law Conference will be held at the renaissance hotel in Tulsa this Thursday. Women lawyers will take continuing education sessions and hear talks by VIPs including Gail Evans, author of She Wins, You Win: The Most Important Rule Every Businesswoman Needs to Know and Play Like A Man, Win Like a Woman: What Men Know About Success That Women Need to Learn.

Color Purple Music Director Linda Twine

Oklahoman Linda Twine is music director for play "The Color Purple" that has been entertaining sell-out crowds on Broadway since December 2005. Read the Oklahoman article here.

OCU Nursing Honors Seven at Oct 5 Celebration

Oklahoma City University's Kramer School of Nursing honors seven (click for story):
Gwen Dailey, Associate Chief for Nursing Specialty Services, Oklahoma City Veterans Affairs Medical Center, OKC.
Lisa Griffitts, nurse educator, Valley View Regional Hospital, Ada
Tammy Powell, Chief Nursing Officer and VP, St Anthony Hospital, OKC
Paula Price, Director of Health Promotion and Community, Norman Regional Health System
Stacy Robberson, Clinical Nurse Manager, Integris Baptist Medical Center, OKC
David Wilson, Staff Nurse, CHildren's Hospital Urgent Care Center, St Francis Hospital, Tulsa
Stanley Hupfeld, President and CEO, Integris Health, OKC

Christy Gaylord Everest

I actually heard a group of liberal Democrats recently admit that The Oklahoman is a better newspaper since Christy Gaylord Everest was elected president of The Oklahoma Publishing Company in 2002. Imagine that. Go Christy!

Abby Cash is Oklahoma's Argitourism Guru

The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture recently appointed Abby Cash as director of Agritourism. She is developing an inventory of agriculture-related products and tourism services.

Mex Frates Dies

I have been out of state so I just discovered that civic leader Mex Frates died in early September at the age of 98. Her family settled in the Heritage Hills section of Oklahoma City in 1911 when she was 3 years old. She was the very first president of Junior League of Oklahoma City (1933), helped found our United Way, served on the boards of many, many civic organizations and was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1969! You can read entries in her Legacy Book here and nice write-ups about her by the Oklahoman.

France Honors Barbara Thompson

Barbara Thompson of Oklahoma City recently was presented France's Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. Thompson is the honorary consul of France for Oklahoma and has spent a lifetime teaching students Frence and promoting friendship between France and The United States. Read John Greiner's Oklahoman article by clicking here. TRead more about the French Legion of Honor by clicking here. Thompson is the wife of Judge Ralph G. Thompson.

Linda Hasler-Reid: Oklahoma's 2007 Teacher of the Year

Muskogee teacher Linda Hasler-Reid was named teacher of the year at the State Fair yesterday. Read The Oklahoman article here.

Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher Supplement in The Oklahoman

In today's (Sept 17, 2006) The Oklahoman there is a nice 4 page supplement on the life of Oklahoma desegregation pioneer Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher. Sadly, I can't find a link to the story on their website - which is a real shame - so you'll have to pick up a copy of the paper yourself. Sorry!

Susan Winchester Is 2006 Woman of the Year

Congratulations to State Representative Susan Winchester for being selected the Journal Record's 2006 Woman of the Year. Read story here.

(Oklahoma) Women In Charge

The Oklahoman ran a lovely article by Paula Burke Erickson Sept 14, 2006 on a number of Oklahoma women who have made it to the top. Featured were Brooke Murphy (Crowe & Dunlevy law firm), Denise Suttles (Oklahoma City Clinic), Brenda Sanchez (Remington Park Casino), Yvonne Hovell (East Tulsa Dodge dealership), Isabel Chancellor (IngenuitE software consulting firm in Oklahoma City), Cheryl Cohenour (CRC & Associates environmental and hazardous waste consulting firm in Tulsa) , and Dana Weber (Webco Industries). Also featured was Amy Polonchek, Interim Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. Click here to read the article.

Linda Edmondson on Advanced Directive

Kudos to Linda Edmondson for informing the public via an article in today's Oklahoman that Oklahoma has a new advanced directive ("living will"). So, if you have none, go get the form and do one; if you have one already, you will want to make an updated version! To download a copy of the new form go to http://okpalliative.nursing.ouhsc.edu/oklaw and click on "Oklahoma Advanced Directive Form" or call 271-1491, ext 49194. Read Linda's article here. And read about Linda here.

Artists/Designers: Show Your Stuff at OKC's The Girlie Show October 20-21

This is a juried art show for Oklahoma women artists and designers.

The show was featured in Oklahoma Today this month.

You can check out their website here.

Happy Women's Equality Day (Aug 26)

President Bush has proclaimed August 26, 2006, as Women's Equality Day and calls on Americans to celebrate the achievements of women and observe this day with appropriate programs and activities. (It recognizes the adoption of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution and the suffragettes who worked and sacrificed - especially Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. Google these women and pay them tribute; they were incredible. (Thanks, Wanda DeBruler, for bringing the proclamation to my attention!)

Kristine Brown of Alva, Oklahoma is 109

Mary Jane Alexander, who is interviewing and photographing Oklahoma's oldest citizens for her "Salt of the Red Earth" project, thinks 109-year old Alva resident Kristine Brown may be Oklahoma's oldest living centarian. Read about Brown in this Alva Review-Courier article. The photo of Brown on her 108th birthday was taken by Helen Barrett. Want to nominate someone to be interviewed? See related story.

Mary Jane Alexander's "Salt of the Red Earth" Project

In the past three months, award-winning writer and photographer Mary Jane Alexander has criss-crossed Oklahoma and logged more than 2,000 miles to create portraits and signature quotes representing 100 Oklahoman centenarians. So far she has interviewed 88 -- from Commerce to Selig to Valliant. Four of the centenarians she has met (all women) were born in the 1890s. She has met one set of centenarian siblings and three married centenarian couples. The project - which is sanctioned by the Centennial Commision but unfunded - will result in dozens of museum-quality prints for a Tulsa Historical Society exhibit in November as well as a 2007 showing in the Governor's Gallery at the State Capitol. If you want to help Mary Jane with this project, contact her at inkfactory at cox dot net.

Amanda Stevens Olympic Bound?

Now that Enid native and OU College of Medicine graduate Amanda Stevens has her MD degree, her next goal is to compete in the 2008 Olympics. She won the 2001 USA National Triathlon Championships and is currently ranked 125th in the world and 15th in the USA.

"Jean Warner Is On A Mission"

Yup. I'm on page 31 of Oklahoma Today's September/October 2006 edition (aka CentennialCollectors Series: First of Eight). I can't show you a copy of the article so pick up a copy or order a copy.

WiLL and Laura Boyd

Among the many hats that former Oklahoma State Legislator Laura Boyd wears these days is National Field Director for the Women Legislators Lobby. WiLL is a national non-partisan network of women state legislators working together to influence federal and state policy and to promote women for elected office at state and federal levels. Approximately one-third of all seated-women legislators are WiLL members.

Say... How about a Women's Lobby for Oklahoma?

Anne McBride Mental Health Court

Kuddos to those working to establish the recently opened Anna McBride Mental Health Court in Cleveland County - especially district judges Bill Hetherington and Jequita Napoli. Former Judge Nancy Coates and OK Dept of Mental Health director Terry Cline worked hard to get one started in Oklahoma County. It is great to see the program spreading to other counties. It saves tax dollars while offering humane treatment to mentally ill citizens who have cross paths with the criminal justice system. Read the Norman Transcript story here.

Darcie Harris of EWF International

Today's Oklahoman has a nice half-page article about Darcie Harris and the company she co-founded, EWF International (formerly Executive Women's Forum). The firm hosts peer advisory groups or "Forums" where women business owners and top executives can discuss business issues in a confidential setting.

Vote Mary Fallin for US Congress Aug 22

Good for the The Oklahoman today for endorsing Lt. Governor Mary Fallin for the 5th Congressional District. Fallin's legislative experience will let her hit the ground running. She has a good understanding of all of Oklahoma's needs and interests. In this red state, a Republican is going to replace Ernest Istook and it should be Fallin - not her opponent. (And I don't want to hear about and supposed personal dirt on this candidate; she went through an unfortunate divorce a long time ago. Give it a rest. Let's run on the issues, please.)

It is time Oklahoma sent a woman to Congress. Women legislators conceptualize problems differently, are more likely to offer new solutions, are more responsive to constituent requests and much more (read the research findings on this here).

All that said, The Oklahoman had me at "Fallin's campaign has generally been clean..." Say no more. Know what I mean, wink, wink? Fallin is a good, honest candidate; she deserves your vote.

Senator Nancy Riley Switches to Democratic Party

Following the Primary Election, State Senator Nancy Riley announced she was switching from the Republican to the Democratic Party. She was an unsuccessful candidate for Lt. Governor. The switch is a big deal. Just increasing the number of Senators in the State Senate by one makes it a little harder for Republicans to "take over" the Senate (i.e., gain a majority of members). Counting Riley, there are now 26 Democrats to 22 Republicans. However, six Senate seats held by Democrats are open because those Democrats couldn't run for re-election due to term limits. She said she was switching because she feels there is no place in the Republican Party for moderates, because Republicans are undermining public education and because she feels the party has a lack of compassion for people. She also said part of her problem with the party was because she was a woman. (Could that mean the Republican Party is not women friendly? What party IS?)

Robyn Hilger - Oklahoma Teacher of the Year

Okahoma State Teacher of the Year Robyn Hilger is a Suma Cum Laude graduate from Oklahoma City University and holds a Masters Degree in Music. She is band and orchestra director at Belle Isle Enterprise Middle School in Oklahoma City.

Anne Roberts to be Honored

Congratulations to Anne Roberts who has made such a difference in Oklahoma through the Oklahoma institute for Child Advocacy. She is one of five to be honored by HeartLine at their "Festival of Hope" event on September 7 at the Oklahoma City Golf and County Club. for more information, call 405-840-9396 or visit their website.

Where are the Women's Studies Programs in Oklahoma

I know of the following three women's studies programs in Okahoma and two "women's centers." Please let me know if there are others. Click on name to view ther website.
Oklahoma State University's Women's Studies Program
University of Central Oklahoma's Women's Studies Program
University of Oklahoma's Women's Studies Program
University of Oklahoma's Women's Outreach Center
University of Tulsa's Tulsa Studies in Women's Literature

Join Kim Henry Aug 16 to Promote Internet Safety

On August 16, Oklahoma's First Lady Kim Henry hosts "MyFamily.MySpace.MyResponsibility" - a day focused on promoting Internet safety for children and youth including a 7:00 a.m. First Lady's Prayer Breakfast at St. Luke's United methodist Church in OKC; a luncheon program at the Phillip's Pavillion for educators; and an evening program at St. Lukes. Reservations for the breakfast and evening program are preferred. For more information and how to register, click here.