By Ann Houston

On April 23 expectations for the number of participants more than doubled with 410 women from across the state converging at the State Capitol for the Oklahoma Women’s Summit 2004. Gov. Brad Henry and the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women co-sponsored the event. The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education also served as a one of the partner agencies with Dr. Fern Bowling, Equity/Diversity Specialist and Gina Haury Wendling, CareerTech retiree, serving as co-chairs on the planning committee and panel facilitators.

Photo by Erin McGregor

Dr. Belinda McCharen, CareerTech associate state director and Dr. Kay Martin, superintendent/CEO of Francis Tuttle, served as speakers on the education panel. The CareerTech staff partners who worked as delivery/setup/registration/and with catering at the summit included Kelly Arrington, Jo Kahn, Paula Tully, Kim Downey, Janet Hawkins, Denise North, Debbie Shumaker, and Debbie McElroy. Creative services, print shop, purchasing, CIMC, guidance and resource center, communications and marketing staff were other significant workers involved on the Summit.

At the conference, citizens, students, business, professional, community and state leaders came together to address topics and issues relating to women. Some of the topics included women and children, women in the sciences, entrepreneurs and business owners, policy makers, networking, elder care and preparing women for the workforce.

The Summit’s goal is to stimulate change in state policies and create initiatives to benefit women statewide. Speakers encouraged women to become politically active and involved in business, education and health-related issues.

About 50 women panelists told their stories and responded to questions from the audience. Panelists and speakers represented a wide range of expertise ranging from the political, judiciary, private and public sectors, as well as those working with the highest population of incarcerated women in the United States found in Oklahoma’s prison system.

CareerTech staff members who were essential to the success of the Summit, pack up for the trip back to Stillwater. From the left are: Janet Hawkins, Debbie Shumaker, Debbie McElroy, Paula Tully, Jo Kahn, Kim Downey, and Kelly Arrington.

 

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