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SAVE THE DATE: 30th Anniversary Celebration November 17, 201

Can you believe it?! Leadership Texas is

Thirty Years Old and Still Going Strong

Where Will You Be on November 17, 2012?

Make plans NOW to attend the 30^th Anniversary Celebratory Luncheon, Dallas

Special group rates while they last at the

fabulous, new Omni Dallas Convention Center Hotel

Join with your Class and Region to Celebrate and

Invest in the continued development for women leaders everywhere.

Take part in the celebrating of the nation's longest running

Women's Leadership Program!

Share your own story as a part of the legacy

of leadership by LT Women by taking

the Graduate Survey now!

And DONATE to the celebration

by clicking 30th Anniversary Donations

(Your investment will be attributed to

your class/region reservation.)

Keynote Speaker:

Patricia Sellers

Fortune Magazine, Editor At Large

30th Anniversary Honorary Co-Hosts:

Colleen Barrett and Cathy Bonner

Reserved tables are going fast!

Classes and regions are reserving

their place at the celebratory luncheon

What about you? Contact your class champion for details.

Individual tickets go on sale September 1

(If there's any room left)

Major Leadership Texas

30th Anniversary Sponsors to date:

Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Texas

Texas Instruments

Service King Collision Repair

Southwest Airlines

"Community" Focus of First LT Session

With the theme "Women Leaders: On the Highway to a Fast, Forward Future," 116 women from throughout Texas were wowed with interesting and dynamic speakers in Austin Feb. 25 -27. LT 2009 Graduate Nancy Giordano peered into her crystal ball to provide class members with a view of the future ranging from the future of the economy to role of social media and much, much more. A visit to Austin's Mueller Community demonstrated how a former airport can be converted to a dynamically successful and liveable mixed use community. To view the entire agenda, Click Here. Alumnae interested in registering for the session can Click Here.

WR Board President Presents 2011 Annual Report

WR President Penny Beaumont addressed a large contingent of graduates at the organization's Annual Meeting held in San Antonio November 18-19 and presented the 2011 Annual Report. She highlighted the accomplishments of the various Committees of the Board, the recent actions taken by the WR Board of Directors and encouraged alumnae to plan to attend the 30th anniversary celebration of Leadership Texas to be held in Dallas November 17, 2012. To read the entire annual report, Click Here.

Leadership America Heads to Washington in April

Leadership America, the sister program of Leadership Texas, has returned to the umbrella of Women's Resources where it first launched in 1988. In honor of the 25th anniversary of Leadership America, we are reprising the cities from the very first class year (DC, San Francisco and Houston). Martha Farmer, first ED of Leadership Texas, will continue to serve as Director of Leadership America. More than 55 women have been selected for the 2012 class which will convene for its first session in Washington, DC, April 29-May 1, with the theme "The Future of America as a Global Leader." For additional details on the program sessions, dates and topics, please go to www.womensresources.org/LA.asp

Health & Wellness for Leaders Focus of Annual Meeting in San Antonio

Outstanding speakers, including The Honorable Henry Cisneros, former Under Secretary of State and Mayor San Antonio, The Honorable Julian Castro, Mayor of San Antonio, Jane Hickie, JD, Senior Research Scholar & Director, Politics, Scholars and the Public Program at Stanford University, and Dr. Eduardo Sanchez, VP & Chief Medical Officer of Blue Cross/Blue Shield, stimulated and educated attendees at the Women's Resources Annual Meeting in San Antonio. The Annual Meeting was the culmination of the Leadership Texas 2012 class year and celebrated the graduation of the 104 class members.
Fascinating, interactive panel discussions featured experts on a wide variety of topics:

* Don't be a Patient Patient: A Real Look at Patient Advocacy with Joleen Chambers (LT04), advocate for patient protections from failed implanted medical devices and Mellanie True Hills (LT03), advocate for awareness of atrial fibrillation

* The Power of Plants: Texas Plants as Cancer Fighters with Dr. April Risinger, Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Texas health Science Center at San Antonio/Cancer Therapy & Research Center

* A Solution for Mom with Georgia Brown (LT11), Senior Vice-President, Home Healthcare Solutions

* The Aging Brain: Challenges & Opportunities to Promote Healthy Aging led by Dr. S. Liliana Oakes, MD, CMD, Associate Professor, UTHSC San Antonio.

Women's Resources Forms Alliance with She Should Run
Women's Resources is proud to announce a new alliance with She Should Run. This organization informs individuals about the state of women in public office and mobilizes them to take action. The online movement provides tools to help women who are considering running for office. The result is a powerful pipeline for women eager to learn more about a career in politics, from school boards to state legislatures to Congress. It is party neutral and designed with broad impact in mind. Check out www.sheshouldrun.org for information on how to run for political office!

WR Launches Health and Wellness Blog
Leading the way to health and wellness, your Women's Resources has launched its first blog entitled "Healthy Leading Women. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, a WR Pinnacle Partner, is sponsoring the site which can be found at www.womensresources.org. The goal of the blog is to create a conversation about what we're reading, seeing, hearing, observing and concluding about critical health issues facing society.
Many thanks to Valerie Strong (LT02), president and CEO of Sunshine Avenue, a full service marketing firm, who proudly contributed her services to making the blog a reality.

Merchandise Sales to Benefit Scholarships

"Looking Back, Giving Forward" is the name of the project that the LT09 class selected to raise funds for the Leadership Texas Scholarship Fund. They have established an "online store" with merchandise featuring the W or Leadership Texas logo. The merchandise includes attractive shirts, scarfs, bags, hats and more. A percentage of the funds raised through the store will go to support future Leadership Texas class members. Some of the available merchandise includes t-shirts with inspirational messages; denim shirts, pashminas with the glittery W logo, mugs, totes, and more in a variety of styles and colors. To shop and help fund scholarships, go to http://advancedgraphix.net/leadershiptexas/. Samples of some of the products are below:

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Honor Liz Carpenter with Donation to Scholarship Fund
Our dear friend Liz Carpenter recently passed away and we are deeply saddened by this loss. If you wish to commemorate her numerous contributions to Women's Resources you may make a donation to the Leadership Texas Scholarship Fund in her name. To donate, login to this site with login name and password and click on Donations. Acknowledgment of your donation will be sent to her family. Other donation opportunities include the Liz Carpenter Endowed Lectureship at the University of Texas and the Liz Carpenter Book Award established by the Texas State Historical Association for the best publication on Texas History.

Leadership Texas Session II - 4/23/2012

Power Pipeline Deadline - 4/6/2012

LT San Antonio "Power Pathways" Breakfast - 5/3/2012

LT Alumnae Event - Bryan/College Station - 5/10/2012

LT Alumnae Event - Dallas/Ft. Worth - 5/17/2012

Power Pipeline 2012 - 5/18/2012

Leadership Launch - San Antonio - 6/6/2012

Leadership Launch - Amarillo - 6/8/2012

Leadership Texas Session III - 6/18/2012

Leadership Texas Session IV - 9/10/2012

Leadership Launch - Lubbock - 10/1/2012

Leadership Launch - Longview - 10/3/2012

Leadership Launch - Laredo - 10/5/2012

Leadership Texas Session V & 30Th Anniversary - 11/15/2012

30Th Anniversary Celebration Of Leadership Texas - 11/17/2012

FWR Establishes Linkedin Site

You can now communicate with classmates and other alumnae, seek job opportunities, and look for potential employees through the social networking site, Linkedin. Sign-up and click on Groups to go to the Foundation for Women's Resources site. You can click on the Linkedin logo to the left on the Home Page.

LT 09 Class Explores in Texarkana May 3

Texarkana alumnae rolled out the red carpet for the LT 09 Class for the first ever visit to their hometown. An outpouring of generosity and hospitality from the community resulted in sponsorship for all events. Regional Director Claudia Snow led the effort, with great involvement from local graduates. LT alumnae Molly Beth Malcolm (LT92) and Mike Mankins (LT95) hosted dinners for the class members. The session focused on the outstanding educational programs underway in Texarkana including the state's only known elementary math and engineering school for elementary students. Topics included energy, higher education, the arts and more. To view the entire agenda, Click here. Pictured are members of the class touring the Josh and Martha Morriss Elementary School for Math and Engineering. Photos from the session will be posted on the Photo Page of this Website soon.

Power-packed Weekend Greets Power Pipeline Participants

The journey began Friday, April 17, for an outstanding group of 40 emerging leaders from throughout Texas and beyond who were selected to participate in the Power Pipeline Class of 09. An agenda that includes excellent presenters and dedicated mentors ensured that the class members got to meet and dialogue with women leaders who continue to shape our state and this country. The sessions included presentations on connecting personal and professional life, finances, tips on leadership and a visit to the Women's Museum. Members of the Power Pipeline Committee of the Board helped to plan the session and are participating as mentors. To view the weekend agenda, Click Here.

Austin Welcomes LT09

Beginning with a gracious welcome by the Austin region alumnae at the Omni hotel, followed by drinks and conversation at Manuel's the LT Class of 09 enjoyed a fabulous time in Austin (their words). The class members clamored for a return engagement by Mary O'Hara Devereaux who challenged conventional wisdom and predicted the future of our economy. Famed demographer Steve Murdock, returned from his sojourn in DC, returned to deliver his message of the demographics changes and challenges that will face Texas and the nation.

The Class was recognized by the Texas House of Representatives, and greeted at lunch by several women legislators. Texas Comptroller Susan Combs shared her experiences that led to her achieving one of the highest elected positions in the state, and Scott McGown of the Center for Public Priorities talked about the state of public education and the need for full funding. A visit to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center was culminated with an enlightening presentation by Austin Mayor Will Wynn.

A highlight of the session on Tuesday was the gracious welcome from Chancellor of the University of Texas System Dr. Francisco Cigarroa and his wife Graciela who hosted a pool party complete with traditional Tex-Mex fare. The class enjoyed time to visit and rehash the events of the day.

On the final day, FWR Board member Audrey Selden shared her experiences and wisdom about necessary qualities for leaders. The class will reconvene in Texarkana on May 3. Photos of the session will be available on the Photo Page.

FWR Board and COB Members Convene in Austin

Candace O'Keefe Mathis, Rosemary Breedlove, Penny Beaumont,

Karla Barber, Patricia Diaz Dennis, Audrey Selden, Amalia Rodriguez-Mendoza, Lana Porter, Ann Korioth (not pictured: Judith Guthrie, Patricia Bailey, Cathy Bonner, Diana Hightower Johnson, Shirley Hoskins, Martha Smiley and Ima Turner).

An energetic group of over 60 graduates of Leadership Texas and Power Pipeline as well as Board members and friends of Women's Resources gathered in Austin last weekend to plan for 2009. The four Committees of the Board (COB) are the Leadership Texas COB, chaired by Board Vice-president and Secretary Audrey Selden (LT92), the Power Pipeline COB, chaired by FWR Board Member Patricia Diaz Dennis and FWR Board Member Ima Turner, the New Initiatives and Strategic Alliances COB chaired by FWR Board Member Lana Porter, and the Alumnae Relations COB, chaired by Karla Barber, FWR Board Member and LT 01). Minutes of the COB meetings will soon be posted under Documents. To view the names of all COB members, Click Here. To view photos of the participants at the session, click on Photo Pages on the Home Page menu.

Carolyn Tobin Wins Television in Richards Scholars Drawing

Carolyn Tobin (LT06), Dallas Region Co-Director is the winner of the television set generously donated by Texas Instruments to benefit the Richards Scholars Endowment Fund. Carolyn expressed delight and surprise at being informed that her name had been drawn.

The Richards Scholars Endowment Fund provides scholarships to educators from the public and independent school sector, including PreK-12 education and community colleges, to participate in Foundation programs in the coming years. The endowment was established in 2006 in the memory of Former Texas Governor Ann Richards, founding member of the Foundation for Women’s Resources, whose career began as a classroom teacher.

ALUMNAE AND CLASS MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

Danny Ballard (LT01) a nationally recognized leader the field of health, has officially been named division chair of Health Education in the Department of Health and Kinesiology. Ballard, past president of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), will continue in the role she has been serving in on an interim basis for the past two years. After a nationwide search, many in the department believed that the right person was already in place to lead the division. The decision to make Ballard’s position permanent was decided from opinions from faculty in the health education division and the approval of department head Richard Kreider.

Jean Callison (LT09) was named the recipient of the Distinguished Leadership Award from Leadership Plano this month. The Plano City Council member was recognized for her outstanding community service as a community volunteer and elected official.

Gov. Rick Perry has named Judge Donna Klaeger (LT08) of Horseshoe Bay chair of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. The commission establishes standards for the care and treatment of county prisoners, and the construction, maintenance and operation of county jails. Klaeger is Burnet County Judge. She is a member of the County Judge’s Association of Texas and Capitol Area Rural Transportation Planning Organization, and an officer on the Capitol Area Planning Council of Government’s Executive Committee. She is a past member of the FWR Leadership Texas Class and University of Texas Fellows Program.

Cynthia “Cindy” Leon (LT 92 and LT COB) has been appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the State Affordable Housing Corporation Board of Directors. The Board oversees the provision of affordable housing for low income Texans. Leon is a retired regional director for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. She is past chair of the Dallas-Fort Worth Federal Executive Board. Leon served in the U.S. Navy Reserve, and received a bachelor’s degree from Austin College and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She replaces Jesse A. Coffey of Denton.

Ann Margolin (LT94) has been elected to the Dallas City Council. Ann has a long history of community service and leadership.

Joan Shepack (LT07) was selected as the Alumni of the Year for the University of the Incarnate Word for 2009. The Alumni of Distinction Award is the highest award presented by UIW to an alumna/us. Honorees are selected based on their professional accomplishments, service to others, and Christian living. The award was presented at the May 9th Commencement in San Antonio, TX . The Awards Committee of the UIW Alumni Association Board presents candidates to the full Board for recommendation. The recommendations are sent to the President of the University of the Incarnate Word for final approval.

FWR Board Elects New Members

At a recent board meeting, the Board approved the membership of Graciela Cigarroa as a new member of the FWR Board of Directors. The entire board list can be found at Committees, under the title of FWR Board of Directors.

FWR Honors Sandy Tyler (LT90) With Coveted Cathy Award

Cathy Bonner, namesake of the Cathy Award, presented this treasured award posthumously to Sandy Tyler (LT90) at the annual meeting of the Foundation, Friday, October 10. Sandy was honored for her dedication to Leadership Texas and the Foundation. On hand to accept the award was her dear friend, Cindy Conroy (LT07), regional director of the El Paso Region.

As a participant in Leadership Texas, Sandy found a venue that suited her well. With state-wide contacts, she enabled numerous other women and girls to achieve their goals. When the Women’s Museum was founded, Sandy was quick to donate both her time and money. She helped organize and fund the publication of the book “Desert Echo, Women Illuminate the Sacred,” with proceeds benefitting the Museum. Perhaps her greatest contributions were to the Girl Scouts of the Rio Grande since Sandy identified the lack of Girl Scout troops from the low-income areas of El Paso. As a result, El Paso now enjoys troops representing the fabric of the community. Her indomitable spirit was present as she raised funds to establish the Girls Go Tech Van, a mobile computer lab that travels to low-income girls to get them on computers with a focus on math and science.

Sandy’s civic involvement included leadership roles in the United Way Campaign, the YWCA, El Paso Chamber of Commerce and the University of Texas at El Paso. In 1990, Sandy received the City of El Paso Conquistador Award for service to the El Paso Community. She also served as Leadership Texas El Paso Regional Director for several years. Sandy’s commitment to the Foundation for Women’s Resources and The Women’s Museum were again demonstrated with significant bequests that will further the mission of each.

FWR Launches New Online Community for Alumnae Supporters & Friends

Full Story

Become a Foundation Member Today!

We invite you - graduates of Leadership Texas and Power Pipeline - to become members of the Foundation for Women's Resources. Membership is $100. If you have not received your temporary username and password, contact Laura Logan at laura.logan@womensresources.org or 214-421-5566. Full Story.

Silver Anniversary: Commemorative "W" Pins, Charms & Pendants

This beautiful "W" Pin is a wonderful way to honor the achievements of Texas women leaders, past and present. Full Story.

Richards Scholars Endowment Fund

The Richards Scholarship Endowment Fund was established to fund scholarships for educators from public and private schools and community colleges to participate in Leadership Texas. The scholarship is named in honor of Ann Richards whose career began as an school teacher. To date more than $130,000 has been raised toward the goal of $250,000. If you would like to contribute to the Endowment Fund, click here.