Convening: The Legislator's Powerful Role
Wednesday, July 23

(Cosponsored with the NCSL Legislative Effectiveness Committee and the Institute for State-Tribal Relations)

This interactive, full-afternoon workshop explained the legislator’s critical role as a convenor to help solve problems in both the district and the statehouse.  Experienced legislators and other trainers, from the Policy Consensus Initiative and NCSL, led participants in learning the principles and best practices, including the use of technology, and then applying them to real-life examples.  Part 1 of the workshop explained the purpose of convening and outlined some tools for success. Part 2 guided participants through planning their own convening processes. 

Trainers:

Representative Kathy Tingelstad, Minnesota
Roger Moe, Former Senate President, Minnesota
Ralph Becker, Mayor, Salt Lake City, Former House Minority Leader, Utah
Lana Oleen, Consultant, Former Senate Majority Leader, Kansas
Tara Perkinson, Deputy Clerk, Senate, Virginia
Greg Wolf, Director, Policy Consensus Initiative, Oregon
Sarah Giles, Program Coordinator, Policy Consensus Initiative, Oregon
Peggy Kerns, Director, NCSL Center for Ethics in Government, Colorado
Katie Ziegler, Policy Specialist, NCSL Women’s Legislative Network, Colorado
Bruce Feustel, Senior Fellow, NCSL, Colorado

Convening: The Legislator's Powerful Role []

Network Reception
Wednesday, July 23

The reception honored the Network president-elect, Indiana State Representative Peggy Welch. 

Special thanks to the reception sponsors: American Cancer Society, Great Lakes Division; The Arc of Indiana; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company; Clarian Health; Embarq Corporation; the Equipment Leasing & Finance Association; Ice Miller, LLP; Indiana Bankers Association; Indiana Health Care Association; Indiana State Nurses Association; Novartis Pharmaceuticals; Pepco Holdings, Inc.; Roche Diagnostics.

What Is the Financial Status of American Women? Perception vs. Reality
Thursday, July 24

This was the kick-off event for the Network's Financial Stability Project.  

Faculty: Marsha A. Goetting, Professor and Extension Family Economics Specialist, Agricultural Economics and Economics Department, Montana State University.

Dr. Goetting led participants in an interactive session to test their knowledge of women's economic situation.  She shared data about per capita income, multiple job holders, the poverty threshold, health care coverage, credit card debt and retirement savings. Using Montana as an example, Dr. Goetting suggested legislators contact their State Research, Education & Extension Services, as many states have Family & Consumer Science programs with financial education resources.

Listen to a podcast of this session!

Dr. Goetting's PowerPoint presentation []

Dr. Goetting's data and suggestions for further information []

Network Business Meeting and Luncheon, Featuring the Women of the Storm
Thursday, July 24

(Program cosponsored with the Center for American Women and Politics, the Center for Women Policy Studies, Women in Government and the Women Legislators' Lobby.  Lunch sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals)

(Rep. Sheryl Allen and Rep. Peggy Welch)

The session began with the annual Network business meeting and elections.  Representative Peggy Welch, Indiana, was elected president, and seven other legislators were elected to new positions on the board.  View the complete 2008-2009 board here. 

Keynote Speaker: Anne Milling, founder, the Women of the Storm

The Women of the Storm are a grassroots advocacy group of Louisiana women dedicated to restoring and revitalizing their communities after hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  Believing that members of Congress needed to see the devastation of the hurricanes for themselves, and dismayed at how few had visited the area, 130 economically and culturally diverse women chartered a flight to Washington, D.C., to extend a personal invitation to the senators and representatives.  More recently, the group has been involved in scheduling a Presidential forum to be held in New Orleans.  Anne also shared stories about other New Orleans groups, led by women, that sprang up following the storms to address critical needs. 

Anne shared seven principles important to a successful grassroots endeavor:

1. EMBRACE DIVERSITY: Include all affected by the situation, not just friends
2. MAINTAIN FOCUS: How easy it is to stray and/or be pulled in different directions
3. BE PERSISTENT: Nag, but with grace, charm and intelligence
4. DEVELOP A BRAND: Logo, message, be consistent
5. POWER OF THE GROUP: The Women of the Storm's 12 member executive committee makes decisions by consensus
6. CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS: Take time to reflect on accomplishments
7. BELIEVE IN YOUR CAUSE: And in your colleagues and in yourself!

Listen to a podcast of this session!

What Every Student, Parent and Legislator Needs to Know About College Costs, Financial Aid and Admissions
Thursday, July 24

(Cosponsored with the College Board)

A panel of experts in financial aid, admissions, academic preparation and counseling presented the latest information about paying for college and preparing for success in higher education.

Moderator: Brian Petraitis, director of the New York office of the College Board

Panelists:  Beatrice Flair, director of college counseling, Benjamin Franklin Charter High School, New Orleans
Roger Vick, director of financial aid, Louisiana Tech University
Lori Zawistowski, interim dean of enrollment management, Loyola University New Orleans

NEW Leadership: Preparing the Women Leaders of Tomorrow
Thursday, July 24

(Cosponsored with the Center for American Women and Politics)

(l-r: Debbie Walsh, Assy. Kathy McClain, Rep. Vicki Schneider, Julianna Ormsby, Diana Rhodes)

The NEW Leadership program gives college women an opportunity to learn about leadership and politics from successful women leaders at a week-long summer institute.  

Panelists:
Assemblywoman Kathy McClain, Nevada, Faculty, NEW Leadership Nevada
Julianna Ormsby, Nevada Women's Lobby, former Program Manager, NEW Leadership Nevada
Diana Rhodes, Women's Research Institute of Nevada; Program Manager, NEW Leadership Nevada
Representative Vicki Schneider, Missouri, Faculty, 21st Century Leadership Academy
Debbie Walsh, Center for American Women and Politics

Debbie Walsh shared the history of the NEW Leadership program, developed in 1991 in New Jersey, and explained the NEW Leadership Development Network, the process through which schools in other states create their own programs.  Learn more here.

Missouri Representative Vicki Schneider talked about her involvement with the Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life at the University of Missouri St. Louis.  The Institute helped her improve her public speaking skills when she first ran for the legislature; she has since been involved as a faculty advisor for several programs, including their version of NEW Leadership.

Assemblywoman Kathy McClain, Julianna Ormsby and Diana Rhodes spoke about their involvement with NEW Leadership Nevada at UNLV.  Diana was a participant while in college, and now directs the program.  She said that a critical component of the program is assembling a diverse group of women, from all cultural backgrounds, including women from urban and rural communities, and non-traditional students.  Julianna and Assemblywoman McClain recounted securing money from the state to support the program.  For the past several years, Assemblywoman McClain has invited each class of women to her house for dinner to meet program alumnae and other women in the legislature.

Walk for Wellness
Friday, July 25

More than 125 people turned out on a beautiful New Orleans morning to walk or run a 5K route along the Mississippi River and into the French Quarter. 

The Walk for Wellness is dedicated to raising awareness of the devastating effects heart disease, diabetes and obesity have for our nation as a whole, while drawing special attention to the health disparities that exist in minority and underserved communities.

(Amita Toprani, director, Steps to a Healthier New Orleans)

For the third year in a row, the Walk for Wellness honored a local organization with a mission similar to ours.  We chose Steps to a Healthier New Orleans to receive this year’s award.   The Steps program funds communities to implement chronic disease prevention and health promotion programs that target three major chronic diseases, diabetes, obesity and asthma, and their underlying risk factors of physical inactivity, poor nutrition and tobacco use.  The Steps program is about improving lives - helping Americans reduce their risk of chronic diseases and live longer, better, and healthier.

The Walk is a collaborative effort of:

• the National Caucus of Native American State Legislators
• the National Black Caucus of State Legislators
• the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators
• the National Asian Pacific Americans Caucus of State Legislators and
• the Women’s Legislative Network of NCSL
• the Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee
• the NCSL Health Committee

Special thanks to the Walk for Wellness sponsors: the American Cancer Society, the American Diabetes Association, the American Podiatric Medical Association, the American Society of Landscape Architects, Kraft Foods Global, and Nestle Waters North America. 

What's Driving College Costs?
Friday, July 25

(Sponsored by the NCSL Education Committee and the NCSL Budgets and Revenue Committee)

Students, parents and legislators are well aware that the cost of going to college is rapidly increasing at a larger rate than almost all other goods and services. Legislators have little information to understand why costs are increasing so much so fast, however.  This session examined what really drives the cost increases and posed the questions legislators need to ask to better understand these trends.

Presiding: Delegate John Doyle, West Virginia

Panelists:
Sally Clausen, Louisiana Board of Regents, Baton Rouge
Richard Vedder, The Center for College Affordability and Productivity, Washington, D.C.
Jane Wellman, Delta Cost Project, Washington, D.C. [Presentation ]