Working women conference slated

Participants attending the 14th annual Working Women’s Conference on Feb. 10 will learn how to be a working woman while creating a legacy.
Sponsored by the WestStar Leadership Program and Tom E. Hendrix Chair of Excellence in Free Enterprise at UT Martin, the conference is designed to appeal to all working women in West Tennessee, whether they be an assistant, executive, manager, elected official or chief executive officer of a company.
The conference will take place from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Feb. 10 at the University of Tennessee at Martin Boling University Center Duncan Ballroom. UT Martin Chancellor Tom Rakes and Charley Deal, WestStar executive director, will welcome participants following continental breakfast and registration, which are scheduled for 8:30-9 a.m.
Mary Kate Ridgeway of Henry County UT Extension Services will lead the conference.
The opening speakers will be Dr. Lisa LeBleu, chair, graduate program coordinator and professor of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at UT Martin, and Dr. Teresa Collard, director, UTM Women’s Center and assistant professor of communications. Their presentation, “Life is a Picnic: Fill your Basket with Happiness,” is set for 9:15 a.m. LeBleu serves as the family and consumer sciences teacher educator and also teaches basic courses in child and family studies. She has a Ph.D. in home economics education with a minor in child development from Iowa State University. Collard teaches courses in public speaking and interpersonal communications and devotes a great deal of time to consulting on interpersonal communications and its applications to the business and educational environment.
Both LeBleu and Collard have served as consultants for the Cobb County Education Consortium in Atlanta and various other state and regional organizations and are both recipients of the UT National Alumni Association Outstanding Teaching Awards.
At 10 a.m., Lori Nunnery, executive director of the Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau, will present “Gettin’ There From Here.” Nunnery’s professional organizations and activities include chair for Tennessee Trails and Byways Cotton Junction, Discovery Museum of West Tennessee board of directors and the 2011 NAIA Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament co-chair. In 2005, she won the Tennessee Business and Professional Women’s ClubSpeak-Off.
At 10:45 a.m. Jacqueline Taylor, assistant dean of students and director of the Vocational Center for Life Calling and Career, Student Services at Union University, will deliver her presentation, “Who’s at your Picnic.” Taylor has experience teaching adult continuing education in technology. In addition to her 17 years of experience in higher education in the areas of student services and academics. She is also knowledgeable of learning styles, personality testing/evaluation techniques, and educational research for program design and improvement.
Lee Johnston, executive director of the Covington-Tipton County Chamber of Commerce, will present “It’s Raining, Now What?” at 12:45 p.m. Johnston has 24 years of banking experience, has chaired several festivals in Tipton County and has been involved with the Lauderdale and Haywood County Feeder Calf Association.
His awards include Jr. Auxiliary’s 1997 Man of the Year and 1996 DSCC Alumni of the Year, and he has earned a conservationist achievement award.
Richard Schoeberl, assistant athletics director at UT Martin and former FBI Counterterrorism employee, will deliver the final address of the day at 1:30 p.m. with his presentation, “Watch Out For The Big Bad Wolf!” Schoeberl served a majority of his FBI career in the Counterterrorism Division, providing oversight to the FBI’s international counterterrorism effort.
He was responsible for collateral duties in the FBI as a certified FBI instructor and a member of the FBI SWAT program.
The deadline to register for the conference is Feb. 1. Forms may be mailed to WestStar, UT Martin, 321 Administration Building, faxed to 881-7019 or emailed to vgrimes@utm.edu. If registering via email, include name, business, complete address and phone number. If registering for two people, make sure to include all information on both registrants.  On-line registration is preferred at www.utm.edu/weststar. Credit cards are accepted. The fee is $35 per person and includes continental breakfast and lunch. Make checks payable to WestStar. For more information, contact Virginia Grimes, WestStar coordinator,  at 881-7298.
This conference is made possible by WestStar Leadership in partnership with the Tom E. Hendrix Chair of Excellence in Free Enterprise.

WCP 1.17.12

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