Gov. Nathan Deal today signed three bills pertaining to legal issues at the State Bar of Georgia and signed two bills advocated by the Women’s Caucus at My Sister’s House, an Atlanta facility that offers overnight shelter and residential discipleship programs for homeless women and women with children.
Bill signing at State Bar:
HB 24 modernizes the Rules of Evidence
Current Rules of Evidence are nearly 150 years old
Brings OCGA in line with Federal Rules of Evidence pertaining to hearsay
Georgia becomes the 45th state to modernize
HB 238 revamps the Georgia Public Defenders Standards Council
Agency has been plagued with issues
Gives more autonomy to Director
Reconstitutes the Council
HB 415 provides for a statewide jury pool
Since the 1960s, Georgia has used forced balancing to ensure demographic groups within counties are proportionally represented in the jury pool.
Ends forced balancing and implements a series of procedures and rules to compile a statewide, inclusive juror source list. It calls for the Council of Superior Court Clerks to establish and maintain a statewide master jury list and requires the Department of Driver Services and the Secretary of State to provide certain information to the Council of Superior Court Clerks.
The council will screen driver license records, vital records and voter registration records to create a more inclusive source list of eligible jurors. The database will be cleaned of duplicates, bad addresses and the names of felons and deceased people. Then the Council of Superior Court Clerks will certify and distribute an inclusive list to each individual county’s Board of Jury Commissioners.
Bill Signing at My Sister’s House:
“Human trafficking is a repugnant crime that is growing like a cancer in our society,” Deal said. “Signing this bill into law, I join my fellow Georgians in declaring moral outrage and vowing to fight human trafficking here in our state. These criminals rob their victims of freedom and human dignity, and they destroy lives. With this bill now a law, we will find these criminals and we will punish them harshly.”
HB 200 addresses human trafficking
Strengthens the punishment against traffickers by increasing the minimum imprisonment for any person who commits the offense of trafficking a person for labor or sexual servitude and subjects the convicted to a fine.
Increases the punishment for any person who commits the offense of trafficking a person for labor or sexual servitude against a person who is under the age of 18 years
Protects those that fall victim to predators whom act on their state of desperation by providing that a person shall NOT be guilty of a sexual crime if the conduct upon which the alleged criminal liability is based was committed under coercion or deception while the accused was being trafficked for sexual servitude
HB 503 provides for the Georgia Crime Victims Emergency Fund to cover the costs of medical exams of alleged victims of rape
Ensures that victims will have these exams paid for and that the responsibility will not fall on local law enforcement that have budget constraints
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Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Deal signs bill to fight human trafficking: Governor modernizes Georgia legal code, including updated Rules of Evidence
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Georgia State to host National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day event
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will hold an event to observe National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on March 10 at Georgia State University.
The event, sponsored by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Region IV and GSU's Department of Student Health Promotion, will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Hall in Dahlberg Hall, 30 Courtland St.
Other co-sponsors include the Center for Black Women's Wellness, The Creative Conversations Group LLC, Girlfriends Health Guide and AID Atlanta.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in five people living with HIV infection in the United States do not know they are infected. In 2007, more than a quarter of diagnoses of HIV infection in the United States were among women and girls age 13 and older. The numbers are an indicator that it is time to increase awareness and prevention efforts.
According to the Office on Women's Health, National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is a nationwide observance that encourages people to take action in the fight against HIV/AIDS and raise awareness of its impact on women and girls. Organizations across the country come together to offer support, encourage discussion, and teach women and girls about prevention of HIV, the importance of getting tested for HIV, and how to live with and manage HIV/AIDS.
During the event, Candice Wiggins of the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx will share her personal testimony in regards to HIV/AIDS while encouraging young women and girls to take a stand and get tested. The event will highlight a thought provoking HIV/AIDS awareness performance by the group "Substance Abuse Prevention Teen Theater (SAPTT)." In addition, the event will include a self esteem building workshop to inspire women and girls facilitated by AID Atlanta.
For more information on National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, please visit http://www.womenshealth.gov/nwghaad.
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Friday, June 19, 2009
Georgia Dept of Human Resources Program for WIC wants to hear from you
The Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR) is pleased to announce that the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) will hold its annual public comment beginning June 20. This is an opportunity for Georgians to provide feedback on the program and suggest ways to improve WIC services through web access. The web page was developed to give the public a more efficient and private way to comment on the program.
“We encourage Georgians to take part in this comment period so they can have an impact on the WIC program,” said Dr. Sandra Elizabeth Ford, acting director of the Division of Public Health. “We count on our customers’ feedback every year to make the WIC program better. For example, based on customer suggestions, our October food package will include fruits and vegetables, milk with lower fat content, less juice, more whole grain cereals and more support for breastfeeding mothers.”
To make comments or provide suggestions, participants should visit the WIC website at http://health.state.ga.us/programs/wic/. Once there, individuals should click on the “public comment” link provided on the left under “Women, Infants and Children (WIC)” and complete the appropriate survey.
The Georgia WIC program, the fifth largest WIC program in the U.S., provides monthly vouchers for supplemental foods such as cereal, eggs, juice, milk, peanut butter and infant formula to more than 324,000 participants. Women enrolled in the program also receive nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support and referrals for other health and social services.
WIC benefits are available to eligible pregnant women and women who have recently given birth, as well as infants and children up to five years of age. Eligible participants must have an income at or below 185 percent of the U.S. Poverty Income Guidelines (i.e., about $32,560 for a family of three). Participants must also be state residents who are at nutritional or medical risk as determined by a health professional.
There are more than 1,600 authorized food retailers that participate in the WIC food delivery system. WIC is 100-percent federally funded and administered by the Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health.
For more information about Georgia’s WIC program, please call (800) 228-9173 or visit: http://health.state.ga.us/programs/wic/index.asp.
2008 WIC Eligibility Guidelines for Georgia
Size of family
(includes unborn children) Yearly income*
1 $19,240
2 25,900
3 32,560
4 39,220
5 45,880
6 52,540
7 59,200
8 65,860
*Add $6,660 for each additional family member. Also, new federal income guidelines will become effective 7/1/09.
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Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Rape Crisis in Congo Topic of Emory Ethics Center Dialogue
'The Vagina Monologues" playwright Eve Ensler and award winning humanitarian Dr. Denis Mukwege of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will hold a public conversation at Emory University's Center for Ethics titled "Turning Pain to Power" at noon, Monday, Feb. 23. Admission is free but reservations are required by contacting the center at 404.727.4954, or ethics@emory.edu.
The Ensler-Mukwege dialogue is part of a five-city tour organized by V-Day, the global movement to end violence against women and girls. The tour is meant to raise awareness and to combat rampant rape and mutilation of women in DRC that has affected hundreds of thousands.
Mukwege, founder of the PANZI Hospital in Bukavu, DRC, was honored in December by the United Nations for his humanitarian work. During his public conversation with Ensler, founder and artistic director of V-Day, Mukwege will describe his experiences treating and performing life-saving surgery on thousands of Congolese women and girls. Their conversations also will explore causes of the brutality, ways to stop the ongoing violence, and Congo's growing movement of women leaders.
The tour is in support of V-Day's joint campaign with UNICEF to stop rape in DRC and will make stops this month in Los Angles, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. For more information on V-Day initiative or the tour, contact Margaret Bensfield, 202.751.3476, or Susan Celia Swan, 917.865.6603.
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Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Georgia State Lecture to Explore Link Between Reproductive Technology, Stem Cell Research
Taking Women to Market: Eggs, Embryos and Informed Consent
3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 26
Room 170, Georgia State College of Law, 140 Decatur St., Atlanta
In the fields of assisted reproduction and embryonic stem cell research, there is a common thread: human eggs.
The collection of eggs, whether for in vitro fertilization or for research purposes, involves the same processes and poses the same risk to women’s health, says University of California-Davis law professor Lisa C. Ikemoto. And increasingly, eggs are being treated as a commodity with little oversight over their collection.
“There’s very little direct regulation of the fertility industry,” said Ikemoto, who will discuss the links between the fertility industry and embryonic stem cell research next month at Georgia State University. “In the research context, it’s mixed right now. Some states, like California, are regulating the procurement process and some states and countries are not.”
Ikemoto’s presentation, “Taking Women to Market: Eggs, Embryos and Informed Consent” will be from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 26 in room 170 of the Georgia State University College of Law, 140 Decatur St.
Ikemoto, who specializes in bioethics and has written extensively about reproductive technology use, is concerned that the market for human eggs may be unduly influencing women to sell or donate eggs without fully understanding the risks. “The disclosure tends to be on paper and it’s not necessarily reflected in conversation,” she said.
“People tend to gloss over what’s in print when they get a long document [to sign],” she said.
The lecture is free and open to the public. RSVP by Jan. 19 to rsvp@lawandhealth.org or 404-413-9084.
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Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Researchers Investigate Acceptability of Potential HIV Prevention Device in Africa
For some women in the poorest parts of the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, being paid for sex is one of the few ways they are able to feed themselves and their children. In a region hit hard by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, they are at very high risk for contracting the disease.
Georgia State University researchers recently investigated whether these women, and their male clients, would accept a potential method of preventing HIV/AIDS which allows women to take control of their own health.
The device, an intravaginal ring containing chemicals microbicides, has the potential to let women reduce their risk of contracting the disease in an environment where many of their clients refuse to use condoms.
“This group of women are really stressed, and are often supporting children,” said Donna Smith, a research associate with the Georgia State Institute of Public Health. “These are not women who are making a decent living. They’re just getting by and just one client walking away could be the difference between eating or not.”
Working with colleagues such as Frances Priddy of Emory University, as well as Sabina Wakasiaka and the late Job Joab Bwayo of Kenya AIDS Vaccine Initiative, Smith and data coordinator Tina Hoang asked questions among female sex workers in the Nairobi slum community of Mukuru.
Scientists are working to develop microbicides which reduce the spread of HIV, and several types which could be used by women are in development. None have been found yet which have been proven effective in reducing the transmission of HIV/AIDS, but it is believed that an effective one will be developed in the future before a vaccine becomes available, Smith said.
An intravaginal ring, similar to the NuvaRing used currently for birth control in developed countries, could be used to release the microbicide, allowing women to potentially use the device without their partner becoming aware of it.
In the qualitative study published in the Journal of Women’s Health, some women reported that they were comfortable with the idea of using the ring without letting their partner know, however, some of the male clients insisted on knowing that it was being used — and that if they became aware of the device, they would not pay or would pay less.
Overall, though, those participating in the focus group research, sponsored by the CDC Foundation, were open to the use of the ring.
“This should be your secret,” one woman responded. “You don’t need to tell him. You would be protecting yourself from those who want to infect you.”
Smith and Hoang are also working on a six-month cohort study to track rates of STD infection among sex workers, which will help give future microbicide and vaccine researchers more knowledge about high-risk populations.
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Monday, November 3, 2008
Cooking Class Teaches about Cancer
Each year, 410 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in Georgia, and 120 women die from it. Almost 5,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Georgia, and 1,014 die from it every year. Specialists with University of Georgia Cooperative Extension want women to know the benefits of cancer screenings. Early detection can make all the difference.
“We help women understand the regular screening tends to help detect any changes in the breast or cervix before they get serious,” said Connie Crawley, a UGA Extension health and nutrition specialist. “We also teach that lifestyle can reduce risk. This includes eating more fruits and vegetables, controlling calories to achieve a healthy weight, not drinking alcohol and being as physically active as possible.”
Crawley and UGA Extension agents from across the state deliver the Cooking for a Life Time Cancer Prevention Cooking School. The classes are taught by a team with members from the BreasTest and More staff and the American Cancer Society. They are led by UGA Extension family and consumer sciences agents.
The schools are taught in counties with the highest incidences and death rates associated with breast and cervical cancers. Twenty-three schools were offered in sixteen counties in 2006 and 2007. The ACS helped fund classes in 20 additional counties in 2008.
“For many women, once they are no longer having children, they begin to skip regular Pap tests and breast cancer screenings,” said Crawley. “Also, many women do not realize that they can get their services through the BreasTest and More Program if they do not have insurance.”
Through the school, 429 women have been referred to BreasTest and More. Eighty-three women received clinical breast exams, 81 got mammograms and 44 had Pap tests. Many of these women had rarely or never been screened for cancer. Two women were diagnosed with breast cancer.
The school refers women to the Cancer Screening program established by the Georgia Department of Human Resources. The program offers Pap tests to low-income, uninsured women between the ages of 18 and 64 and mammograms to women between the ages of 40 and 64.
UGA Extension along with other state extension services partner with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Cancer Institute and ACS to increase screening for breast and cervical cancers in women who rarely if ever get screened. These women are often poor and live in counties with high rates of cancer-related deaths.
In 2006, 12 percent of Georgia women over the age of 18 did not get regular Pap tests and 21 percent over the age of 40 did not get mammograms. Nationally and in Georgia, the less money a woman makes annually, the less likely she is to get regular cancer screenings, according to the CDC.
In 2006, 18 percent of Georgia women earning less than $15,000 a year did not get Pap tests, twice the percentage of those earning between $35,000 and $50,000 annually.
For more information on healthy life choices, cancer classes or the cooking school, contact a local UGA Extension office at 1-800-ASK-UGA1.
By April Sorrow
University of Georgia
April R. Sorrow is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
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Thursday, October 23, 2008
U.S. Suicide Rate Increases
The rate of suicide in the United States is increased for the first time in a decade, according to a new report from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Center for Injury Research and Policy. The increase in the overall suicide rate between 1999 and 2005 was due primarily to an increase in suicides among whites aged 40-64, with white middle-aged women experiencing the largest annual increase.
Whereas the overall suicide rate rose 0.7 percent during this time period, the rate among middle-aged white men rose 2.7 percent annually and 3.9 percent among middle-aged women. By contrast, suicide in blacks decreased significantly over the study’s time period, and remained stable among Asian and Native Americans. The results are published online at the website of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine and will be published in the December print edition of the journal.
The researchers also conducted a detailed analysis of suicide methods across specific population groups. While firearms remain the predominant method, the rate of firearm suicides decreased during the study period. Suicide by hanging or suffocation increased markedly with a 6.3 percent annual increase among men, and a 2.3 percent annual increase among women.
Hanging/suffocation accounted for 22 percent of all suicides by 2005, surpassing poisoning at 18 percent.
“The results underscore a change in the epidemiology of suicide, with middle-aged whites emerging as a new high-risk group,” said study co-author Susan P. Baker, MPH, a professor with the Bloomberg School’s Center for Injury Research and Policy. “Historically, suicide prevention programs have focused on groups considered to be at highest risk—teens and young adults of both genders as well as elderly white men. This research tells us we need to refocus our resources to develop prevention programs for men and women in their middle years.”
Baker along with colleagues Guoqing Hu, PhD, Holly Wilcox, PhD, Lawrence Wissow, MD, MPH, analyzed data from the Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) mortality reports, which provides data on deaths according to cause and intent of injury by age, race, gender and state. WISQARS mortality data are based on annual data files of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The reasons for the increase in the suicide rate are not fully understood. “While it would be straightforward to attribute the results to a rise in so-called mid-life crises, recent studies find that middle age is mostly a time of relative security and emotional wellbeing,” said Baker. “Further research is warranted to explore societal changes that may be disproportionably affecting the middle-aged in this country.”
The research was funded by the Center for Injury Research and Policy.
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Tuesday, October 14, 2008
AAUW Hosts Political Forum Tuesday in Valdosta
The American Association of University Women will host the South Georgia Political Forum from 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, at the James H. Rainwater Conference Center.
Candidates for all national and local offices will participate in free-form roundtables and offer three-minute speeches, which will be moderated by Dr. Sharon Gravett, assistant vice president for Academic Affairs and longtime member of the AAUW. Prior to the addresses, the estimated 20 candidates from state and local races will be available in the meeting room to entertain questions from the public and distribute campaign information.
The Valdosta branch of the AAUW organized the forum, in conjunction with Myrna Ballard of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce, Julie Greenhaw of the Lowndes County Republican Party and Dennis Marks of the Lowndes County Democratic party.
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Thursday, October 9, 2008
UGA Institute for Women's Studies to Host Second Annual Conference on Women and Girls in Georgia, Oct. 24-25
The University of Georgia Institute for Women’s Studies is hosting the second annual conference on Women and Girls in Georgia on Oct. 24-25, at the Paul D. Coverdell Building on the UGA campus. The theme of the 2008 Women and Girls in Georgia Conference is “Health & Well-Being.” Presentation topics include environmental health, depression, body image, aging, teen pregnancy prevention, addiction, disability, midwifery and maternal health and many more.
The Women and Girls in Georgia Conference was established in 2007 to highlight and encourage cutting-edge research by, for and about women and girls in Georgia, in all their diversity. The conference brings together leading researchers, teachers, activists and community members to share expertise, strengthen networks and strategize for positive social change in Georgia and beyond.
This year’s conference will include a keynote lecture by Susan Wood, a research professor in the department of environmental and occupational health at George Washington University. A long–time champion of women’s health, Wood previously served as director for Policy and Program Development at the U.S Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health. She was assistant commissioner for women’s health and director of the Office of Women’s Health at the FDA until 2005, when she made headlines by resigning on principle over the continued delay in approving emergency over–the–counter contraception.
Prior to joining HHS, Wood was science adviser and then deputy director of the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues. In that capacity, she was directly involved with policy initiatives and legislative proposals designed to advance biomedical research, women’s health, family planning and health care reform.
Academics, students, advocates, activists and community members are welcome to register for the conference. The full conference program and registration information are available at www.uga.edu/iws/WAGG.
By Molly Moreland Myers
University of Georgia
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Monday, September 29, 2008
Seminars Offered to Low Income Women During Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• Oct. 3, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., English, Mercer University Life Religious Center, 1550 College St., Macon
• Oct. 10, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., English, Middle Georgia Technical College, 80 Cohen Walker Dr., Warner Robins
• Oct. 17, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., English, Southside Community Church, 4162 Roy Ave., Macon
• Oct. 24, 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m., English, Middle Georgia Technical Institute Adult Education Center, 700 Spruce St., Fort Valley
• Oct. 31, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., English, Mercer University, Religious Life Center, 1550 College St., Macon
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and in order to help women become aware and find breast cancer in its early stages, the Mercer University School of Medicine’s will provide several breast health awareness seminars to women living in Central Georgia. Breast cancer has been increasing at an alarming rate with current estimates indicating that 1-in-8 women will develop breast cancer during their lifetimes. It is the leading cause of death of American women between the ages of 40 and 55.
The seminars, sponsored by the School’s Department of Community Medicine, will teach women why and how to perform breast self-exam, and what should prompt them to make an appointment with their personal physician for confirmation.
A free luncheon will be provided to women participants, and a door prize will be offered. Moreover, some of the women participants will be offered a coupon for a free mammogram examination.
“Getting diagnosed at an early stage is very important because early detection is crucial not only to the ‘survivorship’ of a patient, but to her quality of life while treating the cancer, and thereafter,” according to Fan Chen, M.D., in the Department of Community Medicine. “For many patients, early detection could mean not having to lose a breast through mastectomy or not having to experience aggressive chemotherapy.”
Earlier this year, Mercer offered two seminars for Spanish speaking women. All the seminars are sponsored by Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation.
The schedule of the seminars is listed below, with the language offered and location. More seminars in Chinese may be given in October to December. For more information about the seminars, call Mercer University Department of Community Medicine at (478) 301-4053.
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Monday, August 11, 2008
Atlanta to Host Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) Team in 2010
PRNewswire/ -- With the 2008 Olympic Games underway and many fans wondering what's next for their favorite female soccer players, Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) announced today that it has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to expand to Atlanta, Ga. in 2010, the League's second year of play.
Atlanta joins Philadelphia as an expected 2010 WPS expansion city, while host cities named to date for the inaugural 2009 season include Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New Jersey/New York, St. Louis, and Washington D.C. Meanwhile, the League continues to explore additional potential franchises for both the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
Atlanta entrepreneur T. Fitz Johnson, former CEO of Eagle Group International, LLC, leads the local WPS ownership group and is slated to serve as the team's managing partner. A member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), Johnson holds an Advanced National Diploma from the organization and has extensive ties to soccer at the youth, collegiate, amateur and professional levels.
"Atlanta is well-known throughout the country as being a solid soccer city filled with talented players and enthusiastic fans, so we've had our eye on Atlanta as an expansion market for many months," said Tonya Antonucci, WPS commissioner. "The League is fortunate to have Fitz on board, as we will certainly tap his enthusiasm and business savvy during our inaugural season."
Johnson is a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Army and Army reserve, having earned his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Kentucky, College of Law. Prior to serving as CEO of Eagle Group International, he served as the organization's Chief Counsel, V.P. for Human Resources, Executive Vice President, COO, and President.
"WPS has proven itself to be a smart business venture, with a conservative business plan built on realistic numbers and executive leaders that not only know soccer as a sport, but as a business," said Johnson. "Atlanta soccer fans can now watch the world's greatest athletes play in this month's Olympic Games and know that those same premier players will soon put their talent on display in our city as part of WPS."
"As a League, we want owners who have solid operational business experience, a deep-rooted passion for soccer, and a commitment to the community, as well as extensive local connections. Fitz meets and exceeds these requirements and we look forward to the prospect of adding him as our business partner," said Jack Cummins, a Chicago Red Stars owner who has worked on expansion for the league.
From 2001-2003, Atlanta was home to the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) Atlanta Beat and was the only team in the League to reach the playoffs every season.
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Thursday, July 17, 2008
Emory Women's Basketball Squad Earns Spot on WBCA Academic Top 25 Honor Roll
The 2007-08 Emory University women’s basketball program was recognized for its collective performance in the classroom, earning a spot on the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll for Division III. The awards recognize teams throughout the nation in NCAA Division I, Division II, Division III as well as NAIA and junior colleges that have compiled the highest grade-point averages for the past academic year based upon nominations submitted by WBCA-member coaches.
The Eagles of Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty held down the No. 4 position on the Top 25 list, fashioning a GPA of 3.50 for the ’07-08 school year. The Emory squad had a strong showing during the recently completed spring semester, posting a 3.53 effort on the academic front. The Eagles were the lone representative from the University Athletic Association (UAA) to make the Top 25. Concordia University (WI) claimed the No. 1 ranking among Division III programs with a 3.637 GPA and was followed by Messiah College (3.627).
“Emory is a prestigious institution that challenges its students to be the best that they can be,” Thomaskutty said. “The team doing as well as it did is a testament to the drive and commitment that the players have for all aspects of their lives.”
South Dakota State University and the University of South Dakota were the No. 1 finishers in NCAA Division I and NCAA Division II, respectively. The GPAs were calculated by dividing the total number of quality points earned by each student-athlete on an institution’s roster in the given academic terms by the total number of hours earned by the team.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Pathbuilders, Inc. Launches 20th Achieva® Class: A Leadership Development Program for Women
BUSINESS WIRE--High-performing professional women have been selected from 30 metro Atlanta companies to participate in Pathbuilders’ 2008 Achieva® class, a year-long professional development program designed for mid-level executive women with senior executive potential. Pathbuilders kicked off its 20th Achieva class on May 13 at the Omni Hotel at the CNN Center.
“Over these 20 classes, we have positively impacted 300 companies and more than 2500 women,” said Helene Lollis, president of Pathbuilders. “This year, 13 executive-level women from Fortune-ranked organizations, who were themselves mentees in earlier classes, are serving as mentors in the program. A record 85 percent of our mentors are returning to participate in this year’s programs.”
Achieva includes one-on-one external mentoring with a senior executive to create a deep, professional relationship that challenges each participant to dramatically expand her perspectives.
“Much of the reward I take away from being a mentor is having the opportunity to personally impact the growth of an upwardly mobile woman,” said Jacqui Welch, six-time mentor, 1998 class alumna and vice president of Employee and Organizational Effectiveness at Rock-Tenn Company. “My relationships with my mentees have broadened my perspectives and have provided me with invaluable insights into my own organization.”
The program also includes educational sessions and peer networking to help position each woman as an influential leader within her organization. Participants learn how to build their executive presence, develop more strategic views and lead their companies toward greater success.
Pathbuilders offers professional development and mentoring programs designed to address each of the four key stages in a woman’s professional career:
- InsigniaSM focuses on entry-level women, up to two years into their careers.
- PerceptaSM is tailored for junior-executive women learning to manage people and projects.
- Achieva® is comprised of mid-level, high-potential women, recognized as having senior-executive potential in their organizations.
- Inspiria® is designed for senior-level women leading and setting vision for their organizations.
Mentees in the 2008 Achieva program are sponsored by the following organizations:
AT&T Corporation
Avon Products, Inc.
Ceridian Corporation
Cisco Systems, Inc.
Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc.
Deloitte
Ernst & Young LLP
Georgia Power, a Southern Company
Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc.
Heatcraft Refrigeration Products, LLC
Holder Construction Company
InfiCorp Holdings, Inc.
InterContinental Hotels Group
Kimberly-Clark Corporation
KPMG LLP
McKesson Provider Technologies
Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
Munich American Reassurance Company
NCR Corporation
Oglethorpe Power Corporation
Piedmont Healthcare
ProCore Solutions
RBC Bank
Rock-Tenn Company
Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc.
Solvay Advanced Polymers LLC
Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Southern Company
The Weather Channel Interactive, Inc.
Verizon Wireless
