Holly Webb (Jackson BPW) and Carrie Wilkie (HAM BPW) both presented great speeches to the May 2009 Convention Body.   

Holly is a Senior Administrative Assistant with Priority Health.  Her speech was on the skills she developed while preparing to participate in the YC Program.  She learned to get better organized, stay focused on the task, and take a stand.  Holly believes she will be able to mentor other young professionals both inside BPW and out in making these three steps part of everyday life.  During her preparation she realized that once she was organized and focused, she could do more outside the house such as attending more meetings. She found that she needed to be at City Hall meetings so she knew what was going on in her city. She needed to be at  PTA meetings so she could have a voice in her children’s education. She concluded that “Now, I can focus on raising my children to be the strongest women they can be.  They shouldn’t have to fight the glass ceiling.  Hopefully, by the time they reach the work-force, there won’t be a glass ceiling to fight.” 

Carrie is a Production Data Supervisor with Dawn Foods, Inc.  She is also in the middle of her Masters’ Degree at Spring Arbor University.  Carrie spoke on the need for women to stay the course and fight for women’s issues especially now when the federal administration appears supportive of our needs.  She noted that President Obama said that the purpose of the White House Council on Women and Girls “is to ensure that American women and girls are treated fairly in all matters of public policy.”  Excited that this cross-functional group of members from 24 government departments and agencies including State, Labor, Defense, and Energy will focus on bringing women’s equality issues to the national forefront, Carrie concluded: “Not only a national platform, but an entire Council dedicated to, charged with, our advancement.  Guaranteeing our equality.  Wow.  What an amazing time.”