After Tiller Benefit Screening

The Women and Girls Foundation and Women's Law Project

Present a benefit screening of the documentary

After Tiller

Saturday January 18th

Kelly Strayhorn Theater. 5941 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15206

Doors open at 6:00 PM    |     Screening to start at 6:30 PM

Serving wine, desserts, & music before the show

Panel Discussion will follow

Minimum Contribution $10 - Proceeds benefit the Women’s Law Project’s reproductive rights work in Western PA.

Seating is limited - click here to register now

 http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=7WBpZz0%2Bvg6VhU48Tzr0Ile1CXgKtnyQ

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

WGF Celebrating Women Having a Global Impact

Greetings from the Women and Girls Foundation!

Each week this summer we will feature our "Fabulous Five on Friday," highlighting WGF'sCelebrating Women! Having a Global Impact nominees and the wonderful work they are doing. This year, the Women and Girls Foundation is focusing on women from this region, who through their work are sharing their passion for global change with our city and having an impact far beyond Pittsburgh.

We are inspired by their work that the nominees do, and we cannot wait to share their stories with you! Please join us every Friday this summer, starting TODAY!, to read about this group of amazing women who are bringing the world to this region and this region to the world.

Celebrating Women! Having a Global Impact will be held on Saturday, November 16th at the August Wilson Center.  Mark your calendars for this much-anticipated event!  You can read more about our fantastic nominees, view the trailer for the film premiere, and purchase tickets online now.

The Board of Directors and staff of WGF also invite you to serve on the Host Committee for this dynamic event.  Host Committee members agree to purchase two tickets to the event by July 31st and generate excitement about the event to your professional and social networks.  Members will receive exclusive benefits.  Please view the Host Committee form for more information.  We hope that we can count on your participation!

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Women's Day of Action for Health Care

Women’s Day of Action for Health Care
Women across Pennsylvania are calling their legislators today, urging them to accept the Medicaid expansion and extend health care coverage to hundreds of thousands of women and families. The time to act is NOW. Women’s lives are on the line.

Our lawmakers have a chance to accept billions in federal funds to expand Medicaid to people making up to 138% of the federal poverty level ($31,800 for a family of four). That means women who work as hairdressers, home health care workers, servers, and other hourly jobs will finally get the coverage they need.

Around one in ten adult women in Pennsylvania lack health insurance, even though many of them have jobs and families who are dependent on them to stay healthy. Starting in 2014, 7 million women will be newly eligible for Medicaid coverage under the expansion, including over 200,000 Pennsylvania women alone.
Stand up for women, stand up for Medicaid expansion - Call Today!

Here’s How You Can Help:
1. Call your legislator using this link
http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=gt8qm/vvLEUbOj8WbHXj0IwH7pFJMQRr

Script: “Hi, my name is __ and I live at __. As a woman/mother/daughter/sister who cares about her health and the health of her family, I encourage you to support Medicaid expansion in Pennsylvania.”
You could even go on to say: “Women play a critical role in the economy. They also play a vital role in supporting and making the health care decisions for their families, yet sometimes their own health care is not covered. Do the right thing for Pennsylvania, and support the health and economic wellbeing of women and families by endorsing the Medicaid expansion.”

2.    Join us on social media using the hashtags #Expand4Women, #Women4Medicaid, #LivesontheLine

Cover women, Cover Families, Cover the Commonwealth!

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Women Rallying for Change Across the Region

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Women Rallying for Change
Across the Region

Annual Equal Pay Day events and activities will be held
in three southwest PA counties in partnership with
the Women and Girls Foundation this April

In recognition of national Equal Pay Day, the Women & Girls Foundation will host our
7th Annual Equal Pay Day Rally to raise public awareness about equal pay and the need
for economic justice for women and girls in our region.

DATE:  Tuesday, April 9th
TIME:  12:00-1:00pm
LOCATION:  Market Square, Downtown Pittsburgh
Help spread the word:

Please forward this message to your networks to encourage turnout, and
visit pittsburghequalpayday.wordpress.org
to learn more about how the wage gap impacts women in Pennsylvania

If you are on Facebook, please join the event.
If you Tweet, please use #EqualPayday and tag @wgfpa
________________________________________

Our Partners will also be holding Equal Pay Day activities:

GREENSBURG
Seton Hill University Feminist Collective
Faculty Panel of experts on gender issues, mainly the gender wage gap.
Monday, April 8th, evening
Coffee and snacks will be provided.
For more information, click here
Rally/March beginning at Seton Hill’s Maura Solarium
Tuesday, April 9th, 11:30am
Ice Cream Social for Rally Participants
Tuesday, April 9th, afternoon

UNIONTOWN
MyOWN Campaign in partnership with BPW (Business Professional Women)
at Penn State Fayette (local hosted at PSU Fayette) will host a series of events
during the week of April 8 through April 12, including:
Equal Pay Day Rally on the Fayette County Courthouse Steps
Tuesday, April 9th, at 12:00pm

BPWOW (Women Of the World) Networking event and Salary Negotiation Workshop
Thursday, April 11th,  at 5:00pm
For more information, click here
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
For more information about any of these events,
visit www.wgfpa.org or call 412.434.4883

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Policy Briefing on Impact to Women of PA Budget

Policy Briefing:
How Will The State Budget Impact Women?

Join us Wednesday, March 27th 3-5 pm
WGF office, 100 W. Station Square Drive, Suite 315

This Policy Briefing focuses on the impact of the State Budget on women’s issues.  A panel of experts will give you an insider’s perspective.  We will also unveil "Ms. State," WGF’s annual report on how State Budget cuts are affecting women and girls in Pennsylvania.

Come and be engaged, learn what is going on in our state, ask your questions, and enjoy a lively discussion.  Refreshments will be provided.

There is no cost to attend but please register as space is limited.

Speakers:

Lisa Frank, One Pittsburgh- Standing up for a city that works for all including good jobs, strong communities and corporate accountability.
Rochelle Jackson, Just Harvest- Working to end hunger and poverty through mobilizing, advocating and serving towards economic justice for all.
LaTasha Mayes, New Voices Pittsburgh- Building a social change movement dedicated to the health and well-being of Black women and girls through leadership development, Human Rights and Reproductive Justice.
Jessie Ramey, Yizercation- Creating great public schools for all students, with adequate, equitable, and sustainable public funding.
Chris Sandvig, Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group- Organizing community-based nonprofits and their core partners dedicated to the revitalization of urban neighborhoods.

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

WGF Celebrates woMEN!

Women and Girls Foundation Honors Men for the First Time

PITTSBURGH, Penn., October 1, 2012 – For the first time in its history, the Women and Girls Foundation will honor MEN who are helping to advance women’s rights and opportunities in the greater Pittsburgh region. The awards will be presented at the organization’s annual gala which will take place on Saturday, December 1, 2012, from 6 to 9:00 p.m. at the August Wilson Center for African American Culture. The presenting sponsor of this event is UPMC. Tickets may be purchased online at www.wgfpa.org or by calling 412-434-4883.

“Celebrating Women began eight years ago as an annual event to recognize and honor amazing women from myriad disciplines who are serving as role models and breaking barriers in our region,” says Heather Arnet, chief executive officer, Women and Girls Foundation. “With so many men from our area standing up for women and serving as champions and advocates in the workplace and the community, we thought it was time to shine a light on them. This year, the name of the event stayed the same but with a slight twist to focus on those being honored – Celebrating woMEN!”

The following men are being honored at the December 1 event:

Jim Abraham, Law Office of James E. Abraham LLC
Gregg Dietz, University of Pittsburgh and Shaler Area High School
Tanner Fitzgerald, Pennsylvania State University Student
Rep. Dan Frankel, Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Dr. Freddie Fu, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Medicine
William Gay, formerly on the Pittsburgh Steelers
Michael Aaron Glass, Dress for Success Pittsburgh
George Greer, The Eden Hall Foundation and H.J. Heinz Company
Andrew Hoover, American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania
George Kantor, Carnegie Mellon University and Girls of Steel
Maxwell King, Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media
Lou Rood, Belle Vernon Area School District and Pittsburgh Passion
Hon. Gene Strassburger, Superior Court of Pennsylvania

Demi Brae Cuccia

A Special Award of Distinction will be issued to Dr. Garry Cuccia for his heroic efforts to advocate for teen dating violence prevention programs, through the Demi Brae Cuccia Bill, a law named after his daughter who was killed by her boyfriend at age 16.

The event is co-chaired by Gregg and Yu-Ling Behr and Tom and Bonnie VanKirk.

Women and Girls Foundation
The Women and Girls Foundation of Southwest Pennsylvania (WGF) is an independent, community-based foundation serving Southwest Pennsylvania. Our vision is to create a region where women and girls have equal access, opportunity, and influence in all aspects of their public and private lives. To realize this vision, the organizationʼs active mission is to achieve gender equity by investing in public policy initiatives that will result in long-term systemic change impacting women and girls lives for generations to come.

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Celebrate Day of the Girl

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Teen Girls Take Over Harrisburg

Teens take over Harrisburg!


October 18, 2011


100 High School Students to shadow State Legislators in Harrisburg Tuesday as part of Women and Girls Foundation’s GirlGov program.

Harrisburg, PA – October 18, 2011 – One hundred high school students from Southwestern Pennsylvania will have the opportunity to walk a day in a State Legislator’s shoes on Tuesday October 18th as part of the Women and Girls Foundation’s GirlGov program.



DATE: Tuesday, October 18th, 2011

TIME: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: State Capitol Building, Harrisburg, PA



“I was truly shocked to discover that less than 17% of our State Legislators are female and that of the 50 states ours ranks 42nd for women’s political participation,” said Chareeni Kurukulasuriya, GirlGov participant (2010). “This really sparked the idea in my mind that it is up to young girls currently in high school, like myself, to take an interest in politics and break into this male dominated field.”

GirlGov (www.girlgov.org), a program created in 2009 by the Women and Girls Foundation (WGF), provides teenage women in SWPA the opportunity to experience what it is like to be a State Legislator for the day. 100 students were invited to participate this year. Fifty legislators will each be assigned two teen “shadows” for the day. Participants in the program shadow a Pennsylvania State House or Senate Representative for an entire day at the Capitol Building in Harrisburg, PA attending committee meetings, constituent and staff meetings, and legislative sessions as well as lunch with their Representative or Senator.

“The goal of the program is to engage teen girls to become more informed, engaged, and interested in the political process.” Said Heather Arnet, CEO of the Women and Girls Foundation. “The program idea was created by our teen group, the Regional Change Agents. Their first year (2010) was such a success we decided to make it an annual WGF program.”

Participating legislators include Senator Wayne Fontana, Rep. Marc Gergely, Rep. Randy Vulakovich, Senator Jay Costa, Rep. Mike Turzai, Senator Jane Orie, Rep. Matthew Smith, Rep. Chelsa Wagner, Rep. Dan Frankel, Senator Joseph Preston, Rep. Daniel Deasy, Rep. Robert Matzie, Rep. Frank Dermody, Rep. Jake Wheatley, Senator Tim Solobay, Rep. Brandon Neuman, Rep. Deberah Kula, Rep. Jesse White and Senator John Pippy.

GirlGov is an initiative of the Women and Girls Foundation. For more information about WGF, Regional Change Agents or GirlGov, visit www.wgfpa.org. To interview a GirlGov participant or WGF representative, please contact Heather Arnet 412-720-4280.

Philanthropist Ritchie Scaife Awards Challenge Gift to WGF

Ritchie Scaife Makes Lead Gift of $50,000 to

The Women and Girls Foundation of Southwest Pennsylvania

Philanthropist Establishes Challenge Campaign

to Increase Investments in Women and Girls

News Release - PITTSBURGH— March 8, 2011 — The Women and Girls Foundation of Southwest Pennsylvania (WGF) announced today, that in honor of Women’s History Month, and in support of women’s futures, philanthropist Ritchie Scaife has made a lead gift of $50,000 to the Women and Girls Foundation to support WGF’s grantmaking pool for 2011.

This gift is a matching challenge posed to other individuals to meet Mrs. Scaife’s donation by making their own generous gifts to the Women and Girls Foundation. This new matching challenge campaign, “Battle For Equality: The Ritchie Scaife Challenge For Women and Girls” was created by Ritchie Scaife to encourage other individuals to increase their investments in advancing women’s and girls’ rights.

“What impresses me most about the Women and Girls Foundation is their approach to social change,” explained Mrs. Scaife. “Their grants empower women and girls by breaking down systemic barriers to equality. I encourage more women to join me in investing in change not charity. Together we can get to the root causes of poverty, wage inequity, domestic violence, and other forms of gender discrimination and begin to improve them.”

“Ritchie is committed to leveraging her philanthropy to improve the lives of other women and girls,” said Women and Girls Foundation CEO, Heather Arnet, “She understands that in order to ensure long term change, we must invest in policy advocacy to increase and defend women’s rights in our country and in our state.”

To meet the challenge the Women and Girls Foundation must raise at least $50,000 in new donations from individuals this year. Once the match is met, the Foundation will have a grant pool of $100,000 to award to local grantees in 2011.

The Foundation’s mission is to achieve equality for women and girls in the region. Grant awards made by the Women and Girls Foundation are 100% supported by individual donations. Grants are invested in non-profit, non-partisan, public policy initiatives to increase women’s and girls’ rights in Southwest Pennsylvania. By focusing this challenge on the grantmaking pool, donor gifts will have maximum impact reaching dozens of grantee agencies and improving the lives of thousands of women and girls through the public policy improvements achieved by these grants. A request for proposals will be released in May inviting non-profits to compete for the grant awards. Agencies interested in receiving a copy of the RFP should email susan@wgfpa.org. Individuals interested in making a donation to the “Battle For Equality: The Ritchie Scaife Challenge For Women and Girls” should contact Jui Joshi, Director of Philanthropic Engagement, 412-258-2559, jui@wgfpa.org.

Women and Girls Foundation Celebrate Women in Media

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Elizabeth Waickman
Communications Coordinator
412.434.4883
Elizabeth@wgfpa.org


Fifteen Local “Women in Media” to be Honored at Women and Girls Foundation Gala November 6, 2010

Event will honor artists , editors, reporters, producers, filmmakers, bloggers, and professionals in the media world who are raising awareness and shaping the coverage of women and girls’ stories in our region.

PITTSBURGH—The Women and Girls Foundation (WGF) will celebrate “Women in Media” this November with a Gala Award Ceremony honoring women in our region leading the way in print, radio, PR, TV, in film and on the internet, and those utilizing multiple media to promote and amplify the voices of women and girls. These honorees are making our region a better place for women and girls to thrive through their advocacy and influence on our region’s media outlets. WGF’s annual gala celebrating “Women in Media,” sponsored by UPMC, and Chaired by WQED Multimedia incoming CEO Deborah Acklin, will be held on November 6, 2010, at the August Wilson Center for African-American Culture in Downtown Pittsburgh, from 6 – 10 p.m. The ceremony will be emceed by Laverne Baker Hotep, Patrice King Brown, Eleanor Schano and Sally Wiggin, and will include a Keynote Address by filmmaker, Abigail Disney.

In 2005, WGF pledged to honor a select group of women every year who are engaged in dynamic work in exciting and challenging career fields in Southwestern Pennsylvania. These annual events honor women innovators and inspire young women to see the range of career options available to them in a myriad of fields. Through honoring these women, WGF tangibly demonstrates how women are having leadership impact in shaping the Southwest Pennsylvania region. Previous WGF events include “Women in Science,” “Women in the Material World,” “Women in Sports,” and in 2009, WGF celebrated its 5th Anniversary by honoring “Women Shaping the Law” at the August Wilson Center.

“As the role of media in our lives is changing, so is the emerging role of women in media. From Katie Couric and Rachel Maddow on the national scene to Pittsburgh’s own Deborah Acklin and Virginia Montanez, women are making an impact as leaders and innovators in traditional and new media that is very exciting.” said Heather Arnet, Chief Executive Officer of the Women and Girls Foundation.

WGF’s “Women in Media” event will feature a keynote address by award winning filmmaker and grandniece of media tycoon Walt Disney, Abigail Disney. Disney’s first film, the feature-length documentary Pray the Devil Back to Hell, which won the Best Documentary Feature award at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2008, tells the inspirational story of the women of Liberia and their successful efforts to bring peace to their broken nation after decades of destructive civil war. Disney will give a keynote address at the awards ceremony on the power of media and women’s voices to bring peace to the world, and her film will be screened after the awards ceremony. Disney has spoken internationally to a wide variety of audiences on the changing face of philanthropy, women’s leadership and the importance of living a life of engaged and intelligent volunteerism.

“I am so proud to chair this event, honoring so many brilliant trailblazers, and helping to raise support for a critical resource in our community, that I care about deeply. We owe it to our girls to constantly inspire them with new options and new heroes,” said Event Chair and WGF Board member, Deborah Acklin.

At the November 6, 2010 Award Ceremony fourteen “Women in Media” will be honored, along with a special Award of Distinction, the first in WGF’s history, to be presented to blogger and writer Virginia Montanez for her innovative and brilliant use of social media to raise awareness of the need for local political reform, and her critical role in rallying public support to save the orphans of the BRESMA orphanage in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti, earlier this year.

In addition to Virginia Montanez’s Award of Distinction, the Women in Media Honorees include:

Cynthia Closkey, President, Big Big Design, Co-Founder, PodCamp Pittsburgh, and Developer, iTwixie.com

Elaine Effort, Radio Newscaster, KQV Radio

Heather Starr Fiedler, Creator, PittsburghMom.com, New Media Professor, Point Park University

Vanessa German, Multi-media artist, writer, sculptor, performer and photographer

Mary Robb Jackson, News Reporter, KDKA-TV

Sally Kalson, Columnist, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Lauren Lawley Head, Editor, Pittsburgh Business Times

Beverly Morrow-Jones, Executive Director of Marketing, VisitPittsburgh

Debbie Norrell, Lifestyles Columnist, New Pittsburgh Courier

Cindy Skrzycki, Journalism Professor, University of Pittsburgh

Heide Waldbaum, Technical Production Manager for the film AVATAR, Visiting Professor, Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute

Shaina Wallace, Hip Hop Artist, High School Student at Westinghouse High School

Carolyn Wean, Retired Media Executive

Rosemary Welsch, Radio DJ, WYEP

The “Women in Media” Host Committee includes:

Deborah L. Acklin, WQED Multimedia CEO and WGF Board Member, Women in Media Chair

Betsy Benson, Pittsburgh Magazine

Patrice King Brown, KDKA

Tracey DeAngelo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Bridgette Driver, FedEx Ground

Laverne Baker Hotep, Center for Victims of Violent Crime

Dawn Keezer, Pittsburgh Film Office

Joyce Kossol, Entrepreneur and WGF Board Member

Mary C. Leonard, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Maria Lupinacci, 2politicaljunkies.blogspot.com

Frances Sansig Monahan, Ms. Mon’s Salon, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh City Paper

Lindsay Patross, IHeartPGH.com

Eleanor Schano, Pittsburgh Television Personality

Laura Staniland, Civics Lab and Logoco Media

Sally Wiggin, WTAE

For more information about WGF and the upcoming celebration of “Women in Media,” visit www.wgfpa.org or call 412-434-4883.

About Women and Girls Foundation

The Women and Girls Foundation of Southwest Pennsylvania (WGF) is an independent community-based foundation serving eleven counties in Southwest Pennsylvania. Our mission is to achieve equity for women and girls in the region. The Women and Girls Foundation promotes social change in our region by addressing fundamental social inequalities and raising the awareness of these inequities to the media, to voters, to legislators, and corporate and non-profit decision makers. By serving as an independent and clear voice, the foundation strives to bring together women and men in our region to work together to find solutions to create sustained equity for all of its citizens. For more information, visit www.wgfpa.org or call 412.434.4883.

About UPMC

UPMC is an $8 billion integrated global health enterprise headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and is one of the leading nonprofit health systems in the United States. As western Pennsylvania‘s largest employer, with almost 50,000 employees, UPMC is transforming the economy of the region into one based on medicine, research, and technology. By integrating 20 hospitals, 400 doctors’ offices and outpatient sites, long-term care facilities, and a major health insurance services division, and in collaboration with its academic partner, the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, UPMC has advanced the quality and efficiency of health care and developed internationally renowned programs in transplantation, cancer, neurosurgery, psychiatry, orthopaedics, and sports medicine, among others. UPMC is commercializing its medical and technological expertise by nurturing new companies, developing strategic business relationships with some of the world‘s leading multinational corporations, and expanding into international markets, including Italy, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Japan. For more information visit www.UPMC.com. For more information about the UPMC Dignity and Respect campaign, visit http://www.upmc.com/aboutupmc/CommunityCitizenship/inclusion/Pages/inclusion-focus.aspx.
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Women and Girls Foundation Celebrate "Women in Media"

Fifteen Local “Women in Media” to be Honored at Women and Girls Foundation Gala November 6, 2010


Event will honor artists, editors, reporters, producers, filmmakers, bloggers, and professionals in the media world who are raising awareness and shaping the coverage of women and girls’ stories in our region.

The Women and Girls Foundation (WGF) will celebrate “Women in Media” this November with a Gala Award Ceremony honoring women in our region leading the way in print, radio, PR, TV, in film and on the internet, and those utilizing multiple media to promote and amplify the voices of women and girls. These honorees are making our region a better place for women and girls to thrive through their advocacy and influence on our region’s media outlets. WGF’s annual gala celebrating “Women in Media,” sponsored by UPMC, and Chaired by WQED Multimedia incoming CEO Deborah Acklin, will be held on November 6, 2010, at the August Wilson Center for African-American Culture in Downtown Pittsburgh, from 6 – 10 p.m. The ceremony will be emceed by Laverne Baker Hotep, Patrice King Brown, Eleanor Schano and Sally Wiggin, and will include a Keynote Address by filmmaker, Abigail Disney.

In 2005, WGF pledged to honor a select group of women every year who are engaged in dynamic work in exciting and challenging career fields in Southwestern Pennsylvania. These annual events honor women innovators and inspire young women to see the range of career options available to them in a myriad of fields. Through honoring these women, WGF tangibly demonstrates how women are having leadership impact in shaping the Southwest Pennsylvania region. Previous WGF events include “Women in Science,” “Women in the Material World,” “Women in Sports,” and in 2009, WGF celebrated its 5th Anniversary by honoring “Women Shaping the Law” at the August Wilson Center.

“As the role of media in our lives is changing, so is the emerging role of women in media. From Katie Couric and Rachel Maddow on the national scene to Pittsburgh’s own Deborah Acklin and Virginia Montanez, women are making an impact as leaders and innovators in traditional and new media that is very exciting.” said Heather Arnet, Chief Executive Officer of the Women and Girls Foundation.

WGF’s “Women in Media” event will feature a keynote address by award winning filmmaker and grandniece of media tycoon Walt Disney, Abigail Disney. Disney’s first film, the feature-length documentary Pray the Devil Back to Hell,which won the Best Documentary Feature award at the Tribeca Film Festivalin 2008, tells the inspirational story of the women of Liberia and their successful efforts to bring peace to their broken nation after decades of destructive civil war. Disney will give a keynote address at the awards ceremony on the power of media and women’s voices to bring peace to the world, and her film will be screened after the awards ceremony. Disney has spoken internationally to a wide variety of audiences on the changing face of philanthropy, women’s leadership and the importance of living a life of engaged and intelligent volunteerism.

“I am so proud to chair this event, honoring so many brilliant trailblazers, and helping to raise support for a critical resource in our community, that I care about deeply. We owe it to our girls to constantly inspire them with new options and new heroes,” said Event Chair and WGF Board member, Deborah Acklin.

At the November 6, 2010 Award Ceremony fourteen “Women in Media” will be honored, along with a special Award of Distinction, the first in WGF’s history, to be presented to blogger and writer Virginia Montanez for her innovative and brilliant use of social media to raise awareness of the need for local political reform, and her critical role in rallying public support to save the orphans of the BRESMA orphanage in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti, earlier this year.

In addition to Virginia Montanez’s Award of Distinction, the Women in Media Honorees include:

Cynthia Closkey,President, Big Big Design, Co-Founder, PodCamp Pittsburgh, and Developer, iTwixie.com

Elaine Effort, Radio Newscaster, KQV Radio

Vanessa German, Multi-media artist, writer, sculptor, performer and photographer

Sally Kalson, Columnist, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Lauren Lawley Head, Editor, Pittsburgh Business Times

Beverly Morrow-Jones, Executive Director of Marketing, VisitPittsburgh

Debbie Norrell, Lifestyles Columnist, New Pittsburgh Courier

Mary Robb Jackson, News Anchor, KDKA-TV

Cindy Skryzcki, Journalism Professor, University of Pittsburgh

Heather Starr-Fiedler, Creator, PittsburghMom.com, New Media Professor, Point Park University

Heide Waldbaum, Technical Production Manager for the film AVATAR, Visiting Professor, Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute

Shaina Wallace, Hip Hop Artist, High School Student at Winchester Thurston

Carolyn Wean, Retired Media Executive

Rosemary Welsch, Radio DJ, WYEP

The “Women in Media” Host Committee includes:

Deborah L. Acklin, WQED Multimedia CEO and WGF Board Member, Women in Media Host Committee Chair

Betsy Benson, Pittsburgh Magazine

Patrice King Brown, KDKA

Tracey DeAngelo,Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Bridgette Driver,FedEx Ground

Laverne Baker Hotep, Center for Victims of Violent Crime

Dawn Keezer, Pittsburgh Film Office

Joyce Kossol, Entrepreneur and WGF Board Member

Mary C. Leonard, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Lindsey Patross, IHeartPGH.com

Eleanor Schano, Pittsburgh Television Personality

Laura Staniland, Civics Lab and Logoco Media

Sally Wiggin, WTAE

For more information about WGF and the upcoming celebration of “Women in Media,” visit www.wgfpa.orgor call 412-434-4883.

About Women and Girls Foundation

The Women and Girls Foundation of Southwest Pennsylvania (WGF) is an independent community-based foundation serving eleven counties in Southwest Pennsylvania. Our mission is to achieve equity for women and girls in the region. The Women and Girls Foundation promotes social change in our region by addressing fundamental social inequalities and raising the awareness of these inequities to the media, to voters, to legislators, and corporate and non-profit decision makers. By serving as an independent and clear voice, the foundation strives to bring together women and men in our region to work together to find solutions to create sustained equity for all of its citizens. For more information, visit www.wgfpa.org or call 412.434.4883.

About UPMC

UPMC is an $8 billion integrated global health enterprise headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and is one of the leading nonprofit health systems in the United States. As western Pennsylvania‘s largest employer, with almost 50,000 employees, UPMC is transforming the economy of the region into one based on medicine, research, and technology. By integrating 20 hospitals, 400 doctors’ offices and outpatient sites, long-term care facilities, and a major health insurance services division, and in collaboration with its academic partner, the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, UPMC has advanced the quality and efficiency of health care and developed internationally renowned programs in transplantation, cancer, neurosurgery, psychiatry, orthopaedics, and sports medicine, among others. UPMC is commercializing its medical and technological expertise by nurturing new companies, developing strategic business relationships with some of the world‘s leading multinational corporations, and expanding into international markets, including Italy, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Japan. For more information visit www.UPMC.com.For more information about the UPMC Dignity and Respect campaign, visit http://www.upmc.com/aboutupmc/CommunityCitizenship/inclusion/Pages/inclusion-focus.aspx.
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