U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Kirsten Gillibrand, the youngest member of the U.S. Senate, have had a positive motivational influence on some PEF women.
Maddie Shannon-Roberts, chair of the PEF Region 8 Women’s Program, said, “The national and local 2008 elections were an inspiration. They showed us there is opportunity to run for office. Women must learn ways to get there. Our mission is to mentor, educate and empower.”
Shannon-Roberts organized a one-day conference in March to do just that. It attracted 50 people from PEF and other unions and was co-sponsored by the NYS United Teachers. “Empowering Women for Leadership in the Union and Beyond” was the theme.
The conference included a panel discussion with Marcia E. Sutherland, chair and associate professor in the Department of Africana Studies at the state University of NY at Albany; Anne Pope, the NAACP Northeastern Regional director; Kathleen Scales, executive director of the Capital District Area Labor Federation; PEF Vice President Pat Baker; PEF Secretary-Treasurer Arlea Igoe; Christine Grosse, who was PEF’s first public relations director; and Colleen Gardner, a representative from the state Department of Labor.
Beverly
Kehoe Shea, a PEF Division 343 member who works at Greene Correctional Facility,
tipped her hat to the group.“The panelists shared their backgrounds and how they rose through the ranks. They encouraged everyone to never stop learning and to follow their dreams. They also discussed specific issues such as the state labor commissioner’s plans to strategically assist New York’s economy.”
Among the various workshops the conference provided, Kehoe Shea said the history of PEF, presented by PEF Editor Sherry Halbrook, was a powerful illustration of how many people were committed to making PEF the union it is today, how members still remain dedicated, and the importance of supporting PEF during the global economic crisis.
“PEF is not your typical union,” Kehoe Shea said. “The caliber of individuals who started it and the ones who continue making it strong is one of the best examples of how we, as women and members, can make changes to better the lives of ourselves and others.”
PEF Division 211 Council Leader and Executive Board member for Motor Vehicles, Maureen Kozakiewicz, said she looks for every opportunity to learn, grow and develop partnerships to better serve PEF members at her agency.
“The conference was an excellent opportunity to network with the other women and men who attended,” Kozakiewicz said. “The idea of empowering women rang true for me as a leader in trying to set my own path to better the membership.”
One of the things she brought back from the conference was “to seek a good mentor and be a good mentor.”
Kozakiewicz and Kehoe Shea also shared this comment: “This was another great opportunity presented by PEF.
