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2023 Leap Into Leadership Conference registration now open

Cheyenne, Wyoming –  As 93 legislators begin work in January, Wyoming welcomes 44 incumbents and 34 new legislators to the Capitol, of which 21.5% percent are women, compared to 17 percent in 2022.  Although we are seeing a slight increase in women’s representation, this number is still quite low, especially considering that Wyoming is the “Equality State.”

Expanding opportunities for women to be more involved in local government is the mission of the Wyoming Women’s Legislative Caucus, which will host the 16th annual leadership conference, February 22-23, 2023.

The Leap into Leadership Conference offers leadership development training and discussions targeted for women, provides an opportunity to meet with statewide leaders and policymakers, and encourages women to create the change they want to see on the local and statewide levels.  

According to the Center for American Women and Politics, Wyoming is among the 10 states in the nation with the lowest percentage of female legislators, despite the fact that it will be 21.5% this year.  “It is our hope that we can continue to change this statistic through offering opportunities for Wyoming women to be part of the leadership conversation and increase the number of leadership roles women hold in future years, states WyWLC Board Member, Representative Sandy Newsome.

“This will be the sixteenth year the Wyoming Women’s Legislative Caucus has organized the Leap into Leadership Conference.  Each year we build a stronger event to support our mission of fostering female leadership in our great state,” said WyoWLC Board Member, Senator Affie Ellis.

The event will open on Wednesday afternoon at the Wyoming Capitol Complex with wellness and leadership workshops followed by the Leap into Leadership Legislative Reception and Banquet where guests will hear from former Wyoming Legislators, Bernadine Craft, Elaine Harvey, Jayne Mockler and Barabara Cubin.

Workshops will resume on Thursday, Feb. 23 in the Capitol Complex where topics will cover campaign planning, finance, and strategies for communicating with the press.

The conference will conclude with attendees having the opportunity to visit the Wyoming House and Senate to observe Wyoming legislators at work. 

Registration information can be found at https://wyowlc.org/leap-into-leadership/.  The cost for attending the entire program is $95.  Cost for just the banquet and reception is $50. For more information, contact Annie Wood at 307-630-8940 or info@wyowlc.org.

The Wyoming Women’s Legislative Caucus is a non-partisan organization that advocates for greater participation of women in leadership roles across the state of Wyoming. The Caucus founded the Leap into Leadership Conference to inform, educate and engage Wyoming women in leadership roles in both the public and private sector.

 

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2022 LEAP INTO LEADERSHIP REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

Cheyenne, Wyoming –  Even though Wyoming was the first place in the nation to recognize women’s right to vote, the Equality State falls short when it comes to the number of women serving in public office.

The Equality state ranks 28th among all states for the number of women serving in elected office at the state and local levels, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research.

To encourage greater participation of women in leadership roles, the Wyoming Women’s Legislative Caucus (WyoWLC), is hosting the annual  Leap into Leadership Conference, Feb. 27-28 in Cheyenne. Registration is now open.

“We are truly proud that Leap Into Leadership will be celebrating its 15th year, continuing its mission of supporting female leadership in our great state,” said WyoWLC Co-Chair, Senator Affie Ellis.

The event will open on Sunday afternoon at the Blue Federal Credit Union Headquarters with a leadership workshop and networking reception. Workshop topics on Monday at the Capitol will cover campaign planning, finance, and strategies for communicating with constituents.

“We know that diverse voices are essential to achieving balanced solutions that serve everyone in our state,” said Representative Cathy Connolly, WyWLC Vice-Chair. “It is our hope that Leap Into Leadership will continue to encourage Wyoming women to be part of the conversation and take on leadership roles for many years to come.”

The conference will conclude with a legislative dinner featuring keynote speakers, Wyoming Supreme Court Justices, Chief Justice Kate M. Fox, Justice Lynne Boomgaarden and Justice Kari Gray. The Justices will inspire participants with their perspectives on leadership and what inspired them to pursue the path to the highest level of law in the state.

Registration information can be found at https://wyowlc.org/leap-into-leadership/.  The cost for attending the entire program is $70 if registered before January 31st, or $80 if registered after the 31st.  Cost for the dinner and reception is only $35. For more information, contact Annie Wood at 307-630-8940 or info@wyowlc.org.

The Wyoming Women’s Legislative Caucus is a non-partisan organization that advocates for greater participation of women in leadership roles across the state of Wyoming. The Caucus founded the Leap into Leadership Conference to inform, educate and engage Wyoming women in leadership roles in both the public and private sector.


SAVE THE DATE: Sept. 15 Leadership Reception

Network with current and future elected officials at a Leap Into Leadership reception on Sept. 15 in Casper, Wyo.

The Wyoming Women’s Legislative Caucus is hosting a networking reception from 5-7:30 pm at the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center, 1501 N. Popular Street, in Casper.

This event is being held on the evening prior to the meeting of the Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Interim Legislative Committee. It should be a great opportunity for anyone thinking of running for office to visit with legislators about their experience campaigning and serving as an elected official.

The mission of the Wyoming Women’s Legislative Caucus is to increase the leadership skills and potential of Wyoming women through events, trainings, networking, and resources.

Please RSVP to Annie Wood at info@wyowlc.org by Sept. 10.

This event is sponsored by the Wyoming Women’s Legislative Caucus, with support from The Equipoise Fund and the Casper Area Chamber of Commerce.


Lunch with Legislators – free webinar Aug. 24 at noon

The Wyoming Women’s Legislative Caucus is hosting a free webinar, “Lunch with Legislators” on August 24, from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.
The Wyoming Women’s Legislative Caucus board of directors, Representative Sue Wilson, Representative Cathy Connolly, and Senator Affie Ellis will be joining us to discuss their road to becoming a Wyoming Legislator.
The panel will be moderated by Annie Wood, Coordinator for the Wyoming Women’s Legislative Caucus. There will be time for questions from the audience.
If you would like to attend, please RSVP to info@wyowlc.org.  You will then receive the Zoom information.

Leadership Transition Announced

Wyoming Women’s Legislative Caucus Announces New Leadership

Annie Woods and Lisa Johnson, from Orbis, will lead WyoWLC as Coordinators

Cheyenne, Wyoming – The Wyoming Women’s Legislative Caucus (WyoWLC) announced today that Annie Wood and Lisa Johnson, from Orbis Advantage, Inc., will be the new Planning Coordinators.

 

Lisa is an enterprising idea person who likes to share with others to help in their business and personal success. Her economic development career has spanned 20+ years and three states, with leadership roles at the county, regional and state level. She founded Orbis to enjoy the advantage of working on unique consulting on projects while being actively involved on her husband’s family ranch at LaGrange, Wyoming.

Annie is a problem solver who enjoys bringing teams together to develop and execute solutions. She has worked in communications and economic development for more than fifteen years, as well as briefly venturing into the private industry of large manufacturing.  In her part-time, Annie is also a small business owner handling aviation ground operations.

They have both attended many Leap into Leaderships programs and are excited to bring their skills, knowledge and passion to the Leap programs.  This will be a building year and they plan to use social media as a platform to engage while we are still transitioning to in-person events.  Annie will be the main point of contact, with Lisa providing support.

Annie and Lisa will be assuming the role from Kate Hayes, High Ground Coaching and Development, who led the program for the last year.  They will be working together throughout 2021 to ensure a smooth transition.

“We are excited to bring the team onboard and look forward to the ideas and passion they will bring to WyoWLC,” says WyoWLC Co-Chair Representative Sue Wilson. “Annie and Lisa work with the Legislature and we hope they bring that knowledge to our audience.”

“We look forward to the ideas and knowledge Annie and Lisa bring and hope to continue to see this program thrive and bring opportunities to Wyoming women,” says WyoWLC Co-Chair Senator Affie Ellis.

“Leap into Leadership has been a cornerstone of encouraging women to run for office for 14 years, and we are confident Annie and Lisa will continue to build upon our programming and bring new ideas to the organization, says WyoWLC Co-Chair Representative Cathy Connolly. “Their experience with Legislature and passion for our mission will serve us well as we continue our outreach to women.”

Their website is wyowlc.org and the email address is info@wyowlc.org remains the same.

Lisa Johnson

Lisa Johnson

Annie Wood


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