Innovating for the Future

Innovating for the Future
Annual Report 2014
Our Mission
“Going into the PLEN seminar
almost empty-handed, I
came out with a tool set and
an instruction manual that I
can expand upon throughout
my life.”
The Public Leadership
Education Network is the only
national organization with the
sole focus of preparing
college women for leadership
in the public policy arena.
Kotchaphorn Mangkalaphiban
Junior, Wilson College
Scholarship Recipient for the
Science and Health Policy:
Critical Issues Seminar
Our Vision
Each year, we bring hundreds of women from across the country to Washington, D.C. to experience the
policy process firsthand. By introducing college women to role models and skills training before they enter
the workforce, we seek to increase the number of women in leadership positions who influence all
aspects of the decision-making process.
New Seminars
As we celebrated the 35th anniversary of PLEN’s founding, a
spirit of innovation wove its way through our 2013-2014
seminars. To reflect the changing needs of our diverse students,
we premiered three new seminars this year:
PLEN360° Summit: Leadership Skills for Career Success - Gave
young women who were in Washington, D.C. for the summer the
opportunity to learn, lead, and leverage their D.C. experience
from all angles to achieve their career goals.
Unlocking Nonprofits: Innovations and Careers - College women
Interested in mission-based careers learned about the diverse
range of opportunities in this dynamic and growing sector.
Zahra Wako
Senior, St. Catherine University
Participant at the Science and Health
Policy: Critical Issues Seminar
Leveraging Communications, Social Media & Technology for
Policymaking - Students gained insight into the intersection of
these cutting-edge sectors and the policy world.
“The greatest thing that I
took away from this seminar
was a sense of excitement
for my future- this amazing
feeling that we as young
women with voices are
capable of making it and
accomplishing great things.”
Valerie Amaral
Graduate Student,
Northeastern University
Scholarship Recipient for the
Unlocking Nonprofits: Innovations
Our Students
PLEN Partners
We forged new partnerships with
several organizations (such as
Washington Women in Public
Relations and The American
Association for the Advancement
of Science) in Washington, D.C.
Volunteers from these
organizations served as mentors
during seminars and provided
insight into the policy world for
our students.
During each seminar, students meet with a range
of women who are leaders in the policy field. This
year, we welcomed speakers such as Supreme
Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; The
Honorable Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1); The
Honorable Donna Edwards (MD-4); and Heather
Podesta, Founder and Partner of Heather Podesta
+ Partners, to share their advice and broad
experiences with our students.
PLEN Member Schools
Barnard College, New York, NY
Carlow University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cedar Crest College, Allentown, PA
Chatham University, Pittsburgh, PA
Douglass Residential College, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Hood College, Frederick, MD
Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA
Mount St. Mary’s College, Los Angeles, CA
Newcomb College Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
Notre Dame of Maryland University, Baltimore, MD
Smith College, Northampton, MA
St. Catherine University, St. Paul, MN
St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY
Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX
Wells College, Aurora, NY
Wesleyan College, Macon, GA
William Smith College, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva, NY
Wilson College, Chambersburg, PA
This year, our network of alumnae
continued to grow. PLEN students
represented over 100 schools across the
country, ranging from small liberal arts
colleges to flagship state universities.
Support and Scholarships
With support from individual and corporate donors, PLEN offered financial aid and
scholarships to 59 outstanding college women to attend one of our seminars.
Longtime supporter K&L Gates LLP sponsored six young women to attend our
Women, Law & Legal Advocacy Seminar, which takes place annually in the fall.
“K&L Gates is proud to support PLEN and the impressive women who participate
in PLEN programs each year. The cross-section of experiences and perspectives
represented among the students is amazing, as is their passion to affect true and
lasting change in the world and in their chosen professions. Our lawyers benefit
from interacting with the students almost as much as the students themselves! We
truly value the relationship we have built with PLEN and applaud PLEN’s efforts to
develop young women leaders.” ~Valerie Jackson, K&L Gates LLP
Thanks to the firm’s support, students like Jessica Castany, a senior at Mount St.
Mary’s College, met Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as well as other
leading lawyers in Washington. D.C. “[The seminar] helped me gather a greater
passion for what I wish to do with my life,” said Jessica. “This reinforcement helped
me believe that I can do anything I put my heart and soul into.”
The Future Fund
Three students from Mount St. Mary’s College attended
the Women & Policy in the Global Community Seminar
PLEN also honored our legacy by launching the Future
Fund, aimed at increasing the number of women’s
voices in the public policy arena by offering increased
opportunities to young women. The contributions made
by the Founding Supporters of the Future Fund
expanded PLEN programs to provide our students with
the latest tools and knowledge needed to make their
voices heard in today’s policy arena.
Board of Directors
Ellie Shaw (Chair), Director, Federal Government Affairs, American Express Company
Lisa Kaenzig (Vice Chair) Associate Dean, William Smith College (PLEN alumna)
Jennifer Stange (Secretary-Treasurer), Program Coordinator, 21st Century Blueprint Committee, SEIU (PLEN alumna)
Marianne Alexander (President Emerita)
Kelly Biggs, Assistant Director of Development Operations, Johns Hopkins University SAIS (PLEN alumna)
Margaret Darling, Chief Evaluation & Advocacy Officer, Nueva Vida (PLEN alumna)
Kristin Haffert, President and Founder, Haffert Global (PLEN alumna)
Jo Jensen, Deputy Director, Digital, DDC Advocacy (PLEN alumna)
Rosalyn Kempf, Director, Women’s Leadership, Mount St. Mary’s College
Abigail Lewis, Associate Director, Athena Center for Leadership Studies, Barnard College
Lisa Maatz, Vice President of Government Relations, American Association of University Women
Mary-Alice Ozechoski, Dean of Students, Cedar Crest College
Lisa D. T. Rice, Political and External Affairs Strategist; Director, Newcomb Alumnae Association
Naomi Senkeeto, Policy Director, BlueCross BlueShield Association (PLEN alumna)
Milly Stanges, Former Vice President of Public Affairs for ICMA-RC
Jona Van Deun, Director of Coalitions, Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC (PLEN alumna)
Lynda K. Walker, Esq., Executive Director and General Counsel, The Tax Council and Tax Council Policy Institute
Contributing and In-Kind Donors
Role Model ($10,000+)
Margaret Darling
Novo Nordisk
Ellie Shaw & The American Express Company
Mentor ($5,000 - $9,999)
Marianne Alexander
Lisa Kaenzig
Susan Scanlan & The Fannie & Stephen Kahn Charitable Trust
Barbara Shailor & The Samuel H. Kress Foundation
Women in Technology Education Foundation
Sponsor ($2,500 - $4,999)
Maurie Dugger & The Edison Electric Institute
Marta Mattox & The Eleanor Warfield Van Train Scholarship Fund
Bree Raum & The American Gas Association
Milly Stanges
Jona Van Deun
Advocate ($1,000 - $2,499)
Clara Burgert
Cheri Buss
Carrie Collins
Columbia Books
Anne Doyle
IBM
Valerie Jackson & K&L Gates LLP
Jackie Litt & Douglass Residential College
Mary Kay Inc.
Naomi Senkeeto & BlueCross BlueShield Association
Jennifer Stange
Lynda Walker & The Tax Council Policy Institute
Supporter ($500 - $999)
Linda Becker
Anna Flores
Jason Knieriem
Kathleen Nilles & Holland & Knight LLP
Vivian Pinn
Cary Pugh & Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP & Aff
Lisa D.T. Rice
Van Ness Feldman
Friend ($200 - $499)
Aspen Community Foundation
Elizabeth Bartz
Michele Blair
DAI Partners
Michael Dunn
Gregory Dyson
Lynn Fox
Kristin Haffert
Sally Kenney
Abigail Lewis
Lisa Maatz
Yvonne Maddox
Sally McDaniel
Char Mollison
Mary Frances Pearson
Heidi Schoenberger-Cobert
Meredith Singer
Contributor ($75 - $199)
Cori Asaka
Amy Blankenbiller
Samantha Casne
Lisa Darling
Theodore Garrish
Joan Hill
Rebecca Kaenzig
Jane O’Grady
John Ryder
Paige Santo
Carolyn Schmidt
Regina Truslow
Bryan Van Deun
Future Fund Founding Sponsors
Amy Conroy
Betsy Crone
Yolanda Curtis
Frances “Sissy” Farenthold
Lisa Kaenzig
Yvonne Maddox
Sally McDaniel
Vivian Pinn
Barbara Shailor
Ellie Shaw
Seminar Hosts
American Gas Association
BlueCross BlueShield Association
Carlyle Suites Hotel
Edison Electric Institute
Fordham Institute
Holland & Knight LLP
Microsoft
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP & Affiliates
Verizon
For Donations in the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2014
11 Dupont Circle NW, 2nd Floor | Washington, D.C. 20036 | (202) 872-1585 | www.plen.org | plen@plen.org