The Bryce Harlow Foundation believes that sound public policy benefits when the voices at the table are strong, honest and articulate. That is why we are a proud sponsor of the Professional Women in Advocacy Conference taking place December 8-10 in Washington, DC. The tagline for this conference says it all: “When women have a seat at the public policy table, everyone benefits.” This national conference will provide professional development and leadership training to women in all areas of advocacy including government relations and public affairs. The organizers, all prominent women lobbyists themselves, worked hard to craft an experience that will both inspire participants and prepare them for success.
The conference will highlight, at its Power Women in Advocacy reception, eight outstanding women advocates, nominated by their peers for their achievements in five categories: federal issue campaign, state issue campaign, campaign for women serving women, veteran practitioner and up-and-coming practitioner. While men still outnumber women in the lobbying ranks, it’s important to recognize and pay tribute to notable women who have gained notice from their peers for their effective expertise and performance. Members of the Bryce Harlow board were asked to serve on the awards selection panel and I’m pleased to share the winners in each category below.
Dorothy Coleman, Vice President of Tax and Domestic Economic Policy at the National Association of Manufacturers, will be honored in the Federal Issue Campaign category for her outstanding leadership during the fiscal cliff crisis of December 2012. “Dorothy’s advocacy efforts on behalf of the NAM helped to prevent the largest tax increase in history and to bring about positive tax changes for manufacturers,” said her colleague Laura Narvaiz when nominating her for the award.
Amber Harding and Marta Beresin of the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless are the recipients of the State Issue Campaign award for their tireless efforts to ensure that homeless families in Washington, DC were protected against potential new laws that could have been harmful. “Harding and Beresin mobilized a broad community of supporters and worked with the Gray Administration to soften the impact of certain provisions and with the DC Council to remove provisions that remained punitive and harmful,” stated their colleague Patricia Mullahy Fugere.
The honorees in the Women Serving Women Campaign category are Barbara S. Wahl, Kristine J. Dunne and Alison Lima Andersen, attorneys at Arent Fox, for their years of work fighting for the rights of women who have suffered gender discrimination in the awarding of farm loans by the USDA. “As a result of their excellent efforts, the government has offered an administrative claim program that makes over $1 billion available to women who can prove gender discrimination,” said Roderic Boggs of the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs.
The winner in the Up-and-Coming Practitioner category is Mary Kate Cunningham, manager for public policy at the American Society of Association Executives Center for Association Leadership. Although she has only been a registered lobbyist for one year, Mary Kate’s co-worker Robert Hay stated that “without a doubt, she has a bright future as a female leader and star lobbyist.” She will be recognized for her impressive ability to simultaneously organize her association’s annual member fly-in (with record attendance) while also coordinating grassroots efforts to fight a major Senate amendment. She also makes significant contributions to Running Start, an organization dedicated to bringing young women into politics.
The final honoree in the Veteran Practitioner category is Martie Kendrick of Patton Boggs for her impact on health care legislation over the past twenty years. Among countless other achievements, Martie’s advocacy efforts resulted in the inclusion of colorectal cancer screening benefits as one of the first Medicare preventative benefits, as well as statutory language that expanded funding to mammography for lower income women.“ Not only has Martie represented clients successfully before Congress in virtually every major piece of health, Medicare and Medicaid legislation, but she has also achieved many legislative victories on behalf of the firm’s pro bono clients such as Bright Beginnings Day Care Centers and the Greater Washington Urban League,” said Kevin O’Neill of Patton Boggs.
For more information and to register for the conference, please visit womeninadvocacy.com.
