Lunch Time

Summer 2013

13th Annual Women’s Fund Fall Luncheon Oct. 24

Leadership expert Betsy Myers is the keynote speaker for the 13th Annual Women’s Fund Fall Luncheon on October 24. Myers will share her proven strategies for building engagement and increasing profitability – core principles that are helping leaders around the world become more productive and successful.

Myers is author of the book “Take the Lead” and founding director of the Center for Women & Business at Bentley University. The center focuses on educating students about their leadership potential, while also conducting research about why companies should promote and retain women. She also was the first director of the White House Office for Women’s Initiatives and Outreach, and she is former executive director of the Harvard Center for Public Leadership.

In writing “Take the Lead,” Myers drew upon the knowledge she gained working with some of our nation’s most prestigious governmental, academic and business institutions to provide a roadmap to effective leadership. “The defining difference in this superb book is Myers’ insistence that every day provides leadership opportunities,” The Washington Post wrote.

“Many of us grew up thinking that leaders and other authority figures had all the answers,” Myers says. “But nobody can possibly know everything about every issue in the organization, business, school or family they lead.”

In reality, effective leaders don’t have all of the answers and they don’t pretend to, she says. “What makes them leaders is that they are willing to ask the questions. They are curious about other perspectives, of both the experts and the people in the trenches, knowing that the answers are often right in our midst. And they are generous about what they learn and share it with others, devoting their own energies to helping others achieve success.”

Two local leaders are serving as honorary co-chairs for the Fall Luncheon:

• Katrina Becker is managing director – communications, public affairs and events for TD Ameritrade. She has held progressing roles in marketing, communications and investor relations since joining the company in 2000. In her current position, Becker oversees communications strategy, brand and reputation management programs, public relations, financial and internal communications, community affairs, corporate events and governmental affairs.
• Gail Graeve is director of public affairs for Cox Communications. She has responsibility for media relations, community outreach, local origination production services, philanthropic giving and employee communications initiatives. She joined Cox in 2006 as marketing manager and was promoted to vice president of government and public affairs for Cox Omaha in 2009. She assumed her current post two years later when the Omaha operation became part of Cox Central Region.

This year’s luncheon moves to a new location, the CenturyLink Center, and it takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The luncheon also includes a presentation of Women’s Fund grants to local nonprofit agencies for programs targeting issues that Women’s Fund research has identified as the most critical needs for Omaha women and girls.

Tickets are $85 for an individual and $1,600 for a corporate table for 10 and are available online at www.omahawomensfund.org or by calling (402) 827-9280.

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