Women in Jefferson City, Missouri encouraged to apply for positions on local boards and commissions through the Appointments Project®
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 1, 2018
CONTACT:
Channing Grate, Women’s Foundation, channing@gpsimpact.com
JEFFERSON CITY – Jefferson City is teaming up with the Women’s Foundation on an initiative to increase the number of women on publicly appointed boards and commissions. The city is participating in the Appointments Project®, which aims to improve local governance by increasing gender diversity on civic boards and commissions.
A free webinar for prospective appointees will be held on November 27 from 12-12:30pm. Women interested in participating can sign up at: http://www.womens-foundation.org/new-events/.
“We created the Appointments Project to break down the barriers to women’s civic engagement, and the response has been overwhelming,” said Wendy Doyle, Women’s Foundation President & CEO. “We’re thrilled that Jefferson City has signed on to this initiative, joining dozens of communities across Missouri and Kansas that are demonstrating their commitment to equity, opportunity and good governance by participating in the Appointments Project. We thank Mayor Tergin for her leadership and commitment to increasing diversity and empowering women at the local level.”
Jefferson City and Columbia are among approximately two dozen state and local governments that are participating in the Appointments Project, which serves as a talent bank and resource for women interested in serving on a civic board or commission. The Appointments Project will work to empower women and encourage greater diversity on Jefferson City’s public commissions by helping to educate and engage prospective appointees on the application and appointment process.
“I know from my own experience how important it is to be proactive in asking women to serve,” said Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin. “Now as mayor, I am committed to preparing the path for other women and making sure local government draws on the talents and diversity of all our residents. We know that increasing diversity improves outcomes for everyone.”
Launched in 2014, the Appointments Project aims to remove barriers for women to serve on public boards and commissions so they are more reflective of the populations they serve. Based on a first-of-its-kind study that identified numerous barriers causing women to be underrepresented on public boards and commissions, the Appointments Project serves as a talent bank and advisor for women seeking appointed positions in state and local government.
The Appointments Project saw a 300% increase in the number of Appointments Project locations in 2018, and the two dozen locations are now present in every congressional district of Kansas and Missouri. In Kansas City, where the program was piloted, it helped increase the percentage of women on city boards and commissions from 33-percent to 42-percent in just three years.
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