Press Release: Young Leadership Council and United WE Partner to Appoint More Women to Boards and Commissions

United WE’s Appointments Project® Announces Expansion to New Orleans 

Kansas City, MO – Young Leadership Council and United WE today announce their collaborative partnership to increase the number of women on local boards and commissions through the Appointments Project®. Started in 2014, the Appointments Project® has successfully placed more than 180 women on boards and commissions. 

“I’ve seen first-hand the need to increase leadership opportunities in civic leadership to ensure that we’re drawing on the talents and diversity of all members,” said Camille Sumner, Executive Director of New Orleans’s YLC. “Our partnership with United WE and the Appointments Project® is strengthening our organization’s commitment to increase leadership positions for young professionals with a focus on increasing the number of women who are at the decision-making table of their communities.”

United WE’s Appointments Project® serves as a talent bank, advisor and advocate for women seeking opportunities to lead their communities and works to attract diverse applicants for appointed positions on boards and commissions. The award-winning approach guides women through the process of applying for these positions and suggests applicants for appointment.

“Our research showed us that women don’t become civically engaged because they weren’t being asked. As a result, we created the Appointments Project® so local boards and commissions could reflect the communities they serve,” said Wendy Doyle, United WE President & CEO. “With the help of partners like New Orleans Young Leadership Council and the National League of Cities, we are addressing the gender disparities in local leadership and able to make real changes in our communities.” 

The Appointments Project® fills a critical need in creating a pathway to more equitable and inclusive representation. Approximately 42% of the Appointments Project registrants are women of color. Based on a growing number of success stories and city partnerships, the pipeline of women leaders is growing rapidly across the country. 

“A public training event is planned for February 9, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. CST. We encourage and invite everyone to learn more and join us in unlocking women’s potential for civic leadership,” Sumner said.

To register for the virtual training event on February 9, 2023, visit here. To learn more about the Appointments Project® visit www.united-we.org/appointments-project.  

Press Release: North Carolina Institute of Political Leadership and United WE Partner to Appoint More Women to Boards and Commissions

United WE’s Appointments Project® Announces Expansion to North Carolina 

Kansas City, MO – North Carolina Institute of Political Leadership (N.C. IOPL) and United WE today announce their collaborative partnership to increase the number of women on local boards and commissions through the Appointments Project®. Started in 2014, the Appointments Project® has successfully placed more than 180 women on boards and commissions. 

“With our Woman on Board initiative, we focus our nonpartisan leadership training on increasing gender parity in public service and ensuring that we’re drawing on the talents and diversity of all our residents,” said Brad Young, Executive Director of N.C. IOPL. “Our partnership with United WE and Appointments Project® is strengthening our effort by increasing the number of women who are at the decision-making table of their communities.”

United WE’s Appointments Project® serves as a talent bank, advisor and advocate for women seeking opportunities to lead their communities and works to attract diverse applicants for appointed positions on boards and commissions. The award-winning approach guides women through the process of applying for these positions and suggests applicants for appointment.

“Our research showed us that women don’t become civically engaged because they weren’t being asked. As a result, we created the Appointments Project® so local boards and commissions could reflect the communities they serve,” said Wendy Doyle, United WE President & CEO. “With the help of partners like N.C. IOPL, we are addressing the gender disparities in local leadership and able to make real changes in our communities.” 

The Appointments Project® fills a critical need in creating a pathway to more equitable and inclusive representation. Approximately 42% of the Appointments Project® registrants are women of color. Based on a growing number of success stories and city partnerships, the pipeline of women leaders is growing rapidly across the country. 

“A virtual public training event is planned for January 24, 2023, at 12 pm. EST. We encourage and invite everyone to learn more and join us in unlocking women’s potential for civic leadership,” said Brad Young.

To register for the virtual training event on January 24, 2023, visit here. To learn more about the Appointments Project®, visit www.united-we.org/appointments-project. 

Appointee Profile: Elizabeth Danforth

Elizabeth Danforth was appointed by Mayor Quinton Lucas to the Board of Commissioners for the Housing Authority of Kansas City, Missouri. As Director of Public Affairs, Elizabeth leads Evergy’s Corporate Social Responsibility including Community Relations and Customer Affairs Departments. 

Guided by shifting customer and community needs, her teams work to advance the Company’s corporate citizenship and social responsibility programs with an emphasis on improving policy and programs to assist disadvantaged customers and communities, working to establish Evergy as a leader in environmental sustainability, and helping to retain and attract business to the region. 

Internally Elizabeth has led multiple, Company-wide initiatives.  Externally, she serves on the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Reconciliation Services and Downtown Council Boards. She has also served on Missouri Energy Initiative Board, Child Protection Center Board, NonProfit Connect Board, Hospital Hill Economic Development Council, Friends of Powell Gardens Board, the Greater Kansas City Chamber’s Energy Committee and Executive Women’s Leadership Council as well as United WE’s policy and fund development committees. 

Prior to Evergy she was a development and marketing professional where she led multi-million-dollar capital, endowment, and operational campaigns, as well as comprehensive marketing communications and media initiatives.

Elizabeth lives in Kansas City, Missouri with her husband Kyle Foote, a partner at Stinson. They have two children – Bella and Piersen.

Press Release: City of St. Louis Launches Online Boards and Commissions Application Portal

Today, the City of St. Louis announced its launch of a new online boards and commissions application portal. The new online portal will increase transparency by allowing residents to view current board members and board vacancies with ease. With this system update, civic engagement is now more accessible for constituent participation and applications. While there are a large number of appointees serving beyond term, strategic partnerships with civic organizations will assist with the recruitment efforts to bring in a new class of appointees.

“Our boards and commissions should reflect the incredible diversity of St. Louis, across racial lines and different backgrounds, but many residents have felt excluded from the decision-making process for far too long,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “This partnership with local civic organizations and United WE’s Appointments Project® will strengthen our city and ensure that a diversity of perspectives is included on our civic boards, which will make our city stronger in the long run.”

The Jones Administration is partnering with United WE to increase the number of women and people of diverse backgrounds on local boards and commissions through its Appointments Project®. Started in 2014, United WE’s Appointments Project® has successfully facilitated more than 170 appointments of women on boards and commissions. The project serves as a talent bank and advisor, and guides women through the process of applying for boards and commissions. The Appointments Project fills a critical need in creating a pathway to more equitable and inclusive representation.

“Our research showed that women were not civically engaged because they weren’t being asked. As a result, we created the Appointments Project to ask women to serve so local boards and commissions could reflect the communities they serve,” said Wendy Doyle, United WE President and CEO. “With the help of partners like Mayor Jones, we are addressing the gender disparities in local leadership and making real change in our communities.”

The Jones Administration is also partnering with various civic organizations to assist with recruitment including 100 Black Men of St. Louis, the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of St. Louis, the National Pan-Hellenic Council of St. Louis, St. Louis (MO) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, Tower Grove Pride, the Archway (MO) Chapter of The Links Incorporated, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis, and the Heartland St. Louis Black Chamber of Commerce.

A public virtual training event is planned for Thursday, February 17 at 12:00pm for interested applicants to learn more about the application process. To learn more about open board and commissions vacancies visit stlouis-mo.gov/government/boards/ and to register for the event visit formstack.io/FC984 [formstack.io].

To learn more about the Appointments Project® visit www.united-we.org/appointments-project

Press Release: Mayor Whipple and United WE Partnership Aims to Appoint More Women to Boards and Commissions

Free Virtual Webinar on November 10 Invites Wichita Women to Learn About Leadership Opportunities

As announced in a press briefing today with the Office of Mayor Whipple, the City of Wichita and United WE have a collaborative partnership to increase the number of women on local boards and commissions through the Appointments Project®. Started in 2014, United WE’s Appointments Project® has successfully placed more than 160 women on boards and commissions, with women of color representing 34% of applicants.  

“I’ve seen first-hand the need to increase gender parity and better drive representation across civic leadership to ensure that we’re drawing on the talents and diversity of all our residents,” Mayor Whipple said. “Our partnership with United WE and its Appointments Project® is strengthening our city by increasing the number of women, including women of color, who are at the decision-making table of their communities.”

United WE’s Appointments Project® serves as a talent bank, advisor and advocate for women seeking opportunities to lead their communities and works to attract diverse applicants for appointed positions on boards and commissions. The award-winning approach guides women through the process of applying for these positions and suggests applicants for appointment.

“Our research showed us that women don’t become civically engaged because they aren’t being asked. As a result, we created the Appointments Project® so local boards and commissions could reflect the communities they serve,” said Wendy Doyle, United WE President & CEO. “With the help of partners like Mayor Whipple, we are addressing the gender disparities in local leadership and able to make real changes in our communities.” 

Based on a growing number of success stories, the pipeline of women leaders is growing rapidly across the country. The Appointments Project® fills a critical need in creating a pathway to work with elected officials and better community representation that leads to better lives for all.  

A public training event is planned for November 10, 2021, at 12:00 p.m. CST with local community partners Wichita Urban Professionals, The Hive, Greater Wichita Partnership and YLPWichita. Interested residents can sign up at https://united-we.org/events/2021/11/10/appointments-project-wichita-overview. 

“We encourage and invite everyone to learn more and join us in unlocking women’s potential for civic leadership,” Mayor Whipple said.

Appointee Profile: Teresa Miller

Teresa Miller was appointed By Kansas Governor Laura Kelly to the Governor’s Commission on Racial Equity and Justice. Teresa recently joined the Kansas Health Foundation (KHF) as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in May 2021. She brings more than six years of experience serving in state government in Pennsylvania, most recently as Secretary for the Department of Human Services. In this role, Miller led a department working to address health disparities and racial inequities, finding innovative ways to address social determinants of health like food insecurity, housing and employment, connecting Medicaid enrollees to work supports, redesigning employment and training programs for Pennsylvania’s lowest income residents and supporting Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable residents through the pandemic. As the leader of the department, Miller oversaw a staff of approximately 16,000 and a total budget of more than $45 billion.

Prior to her time at Pennsylvania DHS, Miller served as the state’s insurance commissioner, beginning in 2015. As commissioner, Miller renewed the department’s commitment to consumer protection and reestablished an emphasis on consumer education and financial literacy in partnership with other state agencies, consumer groups, and advocates across Pennsylvania. Miller led the Insurance Department through attempts to replace the Affordable Care Act and advocated across Pennsylvania and to the United States Congress in defense of the law and how it has helped more than a million Pennsylvanians directly access health coverage and countless others through its consumer protections.

Before coming to Pennsylvania, Miller held leadership roles in the federal government’s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and was administrator of the insurance division at the State of Oregon’s Department of Consumer and Business Services. Currently, Miller is serving on the Congressional Budget Office’s Panel of Health Advisers, providing feedback on federal policies and legislation that affect health care consumers.

A native of Oregon, Miller received a juris doctor from Willamette University College of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Psychology from Pacific Lutheran University.

Appointee Profile: Denise Ryerkerk

Denise Y. Ryerkerk, AIA, was recently appointed to the Jackson County Plan Commission.  Denise is a registered architect with over 30 years experience, primarily in the federal public sector. Her project management experience includes major systems and tenant renovations, historic preservation, disaster recovery, sustainability, and security and blast upgrades.  Her current focus is on project planning and development,  process improvement, building accessibility, and coordinating design reviews.  She holds a Bachelor of Architecture and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Iowa State University, and a Masters of Architecture in Management from the University of Kansas.  She is married with a teenage daughter.

Appointee Profile: Emily Cramer

“After attending some networking events with the Appointments Project, I knew I had to apply.  I was recently appointed to the Roeland Park Community Engagement and Racial Equity committees and am so excited to play a more active role in these spaces.”

— Emily Cramer

Emily Cramer was appointed to the Roeland Park Community Engagement and the Racial Equity Committees.  As a Senior Specialist, Culture & Development at a legal tech company, Emily supports corporate training and professional development programs.  She loves helping colleagues discover and capitalize on their strengths, which ensures they bring their best selves to work each and every day.  She also works part-time for KCSourceLink, a local entrepreneurial support organization that is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses in Kansas City. About a year and a half ago, Emily moved to Roeland Park and absolutely fell in love with the tight-knit community.

Press Release: United WE’s Appointments Project® Announces Expansion to Austin, Texas

Mayor Pro Tem Harper-Madison, Council Member Alter, Mayor Adler and United WE announce their collaborative partnership to increase the number of women on local civic boards and commissions through the Appointments Project. Started in 2014, the Appointments Project has successfully placed more than 160 women on boards and commissions, including 18% women of color.

“I’ve seen first-hand the need to have more women and women of color in leadership positions across the City,” Mayor Pro Tem Harper Madison said. “I’m absolutely excited to call others into service in this partnership to ensure that we’re drawing on the talents and diversity of all our residents.”

“My own experience serving on the Parks Board inspired my run for office,” said Council Member Alter. “As a super majority female council, we work to create opportunities for women in our community to lead. Through the Appointments Project, I hope we chart even more pathways for female leadership and service.”

“Our partnership with United WE and the Appointments Project is strengthening our city by increasing the number of women of all ages, including women of color, who are at the decision-making table for Austin,” said Mayor Adler.

United WE’s Appointments Project serves as a talent bank, advisor and advocate for women seeking opportunities to lead their communities and works to attract diverse applicants for appointed positions on boards and commissions. The award-winning approach guides women through the process of applying for these positions and suggests applicants for appointment.

Read the full press release here.

Associated Press: 9 women now serving as governors in US, tying a record

August 24, 2021

An Associated Press article on August 24, 2021 detailed that nine women are now serving as governor in the United States. This tied previous annual records, but is still far from gender parity in government positions.

The article includes commentary from our President & CEO Wendy Doyle, who noted that one challenge is deepening the pool of women willing to enter politics. Our policy work at United WE includes the Appointments Project, our strategic program focused on providing the tools and resources for women to seek appointments at the county, city and state levels across multiple states. As Wendy, “It’s a long game. But we’ve got to build the pipeline; we’ve got to build the bench.”

Check out the full article from reporter David Lieb below.