Event to address women in leadership

The Andrus Center for Public Policy, based in Boise, wants to bring a sharp focus to problems and challenges women face, Executive Director Dave Adler said.

With that in mind, the center will host its second Conference on Women and Leadership next week in Boise. The theme of the three-day conference that kicks off Sept. 10 is "What is Success?"

Adler said when he became the director at the center two years ago, he wanted to establish a program to promote the interests and rights of women in Idaho.

"I conceived of this conference on women in leadership as a means of promoting those interests and rights," Adler said. "It was important to us to show that we could host a first-class conference that would rival any conference across the nation."

This year's event will once again shine a light on the hurdles women face in the workplace, Adler said. It also aims to generate conversation on how to overcome those obstacles.

"We're all aware of the hurdles women face in terms of equal pay," Adler said. "There have been historical obstacles of gender discrimination in the workplace and other biases that have hindered women in their efforts to win seats in the corporate boardroom and lead in industry and business."

By hosting a conference that features speakers who are women in prominent positions in their respective fields, Adler said attendees are able to learn firsthand how the challenges women face can be overcome.

"I hope that women can be inspired by listening to these observations and insights," Adler said. "Our aim is to recruit leaders from many different fields."

One of those leaders is Admiral Michelle Howard, the Vice-Chief of the U.S. Navy. Howard is the first woman to hold that post.

Other speakers include Oscar-winning producer, Frieda Mock, and Carla Harris, who is the vice president of Morgan Stanley.

For more information on the conference, visit www.andruscenter.org. Adler said that for those who can't make it, videos of the speeches will be available on the website after the conference.