Lift IOWA: News briefs – Week of July 20
Melissa Vine named executive director of Beacon of Life: Beacon of Life’s board of directors has named Melissa Vine as the new executive director, succeeding Keshia Meissner, who served as executive director for almost nine years. Vine will lead strategic planning and operations for Beacon of Life, which serves women experiencing homelessness due to trauma, substance abuse, domestic violence and incarceration. Vine has 12 years of experience in business ownership and five years of experience in social work and counseling. She was previously a mental health counselor with an emphasis on trauma-informed care at Integrative Counseling Solutions in West Des Moines. Vine also owns Vine Chromatic, which books music and speaking engagements.
Smith named editor of north Iowa newspapers: Lee Enterprises announced last week that Jaci Smith, editor of the Mason City Globe Gazette, has been named Lee’s north Iowa editor. In the position, Smith will oversee operations at the Globe Gazette and other publications including the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, the Mitchell County Press-News, and the Summit-Tribune, which covers Forest City and Britt in Winnebago and Hancock counties, respectively. Smith began her career as a copy editor at the Racine Journal-Times in Wisconsin, and has worked as a reporter, editor and digital editor at several publications.
CBJ accepting 2020 Forty Under 40 nominations: The Corridor Business Journal is accepting nominations for its 2020 Forty Under 40 class. The annual awards recognize 40 leaders under the age of 40 who have made a significant impact in their business and community early in their careers. Nominees must live in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City area and be under 40 years old as of Oct. 14 to qualify. Learn more about nominations and download a nomination form online. Honorees will be featured in the Oct. 19 issue of the Corridor Business Journal and recognized at an Oct. 15 awards banquet. For more information, visit the CBJ’s website or email CBJ Event Manager Ashley Moore at ashley@corridorbusiness.com.
WLC fall events go virtual: Women Lead Change made the decision last week to move all scheduled fall conferences online, according to a release sent by the organization. The change affects the Dubuque Conference on Oct. 8, the Central Iowa Conference on Oct. 28 and the Quad Cities Conference on Nov. 10. More information on each event and tickets are available online.
Women’s Bureau seeking input on paid family leave policies: The U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau is seeking public comment on the effectiveness of current state- and employer-provided paid leave programs. Through the feedback, the bureau hopes to assess how access or lack of access to paid leave programs has affected women and their families. The feedback will help the department identify possible new practices related to eligibility, program-related costs, and administrative models of existing paid leave programs.
AND IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
Veteran feminist organizations, led by white women, have not made room for women of color, especially Black women, according to interviews with 20 former staffers from the American Association of University Women, the Feminist Majority Foundation and the National Organization for Women.
In a major achievement for women in the armed forces, an unidentified female soldier became the U.S. Army’s first female Green Beret, U.S. Army Special Operations Command announced.
A new op-ed by Melinda Gates in “Foreign Affairs” reveals how women worldwide are being marginalized by the coronavirus pandemic in less obvious ways.
If you’re worried about celebrating the 19th Amendment centennial amid the coronavirus outbreak, several Iowa events are scheduled that will give you an opportunity to mark the day without leaving your living room.
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