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NAWBO-LA Online Newsletter
October 2008 Issue
NAWBO-LA Enhances Public Policy Advocacy
Building upon the success of past initiatives, formalized public policy committee will establish new processes to give an even greater voice to women business owners on key issues
As NAWBO-LA continues to rise to new heights, a formalized public policy committee chaired by new board Vice President of Public Policy Wendy Mitchell will set up processes for taking and communicating positions on issues of importance to women business owners.
Mitchell, with a 15-year record of senior strategic planning positions in both California state government and the private sector, said the committee’s work also will enable NAWBO-LA members to further amplify their voices and gain additional access via the organization to state and local decision-makers.
Other members of the committee include President-Elect Daphne Anneet, Vice President of Membership Madelyn Alfano, and new board member Gayla Kraetsch-Hartsough.
“In recognition of the diversity and strength of women entrepreneurs, NAWBO-LA increasingly is asked to weigh in on policy issues,” said Anneet. “This reflects the value and importance of the organization. We’re being asked to be at the table because of who we are and who our members are.”
Added Mitchell, “The committee will allow us to weigh issues carefully and look at which warrant taking a position on, plus enable NAWBO-LA members to engage on a new level, stay current on key issues and become even more influential with their collective voice.”
 About NAWBO-LA’s 2008-09 Vice President of Public Policy
Vice President of Public Policy Wendy Mitchell, new to the NAWBO-LA board this year, brings knowledge, experience and political access to her NAWBO-LA role. Recruited to the board by former Vice President of Public Policy Susan McCabe, she succeeds Mary McCormick in this role.
Currently principal of WM Consulting, Inc., Mitchell is a veteran of the California State Assembly and State Senate. She previously served as chief of staff to powerful Senate Budget Chair, Denise Moreno Ducheny (D-San Diego); senior budget consultant in the California State Assembly; liaison to the Latino Legislative Caucus; and legislative consultant to the Senate Majority Caucus and the California Senate Majority Leader. She also worked extensively in external, government and public affairs in the private sector.
In addition to running her own firm, Mitchell currently serves as Los Angeles City Council Member Jack Weiss’ appointee to the Mulholland Design Review Board (a Los Angeles City Planning advisory board) and sits on the board of the California League of Conservation Voters. |
A Foundation of Public Policy Successes
The committee’s work builds on past public policy initiatives, with credit going to current NAWBO National President Cynthia McClain-Hill (a former NAWBO-LA president) and Renee White Fraser (a past president of both NAWBO-LA and the Enterprise Institute of NAWBO-LA) for spearheading much of the organization’s previous policy leadership.
A few examples of previous policy initiatives and activities include:
- Anneet’s and current board President Jane Skeeter’s participation in this year’s Access Washington, D.C. trip – organized by the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa – where they joined more than 200 business and civic leaders and represented the voice of women business owners. This builds upon NAWBO-LA leaders’ and members’ participation in the chamber’s annual Access Sacramento advocacy visit to the state capital.
- Skeeter’s additional involvement in the 2008 Border Governors Conference, designed to develop agreements and policies to address regional issues.
- Mitchell’s participation in the California Environmental Protection Agency Small Business Roundtable in Sacramento.
- NAWBO-LA’s role in 2008 as a founding member of the Los Angeles County Business Federation (BizFed) – a large-scale, grassroots alliance of regional business organizations that offers tools to communicate instantaneously with decision-makers and effectively advocate to create a better economic and political environment.
- NAWBO-LA’s active engagement in the statewide process to reform the health care system, including a panel discussion for members featuring the governor’s health policy advisor and the League of Women Voters-Los Angeles’ health care consultant.
- The participation of board President Skeeter and board member Maria de Lourdes Sobrino last year in a trade mission trip to Mexico City with Mayor Villaraigosa and other local business and policy leaders.
- Extensive work with then-State Assemblyman Mark Ridley-Thomas that garnered the attention of legislators and led to the 2004 passage of Assembly Bill 1643 to establish a new contract service provider designation that protects small businesses and independent contractors.
A Commitment to a Strong Policy Future
As NAWBO-LA moves forward with additional public policy advocacy that advances the interests of women business owners, it will take into account the results of a recent survey of members and other stakeholders about state and local policy priorities. The organization also plans to establish a team to address sustainability issues both from a business and social responsibility perspective.
Noted Skeeter, “It’s all about strengthening the organization and the members who form our core.”
Public Policy Breakfast with Cal/EPA Secretary Linda Adams
Thursday, October 23, 2008; 8:00am - 9:30am
Maria's Downtown
615 South Flower Street, Los Angeles CA 90017
 Join us at a Public Policy Breakfast with Linda Adams, Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency. She will discuss AB 32, the Governor's green initiatives and his vision for growing California’s green economy.
Linda Adams, former director of the California Department of Water Resources, was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in May 2006 as Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency – making her the first woman to serve as head of the agency.
As Cal/EPA’s Secretary, Adams oversees the environmental activities of the Air Resources Board, California Integrated Waste Management Board, State Water Resources Control Board, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, Department of Toxic Substances Control, Department of Pesticide Regulation, and the approximately 5,000 employees that serve the state’s diverse environmental programs.
Immediately upon appointment, Secretary Adams was designated as Governor Schwarzenegger’s lead negotiator on AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. Adams is now working closely with states, provinces and countries around the world to develop a network of climate initiatives to achieve the greatest global reductions.
Registration:
Limited seating. Attendance is $30. Please contact NAWBO-LA's office at 213.622.3200 or events@nawbola.org by Friday, October 17, to reserve your seat. |
Speaker of the Assembly Bass Installs New Boards
California Speaker of the Assembly Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles), fresh off of helping resolve California’s budget stalemate, served as the installation officer for the 2008-09 NAWBO-LA and Enterprise Institute of NAWBO-LA Boards of Directors on Sept. 23.
She noted, “I’m so impressed with the quality of women business owners involved in NAWBO-LA. I encourage all of these women to engage in public policy processes on issues that impact their businesses, communities and the entire state – and that starts with making sure they vote on Nov. 4. Longer term, working through NAWBO-LA to make their voices heard, women business owners can truly affect policy for the betterment of their own businesses and the rest of society for years to come.”
For information on the measures on the Nov. 4 ballot, visit California’s General Election website at www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov.
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