Gov. Kathleen Blanco and Hoda Kotb, an award-winning Dateline NBC correspondent, will speak about challenges for women following Hurricane Katrina at the Louisiana’s Women Leaders’ Bayou Regional Conference tomorrow in the Cotillion Ballroom beginning at 8 a.m. Louisiana’s Women Leaders, a group stemming from the Louisiana Policy and Research Commission on Women, meets to educate, motivate and mobilize women and discuss problems and solutions from a woman’s perspective through workshops, speeches and discussions, Laura Badeaux, associate professor of applied sciences and chairperson of the Louisiana Policy and Research Commission on Women, said.
“Students (who go to the conference) will get a look at the challenges facing them as adults and the responsibilities that citizenship demands of them,” Badeaux said. “They will get a look at the way to be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem.”
Following Gov. Blanco’s greeting during the luncheon portion of the conference, Kotb will give the keynote address. Kotb has been a correspondent for NBC since 1998 and has reported from around the world on global issues such as the war in Iraq, the conflicts in the Middle East and the War on Terror.
“Hoda is a courageous role model and (brings) a consciousness the great depth of problems around the world,” Badeaux said.
Conference participants will attend two of the four workshops offered. The workshops are about taking care of aging parents, how to handle insurance matters, empowering women in politics and taking control of one’s health and will be presented by “very high-powered women,” Badeaux said.
This is the fourth in a series of conferences, but is the first since the 2005 hurricane season. The theme is “Leadership in the Aftermath of the Storm: The Challenge for Women.”
“These table talks will hopefully result in an agenda to bring before the governor,” Badeaux said.
A networking reception will follow with guest U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La. During this time, participants will have access to resources concerning all the topics discussed, such as insurance information, access to housing, information on grants for small businesses and leadership tips for those in office.
“(Participants) will network with people who may motivate them to set high standards and goals in what they can do in Louisiana,” Badeaux said.
The conferences were stalled after last year’s hurricanes, and the Lafourche Commission of Women asked for the governor’s permission to reinitiate the conferences with the support of the Lafourche Parish Council.
Registration to attend the event is $25 in advance and $35 at the door.
