TODAY'S SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, AUG. 23

Breakfast
9:30AM-10:45AM

Breakout Sessions
9:30AM-10:45AM

Breakout Sessions
11:00AM-12:15AM

Lunch Plenary
12:30PM-2:00PM

Breakout Sessions
2:15PM-3:30PM

Closing Session
3:45PM-5:15PM

Authors' Café
3:45PM-5:45PM

Not-So-Silent Auction
6:45PM-8:45PM

View the full schedule here

TODAY'S WEATHER

WHAT IS NLGJA?

Find out more about NLGJA at the official website.

MENTORS

A big thanks to our mentors:

Brett Zongker
The Associated Press

Caroline K. Hauser
The Washington Post

Mark S. Luckie
Entertainment Weekly

Larry M. Shaw
ABC

Dennis M. Powell
ABC

Doug Mitchell
NPR

Lack of willing women leaves board mostly male

by Kandice Day

What do women want? If the NLGJA Board could answer that question, perhaps women would retain leadership positions and grow in numbers.

"It doesn't go unnoticed," said Ina Fried, NLGJA national vice president for print and new media.

Fried also realizes that without women on the board, there will be fewer willing to move into executive positions.

"There is great diversity between the men that are running this year," Fried said.

Fried is one of the two women exiting the board this year, leaving four women and 15 men.

"I think there is a lack of lesbian leadership in general," said Libby Post, a returning board member. Her take on the lack of women on the board is that "not everybody likes to raise money."

Board membership not only requires attending two meetings a year, it also requires putting in time and energy to raise money and keep members involved. Post, a board member who enjoys raising money, has been a board member since 2007 and is anxious to see more women in leadership.

Julia O'Malley of the Anchorage Daily News is a board member who feels that there are holes within the NLGJA. Perhaps the board just "isn't offering what women want," she said.

While this topic is frequently discussed at board meetings, a solution has yet to be found.
"There's a lot of potential out there," Post said, adding that creating a welcoming environment for additional lesbian leaders could be a step in the right direction.

While a solution has yet to be found, NLGJA encouraged many members to consider running for the board. According to Phillip Pina, board election chairman, nomination letters were sent out to every NLGJA member.

"Women continue to hold key positions within the organization and will always be encouraged to seek those roles. I'm hoping this year's ballot is an anomaly," Pina said.

TO VOTE

Leadership elections for 2008 close Friday at 5 p.m. and include nine male candidates to fill seven empty seats. Voting during the convention will take place online only, and new board membership will be announced Sunday.