Alturas Institute’s annual conference to be held at Community Library
BY YANNA LANTZ
The Alturas Institute’s fourth annual “Conversations with Exceptional Women” conference will be in partnership with The Community Library in Ketchum, Thursday and Friday, Sept. 27-28.
The mission of The Alturas Institute is to promote the Constitution, civic education and gender equality through conferences, seminars, workshops and lectures throughout Idaho.
The Institute hosts an “annual ‘Conversations with Exceptional Women’ designed to gather national leaders to discuss, in a casual, relaxed setting, various problems and challenges confronting women in the workplace and across America, those challenges that have been overcome and those that remain,” said David Adler, president of The Alturas Institute. “We do not feature formal lectures from a podium but, rather, conversations among women, facilitated by a moderator, as well as Q and A with audience members.”
The theme for this year’s conference is “Find Her Voice.”
“This year’s theme is one that resonates across the nation, particularly in light of the #MeToo Movement,” Adler said. “Our purpose this year is to gather remarkable women from various sectors of our society to share their stories about how and when they found their voice. In turn, they will share ideas as to how others can find their voices to better realize their own ambitions and aspirations.”
The lineup of speakers includes women who have become effective participants in the political world, industries, academia, government, the world of letters, film, counseling and administration.
“For example, we will feature Jody Williams, a recipient of the 1997 Peace Prize for her work in banning land mines,” Adler said. “Another speaker, Dr. Caroline Heldman, is an international expert on sexual violence and assault, appearing frequently on national television programs, from FOX News to CNN to NBC, ABC and CBS, among others. She has worked closely with survivors in the scandals involving Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein, among others.”
Selected by committee, speakers will also include Idaho gubernatorial candidate Paulette Jordan; Gina Bennett, a senior counterterrorism expert with the CIA; Professor Joanne Freeman, the nation’s leading expert on Alexander Hamilton; award-winning film director and producer Christine Walker; Sen. Michelle Stennett, and more.
“‘Conversations with Exceptional Women’ reflects our mission statement, which promotes the Constitution, civic education, gender equality and American democracy,” Adler said. “This event represents our major gender equality program.”
This conference is open to the public, and Adler hopes to see students, teachers, men and women at this year’s event.
“Each year, we have drawn an audience from throughout Idaho and across the United States,” Adler said. Students are particularly encouraged to attend, and they will receive scholarships to attend. Area teachers have said that their students have found our program life-changing, as some who had not intended to enroll in a college or university changed their minds and their futures as they raised the bar on their own set of ambitions. Some have become pen pals with our speakers as a result of their participation in our event.”
Those interested in a student scholarship should contact david.adler@alturasinstitute.com for more information. Conference events run from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily and tickets are $110. Visit alturasinstitute.com for a full schedule of events and to reserve a spot.
