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NHC Commission for Women Minutes 6.25.2020 RevisedNEW HANOVER COUNTY MANAGER’S OFFICE / NEW HANOVER COUNTY COMMISSION FOR WOMEN (Commission) Lucie F. Harrell Conference Room, New Hanover County Government Center and Online via Teams June 25, 2020 – 4:00 PM Committee Members Present (In-Person): Kristi Baker, Jane Birnbach, Bhairavi Jeganathan, Katherine Kirby, Dr. Stephanie R. Johnson, Kathryn Wandling Committee Members Present (Virtually via Teams): Sheila Evans, Velva Jenkins, Judge Robin Robinson, Kim Spader, Bridget Tarrant and Natosha Tew Committee Members Absent: None Staff Present: Tufanna Bradley-Thomas, Assistant County Manager, Bo Dean, Senior HR Analyst, and Dahria Kianpour, Deputy Clerk to the Board Guest: Adam Caldwell and Jessica Whitney I. Call to Order Tufanna Bradley called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm. A quorum was established. II. Board Orientation & Training Objectives: Meeting one another and celebrate the beginning of this commissions work. Establish standard practice commission meeting sand operations as an appointed body. Understand the role of the commission and work as public body. Identify possible future directions and goals. Elect leadership. Roles: Facilitator, Bo Dean, Senior HR Analyst; Staff: Tufanna Bradley, Assistant County Manager and Dahria Kianpour, Deputy Clerk to the NHC Commission Rules: Truth over Harmony Meeting and getting to know one another the Group was guided by four questions: 1.) Name 2.) Share something about you: Occupation, advocacy, engagement 3.) Where you reside, if you like how you arrived in NHC 4.) What motivates you to be on this commission? Bhairavi Jeganathan: Shared being an educator and mother of 2. Moved to the area after Dorian from Toronto Canada. Is driven to the commission to do her part as a citizen. Coaches women and has coached a number of women and feels that representation is essential. Kathryn Wandling: Shared being an attorney and mediator. Originally from Tennessee. Has both her own child and parents living here and wants to give back (motivation for service). Jane Birnbach: Shared having grown up with high achieving women in her life, particularly here own mother. Is driven by sisterhood and helping one another to achieve. Is the Senior Development Director at Good Shepherd Ministries and has a passion for homeless and hunger issues. Has served and serves on the railroad board and Wilmington symphony orchestra board among other roles. Kristi Baker: Shared being the administrator for the Betty Cameron Women and Children’s Hospital at NHRMC. Originally from Oklahoma. Has in the area for 1 year and is very interested in and wants to involved and be a part of the issues regarding women’s health and concerns around the state of women’s health in our region. Help to empower women and increase education for women and the faith. She has access to data and is a link and can create that data driven opportunity for the commission on issues. Stephanie Robinson Johnson: Shared that she is originally from New Orleans. She had a mother who set her standard and wanted see specialized education to influence how women achieve and better ways to address specifically what women need. Katherine Kirby: Shared working with Planned Parenthood with public policy. She has been a rape crisis counseling advocate. Her mother was her role model and she is motivated to give and also to share a younger woman’s perspective as well. Sheila Evans: Shared she has been a volunteer in many ways in the community over the years with the young women and in particular the Girl Scouts. She has served as a court mediator. Originally from Pennsylvania, she is motivated to continue to help young women and to find college opportunities for high school girls. Judge Robin Robinson (Guest from the State): Shared that she is a district court judge and joins the meeting as a representative the state wide NC Council for women in the department of administration. She is looking forward to thoughtful leadership and to be of assistance and a guide from that level and from the perspective of having served and have knowledge of a commission that once existed before. Judge Robinson has lived in New Hanover County since after law school. Kim Spader: Shared that she is a mental health professional who has been in the area for 20 years. She is motivated for the commission by the mental health needs of women and making sure those and medical needs are met. Velva Jenkins: Shared that she is the new CEO of the YWCA of the Lower Cape Fear. She has an educational background and worked at Brunswick Community College. She is motivated to support women and provide a pathway to success by empowering women and having women work with women. Natasha Tew: Pubic Information Officer at the Wilmington Fire Department. She is a former Wilmington Fire Fighter. She is motivated by having a 12 year old daughter and to set an example and pave a path. She is originally from Ft. Bragg and came to Wilmington in 1996. Bridgett Tarrant: Shared that she came to Wilmington after Florence (from Chicago) and worked on the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). She lives in downtown Wilmington and is motivated by needs around nutrition and health care; physical and mental health, and political issues as well as her daughter as an inspiration. Based on the sharing of the information and common themes tides to the overarching mission for the commission, the group established three working committees to begin their work: Health Access Opportunities for Women in NHC (broadly set to address needs, e.g. transportation, education, work, etc) Advocacy. III. Establish Commission O.A.R.S Current Project Requests North Carolina Status of Women Report – theme is Political Participation Will occur the second week of August; they are still firming up a specific date Will include narratives from women leaders (Chief Justice Cheri Beasley, Judge Robin Robinson, etc.) and encourage/expand how to run for office There will be three regional (Triad, Central & East) virtual launches We have been asked to assist with the Eastern Region launch by helping develop an invitation list, promote and participate in the event Work Groups on the Centennial Celebration/Women’s Equality There will be a virtual event with the League of Women Voters The theme is “When Women Gather” The event will highlight aspects of the 19th Amendment and have panelists discussing how it opened the door to women’s suffrage They are looking for promoting partners; this could be an opportunity for the NHC Commission for Women There is a Zoom meeting on July 25th; a link will be provided at a later date Proclamation They are developing a proclamation to take to our Commissioners Call for Commissions around the state There will be a Zoom meeting on June 29th; a link will be provided at a later date Chairs and staff to location commissions will be invited to attend Executive Order 143 The Governor has established a new committee to provide recommendations and a report by the end of December on social justice improvements specifically around race and gender and how COVID-19 impacts women The state council for women have a seat on the committee IV. Election of Officers The election was held by paper ballot; Chairperson – Kathryn Wandling, Vice Chairperson – Dr. Stephanie R. Johnson, and Secretary – Sheila Evans. The votes were as follows: Name Chairperson Vice Chairperson Secretary  Bhairavi Jeganathan   1  Stephanie R. Johnson 5 6   Sheila Evans  2 10  Kathryn Wandling 6 3    V. Meeting Procedures - Commission Standard Practice Discussion A draft of the meeting procedures was provided via email, Teams and at the meeting. Kathryn Wandling MOVED, SECONDED by Jane Birnbach to adopt agreed upon commission procedures, guidelines and standard practice. Upon vote, the MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Public Comment Period A draft of the public comment period was provided via email, Teams and at the meeting. Kathryn Wandling MOVED, SECONDED by Kristi Baker to adopt the public comment period procedures with a time modification of 3 minutes versus 5 minutes. Upon vote, the MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Committees MOTION: Kristi Baker MOVED, SECONDED by Kathryn Wandling that Commission will have three committees: Health Access, Empowerment and Advocacy. Upon vote, the MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. VI. Regular Meeting Date & Time MOTION: Kristi Baker MOVED, SECONDED by Bhairavi Jeganathan that Commission meetings will take place monthly (for the time being) on the last Wednesday of each month from at 4:00 pm (location and meeting room to be determined). Upon vote, the MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Next meeting date is Wednesday, July 29, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. (location and room to be determined). VIII. Adjourn: Chairperson Kathryn Wandling adjourned the meeting at 5:49 pm.