Please join us as a panel discusses why Seattle & the South
Sound have gender based pay gaps that are among the highest in the country.
Headlines have declared women are paid 77 cents on every dollar that a man makes. That figure changes as you consider the industry, ethnicity and area of the country.
Does this GAP exist? Please join us as we hear from these expert panelists, as they share their thoughts and knowledge on this timely issue:
Panelists are
Jean Godden, Seattle City Councilperson… Show more
Teresa Ciabattari, Chair Women Studies-PLU
Dorothy E McBride, Author-Women's Rights in the USA: Policy Conflicts and Gender Roles
Senator Karen Keiser, Kent-33rd LD Senator
Moderator: Amanda Westbrook, TV Tacoma
For the past decade, Ms. Westbrooke has served as host of Tacoma's City Line Television's weekly economic and cultural affairs program. As a natural educator, here, Ms. Westbrooke wafts and weaves local tradition with urban progress. With vast experience in human resources, as a former teacher and curriculum development specialist for First Presbyterian School as Director of Education & Outreach for Tacoma's Little Theatre, and as Strategic Project Manager for Metro Parks, Ms. Westbrooke's virtues were not lost on those who have either worked with her or were led by her.
Ms. Westbrooke, herself, committed to peace, justice, fairness, and progress of all types, was best shown this by her Southern Grandmother, Mary Laila Jones, who created a cooperative garden of mixed race community members in 1966, for ALL people. "You don't have anything until you give it away" was her mantra.
Jean Godden, Seattle City Councilperson Many Tacomans and Seattleites remember Jean as an award-winning city columnist, first in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and then for the Seattle Times. Jean is now a council member on the Seattle City Council. Last year the City assembled a task force to take an in-depth look at solving the gender pay gap after it was found women make 90 cents for every dollar earned by a male employee at the City. A task force went to work developing a Gender Justice Initiative, which was recently presented to the Mayor and Council Member Jean Godden.
The task force created a list of solutions to begin work on this problem, and with the Mayor's support the Council can move ahead in implementing some of these initiatives. The Mayor and Councilmember Godden will also introduce a joint resolution to address gender inequities which instructs City Departments to take immediate action. The Gender Pay Equity Committee will spend the rest of the year discussing and taking action on the gender wage gap at the City. For a meeting schedule please visit Councilmember Jean Godden's committee page: click here to read more on this topic
Teresa Ciabattari, Chair Women Studies-PLU A sociologist, Teresa Ciabattari teaches and writes about contemporary American families. Her work explores how economic, social, and historical conditions contribute to diversity. Ciabattari has published several research articles on men's changing gender ideologies, work-family balance among low-income women, and housework patterns in marriage, remarriage, and cohabitation. She is currently writing a book on the sociology of families. Ciabattari earned her Ph.D. in sociology at the University of Washington in 2001. Since 2007, she has been a faculty member at Pacific Lutheran University, where she is affiliated with both the Department of Sociology and the Women's and Gender Studies Program.
Dorothy E McBride, Author-Women's Rights in the USA: Policy Conflicts and Gender Roles Dorothy E McBride has lived in Tacoma for 9 years and is active in the Tacoma Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW). She is professor emeritus of political science at Florida Atlantic University and co-author of the forthcoming Women's Rights in the USA: Policy Conflicts and Gender Roles 5th Ed. With Amy Mazur, she was co-director of the Research Network on Gender Politics and the State (RNGS) and co-author of The Politics of State Feminism: Innovation in Comparative Research (2010).
Senator Karen Keiser, Kent-33rd LD Senator
Senator Kaiser has been a Washington State Senator since 2001 and before coming to the Senate, she served in the House of Representatives from 1996 to 2001.
From a recent speech, given by Senator Kaiser:
In Washington state, a woman who holds a full time job is paid, on average, $41,062 dollars per year. A man who holds the same full-time job is paid $52,529 dollars per year. That amounts to an annual wage gap of $11,467.
That gap, then begs the question: what would closing the wage gap mean in real terms for the average working woman?
The difference would equal seven more months of mortgage and utilities payments, or … 12 more months of rent! Every year! This is no small matter.
The former journalist and communications director holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in journalism from the University of California. Karen has earned numerous awards for her legislative and civic achievements including:
American Cancer Society Legislative Champion
The ARC Employment Champion for the Developmentally Disabled
WSPA Distinguished Public Service Award
Progressive States Network State Leader Award
Children’s Alliance Champions for Children Award
Center for Policy Alternatives State Legislator of the Year
In her spare time, Karen enjoys gardening, the ballet, spending time with her family and friends, international travel and attending community service events.
Dinner agenda: 6:00 Wine and Cheese Social 6:45 Networking buffet dinner served 7:00 Program starts 8:15 Program adjourns
Cost: Members: $30 Non-members: $35 Members / UPS staff and students: wine/cheese/cookies: $8 Non-members: wine/cheese/cookies: $10
Cancelation policy : No refund will be processed after 11:30 am on Monday, November 3rd.
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