Conference Intends to Help Women Gain Control of Own Lives

The magic of passion, women as peacemakers, sexual static at work and careers for now and in the future are among the dozens of workshop topics to be addressed at Coastline Community College’s Conference for Women ’88 next weekend at The Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa.

The title of the 10th annual Conference for Women is “Managing Your Challenging Future.”

“It’s meant to imply we’re taking a look at everything: all of our responsibilities to the community,” said Jerilyn White, a member of the Conference for Women advisory board.

“I think the theme is taking a look at our lives as they relate to the world and being responsible, growing people,” said White, who owns a Fountain Valley ad agency. “We’ve really attempted to have the kinds of offerings for women that will extend to their entire life.”

The Aug. 19-20 conference, which will feature Melodie Rogers, host of TV’s “2 on the Town,” as keynote speaker Saturday, is divided into two separate, daylong sessions, with separate costs for each: a management seminar Friday and a general conference Saturday.

The management seminar will address the trends and issues in women’s career development. The pre-registration cost is $85 ($90 at the door). Workshop topics include politics in the workplace, sharpening negotiating skills in the workplace and how to get (and be) an effective mentor.

The morning keynote speaker Friday will be Carole Leland, program associate at the Center for Creative Leadership in La Jolla, who will discuss “Breaking Through the Glass Ceiling.” Luncheon keynote speaker Donna George, dean of University Extension Services at Cal State Long Beach, will speak on “The Valiant Struggle Between Obstacles and Options.”

On Saturday, the conference will include 24 workshops on such topics as “Women as Peacemakers,” which will explore the causes of war and the important role of women in establishing peace; “Becoming a Political Woman: Run for Office,” in which women candidates will share their expertise, and “Prospering Women: You Can Have It All.”

Several dozen roundtable discussions will also be held throughout the day on topics ranging from managing your money and managing your image to networking to achieve personal goals and how to get your point across in 30 seconds.

The pre-registration fee for the conference Saturday is $40 ($45 at the door).

By offering such a wide variety of workshop, panel and roundtable discussions, White said, “we’re giving women a chance to sort of make a stand in the community.”

“One of the panels (Saturday) is on ‘Women of Color,’ minority women who have made achievements, who will talk about some of the stresses and problems they’ve had getting to where they are. It’s an attempt to give other minority women an opportunity to network and have mentors who have achieved.

“We’re also having a panel of women there with their daughters, which will explore the women’s movement and its effect on the two generations; and a panel of political women in the county talking about politics.”

Rogers, who has won four Emmy awards, will discuss “Winning Your Own Emmy Award” during her keynote address Saturday. The closing speaker Saturday afternoon will be Danielle Kennedy, a nationally known motivational speaker and sales trainer. The San Clemente mother of eight children is the author of “Women Who Win.”

On Friday, for the first time, several thousand women across the nation will participate in a video conference transmitted live via satellite. The conference, which is titled “Career Development Strategies for Women,” is designed for women already on the job and interested in upward or lateral career moves, particularly in their own companies. It will include a panel of six women representing various job types and functions in the health care, aerospace, high tech, insurance, manufacturing and communications industries.

Kerry Reynolds of both Newport Beach and Lake Tahoe, a communications consultant and college instructor, is chairwoman of the conference.

Olympic medalist Cathy Rigby, a wife and mother of four children who has been honored by ABC-TV’s “Wide World of Sports” as one of America’s most influential women in sports, is the honorary chairwoman. White said Rigby was selected because she is an example of a woman who is successful both at home and in her career.

“We really want to emphasize the idea that women don’t have to limit themselves: They can be traditional and non-traditional, and there are a lot of opportunities to assist them in deciding what they want,” White said.

More than 70 county women are on a committee to advise and plan the event. White said conference fees have been kept low as a result of corporate sponsors and private donations.

For information, call (714) 241-6186.