September 2013: Letter from the president

Building momentum is fun and we are doing a lot of that right now at JAWS.

At a networking party I held at my home this month, I got to sign up a dozen new members, connect writers looking for work with editors looking to hire, and start building a wish list of training sessions that we will organize this year.

What fun to see success with the networking, mentoring and training behind our mission to support the professional empowerment and personal growth of women in journalism and work toward a more accurate portrayal of the whole society.

Here’s a quick update on what we are doing to strengthen and grow JAWS in other ways:

— We are now 40% of the way toward our $10,000 goal to support the JAWS fellowship program via GoFundMe. Please continue to spread the word through your networks via Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and email so we can support these 10 young women to attend CAMP: http://www.gofundme.com/jawsfellows2013

— Keep an eye out for an exciting new program to raise money for fellows and visibility for JAWS through Friday 5, when that organization’s members donate collectively to our cause through pooled contributions. They have made a five-year commitment to JAWS, which is a tremendous endorsement of our longterm efforts to mentor emerging journalists. Oct. 4 is our launch day so get ready! Read more about Friday 5 and the good work they do here.

— We have so far attracted $20,000 in sponsorship funding for this year’s Conference and Mentoring Project, well beyond our expectations thanks to a bigger emphasis on that effort. You can see the results here. It is very gratifying to get this level of support from a variety of sponsors and donors who are aligned with our mission.

— We are on our way toward registering 200 women for CAMP, our goal for this year, with just a month to go before our gathering in Vermont. You can see our schedule here. It’s not too late to register for this terrific program packed with training and great speakers such as Jill Abramson. The regular rate of $375, which includes most meals, expires Sept. 30.

— We continue to make great strides in boosting our public profile with social media postings and a beautiful new website that makes it easier to find information about the work we do. We hope to highlight the work of members here often so send feedback on what you would like to see on the site.

— We continue to sign up new members at each new event. The more than 750 members who paid dues this year or the previous two brings us to a record high and gives us the critical mass we need to enhance regional programming. That’s 150 more than last year, and 400 more than two years ago. Spread the word to your friends and colleagues about the benefits of membership so we continue our growth. We will be rolling out a new membership platform at the end of the year to improve services to you as well.

I would love to hear personal stories about how you are building momentum in your career and how JAWS has helped so send them along to me or share on our new listserv!