Training Women to Take the Lead

I want you to run for office! That's the message White House Project founder Marie Wilson is sending to women across the nation. On the second part of this See Jane Do special, featured guests Marie Wilson, Gloria Feldt, Mayor Reinette Senum and aspiring candidate Kristy Pagan will share why it's more important than ever for women to take the lead and run.

According to the recent Shriver Report, women now make up half of the workforce and in many cases are the breadwinner for their family. Women make up half the population, yet we still hold a small minority in elected representation in the United States.

In this story we feature several extraordinary Jane's who are demonstrating how every women can run for office and share why it's so important for every women to be involved.

A handful of organizations such as the White House Project, a nonpartisan organization that has trained over 6,000 women to lead from their communities all the way to the White House, are pitching in to train and support women towards taking a greater role in leadership.

Hear from White House Project founder Marie Wilson, staff and trainees about their recent success.  Also featured is political activist, media commentator, and best selling author, Gloria Feldt. Nevada City, CA Mayor Reinette Senum and political leader Kristy Pagan Kathleen also share their personal stories and triumphs in living a political life.

Learn what you can do today to get involved and make a difference. We're the ones we've been waiting for and our time is now!

Marie Wilson

An advocate of women’s issues for more than 30 years, Marie C. Wilson is founder and President of The White House Project, co-creator of Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work ® Day and author of Closing the Leadership Gap: Why Women Can and Must Help Run the World (Viking 2004).

Gloria Feldt

Gloria Feldt is an activist, best selling author, keynote speaker, and media commentator. She is a leading expert on politics, women's lives and rights, reproductive and public health, and courageous leadership.

A teen mom who rose to be president and CEO of the world's largest reproductive health provider and advocacy organization, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, she now delivers her message through media, including her website GloriaFeldt.com and its popular Heartfeldt Politics Blog. She is working on her next book, exploring women's relationship with power in relationships, at work, and in politics.

Reinette Senum

For the past twenty years Reinette has been a motivational speaker for many schools and groups throughout the west coast. Reinette is one of the founders of APPLE (Alliance for a Post-Petroleum Local Economy) dedicated to educating the community on the effects of oil depletion/global warming and the benefits of strong, local economy.  Currently she is the mayor of Nevada City, CA. For more information go to www.reinettesenum.com

Kristy Pagan

While growing up in Plymouth, MI, Kristy Pagan wasn’t raised to lead a political life nor was she encouraged to get involved in politics, but early on Kristy felt the call of public service. After starting a women’s leadership group, that grew to become the largest organization on her college campus, she participated in the White House Project training. Kristy is training high school students to become political leaders. She also has her eye on running for office in the very near future.

The top five things you can do today to ensure equal representation

Get Involved and Do Your Part - click here

1. Ask and encourage a female friend to run for office.
2. Your voice counts! Share your story with your elected representative or submit an editorial to your local paper.
3. Support programs like the White House Project that train women to run and take the lead.
4. Volunteer in your community.
5. Consider running for office!