Speakers set for Ohio Women Veterans Conference

0

COLUMBUS – The Ohio Women Veterans Conference is just weeks away and topflight speakers are confirmed to address former military members during the daylong event, which is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 10, and will be held at the Ohio Union on the campus of The Ohio State University.

Registration is required. To sign up online and for a complete listing of breakout sessions, speakers, social activities on Friday, Aug. 9, and more information on the expo and purpose of the conference, go to OhioVets.gov.

The Ohio Women Veterans Conference is one of the largest gatherings of women veterans in the nation. It provides resources and networking opportunities for sisters in military service of all eras from WWII to present-day Iraq and Afghanistan. Ohio is home to 67,000 women veterans.

This year’s theme is #SheServedToo – Strong. Healthy. Empowered.

Keynote and featured speakers include:

• Major Gen. (U.S. Army, retired) Deborah Ashenhurst, director of the Ohio Department of Veterans Services. She served as the Ohio Adjutant General under former Gov. John Kasich and Gov. Mike DeWine appointed her as ODVS Director in January of this year, making Director Ashenhurst the first female to serve in each of those roles.

• Rear Admiral (U.S. Coast Guard, retired) June Ryan, formerly commander, Ninth Coast Guard District/Great Lakes Region leading units across eight states and 1,500 miles of international border. Ryan is the first enlisted woman to rise to the rank of Rear Admiral in the Coast Guard.

Among other noteworthy guests are Ohio Women Veteran Legislators and U.S. Army veteran Meaghan Mobbs. Ohio is home to women veterans who serve as state senators and representatives. Their roundtable discussion is sure to spur critical thinking and dialogue on women and veteran issues and opportunities in Ohio. Mobbs is a clinical psychology Predoctoral Fellow at Teachers College, Columbia University. She headlines a blog, The Debrief, on Psychology Today dedicated to tackling modern day veteran issues.

For a complete listing of speakers and theirs bios, go to http://dvs.ohio.gov/main/library/womenvets/2019Conference/Speakers.pdf.

Other highlights include:

• Breakout sessions include The Veteran Entrepreneur, Public Service as a Career Choice, Women Veterans Healthcare at the VA, Maximizing Military Skills on Your Civilian Resume, Tackling Modern Day Veterans’ Challenges, 10 Characteristics of Professionalism and more.

• The Expo is one of the top exhibitor shows in Ohio designed for women veterans featuring financial services, health and wellness, service organizations, volunteer opportunities, specialty products, job recruiters, apprenticeships and career counselors

• County Veteran Service Officers will be available to help navigate veteran resources including compensation and pensions, financial assistance, education and healthcare benefits, life insurance, vocational rehabilitation, burial and memorial benefits and more.

• New this year is the HER2 Room (Health, Empowerment, Restoration and Relaxation), which is designed to center mental, physical, spiritual and emotional care through yoga, iRest, expressive art, therapeutic touch and IPV prevention.

• Representatives of the office of Franklin County Recorder Daniel J. O’Connor Jr. will have equipment to print out veteran ID cards. The cards are valid for former service members residing in any of Ohio’s 88 counties. DD214 discharge papers and another form of ID (driver’s license, state ID) required.

Another new component of this year’s conference is Mix, Muster & Mingle, which is set for Friday, Aug. 9, and features the following menu of optional events:

• 1 p.m. – Ohio Statehouse tour

• 3 p.m. – National Veterans Memorial & Museum tour

• 5 p.m. – Welcome Reception at SpringHill Suites

•· 5:30 p.m. – Hofbrauhuas Dinner

• 6:15 p.m. – Columbus Clippers Presents Ohio Women Veterans Night @ Huntington Park

• Approx. 9 p.m. – Nightcap Network in Short North Arts District

Registration for the 2019 Ohio Women Veterans Conference is available at OhioVets.gov. Deadline is July 31.

For more information about the conference, contact Sandra Puskarcik, Ohio Women Veterans Program administrator and Conference Manager Ohio Department of Veterans Services at [email protected] or 614-752-8941.

https://www.delgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2019/07/web1_image002.jpg

Submitted story

This story was submitted by the Ohio Department of Veterans Services.

No posts to display