Service, leadership focus of ECU Women’s Roundtable Oct. 10 event

By Jeannine Manning Hutson

The fourth event in the ECU Incredible Women’s Series will focus on service and leadership and will feature the founders of the successful Georgetown Cupcakes and a Paralympian medal winner.

Founded in 2003, The Women’s Roundtable at East Carolina University will present “The Incredible ECU Women’s Series: Women Empowered, Service and Leadership” on Oct. 10 at the Greenville Convention Center.

Keynote speakers will be Katherine Berman and Sophie LaMontagne, sisters and founders of the shop featured in TLC’s “DC Cupcake.” Also speaking will be Bonnie St. John, who won three Paralympic medals in ski racing and co-authored “How Great Women Lead.”

“Women have played a pivotal role in the history of ECU,” said Mary E. Plybon, immediate past chair of the group. “The Women’s Roundtable was founded to ensure current and future alumnae of ECU can continue the tradition of legacy and service focusing on leadership, service, networking, mentoring and philanthropy.”

During the event, 10 women will be inducted into the “Incredible ECU Women” group, joining the 106 current members. They are as follows, including the category they are being recognized in:

• Jo Allen, ’83, president of Meredith College, Education;
• Sabrina Bengel, attended ’77-’79, entrepreneur, alderman and business woman, Public Service;
• Dr. Cynthia Johnson, founding chair of the School of Human Ecology at Georgia Southern University, Education;
• Dr. Luan Lawson, ’94 ’98, assistant dean for medical education at the Brody School of Medicine at ECU, Health Sciences;
• Dasha Little, ’81, president of Apogee Solutions and Aspen Counseling, Business;
• Willie Marlowe, ’65, world-renowned visual artist, Fine Arts;
• Angela Moss, ’97 ’98, associate director of investments for the University of North Carolina Management Company, Business;
• Dr. Roytessa Savage, ’99, assistant dean for student affairs, associate professor of pediatrics and vice chair of diversity for the Brody School of Medicine at ECU; Health Sciences
• Dr. Tracy Tuten, ’88 ’90, associate professor of marketing at ECU, Education;
• Dr. Marianna Walker, ’79 ’82, dean of the Honors College at ECU, Education.

Speaking on a panel focused on service and leadership will be Jo Allen, president of Meredith College; Cassandra Deck-Brown, chief of police in Raleigh; Sheilah Cotton, professor at Louisburg College; Dasha Little, president of Apogee Solutions and Aspen Counseling; Lynn Shubert, president of the Surety and Fidelity Association of America; and Carol Mabe, member of the ECU Board of Trustees.

The Women’s Roundtable at East Carolina University seeks to elevate and encourage leadership and philanthropy by women. Since forming in 2003, the group has raised and contributed more than $100,000 to support Access Scholarships for deserving students, according to Marcy Romary, interim executive director for Health Sciences Development and director of Women’s Philanthropy.

Plybon said, “In the area of philanthropy the Women’s Roundtable is dedicated to funding a solid university education for bright students who need financial assistance through the Access Scholarship program.”

Three students have received Women’s Roundtable Scholarship and the Women’s Roundtable Board of Directors in 2011 committed to fully establish and endow the Kathy A. Taft Memorial Women’s Roundtable Access Scholarship ($125,000) in memory of the Women’s Roundtable founding member.

“Proceeds from The Incredible Women’s Series will be dedicated to complete the endowment. What a wonderful legacy for Kathy,” said Plybon. In addition, founding member Kay Chalk has established the Kay Chalk Women’s Roundtable Access Scholarship.

“The Women’s Roundtable believes in the power of women to impact other women’s lives as well as our students, our university and the broader community,” Plybon added.

Tickets for the event are $100 and all proceeds benefit the Access Scholarship program at ECU.  For more information or tickets, call 744-3057 or visit www.ecu.edu/womensroundtable.