UT Martin, WestStar offer opportunity for area women to be ‘queens’ for day

The 15th annual Working Women’s Conference has been scheduled for Feb. 15 at the University of Tennessee at Martin in the Boling University Center.
The conference theme this year is “Queen for the Day.”
This dynamic conference is filled with tips for battling the challenges working women face every day and will be excellent for assistants, executives, women in management, elected officials or the CEOs of companies.
Tips to be offered include those on how to:
• Be a successful business woman in a team environment while working with different personalities;
• Be more aware of personal health issues;
• Be in control of stress;
• Be more aware of how to give back;
• Be more health conscience while cooking in the kitchen.
The cost is $35 per person and includes continental breakfast and lunch. Seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.
Participants can register and pay online at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDBqWmNxQV9adS02cVAxbElXWjlScFE6MQ; by going online and following the event links at www.utm.edu/weststar; by calling the WestStar office at (731) 881-3298 and providing a credit card number; by emailing vgrimes@utm.edu, providing name, business and a complete address and phone number; or by mail at WestStar, UT Martin, 321 Administration Building, Martin, TN 38238. Checks should be made payable to WestStar. The deadline to register and pay is Feb. 8.
The event is being sponsored by UT Martin and WestStar. This conference is made possible by the WestStar Leadership in partnership with the Tom E. Hendrix Chair of Excellence in Free Enterprise. Conference committee members include Anne Banks, Jan Boud, Mary Gail Elam, Katie Chandler, Dee Henderson, Brenda Horner, Diane Abbott, Judy Renshaw, Mary Kate Ridgeway, Cheri Childress, Andrea Hughes, Mary McVay, Sylvia Palmer, Teresa Sanders and Phyllis Rauchle.
For more information about the conference or registration process, contact Virginia Grimes at (731) 881-7298.
The conference will open at 8:30 a.m. with registration and continental breakfast, followed by the welcome at 9 by UTM chancellor Dr. Tom Rakes and WestStar executive director Charley Deal. Henry County UT Extension agent and WestStar Class of 2001 member Mary Kate Ridgeway will serve as the conference emcee.
Miss Tennessee 1986 and Miss America 1987 Kellye Cash-Sheppard of Milan is the keynote speaker. Following her reign as Miss America, she toured with Bob Hope’s USO Show and has appeared on The David Letterman Show, The Today Show and Good Morning America, among others. She has performed with numerous musical artists, including Vince Gill, Lee Greenwood and Billy Joel and has appeared in many regional theatrical productions around the country.
Mrs. Cash-Sheppard was chosen for the lead part of country music legend Patsy Cline, in “Always...Patsy Cline” and has performed the musical on numerous occasions. In 2003, from April to December, she played the pivotal role of Narrator in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at the Mansion America theatre in Branson, Mo.
She has hosted and performed at several pageants over the years, as well as other events, such as for the finals of 2007’s “Star Search.’’
Mrs. Cash-Sheppard is the great-niece of the late Johnny Cash. Her husband, Todd Sheppard, is a teacher and coach in the Milan public schools. They have three children — a son, Brady, and two daughters, Cassidy and Tatum.
Dr. Lolly Eldridge, a 1994 graduate of Union City High School and the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gary Houston of Union City, is an obstetrician and gynecologist at The Jackson Clinic. She will be the 10 a.m. speaker. Her talk will be on women’s health issues.
Dr. Eldridge is board certified with the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has memberships with the American Medical Association, Tennessee Medical Association Junior Fellow and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She graduated cum laude from Union University in Jackson and performed her residency and was chief medical resident through the University of Tennessee, Obstetrics and Gynecology, in Memphis.
After a short break, Dr. Bonnie Daniel, with research, grants and contracts at UT Martin, will address the leadership/personality styles profile at 11, followed by a lunch buffet.
Miss Tennessee Chandler Lawson, 22, of Tullahoma will be speaking on “5 Loaves Four Kids” at 12:30 p.m.
She recently graduated summa cum laude from the University of Ten-nessee at Chattanooga with a degree in political science. She was named Miss Tennessee in June. At UTC, she was a member of the University Honors program, and she plans to attend the University of Tennessee School of Law after her Miss Tennessee reign.
Miss Lawson said she doesn’t think she fits the mold of the stereotypical “beauty queen” image.
“That’s something I love about Miss Tennessee. A girl like me who is  a self-proclaimed fisherman and lover of bluegrass music can be Miss Tennessee and wear the crown and be relatable,” she said. “I think that’s one of the strengths I bring to the crown is that I can get down with children, play outside with them and hopefully can make an impact on their lives.”
Dr. Jennifer Johnson, in internal medicine at The Jackson Clinic will speak about stress management at 1 and Josh Dziedzicki, an executive chef at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital, will share his tips for healthy cooking at 1:45.
Closing remarks will be made and door prizes awarded at 2:30.

Published in The Messenger 1.17.13

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