Carol Jenkins

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – Carol Jenkins, founding president of The Women’s Media Center, and Celinda Lake, among the nation’s top experts on electing women and framing issues for women voters, will be keynote speakers at the annual “Ready To Run” campaign training program offered by Rutgers’ Center for American Women and Politics Friday and Saturday, March 9-10. The program will be held at the Douglass Campus Center, 100 George St., New Brunswick.

Ready to Run comprises two tracks of bipartisan programs geared to participants’ aspirations, including running for office, seeking higher office, working on a campaign, getting appointed to office or learning more about the political system.

Friday’s program features three preconference sessions for women of color – Elección Latina, Run Sister Run and Rising Stars: Asian-American Women for Politics. Participants will learn from prominent elected and appointed leaders, campaign consultants, party officials and policy experts.

The diversity sessions will run from noon to 4 p.m., with Jenkins, a longtime, Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist, explaining the importance of women’s participation in the political process during a noontime luncheon. The conference officially opens with a two-hour session at 4:15 p.m. when Tara Dowdell, president of the Tara Dowdell Group and a respected television commentator, will describe “Internet Strategies for Candidates, Campaigns and Advocates.”

Lake, the second keynoter, is president of Lake Research Partners and one of the Democratic Party’s leading political strategists. Her breakfast presentation at 8:15 a.m., “What Women Candidates Need to Know,” opens Saturday’s program that runs to 5:30 p.m.

Christine Jahnke, president of Positive Communications, will engage select participants in mock interviews during Saturday’s noon luncheon. Jahnke’s “Conquering the Camera – An Interactive Media Training,” offers tips on public speaking, maintaining poise during tough interviews and staying on message. Nancy Bocskor, president, The Nancy Bocskor Co., will address one of the most crucial and challenging aspects of a campaign with “Fundraising for Success” at 4 p.m.

For more information and to register, click here.

The Center for American Women and Politics, a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers, is nationally recognized as the leading source of scholarly research and current data about American women’s political participation. Its mission is to promote greater knowledge and understanding about women's participation in politics and government and to enhance women’s influence and leadership in public life.