2020 Virtual Annual Meeting

Here is the link to the meeting:

> https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82773181686?pwd=ZzdHTXRBL1BjMk9uakFMQytOeG1XQT09

Meeting ID: 827 7318 1686

Password: 983381

Although we would love nothing more than to bring our members together during the 100th anniversary year of women’s suffrage, we know we must proceed with caution during this pandemic, so we are holding our Annual Meeting virtually this year, with hopes of celebrating in-person later.

Interestingly, having our annual meeting online is allowing us to hear from some speakers that we may not have been able to hear from in-person. Our annual meeting speakers embody the fact that we are 100 Years Stronger in 2020, and the story that the LWV has to tell is one of empowerment - for women, for voters, and for generations of community leaders who are increasingly more representative of their communities.

During the call:

• Hear stories from two inspirational League members: former LWVSC president Keller Barron and incoming president of the LWVUS, Deborah Turner
• Get a recap of the 2019-2020 year and a glance at the year ahead,
• Meet the new Board of Directors

Note: Due to ZOOM account capacity, this meeting will be limited to 100 people; however it will be recorded and made available on our website.

Speaker Bios:

Keller Barron

Keller Barron has held positions in local, state, and national organizations and is a prominent figure in the Columbia community. She has championed women’s rights, voters’ rights, improved race relations, and championed education reform. She was featured in the 1978 documentary "A Simple Matter of Justice." (She was Keller Bumgardner at the time.)

Keller attended Vanderbilt University from 1949 to 1950 and graduated from Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia in 1953 with a B.A. in History and Political Science and an Elementary Teaching Certificate. The mother of four children, Keller became active in the League of Women Voters in the mid-1950s and has been president of her local League and the state League as well as serving on the LWVUS board of directors. From 1973 to 1976, she chaired the national campaign to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment as the Coordinator of the Equal Rights Ratification Coalition of South Carolina.

Barron's diverse and prolific work in state politics and other organizations is chronicled in the South Carolina Political Collection at USC, where you can read more of her biography and access her papers.

In 1982, Barron was the first recipient of the Modjeska Simkins Prize. This honor is awarded by the non-profit group Human Endeavor to individuals whose contributions to society excel in the field of social justice, civil rights, and community improvement. The committee acknowledged that “in times of social conflict she has made personal commitments and sacrifices to facilitate social understanding,” and her work “called all America to rise to her high standard of justice under the law.”

Deborah Turner

Deborah Turner joined Des Moines Metropolitan League in 2010 and became president in 2011 when the League was at risk of disbanding. She served until 2015 helping revitalize membership, and the board leadership. Turner served as VP of LWV Iowa from 2011 to 2015 than became co-president in 2015. She served in dual roles at Local and state level providing leadership to strengthen local leagues relationships with the state Board. Turner serves LWV as a speaker, educator and consensus builder.

Turner received her BS from Iowa State University, MD from University of Iowa and competed a fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Institute in Houston Texas. She practiced gynecologic oncology for 35 years developing university programs at Univ. of Nebraska, Univ. of Iowa, and the Medical College of Wisconsin. She also served the private sector bringing her specialty to Genesis Medical Center Davenport, IA, Mercy Cancer Center Mason City, IA, and Mercy Medical Center Des Moines. In July 2015 she left active practice to become Vice President of International Programs. With The Outreach Program Turner has participated in ten medical missions to Tanzania since 2011 and works with their Children’s Feeding Centers. She received her JD from Drake University in 2007. She was inducted into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame in 2013 and received the Gertrude Rush Award from the National Bar Association in 2015. Her most treasured award is a certificate from the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Care.

She has two children.