Women Veterans Day
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Meeting link will NOT be active until March 10th @ 8:30am.
Click on one of the images below to join the breakout session.
Breakout rooms will not be active until 10:45am on March 10th.
Breakout Sessions following the event
Financial Planning
Applying for Disability
Event Details
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Welcome & introductions
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Tribute to June Willenz
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Millie Bailey - Reaches for the sky
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Breaking through barriers
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Speakers
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Veterans helping veterans
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Networking workshop
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Resource discussion
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Close
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Optional breakouts
Women Trailblazers
Assistant Adjutant-General Army Brigadier General
Janeen L Birkhead
One of a small number of women to achieve this rank. In January she commanded National Guard troops from six states to protect the Presidential Inauguration at the Capital.
Brigadier General Irene M. Zoppi
Retired as the former Deputy Commanding General – Support under the 200th Military Police Command at Fort Meade, Maryland. She is the first Puerto Rican female to reach the rank of Brigadier General in the United States.
Command Sergeant Major Perlisa D. Wilson
Senior Enlisted Leader of the Maryland National Guard. She is the first female and first African American in the Maryland National Guard's history to serve in this position.
Speakers
Kathleen Jabs
Deputy Secretary for Veterans and Defense Affairs
Kathleen T. Jabs is Virginia’s Deputy Secretary for Veterans and Defense Affairs, where she works to coordinate state and federal resources to support Virginia’s veteran community and liaison with federal defense facilities.
Kathleen has more than 30 years of government, military and academic leadership and communications experience, including involvement with public affairs operations at Navy Chief of Information, NATO's Allied Command Transformation, US Fleet Forces Command, and National Defense University. Her military career spans a variety of active duty and reserve positions, with service in Japan, Hawaii, Panama, the Pentagon and military installations along the East Coast.
Zelda McCormick
Acting Special Populations Program Manager, VISN 5
Zelda McCormick received all her formal education in the state of Maryland. She received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Morgan State University and a Bachelor and Master of Science in nursing from the University of Maryland, Baltimore.
In 27 years of VA service, Mrs. McCormick has worked in many clinical and administrative capacities. She has worked in Medical & Surgical as well as Emergency and Intensive Care nursing. She has worked for the Chief of staff in several capacities. She served in the role of Women Veterans Program Manager in the for 11 years and is now working at the VISN 5 Network Office in the role of Acting Special Populations Program Manager. In this role, she leads process improvement strategies to standardize healthcare access, quality and Veteran satisfaction outcomes for the special populations in VA. Last, she does community outreach to educate the Veteran and non-Veteran community about VA and the services that are available to eligible Veterans.
Honorees
June Willenz
Ms. June Willenz was a tireless advocate for women veterans in Maryland and the nation. She was the first woman to serve as Executive Director of the American Veterans Committee (AVC), first to chair a Presidential Subcommittee on Disabled Veterans, and first head the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Task Force on Military/Veterans Affairs.
She was the author of Women Veterans - America's Forgotten Heroines (1983) which tells the rich history of women in the military and the need for benefits and programs that reflected women's service to the country and their status as veterans. June Willenz was induced into the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame in 2011. She was the founder and chair of the World Veterans Federation Committee on Women.
Tributes
Harriet Tubman - Maryland’s first woman veteran
Harriet Tubman is best known as a conductor for the Underground Railroad, but she was also the first woman to lead an armed military operation in the United States in the Combahee Ferry Raid and later with the Massachusetts 54th Infantry.
Tubman received little compensation for her service in the civil war and, despite repeated requests, was not giving a military pension for her service. In the end, Tubman received some military benefits, but only as the wife of an “official” veteran, her second husband.
For more information on Harriet Tubman: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/harriet-tubman
For those attending the Harriet Tubman tour - here is additional information on the park: https://www.nps.gov/hatu/index.htm
Quick Links
*** IMPORTANT ***
Prepping for the Event
Because the event is virtual, there are some key things we need you to do leading up to the event.
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Install or update Zoom on your laptop. A laptop is preferred over a phone, to take full advantage of the conference. If possible, please use a device with a camera, so that we can engage with you. Click here to install Zoom (www.zoom.us).
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This event is not open to the general public, as such, we want to make sure you can get into the session without problem. As you are installing Zoom, please make sure your Zoom screen name matches the name you used to register for the conference. If you have Zoom already installed, you can simply go to the www.zoom.us website, log in and change your screen name under the PROFILE button.
Need Tech Help?
Need help during the event? We've got you covered. You can use the chat feature and communicate directly with TECH SUPPORT, or you can return to this page any time and click the TECH SUPPORT button above!
How To Zoom
Zoom Overview
Meeting Etiquette
Here are guidelines for how you show up and make the most of the event.
1. WEBCAM ETIQUETTE: With most virtual events, video is one-way. This makes it harder for the host, as well as other attendees. We ask that you enable your webcam during this event, as your speakers will be able to see you, and feel your energy. PS – Be aware of your surroundings (for example, if you need to use the restroom during the live sessions, and you take your computer with you so you can still hear us, be sure to turn off your audio and video
2. ENGAGE: Due to the size of the conference, we ask that you keep your microphone muted during the main session, but please use the CHAT feature (a button on your Zoom panel) to engage with us. Add comments, respond to questions, provide additional information and ask questions. We will monitor chat throughout the event and will respond where and when we can.
3. BEING PRESENT: Really “listen” to the speakers: Being present is the best gift you can give yourself! Resist the urge to take tons of notes (versus listening for and capturing big takeaways). Keep your phones on do not disturb and turn your email notifications off to minimize distractions. If you have children, set up a play area where you can keep an eye on them while they are self-entertaining.
4. YOUR BEST YOU: Listen to your body: be your best self: Eat healthy and stay hydrated and
caffeinated! Plan ahead to have snacks on hand.
5. EXPANSION: Take the time during networking breaks and breakouts to connect with fellow attendees.
6. QUESTIONS: There will be an opportunity to post questions (using chat) for the team to see, and we will have dedicated time to interact with each other during the event. Post your questions succinctly, including only the relevant details to get the best possible answer.
*Use the Legislator Alert to directly contact your legislator with questions, comments, concerns, etc. Be sure to note who your legislator is so that your email can be directed to the right place!
Resource Tables
Click on the images below to get more information about the resources available.
Center for Women Veterans - Veteran Affairs
Maryland Women
Veterans Program
Virginia Women
Veterans Program