On June 27 and 28, Women Veterans ROCK!, a coalition of women Veteran organizations supporting women veterans & military families, will host “The Women Veterans Summer Leadership Retreat” at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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The Summer Retreat will include more than 200 women veterans, U.S. Servicewomen, military spouses and girls in military families from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. Attendees will hear a keynote address from Jennifer Merschdorf, CEO of the Young Survival Coalition, and US Navy veteran Ventris C. Gibson, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Human Resources for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). And female professionals and students are invited to join the organization and the women veterans community for a unique educational experience as they engage in public dialogue about pressing issues in civic leadership and advocacy while learning from female professionals who are redefining how women engage in these fields.
“Today’s women veterans are the best advocates to serve as catalysts for positive change in the delivery of services to America’s military families,†said Deborah Harmon-Pugh, National Campaign Chair of Women Veterans ROCK! & Chair of The Women Veterans Civic Leadership Institute.
“The ultimate goal of The Women Veterans Summer Leadership Retreat is to highlight the valuable contributions women make to our society at large through their civic engagement, community and business leadership endeavors,†said Harmon-Pugh.  “By providing
women in military families with the network and resources that will allow them to pursue these opportunities, the Women Veterans ROCK! Advocacy Campaign continues to demonstrate how military women are using their unique experiences and perspectives to affect positive change in every single institution within our society.â€According to a statement released by the organization, “This year’s motivational theme is “Moving Military Women from Boot Camp to Board Chairs,†which is personified by 20 of the region’s most dynamic women in public leadership who will share their expertise by educating, empowering and engaging transitioning women veterans as they seek post-military civic, community and business leadership opportunities. This unique group of women represents an emerging segment of military women who choose to improve their opportunities in the areas of: advocacy; nonprofit board leadership; community councils; government commissions; and nonprofit organizational management.”
Anyone interested in attending this two-day developmental retreat is encouraged to register in advance by visiting www.WomenVetsRock.org.