WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 27, 2007) —Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), the nation’s largest bipartisan women’s business group, announces the formation of a WIPP Board of Directors featuring women business leaders from coast-to-coast.  The new Board of Directors will guide WIPP in raising the voices of 10.4 million women entrepreneurs and 46 national women business organizations in Washington, D.C.

Jean Johnson, president and CEO of LegalWATCH, Inc. in Houston, Texas, will serve on the WIPP Board of Directors.

“Jean is a leader who understands and exemplifies the importance in engaging women business owners in the political and public policy process.  She knows how legislation can impact a company’s bottom line and ability to grow,” said WIPP President and Co-founder Barbara Kasoff.

Joining Johnson on the 13-member Board of Directors are: 

• Kasoff, of San Francisco, who will also chair the Board.
  
  
• Terry Neese, WIPP co-founder and president of the WIPP Institute, of Oklahoma City
  
  
• Ann Blackburn, president of Blackburn Advisory Services in Oakland, Calif.
  
  
• Jennifer Bisceglie, president of InTEROS Solutions, LLC., in Vienna, Va.,
  
  
• Ann Blackburn, president of Blackburn Advisory Services in Oakland, Calif.
  
  
• Cary Broussard, business consultant and author of “From Cinderella to CEO,” from Dallas, Texas
  
  
• Lynne Marie Finn, president of Superior Staffing Services, Inc., in Williamsville, N.Y.
  
  
• Daisy Gallagher, founder and CEO of Gallagher & Gallagher in Stroudsburg, Pa.
  
  
• Pat Meagher, shareholder of Rogers Joseph O’Donnell & Phillips in San Francisco
  
  
• Sylvia Medina, president and CEO of North Wind, Inc., in Idaho Falls, Idaho
  

Susan Solovic, CEO and chairman of SBTV in St. Louis, Mo.

Nicolina Stewart, president of Charter Financial Services, Inc., Washington, D.C.

Annette Taddeo, president and CEO of Language Speak, Inc., of Miami, Fla.

Members of WIPP’s Board of Directors will serve 3-year terms.  As board members, they will serve as a governance board and  provide strategic counsel on strengthening the impact of women business owners at the federal legislative and executive levels, bringing their unique perspective on top economic growth concerns to our nation’s political leaders, and activating this fast growing demographic in the electoral process.

Since its founding in 2001, WIPP members have testified at numerous Congressional committee hearings on issues that affect the growth of women-owned businesses, particularly access to capital, tax reform, affordable healthcare and federal contracting opportunities.  Also, WIPP members frequently participate in roundtable discussions conducted by the Administration on the economic impact of public policies on business. “Now that women have ownership in nearly half of all private companies and are growing faster than any other business demographic, the impact of women entrepreneurs on the political landscape is formidable.  With involved business owners like Jean on our board, WIPP is leading the way to ensure women’s voices are heard in the halls of Congress, The White House and federal agencies," said Kasoff.
 
Women Impacting Public Policy:
Women Impacting Public Policy is a non-profit, national bipartisan group with over half-a-million members.  WIPP is The Collective Voice in Washington, DC, for 46 national women and small business organizations.  WIPP strengthens its members’ sphere of influence in the legislative process, creates economic opportunities for members and builds alliances with other small business organizations.  Visit www.wipp.org.