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Court
News Ohio
Chief
Justice Speaks at DSCC Women's History
Event
By Jenna Gant
March 28, 2013
Ohio
Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen
O’Connor on March 27 discussed women in leadership as she presented the
keynote
address at the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime 2013 Women's
History
Month Luncheon and Woman of the Year Award Presentation.
Chief
Justice O’Connor spoke about developing
women leaders for the 21st century at the Defense Supply Center,
Columbus. The
annual event is sponsored by the Federal Women’s Program.
Chief
Justice O’Connor spoke about the history
of women becoming more involved in leadership roles across the state
and
country and said she was one of only five female county prosecutors out
of 88
counties when she served Summit County in 1995.
“Fast
forward — Not only do we have a woman
who’s chief justice of the state of Ohio, but we have a majority of
women on
the bench of the Supreme court. It’s amazing how things have change,
and it
only took about 100 years to get there,” Chief Justice O’Connor said.
Chief
Justice O’Connor said women should help
themselves to grow into leadership roles and said education is their
ticket to
those roles while complacency is the enemy.
“If
you are content in where you are in your
position and you are doing well and contributing there, there is
nothing wrong
with staying there and being a leader in that position,” Chief Justice
O’Connor
said. “But if you are complacent and there are no challenges left and
you are afraid
to become a leader because you are afraid of risks — there is no
benefit
without risks and you just have to make that leap. It’s a leap of
faith. It’s a
leap of trust, and I think that’s an important thing to do.”
Chief
Justice O’Connor also stressed the
importance of women mentoring other women and told the group that they
could
make an impact by serving as a mentor at the DSCC. She said all women
should
strive for a period of time when it will not be a novelty when there
are women
in top leadership roles.
Mislin
A. Perez-Fernandez, who works in
strategic acquisitions programs at DLA Land and Maritime, received the
woman of
the year honors.
See
the video at Court News Ohio
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