Hillary Clinton may have ran for president in 2008, and Michelle Bachmann tried to cinch the nomination this year in the GOP primaries. But the question remains: why aren't there more women in politics?
One summer camp is trying to change this by priming today's teenage girls for tomorrow's political leadership. Monday on Up to Date, a look at "Madame President," a summer camp for the future female leaders in government.
Dr. Julie Warm, the Director of the UMKC Civic Engagement Program, talks about the camp and how its working to increase the numbers of women in political office. Plus, Gail Beatty, a Missouri State Representative, and Kathy Dusenberry, the Platte County First District Commissioner, talk about the challenges faces women in elected office.
Julie Warm, Ph.D.- Camp Director. Dr. Warm has extensive experience in local government, non-profit management, and higher education administration. She originally trained as a city planner and city manager and served in those capacities in Ohio, Nevada, and Missouri. Her last position was as City Manager in Reno, Nevada. For more than twenty years, she has worked in academe as a community liaison, administrator, and researcher. Dr. Warm’s academic preparation focused on organizational drivers for social entrepreneurship. Dr. Warm’s current duties with the UMKC Institute for Human Development focus on supporting the civic engagement of women and students. As a volunteer, Warm advocates for people with disabilities and has served on the board of the Developmental Disability Services of Jackson County-EITAS, a county-level funding agency, and the Kansas City Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities. Currently she is a board member of the Business Leadership Network of Kansas City and has started a nonprofit to support inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in higher education. Rep. Gail McCann Beatty, a Democrat, represents the Kansas City metro area (District 43) in the Missouri House of Representatives. She was elected to her first two-year term in November 2010. At age 18 Rep. Beatty was elected to her first seat as committeewoman for the then 27thWard, She was elected a second time as committeewoman for the 17th Ward in 1992. Rep. Beatty was appointed to the Missouri Tourism Commission in 2000 by Governor Mel Carnahan. She served on Tourism for three years and resigned to serve on the Missouri Real Estate Appraisers Commission (MREAC). In addition to her legislative duties, Rep. Beatty has worked as a commercial and residential real estate appraiser in the Kansas City Metropolitan area for 23 years. Rep. Beatty is a 1983 graduate of Pembroke Hill High School. She received her B.A. in Political Science from Stanford University in 1987. She participated in American University’s Washington Semester Program in Washington DC and interned with former Congressman Alan Wheat. Born October 29, 1965 in Kansas City, Rep. Beatty currently resides there with her husband, Bruce. Kathy Dusenbery was elected to the 1st District position in 2008. She recently served two terms as Mayor of Parkville and previously served 7 years on the Parkville Board of Aldermen. Before becoming active as a public servant, Kathy co-owned and operated a local newspaper called the Southern Platte Press. She also co-authored a resource book titled A Kid's Guide to Kansas City. Kathy and her husband Brad who is a Captain for US Airways have three children who all attend or have attended Park Hill School District. Kathy serves as Co-Chair on the Mid-America Regional Council Air Quality Committee and alternate to the Mid-America Regional Council Total Transportation Policy Committee. She represents Platte County at the Missouri Association of Counties. She is an active Rotarian and serves on the boards of the Park Hill Education Foundation and Hillcrest Ministries.
