PCCW eNEWSLETTER

Winter 2007

This is the sixth edition of the PCCW eNewsletter, which is designed to keep members up-to-date on each other’s jobs, travels, families, activities, musings and anything else we want to share.

Winter Letter from Margie

PCCW President Margie Turner urged all members to attend the Spring Meeting, March 8 – 11 in Ithaca.

Dear PCCW members,

An old phrase came to mind as I took a sneak peek at the PCCW Spring Meeting Invitation. Wallpaper red in book covers, the meeting notice reminded me of the phrase, “Small minds think about things; middle sized minds think about people and great minds consider ideas.” Living in a world cluttered with survivors on islands, skinny models in trendy magazines and Super Bowl commercials, I am personally excited about the opportunity to be in an academic environment for a few days.

A look at the program further aroused my excitement. Instead of the latest adventures of Lindsay Lohan, this meeting will be about ideas. On Thursday, we will be part of a unique networking opportunity with women students from the Johnson Graduate School of Management entitled, “Advice from Corporate Hallways: Things We Learned the Hard Way.” At dinner that evening, we will hear a long-awaited report on the University’s Work Life Study. Friday, we will be treated to a lecture by Deborah Starr, Assistant Professor in the Cornell Department of Near Eastern Studies, entitled “Cosmopolitanism and the Limits of Tolerance: America in the Eyes of Egyptian Filmmaker Youssef Cahhine,” and at dinner that night meet with President David J. Skorton to hear his impressions of the University halfway through his first year on campus.

On Friday morning and later that day, our membership will become better acquainted with the University’s priorities for PCCW as we explore Envisioning the Future of PCCW, Parts I and II. The morning session will provide a chance to understand the planning process and the afternoon, to join a small group in discussing creative ideas for engaging new alumnae leaders and for mentoring students currently on campus.

Our ever-popular sunrise walks, Affinito-Stewart Grant recipients presentation, mentoring lunch with juniors and seniors and all-member professional introductions will be part of the program as well as a member networking dinner on Saturday night. It will be an exciting time away from the daily routine and an opportunity to engage with Cornell once again. I thank Sharon Williams and her Meeting Planning Committee and Marty Moses and her staff for a great job and look forward to seeing you in Ithaca. Margie

PCCW Annual Meeting March 8-11, 2007
Creating a Collaborative Culture: Cornell Women, the Social Sciences, and the Humanities

Here is a brief outline of the schedule:

Thursday

*  Registration open, 3:00 - 6:00 pm
*  Lunch with JGSM and graduate students, 12:00 - 2:00 pm
*  Steering Committee Meeting 2:00 – 4:45 pm
*  Reception, 5:45 pm; Dinner 6:30 pm – Meet New Members
*  Presentation, Work Life Study 8:00 pm

Friday

* Registration 8 – 11 am; 2 – 6 pm
* Sunrise Walk with Jane Brody 6:15 – 7:15 am
* Envisioning the Future of PCCW, Part I, Task Force Report, 8:00 – 9:00 am
* Faculty Presentations, 9:15 – 11:45 am
* Lunch with Administrative Women Leaders, 12:15 – 1:45 pm
* Envisioning the Future of PCCW, Part II, Help Shape PCCW, 2:30 – 4:15 pm
* Affinito-Stewart Grant Recipients event, 5:00 – 6:30 pm
* Reception & Dinner: President David Skorton & Robin Davisson, 7:15 – 9:00 pm

Saturday

* Sunrise Walk with Jane Brody 6:45 – 7:45 am
* Breakfast Buffet, 8 – 9 am
* Far Above….The Campaign for Cornell, Laura Toy, 9 – 10 am
* Preview from the Provost, Biddy Martin, 10:15 – 11:15 am
* Networking lunch w/ students, 12:30 pm
* Headlines from the Hill, Susan Murphy, 2:30 pm
* All-member professional introductions, 2:45 pm
* Reception 6 – 6:45 pm; Dinner 6:45 – 8:00 pm

Sunday

* Sunrise Walk with Jane Brody, 6:45 – 7:45 am
* Farewell Breakfast, open discussion ’08 annual meeting, 8:30 - 10:00 am

From Stuffing Envelopes to Founding PCCW: Lilyan H. Affinito and Patricia J. Carry.

Cynthia C. Froggatt, Class of 1985, M.S. College of Human Ecology, PCCW member since 1994, interviews Lilyan Affinito and Patricia Carry. Read the interview.

PCCW Tradition Fellows

Three students were selected as PCCW Tradition Fellow for 2006-2007: Keri Truitt '08, a junior majoring in English in the College of Arts and Sciences; Michel Ohmer '08, a junior majoring in Biological Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Amma Aboagye '08, a junior in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. In 1994, PCCW established a scholarship fund within the Cornell Tradition Fellowship program for women students who demonstrate a commitment to work, public service, and academic excellence. Up to three students are selected each year from a national pool of applicants. The PCCW Cornell Tradition Fellowships ensure that bright, promising women can study at Cornell, no matter what their financial means. Read their thank you letters.

SPOTLIGHT ON: U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords

Last November, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords became only the third woman elected to Congress from Arizona. She talks about her path from Cornell to running her family’s business to her entry into politics. Read the Q&A.

News from our Members

PHYLLIS WEISS HASEROT, president of Practice Development Counsel, is conducting three Web casts during the first quarter of 2007 for West Legal Ed Center. In January, the topic is “The Yellow Brick Road to Transitioning Tranquility: Best Practices for Partner Transitioning Planning;” February’s Web cast is “10 Best Practices for Bridging the Multi-Generational Divides;” and in March she will lead a discussion on “Diversity & Mentoring: Capitalizing on Differences.” Phyllis started her *Next Generation, Next Destination* blog on partner transitioning planning in September and launched the redesigned site http://www.nextgeneration-nextdestination.com in January. It provides information, insights and opinions, and resources for Baby Boomer professionals and their firms to benefit both senior partners in planning their future and the professional development of younger partners

JOYCE JAFFE REYNOLDS (SINCLAIR) writes: There have been two big things in my life since March: I was married in June, went on a delightful Greece/Italy honeymoon cruise, and am very much enjoying being in a most loving marriage. What I am wrestling with is whether after 28 years to change my last name from Reynolds to Sinclair. There are forces pushing and pulling both ways: my husband Gerry says it’s up to me (he says, “Just keep Joyce!”), my three sons want me to keep the last name we all share, and personally I like being Dr. Joyce Jaffe Reynolds professionally and Joyce Reynolds Sinclair socially. But managing this has been tricky, so I would appreciate feedback from others who have remarried and dealt with this same dilemma.

The other big thing in my life was emergency brain surgery in December for a benign meningioma on the surface of the right temporal lobe of my brain. During the fall, I had a subtle but gradual decline in my physical and mental strength, so those whom I was with at the Colorado PCCW meeting may have noticed I was not my usual spunky self… and this is why. The tumor was completely removed in a six-hour operation, and with extensive physical and cognitive therapy I am well on the way to full recovery. But it will take time to reestablish my physical strength and full cognitive agility, so I don’t know yet if I will be able to attend the March PCCW meeting. If not, please send my very best wishes and I look forward to rejoining all in Ithaca in 2008.

LUCY JARVIS was named by the Museum of Television & Radio as one of its honorees for She Made It: Women Creating Television and Radio, an initiative by the museum to celebrate the achievements of creative and business women in television, radio and new media.

KAREN A. SMITH-PILKINGTON has been named President of two start-up companies based in Santa Barbara, California. TESS Skincare Inc. provides natural-based skin care solutions for teens. Pacific Tributes Inc. is a Web-based image expressions company. She previously was based in Shanghai, China as Chairman and President, Greater Asia Region and Senior Vice President of Eastman Kodak Company. She formerly managed many of Kodak’s larger global businesses in consumer, health and commercial/professional solutions markets.

PCCW Fall Meeting

Click here to see photos from the Western Regional PCCW Meeting at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado, October 2006.

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