Madeleine Albright Discusses Women in the Workplace at 10th Anniversary of WomenOnCall in Chicago
Wednesday , March 2, 2016
Margot Kidder interviews Madeleine Albright on stage at Chase Towers in Chicago
Board members of WomenOnCall pose questions to Madeleine Albright regarding her experience and about women's role in the workplace.
Meet and Match Networking Event
On February 23rd, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright came to Chicago to speak at the 10th Anniversary of WomenOnCall. This not-for-profit organization, founded by Margot Pritzker, was created to help non-profit groups by providing needed volunteers.
The anniversary event took place at Chase Towers. First on the agenda was a discussion in the Board Room on the 57th floor. Board members of WomenOnCall and some of the event sponsors met with Secretary Albright to discuss her personal experience in becoming U.S. Secretary of State, as well as how women fare in the workplace hierarchy. Also discussed was how volunteerism can help boost a woman's career via networking and development of new skills.
From the Board Room, the group went downstairs to the auditorium.
Andrea Ziel, director of WomenOnCall introduced Margot Pritzker and Secretary Albright to the audience that had gathered. Pritzker posed questions that were answered Secretary Albright and then questions were opened up to the audience.
It was interesting to learn that Secretary Albright got her start by volunteering at her children's school. Her organizational ability and fundraising skills caught the eye of someone in politics. She was recommended to become a fundraiser for Edmund Muskie and from there, rose through the political ranks.
Even now, women have to outshine men in order to rise to the highest positions in government, according to Albright.
After the discussion, the audience reconvened in a large room on the Plaza level. Scores of tables were set in this room. Each table was dedicated to a nonprofit organization. Potential volunteers were given 5 minutes to sit at a table to interview representatives from the various nonprofit groups. At the ring of a cowbell, the potential volunteers switched tables.. It was like speed dating for not-for-profits. At the end of the evening, many matches had been made. Volunteers pledge to contribute 10 hours of their time to complete a particular project for the nonprofit. Projects range from grant writing to marketing an event to assisting with fundraising.
For more information and to find out how you can be matched to a nonprofit group as a volunteer, go to: www.womenoncall.org
Potential volunteers meet with reps from nonprofit groups to find a good match during Meet and Match event.
Secretary Albright responds to a question posed in the Board Room.