Emerge America Launches New Statewide Kentucky Affiliate Organization to Recruit and Train Women for Elected Office from Kathy Groob

Emerge America, a national, non‐profit organization established in 2003 to recruit and train Democratic women who want to run for public office, today announced the launching of Emerge Kentucky. Emerge Kentucky will recruit Democratic women statewide and put them through an intensive seven‐month training and networking program based upon the Emerge America curriculum. Emerge Kentucky will begin its first class of women candidates in February 2010. The application process will begin this November.

“Kentucky ranks 45th among the states for women in elected office and there are no women representing Kentucky in Congress ‐‐ we must do better,” said Emerge Kentucky Board Chair, Jennifer A. Moore. “We have received an enthusiastic response from women across Kentucky about the program. Our board of advisors and board of directors is an impressive list of women committed to improving the political landscape for women in Kentucky.” Moore served as the chair of the Kentucky Democratic Party in 2007 and 2008 at the selection of Governor Steve Beshear. She is a partner in the Louisville law firm, Grossman & Moore PLLC.

In addition, Emerge Kentucky has hired Kathy Groob as its executive director. Groob is a former city councilwoman from Ft. Mitchell and ran for the state senate in 2008. She is a political consultant with November Strategies in Covington and is the publisher of ElectWomen Magazine. “I know firsthand how difficult it is for women to run for office,” said Groob. “When women go through the Emerge program, they will be ready to run and Kentucky will benefit greatly from additional women holding leadership positions.”

Emerge Kentucky’s advisory board includes the following members: former Governor Martha Layne Collins, Auditor Crit Luallen, First Lady Jane Beshear, Senator Denise Harper Angel, Senator Kathy Stein, Senator Robin Webb, Reps. Linda Belcher, Leslie Combs, Kelly Flood, Joni Jenkins, Martha Jane King, MaryLou Marzian, Sannie Overly, Ruth Ann Palumbo, Dottie Sims, and Susan Westrom, Judge Executive Carolyn Belcher, Jennifer Chandler, Teresa Isaac, Eleanor Jordan, Lillian Press, Mary Karen Stumbo, Mayor Elaine Walker, Lois Combs Weinberg, and Virginia Woodward.

Board members from across Kentucky include: Gina Berry, Ashley Jackson, Priscilla Johnson, Virginia Johnson, Kathleen Lape, Chris McGarvey, Wanda Mitchell‐Smith, Kerry Morgan, Melinda Niemann, Vicki Prichard, Kennita Roy, Linda Scholle Cowan, Loren Wolff, and Kathy Wright.

For information about Emerge Kentucky, to volunteer, contribute or for program application information contact Kathy Groob at 859‐291‐9001 or visit www.EmergeAmerica.org.

# # #