The Chappaqua Library is proud to partner with Northwell Health and long time Chappaqua resident Karla Shepard Rubinger, initiator of the original series with the Sisterhood of Temple Beth El, WWW (Wise Wonderful Women of Westchester). This successful series started more than 10 years ago and has featured local luminaries including Hillary Clinton, Eileen Fisher, Vanessa Williams, the director of Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, a director of the Women’s NBA, a female police chief, a female fire fighter, a hand and foot model, and more! The beneficiary was My Sister’s Place and also Girl’s Inc. The beneficiary this year will be the new center for child & adolescent mental health at Northern Westchester Hospital, Northwell Behavioral Health.
This exciting series will be returning this September with a showcase of amazing women leaders in Westchester County. At the library, on Sunday, Sept. 28 at 4pm, WWW will host Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Sachi Thomsen, Tina Spence, and Claudia Perlich who will deliver commentaries on their work and how they got there! Please join us in meeting and learning about the varied careers where women excel in our community.
Q & A and reception to follow. Contributions will be accepted to benefit the new center for child & adolescent mental health.
Panelists
ANDREA STEWART-COUSINS | New York State Majority Leader
A trailblazer in government and champion for progressive action, Andrea became the first woman, and African American woman, to lead a New York State legislative conference. When elected Majority Leader of the State Senate in 1979, she oversaw the historic passage of legislations including voting reforms, gun safety, women’s rights and health care, immigration, the LGBTQ community, the justice system, climate change, and the strongest tenant protections and affordable housing package in state history.
SACHI THOMSEN | Stone Barns Center, Livestock farmer
A livestock farmer with a background in regenerative agriculture, Sachi oversees the Center’s dairy program and goat herd used for woodland management. Sachi studied environment science at Barnard College in New York City. Growing up around rich familial and cultural traditions in cooking have driven Sachi’s belief in food systems as the great connector of and foundation for resilient communities.
TINA SPENCE | Women in Aviation, MS, CAM, President
Westchester Chapter President, Tina Spence has built a distinguished 25-year career in business aviation. She serves on the NBAA Certified Aviation Manager Governing Board, mentors Certified Aviation Management candidates and is a national conference lecturer. She currently works in business development for a luxury ground transportation provider supporting private aviation.
CLAUDIA PERLICH, PHD | AI for Good Foundation, Board Member
Claudia Perlich is Managing Director of Strategic Data Science at Two Sigma. She was named winner of the Advertising Research Foundation’s (ARF) Grand Innovation Award, was selected for Crain’s NY annual 40 Under 40 list, WIRED’s Smart List, and FastCompany’s 100 Most Creative People. She has published over 50 scientific articles, and holds multiple patents in machine learning. She has a PhD in Information Systems and an MA in Computer Science.
Closing remarks
KEEVA YOUNG-WRIGHT | Northern Westchester Hospital Foundation, President
Keeva strategically develops, implements, and oversees comprehensive operational and strategic plans providing operational leadership for multiple departments, including the Cancer Center, Laboratory, Imaging, Volunteer Services, Food and Nutrition, Patient and Customer Experience, the Ken Hamilton Caregivers Center, Community Health, the Chappaqua Crossing Campus, and the Foundation. Her leadership helped develop the center to focus on child and adolescent mental health.