We are not defined by our public image. Finding our passion and purpose and turning it into action will distinguish our finest achievements.

The Link's Speaker Series highlights the stories of extraordinary women and linking them to our own. Their story may inspire, amaze or help us realize that we are not alone!

Meet Jeri Rice and be inspired!

Jeri is best known as the owner of fashion boutiques in Seattle and Portland. Her style, grace, and retail talents have made her a fashion diva of the region. Committed to the community, she provides philanthropic leadership and support to the arts, education and healthcare.

Her roots may be firmly planted in the Northwest and retail, but it’s her role as a Citizen Diplomat where she branches into international opportunities to formulate solutions. Named by Congress as a Citizen Diplomat on June 7, 2005, Jeri is an active participant in understanding, exploring, and promoting humanitarian solutions for the Middle East. In honoring Jeri Rice, US Representative, Jim McDermott stated that Jeri "personifies the spirit, courage, and commitment to see peace in her ancestral homeland of Israel." Jeri will share her experiences working with Palestine and Israel. “I can affect change by working within the process, but I have the freedom of not being an elected official. I am able to be both pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian to promote solutions to the long-standing turmoil of the region”, observes Jeri.

Jeri has invited two of her mentors, MJ Rosenberg and Mara Rudman for this special evening. Join us as this esteemed team provides a history lesson and the defining moments that brought us to circumstances of today!

Can't Make this date?? Join us in Seattle on Wed. Jan. 10, 2007!

About Jeri
Jeri is a native to the Northwest and was born in Portland. Her parents owned and managed Helen's, Of Course, a high end clothing boutique in Portland. Jeri established her own store in Seattle in 1981.

Jeri is on the National Executive Committee of the Israel Policy Forum and has recently been named as the Washington State Chair for advocacy for CARE International. She serves on the board of the Cornish College of the Arts and is a member of the International Women's Forum.

Jeri was a founding member of the University of Washington Center for Women and Democracy and has been a strong advocate and community leader in many organizations including: United Way, University of Washington Medical Center, Harborview Medical Center, Pacific Ballet Theater and PONCHO. Jeri had also been involved with Steven Spielberg's Shoah Foundation.

Jeri has been married for 24 years to Greg Rice and has one son Harrison, 19, a freshman at Boston University.

About Mara
A Senior Partner at Quorum Strategies, Mara Rudman has years of experience in government and the private sector focusing on national security and foreign policy. She has served as deputy national security adviser to President Clinton, Senior Vice President for Strategic Planning at the Center for American Progress, and Counselor, Vice President, and General Counsel at The Cohen Group. Click Here to learn more about Mara.

About MJ
MJ Rosenberg is the Director of Policy Analysis for Israel Policy Forum (IPF). An independent, non-partisan organization founded in 1993, IPF advocates for sustained American diplomatic efforts to end the conflict between Israel and her neighbors and to actively promote the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In this position, MJ heads IPF's Washington, D.C. office and writes IPF Friday, a weekly opinion column on the Arab-Israeli conflict which is widely circulated throughout the United States and the Middle East. Previously Mr. Rosenberg has worked in Congress and the State Department. Click Here to learn more about MJ.

About The Link
The Link For Women (‘The Link’) is a Northwest-based affiliate organization that connects and mentors women from many walks of life by providing events and programs that help them reach their full potential.
Click Here to check us out!

Cost (Includes tapas and no-host cocktails)
Pre-Paid Members $25/ Non-Members $40 (By NOON, day of event)
At the Door Members $30/ Non-Members $45

Agenda
5:30 - 6:30 Tapas, cocktails and connecting
6:30 - 8:00 Presentation and Q & A
8:00 - 8:30 A final cocktail

Location
The Governor Hotel
614 SW 11th Avenue
Portland, OR 97205