	The Women's Forum of North Carolina, Inc.

Women's Forum of North Carolina Elects Officers

Names Libba C. Evans and Deborah K. Ross New Members

Wilmington, NC - At its annual meeting in Raleigh March 10, the Women's Forum of North Carolina elected new officers and board members and named two new members. Assuming the presidency of the forum April 1 for 2001-2002 will be Despina "Penny" Demetriades, president of Demetriades Real Estate Appraising Company and president of Zeto, Inc., Wine Shop of Greensboro. President-elect is Margaret Riddle, corporate pilot, of Raleigh. Secretary is Nelda K. Howell, Onslow County volunteer activist and formerly with the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service, of Hubert. Treasurer is Dr. Annette Hawkins, math instructor at Wayne Community College, of Kinston. Members of the board of directors will be for 2002 Amanda Smith of Durham, Sharon Valentine of Fayetteville, Betsy Justus of Cary, and Becky Mock of Burlington; for 2003, Betsy McCrodden of Raleigh, Betty McCain of Wilson,
Judy Seamon of Morehead City, and Sylvia Ray of Fayetteville; for 2004, Bea Holt of
Burlington, T. Gross of Burlington, Betty Budd of Asheville, and Mary Peterson
of New Bern.

The Women's Forum of North Carolina has named two new members - Lisbet C. (Libba) Evans, former chair of the state Democratic Party and new secretary of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, of Winston-Salem, and Deborah K. Ross, executive director and legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina, of Raleigh.

Libba Evans is a woman of many talents and interests. Currently she serves as as North Carolina's Secretary of Cultural Resources, and while she brings relevant experience to that job, her background includes politics, business, and volunteer service. In 1994, Libba ran for Congress; she later served as chair of the state Democratic Party. In the mid-90s, she was voted Forsyth County's Democratic Woman of the Year. She has been a generous supporter of Lillian's List and has served as co-chair of the Women's Campaign Fund. Libba is also a corporate leader, serving in the past as president of Health Equity Properties, a New York Stock Exchange real estate investment trust. She has been in the investment banking business. Her business interests include service as CEO, director, and sole shareholder of West Third Street Management Company, a real estate management consulting company, and as president, director, and majority shareholder of real estate holding companies, West Third Street, Inc., and Clark Evans & Tate, Inc. She has founded and sold an e-business. Libba serves or has served on numerous boards, including Golden L.E.A.F. Foundation (Long-Term Economic Advancement Foundation), the World Trade Center of North Carolina, Penland School of Crafts, and the Winston-Salem State University Foundation. In addition, she serves on the Wake Forest University Board of Trustees and the Board of Visitors of the North Carolina School of the Arts.

Deborah K. Ross's achievements are significant for a woman of any age, but particularly for one out of law school just over 10 years. As executive and legal director of the ACLU of North Carolina, she is responsible for managing the legal program and litigation of cases that arise in North Carolina, as well as lobbying the legislature on issues of interest to the ACLU. Those
issues often involve women and have, for example, required her affiliation with women's groups to lobby on issues related to reproductive choice. At ACLU, she has worked on every North Carolina case involving abortion since 1994. She is currently spearheading a project to ensure that pregnant students get a good education in the public school system. The Center
for Public Policy has ranked her the 22nd most effective lobbyist in the General Assembly. Prior to joining ACLU, Deborah was an associate at Hunton and Williams, a prestigious Raleigh law firm. Her interest in public issues, however, was apparent then; she served on the NARAL Pac Board and took an active role in the campaigns of progressive women for political office.

The Women's Forum of North Carolina is an invitational organization through which women of proven influence and personal achievement are effective agents for constructive change. A major focus for the Women's Forum is increasing the number of women serving on powerful governmental, philanthropic, and corporate boards and commissions. Outgoing Women's Forum president is Wilmington resident Mimi Cunningham, assistant vice chancellor for university relations at UNC Wilmington.

###
MEDIA CONTACT - Penny Demetriades [contact info deleted]

The Women's Forum is an invitational, non-partisan organization of diverse women leaders of proven influence dedicated to working together to achieve equality and maintain social, economic and political power for women.

Last modified:
30-Jun-2004