Alternate Access® President to be Panelist as part of “Women in Connection” Educational Series

May 5, 2009 - PRLog -- Raleigh, N.C. – Do women tend to define leadership differently than men? Are there leadership traits that are more frequently seen as female in origin? These are just two of the many questions Adrienne K. Lumpkin, president of Alternate Access®, a leading provider of converged communications solutions, and fellow Academy of Women members will discuss during the next session of the “Women in Connection” Educational Series.

A collaborative effort between the YWCA of the Greater Triangle and Meredith College, the Women in Connection leadership development program is based on the principles of the relational-cultural theory developed by Jean Baker Miller. As part of the series, Lumpkin and her colleagues have been asked to participate in the interactive discussion panel “Women’s Leadership: More Questions than Answers.”  

“It is an honor to have been invited to participate in this panel with my peers from the Academy of Women,” Lumpkin said. “I believe in the mission of the YWCA. This partnership with the Meredith College Institute for Women’s Leadership will provide women a chance to become stronger leaders via interactive, non-judgmental dialogue and self-assessment.”

The other panelists include: Sepi Asefnia, president of SEPI Engineering Group; Dr. Anne McLaurin, district representative on the Wake County Board of Education; Billie Redmond, President and CEO of Coldwell Bank Commercial TradeMark Properties; and Maria Spaulding; Deputy Secretary for Long-Term Care and Family Services, N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

Over the course of the six-session program, pre-registered participants will be given an opportunity to grow through connection as they develop clarity about themselves and others without judgment. They will also explore the negative impact of disconnection and examine the importance of difference as it informs the imbalance of power and privilege.

About Alternate Access
Founded in 1993, Raleigh, North Carolina-based Alternate Access provides intelligent business phone systems to small-business and branch-office clients locally and nationwide. Their innovative phone system solutions help increase profits by boosting staff performance and efficiency, enhancing customer service, and adding management reporting capabilities - all while decreasing labor and infrastructure costs. Products include IP-PBX with Voice over IP, fax servers, unified messaging, Web collaboration, interactive voice response and call center applications, headsets and specialty phones. By employing extensive experience and best practices, award-winning Alternate Access works in partnership with its customers to build creative yet cost-effective solutions. For more information on Alternate Access visit http://www.AlternateAccess.com.

About the YWCA
The YWCA of the Greater Triangle draws together women and men who strive to improve the social and economic conditions that affect girls, women and their families. Established locally in 1923, YWCA programs address the disparities that still exist in health, education and economics to create opportunities for women's growth and leadership. A private, non-profit organization, the YWCA is dedicated to the elimination of racism and the empowerment of women. http://www.ywcatriangle.org

About Meredith College
Chartered in 1891, Meredith College is an independent private women’s college. With more than 2,000 students, Meredith is one of the largest private women’s colleges in the Southeast. The College offers a comprehensive education with an emphasis on an innovative liberal arts curriculum. Meredith confers Bachelor of Arts, Science, Social Work or Music, and graduate degrees in business, nutrition and education. http://www.meredith.edu

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Alternate Access provides innovative, cost-effective intelligent business phone systems to small-business and branch-office clients nationwide - utilizing technology like VoIP, fax servers, unified messaging and IVR to increase profits and decrease costs.