Jennifer Dresser, left, the Empowering Girls Ambassador for Rotary District 5520, received a warm welcome from Rotary Club President Alison Pannell during a recent Rotary meeting. Photo by Linda Hull
BY LINDA HULL
Vice President
Rotary Club of Los Alamos
Jennifer Dresser, the Empowering Girls Ambassador for Rotary District 5520, spoke at the Rotary Club of Los Alamos on February 7, describing the District’s Empowering Girls Initiative Conference held by zoom in January.
Following the lead of Rotary International, the conference brought together eight experts to inspire District 5520 Rotarians to develop projects that will address issues for girls and women in areas that include financial literacy, careers, mental health, human trafficking, hygiene, drug and alcohol use, and domestic violence.
Set in the form of an interview, Dresser answered questions posed by Club President Alison Pannell, who served on the conference planning committee. Others on the committee were former New Mexico Governor Gary King, and Yolanda King.
Planning for this conference began in July 2022, and Dresser expects the conference to be held again in 2024. Based upon its popularity this year, Dresser is considering additional topics for the next conference, such as bullying, body image, and self-esteem. In the meantime, she looks forward to learning what projects District 5520’s 69 clubs will undertake or further enhance.
Jennifer Dresser, a member of the Rotary Club of Albuquerque Metro, has been a Rotarian for ten years, serving in various roles, including Fundraising Co-Chair, Foundation Treasurer, Project Chair, President, and now Assistant District Governor and the District 5520 Women and Girls Ambassador.
In her professional life, she is a Compliance Consultant, focused on anti-bribery and anti-corruption. Dresser now specializes in data collection, analysis and project management, supported by her Project Management Institute Certified Associate in Project Management credential from Villanova.
In her free time, she hikes with her partner, Mark, and their two dogs, Tilly and Roscoe, on the many trails around Albuquerque.
The Rotary Club of Los Alamos, through its 1312 Club Foundation, is a 501(c)3 non-profit and one of over 34,000 clubs worldwide. Rotary, which now has 1.5 million members, was founded in 1905; the local Club was chartered in 1966. Rotary areas of focus include promoting peace; fighting disease, particularly polio; providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene; supporting education; saving and enhancing the lives of mothers and children; growing economies; and protecting the environment.
The Rotary Club of Los Alamos meets in person Tuesdays, 12:00-1:00, in the Community Room, Cottonwood on the Greens, at the golf course. A Zoom option is available by contacting Linda Hull, Rotary Club vice-president, 505-662-7950. Hull is also happy to provide information about the Club and its humanitarian service. The community is invited to attend meetings and become members.