(Riverton, WY) – The Wyoming Council for Women (WCW) announced this week that Governor Mark Gordon appointed three new board members to the Council who hail from Casper, Gillette and Riverton. The Council also announced the election of new officers who make up the Executive Committee of the 13-Member Council.
The newest members of the WCW are JoAnn Skeim-True, an At-Large Member; Terri Lesley, District 6 Representative (Campbell, Crook and Weston Counties); and Kate Debow Hayes, District 9 Representative (Fremont, Sublette, Teton Counties). The Governor appoints Council members through the Boards and Council’s Application process.
“The Wyoming Council for Women is tasked with representing women in all corners of the Cowboy State,” said WCW Chair Jennifer Wilmetti. “JoAnn, Terri and Kate bring a wealth of knowledge from their communities on a multitude of issues, from energy and education to professional development and technology – all critical areas for Wyoming women. We are thrilled to welcome them to the board.”
In addition to announcing three new board members, the WCW elected new officers last month. Jennifer Wilmetti (Rock Springs) will continue to serve as Chair, Ashley Mikels (Casper) will continue to serve as Secretary and Jan Torres (Rock Springs) will continue to serve as Treasurer. Natalia Duncan Macker (Jackson) was elected to serve as Vice-Chair.
JoAnn Skeim-True is a petroleum geologist from Casper and has worked in the oil and gas industry for 20+ years. She received her BS and MBA from the University of Wyoming.
JoAnn volunteers her time with nonprofits and serves on several boards, both in Casper as well as across the state, including CASA of Natrona County, Advance Casper, Platte River Trails, the Wyoming Hunger Initiative, Wyoming Ag in the Classroom, the Central Wyoming Fair Board, and the Wyoming State Geological Survey Advisory Board. In addition, she is involved with the Cowgirl Run Fund, a nonpartisan political action committee (PAC) that encourages women to run for public office in Wyoming at the local and state level. She is also a Leadership Wyoming graduate. JoAnn and her husband, their six children, daughter-in-law, and son-in-law are all fortunate to live in the great state of Wyoming.
Terri Lesley serves as the Executive Director for the Campbell County Public Library System. For 25 years, she has worked to support reading, lifelong learning, technology access, and diverse cultural opportunities for her community. Terri supports career technical education as a member of the Perkins Advisory Board and also serves on the Wyoming Libraries Database (WYLD) Executive Board and the Wyoming Libraries Shared Purchases Committee to assist with consortium governance and selection of statewide electronic resources. As a life-long Wyoming resident, University of Wyoming graduate, and Leadership Wyoming graduate, Terri is devoted to Wyoming, the “small town with long streets.” She and her husband live in Gillette, where they raised three children.
Kate Debow Hayes is the founder of a non-profit, Connect2Women which focuses on connecting women across Wyoming for networking, development and growth by hosting workshops around the state as well as a statewide mentor program and year-long connection opportunities. She is the owner and coach at High Ground Coaching and Development where her main goal is to influence the way people and organizations look at personal and professional development through one-on-one coaching, trainings and workshops, keynote speaking, and mentor programs. Kate moved to the I80 corridor in 2008 after years spent in Arizona, dreaming of Wyoming. She now resides in Fremont County with her husband Scott Hayes and loves the wide-open spaces.