The Indiana Federation of Republican Women (IFRW) held their annual Holiday Luncheon this past Sunday at Matteo’s Ristorante Italiano, 40 N. Ninth St., Noblesville.
Over 70 women from across the state were present at Sunday’s luncheon, and five of those women were elected as the new officers. Jodi Smith will serve as President, Sovilla Mennen as First Vice President, Dubbie Buckler as Second Vice President, Collette Childress as Secretary, and Becky Bechtel as Treasurer.
The keynote speaker was Blair Milo, a former Navy surface warfare officer who now serves as the Director of the Center for Talent and Opportunity in partnership with the Sagamore Institute. In that position, she focuses on closing the wealth gap of women and minorities by cultivating inclusive startup communities and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Until earlier this year, she served in Governor Eric Holcomb’s cabinet as the state’s first Secretary of Career Connections and Talent. Prior to joining the cabinet, she was a two-term mayor of La Porte, Ind.
This year, IFRW chose to celebrate the season of giving by filling purses for women at the Hope Center in Indianapolis, where currently 22 women live who escaped or were rescued from human trafficking. Learn more at hopecenterindy.org.
Photos provided