JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The 3rd Annual Outstanding Women Leaders (OWL) Brunch will recognize several Jamestown and Stutsman County women for their continued outstanding leadership on April 7th.
The brunch is being held by the Zonta Club of Jamestown, a branch of Zonta International. Created to empower women through service and advocacy, their vision is that all women’s rights are recognized as human rights and every woman is able to achieve her full potential.
Kara Brinster is a member of the Zonta Club of Jamestown.
Brinster points out that they’ve had a great amount of women who have been nominated and very deserving of the honor. She says at this year’s banquet, they will recognize all the women who were nominated, but select one to receive the OWL award.
The finalists for the 2018 award have been announced. You can find the list and a bio of each finalists below.
Contact Mary Lou Urquhart for more information at 701-952-8105 or email urquhart@csicable.net.
Tickets are $15 and can be purchased from any Zonta Club of Jamestown member, Bank Forward or Riddle’s Jewelry during the month of March.
Lisa Jackson
Lisa Jackson joined Jamestown Regional Medical Center as its Foundation Director in 2013. In her time, she’s raised more than $2.5 million for JRMC’s operational budget as well as more than $1 million for the new and upcoming JRMC Cancer Center. Lisa began her career in fundraising at the University of Jamestown where she served as events coordinator and associate director of annual giving. She moved to Kansas in 2005 where she worked for Kansas University as the development director. She returned to North Dakota in 2008, starting a nonprofit consulting firm and co-founding a philanthropy magazine. Today, she lives in rural Jamestown with her husband, Dustin, and their three children.
Joan Enderle
Joan Enderle is a graduate of North Dakota State University, Fargo with a Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics and received her MBA from University of Mary in 2009.
Joan is a Registered Dietitian and was a multi department manager at Jamestown Hospital for 24 years. In addition to her duties as manager of Nutrition, Environmental and Linen Services, Joan was actively involved in worksite wellness program development and implementation reaching into the community to speak and provide programs. She also served on the initial Jamestown Public School wellness policy writing committee.
Joan joined the American Heart Association, Midwest Affiliate in North Dakota in June 2006 as the Director of a $1.25 million-dollar Dakota Medical Foundation funded, Go Red for Woman’s North Dakota Health Initiative engaging over 15,000 women statewide in knowing their risk factors for heart disease and taking action to prevent the number one killer of women in North Dakota.The reach of Joan’s efforts has expanded beyond Jamestown and Stutsman County. In 2015, utilizing the outcome data from the Tech Savvy event, Joan assisted the ND STEM Network in securing legislative funding for regional STEM events in North Dakota that was also funded for the 2017-2019 biennium.
Joan also serves as a mentor for AAUW branches across the country planning Tech Savvy conferences in their communities.
Joan Halvorson
Joan has been a member of the Zonta Club of Jamestown since the early 1990’s. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree from North Dakota State University in Sociology with an emphasis in Criminal Justice and began her law enforcement career as the first female patrol officer for the City of Jamestown where she was honored as the communities’ 1986 Officer of the Year. While still employed, she furthered her schooling and obtained a Master’s Degree in Counseling and Guidance from NDSU’s Graduate School. She was soon hired to develop and implement a Victim Assistance Program for the Stutsman County State’s Attorney’s office. She was honored by the US Attorney’s Office and the ND Attorney General’s Office with their 1996’s Outstanding Victim Advocacy Award. In 2010 she was hired by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a newly created Victim Specialist position. While stationed in Fargo, she has the unique position as Floater for the Minneapolis Division, traveling to provide support to the other 12 Victim Specialists in our three state area. She has been a past member of several state and local boards representing victim rights and is a former presenter at both the ND Law Enforcement Academy and the ND Victim Assistance Academy. She continues to serve on the North Dakota Sex Offender Risk Assessment Committee. During Victim Rights Week in 2017, she was honored with the Victim Assistance award from the District of ND’s U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Polly Peterson
Polly Peterson was named the 14th President of the University of Jamestown in September,2017 assuming responsibility on March 1st, 2018. Previously, Polly was the University’s Executive Vice President where she served as the Vice President for Institutional Advancement and the Chief Financial Officer.
Throughout her career, Polly has served the University of Jamestown in a leadership capacity in the areas of institutional advancement, marketing and public relations, business affairs, and auxiliary services. Polly also spent six years teaching in the Department of Accounting, Business and Economics where shereceived a Faculty Medallion Award for excellence in teaching and advising. Polly is a Certified Public Accountant, and has earned the profession’s specialized designation as a Personal Financial Specialist.
As Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Polly helped to complete the University’s first comprehensive capital campaign exceeding its $30 million goal by 17%. The University is now nearing the end of a second $60 million campaign that has resulted in a new McKenna Thielsch Center for Science and Nursing, a new Alumni and Student Center, renovated residence halls, upgrades the Vorhees Chapel and the spectacular new Harold Newman Arena. During this same timethe department has grown the Annual Fund by 42% to over$1,000,000 annually, while at the same time growing total annual giving to over $5,000,000, doubling the number of scholarships from 200 to over 400.
Polly holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Jamestown where she majored in Accounting and Business Administration. She received a Master of Business Administration degree from Regis University, and a Ph.D. from North Dakota State University.
Courtney VanDyke
Courtney is a Bismarck native who grew up on a family farm and participated in volleyball, basketball, and rodeo throughout high school. She later attended the University of Mary where she majored in Finance and minored in Accounting while playing college volleyball and starting a career in finance. After college graduation Courtney continued her career in banking and soon after met her husband Trent VanDyke.
In 2013 Courtney joined the Jamestown community and currently lives on a grain farm with her husband, two year old son” Brady”, and soon to be baby girl. In her free time she enjoys riding horse, competing in rodeo, helping out on the farm, and most importantly just spending time with her family.
Since her time in Jamestown Courtney has served on numerous different occasions throughout the community. Courtney- along with two other women business leaders helped form a Woman in Ag Committee in 2017 through the Jamestown Chamber which would include targeting women in agriculture as their audience and host their first event which was a huge success. She is currently the treasurer for the Optimist Club which is an organization developed to help kids within the community. Courtney also serves as a very active member on the Ag & Energy Committee within the Jamestown Chamber which is responsible for the following events throughout the year including the Ag Luncheon, Energy Luncheon, Bus Tour, and Farmers Appreciation Banquet. She jumps at opportunities to get out into the community and speak/ present/ network with other professionals. She recently spoke at the Women’s Business Summit held here in Jamestown at the University which was an all day event designed to assist Women in Business with anything questions they might have regarding their new or existing business. She also spoke at a SCORE workshop for startup businesses looking to learn more.
Courtney currently is an Ag/Commercial loan officer employed by Bank Forward. She enjoys all aspects of farming and loves helping business men/women, farmers, and ranchers with all of their financial needs. Helping others succeed and making their dreams come true is her true passion.