You can read Katherine’s full testimonial at: http://womenmentorwomen.org/testimonials/ & http://icanstilldothat.org/videos/testimonials/

From 8-9 PM, enjoy the sounds of Woody Woods Workin’ Music featuring the Reggie Woods Jazz Band. (see: www.woodywoodsworkinmusic.com*)

*Reggie and his band have played for many celebrity weddings such as Billy Joel and Paul McCartney.

http://satsunphotography.blogspot.com/2010/05/give-and-get.html based on our recent First Mondays in Washington, DC.

Congratulations to Kay Lautman for her ” American Beauty ” award. I am told that the photos will be up tomorrow. Here is the link to check: http://www.satsunphotography.com/ (see : “online ordering” on top right of menu bar on the website). (password is “firstmondays”) We are planning a “Women Who Lunch/DC” for June as well as a FirstMondays/DC for September. We also have a “Women Who Lunch/NYC” next Friday 5/14. If anyone is interested, please email me. Go Team!!

- Dan Schneider, Executive Director

in NYC & DC

We Are Introducing A Brand New Venue For First Mondays

247 West 30th Street, New York, N.Y.  10001 (Between 7th and 8th Avenue)

The Next First Mondays NYC Will Be Held On

April 5, 2010 from 6-9 PM

New York, NY,  MARCH 2, 2010 – An upcoming benefit for the New York based non-profit foundation, “I Can Still do That,” will be held Monday, MARCH 8TH from 6-9 PM at Madame X at 94 West Houston Street in New York City. The event is part of the “Women Mentor Women” program of the foundation, which attempts to match younger women with seasoned female entrepreneurs and professionals (see: www.womenmentorwomen.org). Women mentor Women seeks to help women achieve equality in the workplace and leadership development by increasing their opportunities through mentoring and career guidance by experienced industry experts.

There is no admission charge for the event and there will be a live show with readings, songs and poetry by international women writers, artists and actresses.  All proceeds will benefit the Foundation’s Women’s Mentoring program.

Headlining the show will be Ana Maria Jomoica, who will read her story “Twin Bed” from SISTERS: an Anthology. The anthology is published by Paris Press, whose founder, Jan Freeman, is a graduate of Vassar College and a member of the Foundation’s advisory Board.   This will be one of several nationwide readings from the anthology, which are planned for Women’s History Month.

“I Can Still do That” is currently partnering with other organizations whose missions include helping people get back into the workforce during the current economic downturn.  The Foundation proposes an inter-generational mentoring program matching recent college graduates and interns with displaced seasoned professionals. The foundation hopes these new relationships will elevate skills and knowledge to help create Green jobs and new sustainable business models.  The foundation will sponsor its second “Women Who Lunch”: networking lunch on March 12th at Amarone Ristorante in NYC. The event is sold out for the second time in a row.  The foundation’s motto is “Let’s turn the ME generation into the WE generation.”

For more information about First Mondays, or to contact “Still do That,” please visit www.firstmondays.com and www.icanstilldothat.org or email firstmondaysnyc@gmail.com.

The following performers are confirmed for Monday’s Celebration:

Our Hostess:
Lisa Zari (zariintl@aol.com)
Lisa Zari is founder and president of Zari International. She has now
added a new division to her already versatile agency — ‘Z’ Woman
Designs — helping her growing array of clients, here and abroad,
develop their own brand distinction through logo design and public
relations. Lisa also heads Zari Intl Productions, a division which specializes in  photo shoots (pre and post production) for global clients. Her company  deals with a full range of services — studio rentals, insurance,  equipment, catering, permits, and usage negotiations. It guides, consults and aides creative teams with casting talent, and location scouting.

Prior to this, Lisa was a Photographer’s Representative / Independent
Contractor at Creative Management Agency, managing the careers of 10
leading photographers, while launching new talent. Her efforts resulted  in sales growth of 35%. Her duties, which included negotiating of all legal usage of photography, entailed working with art buyers and editors on layouts. Her clients included: Bank of America, Merck, Make a Wish Foundation, and Verizon. Among the photographers she represented were Jim Erickson, Alaister Thain, Olaf Veltman, Markku, and Henrik Halvarsson.

Lisa’s first business venture was Zari International USA / Europa, a
photographic and multi- talent agency. She managed the careers of 15
photographers, as well as numerous make-up artists, hair stylists, and
fashion / prop stylists. Her art division represented popular editorial Illustrators. Her work included brand development, advertising placement, assignment negotiations and staff development. Clients included: La Perla, Neiman Marcus, Cosmair, Parker Pens, Kodak, Sony Music and Revlon, to name a few. Some of the well known photographers were Joyce Tenneson, Barbara
Bordnick, Marc Hauser and Regis Fialaire.

Prior to this, Lisa Zari traveled the globe as a fashion model, working with leading international modeling agencies, and appearing in various ad campaigns, publications, and commercials.

Our MC:

Tony Wilkes (laswilkes@optimum.net,) : Tony Wilkes is a man with experience that runs wide and deep in the performing arts. Tony trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Fashion Institute of Technology and the Mayer School of Fashion Design. Over the past twenty years, Tony has formed and operated several successful ventures, including L.A.W. Entertainment, L.A.W. Productions, Inc. and L.A.W. Recordings, an independent record label. Tony has produced forty or more productions during this time, including plays and video productions in locations such as New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. In the costume world, he has designed more than sixty plays, as well as being in residence at Rutgers University and East Lynn Theatre Company. He also worked on such shows as Cyrano, Les Miserables, Damn Yankees, On The Water Front, Swinging on a Star, Bring In Da Noise, Bring In Da Funk, all on Broadway in the wardrobe department.

Headliner:   Ana Maria Jomolca  (anajomolca@yahoo.com)- reading her story “Twin Bed”, from SISTERS: an Anthology
Ana Maria is a Cuban-American writer, director and actress. Several of her plays have appeared Off Broadway.  She has written and performed in theAtrainplays and The House of Bernarda Alba at Repertorio Español. Her one-woman show Just Another Spic was work-shopped at Manhattan Theatre Source.
She wrote and produced the film, everygirl, which debuted at Tribeca Film Center and screened at “Women in the Director’s Chair International Film Festival” in Chicago, The New Festival in NYC, BAM Cinema and Pioneer Theatre’s New Filmmaker’s Forum. TV appearances include; 30 ROCK, Without a Trace, The Jury, directed by Barry Levinson, Law & Order: Trial by Jury, Criminal Intent, and Rescue Me.
She has been published in The Sun Magazine, The New York Press,  ‘National Geographic’s ‘Glimpse Abroad’ and GLEE magazine.  She received her MFA in Fiction Writing at Hunter College under the tutelage of Peter Carey and Colum McCann and her short story, Twin Bed, in Sisters: An Anthology is out now in bookstores.
Her visual art, PINS, RODS & OTHER INTRUSIONS, a photo essay exploration of “the body as canvas” was on exhibit at The Estrogenius Festival.    She currently performs the stage adaptation of Sandra Cisneros’s novel, The House on Mango Street (one woman show) as part of The American Place Theatre’s Literature to Life Program.
Her most recent play, Chiquitina, debuted in New York in 2009 and will return this fall 2010.

Kim Lockett (misskim1703@aol.com) : will do the Delilah monologue from a new work: IMPERFECT WOMEN OF THE BIBLE
Kim Lockett is originally from Springfield, Ma.  She worked for Big Y Foods, Inc. for over six years where she recorded over 70 voice-overs for many of their computer based trainings and was also a news anchor for Big Y News—Big Y’s internal news broadcast.  Kim graduated in 2006 from Springfield Technical Community College where she took theater for two semesters.  Her performances there include Marshael Foster in the Wake of Jamey Foster and Cora in Tom Walker.  She transferred to Rutgers University in January of 2009 in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Media Studies and is taking the current semester off to pursue a career in acting.  Kim is very active in her church The Church of the Living Water COGIC, serving on the usher board, hospitality department, praise and worship team and works as the Pastor’s secretary.

Nicole Johnson ( nikkijdance13@aol.com) : Will be reading a narrative from Bell Hooks Bone Black Memories of Girlhood.
Nicole Johnson (17) is a senior musical theater major at Professional Performing Arts High school. At age 13 Nicole founded Javanna Productions, a student driven production company in Miami Florida. At age 14 Nicole moved to New York city and has continued to build Javanna Productions into a full fledge professional company that is geared towards raising funds and awareness for community causes. Recently, Nicole directed, choreographed and produced several  choreography showcases, entitled Move For Autism. The cast consisted of New York city teens from the Professional Performing Arts School in midtown New York and the profits were donated to the national autism organization, Autism Speaks. In addition to raising funds for community causes, Javanna Productions creates platforms that allow teens to effectively take the attention off themselves and direct it into fulfilling a purpose that will benefit the society as a whole. Jpmove.webs.com Nicole also choreographed portions of the “Still Do That”  music video for the  I Can Still Do That Foundation (see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5RL3H67BE8)  For more information on Javanna Productions, see: http://jpmove.webs.com/aboutus.htm.

Joanna Amelia Kalloo ( joannakalloo@yahoo.com ):  Will sing “Never Felt This Way” by Alicia Keys.
Joanna is 18 years old and currently resides in Queens, New York. Born in Trinidad (the island next to Venezuela) she was raised in both Broward County, Florida and South Queens, New York. She began to sing at the age of 5. Her mother was in the choir and her father is an ordained minister and worship leader. Her dream is to become an R&B/gospel singer. Joanna also writes her own songs and poetry. She plays guitar in her spare time and hangs out with family and friends.
According to Joanna: “ Music moves me…in so many ways. I can’t imagine my life without it because it has played a major role in becoming the person I am. I’ve performed in Las Vegas when I was 13 years old for the USAWORLDSHOWCASE. I won 1st place for most promising unsigned artist and it was later aired on television. I have also performed in the Madison Square Garden Theatre. I just love performing. It’s what makes me happy. I believe that dreams do come true and I know mine will with hard work. So, please listen to these songs that I re-sang and give me your constructive criticism. Thanks, enjoy and God bless!”

MYSPACE MUSIC PAGE- www.myspace.com/yesiamfamous
REGULAR MYSPACE-www.myspace.com/queenzfin3st
FACEBOOK PAGE- www.facebook.com/BORNmisfit
YOUTUBE PAGE-www.youtube.com/w0rdsfailmusiqspeaks

“Lysistrata” by Aristophanes:  a short reading directed by  Logan Tracey
Logan Tracey: Logan Tracey is an actress and singer based in New York City. A graduate of Ithaca College and the National Theatre Institute, Ms. Tracey has been performing in film, television, and theatre since moving to NYC in 2003. Logan has performed in numerous new musicals, as Sheila in HAIR at the Gallery Players, completed a season of summer stock at the Saxtons River Playhouse playing Catherine in Pippin and Laurie in Oklahoma! With a focus on comedy and improv (and training from the Upright Citizens Brigade), Ms. Tracey has performed with CollegeHumor.com, NBC.com, in the NY Underground Comedy Festival, numerous NYCFringe Festivals, and on All My Children and Guiding Light.  Ms. Tracey has a strong background in Musical Theatre and teaches dance and directs at SophieDance in Hollywood, CA. Logan is great with kids and loves teaching and working with children. Check out her website for photos, music, and a performance reel: www.logantracey.com