Sue Golis received her Master of Education from University of Toledo and taught 5th grade for 20 years in Toledo before moving to Reno. She taught in the gifted program in Reno where she lived for 28 years.  Sue and her husband John moved to Ashland to be near her daughter, Melissa Dukes, and her family (who own Progressive Optometry).  They just got settled when covid hit, so life has been challenging.  She have 4 grandchildren and loves reading, bridge, biking, tennis, and music.  She’s anxious to meet the gals in AAUW, which she joined in Reno in 1992.

Connie Minogue received a BFA in costume design from California State University  Long Beach in 1975 but did not pursue a theatre career for long. After a few years in Iran, she moved to Canada where many wonderful mentors helped her navigate a path to business management: marketing consumer packaged goods, advancing over 21 years at the Texas Medical Association, and running an international association management company in Vancouver (Canada). On her retirement she headed to Ashland,  a sunny, small, walkable town with many resources. She loves sewing for volunteer groups, such as Quilts of Valor, hospice, and wildfire victims, and cooking.

New member, Susan Gunn Schaefer, has stepped up to become our Dues Treasurer, effective this month. This important position was held by Diana Quirk for many years. Thank you Susan.

Lisa Verner, FAICP, is an urban planner who has retired after a 44-year career. Lisa served as the King County, WA, permitting department’s legislative coordinator and worked with the County Executive and County Council. Her professional experience included public planning, land use consultant, corporate real estate, and non-profit work. Lisa has led the American Planning Association Washington State chapter as both president and vice president. She enjoys traveling to Italy and Great Britain and obtained her Irish passport just as the coronavirus pandemic took off. Lisa moved to Ashland on a big adventure and because her great-grandparents had a pear orchard in Central Point in the late 19th Century.

Cathe Ledford is a registered nurse, graduating from CSU, Long Beach. She taught nursing at Shasta College and Simpson University in Redding, California. Cathe has been a member of AAUW, Redding Branch for 28 years, where she served as Newsletter Editor, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, Co-Chair of Round Robin Book section, Membership VP, and Legal Advocacy Fund Rep. She was an active member of the book and drama sections as well as a member of the STEM conference planning committee. She looks forward to being an active member of the Ashland AAUW.

Cynthia Dettman, JD, MSW,  is a retired attorney, social worker and activist who has worked with and for multiple nonprofit organizations during her career.  She has worked and volunteered as an advocate for low-income women and families, community college students, tenants, and people with disabilities.  Most recently, she spent 16 years in higher education as a community college counselor coordinating a program for low-income women, women of color and immigrants, helping them choose academic pathways and achieve their goals.  She developed a new college program for Latina women that included partner health benefits, free tuition, and matched savings plans. One of her favorite tasks was helping women successfully apply for scholarships, and hopes to help women at RCC and SOU. Cynthia is a single lesbian woman and has some regrets moving to Ashland during the pandemic- it’s slow getting involved, she says!  But she looks forward to making new friends through OLLI, the Unitarian Church, local LGBT organizations, and AAUW!  In her spare time she is writing a novel set in South India, where she grew up, and looks forward to a huge garden in the spring.  

Penny Little: I grew up in two of California’s most beautiful cities: San Luis Obispo and Half Moon Bay After graduating from San Francisco State University with a Masters in School Psychology, I dedicated much of my career to working as an integral part of the customer service experience, either indirectly (MRI System Logistics at Toshiba), or directly (in the Finance department for the City of San Bruno.

My husband and I fell in love with Ashland after visiting with friends here, and decided we wanted to make this our retirement destination. In addition, Ashland’s location is ideally situated between my stepson and his family (Half Moon Bay) and and my daughter and family (Olympia, WA). I am currently enjoying spending time with my granddaughters and trying new activities such as quilting, hiking, and taking OLLI classes, as well as enjoying all of the theater and music this Valley has to offer. As a past president at the Half Moon Bay branch of AAUW, I am looking forward to getting re-involved with this great organization.

Irene Miano:Born in the Bronx, NY, I was the first college graduate in my family and was valedictorian of my graduating class in 1969, receiving a BA.Ketchum Direct Marketing brought me from New York to San Francisco, California, in the 80’s where I worked until the late 90’s, in public relations, direct marketing and advertising.  Unfortunately, after our agency went out of business in 1998, I found myself in need of employment with no technological skills.

I then formed an unlikely alliance with a global CPA firm, Deloitte & Touche, where I gained passable computer skills, many friends, and a late retirement at age 70.  At Deloitte & Touche, I served in several roles as a team supervisor and an HR manager.  I am now happily and gratefully retired, living in Ashland, OR, where I have met several interesting, active women of AAUW.  I look forward to the opportunities afforded by its dynamic organization.