Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner headlines League event

You are invited to the League of Women Voters' First Thursdays speaker series featuring Ohio's Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner. The event is open to the public free of charge and is set for 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 4 at Trinity Commons (The Art Gallery) at Trinity Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland. There is free parking for attendees behind the Cathedral off Prospect Avenue.

Titled "A View From the Top," Brunner's talk will cover the collaborative effort across Ohio to reverse the trend in the state's administration of elections. She will share the highlights of three years in office and how the state worked to provide an efficient and successful 2008 Presidential Election, and continues to work on election reform with the state legislature.

Jennifer Brunner is the first woman Secretary of State in Ohio's history. In 2008 she was awarded the "John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award," the nation's most prestigious honor for elected public servants. On Feb. 17, 2009, Brunner announced her intent to run for the U. S. Senate seat to be vacated by Senator George Voinovich.

The theme for this season's First Thursdays is "Women Who Know Their Place."  It is a celebration of women who have achieved a high level of success in their fields. The League also celebrates the 90th Anniversaries of the League of Women Voters and the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution, giving women the right to vote. This is the third in a series of five League events this season. Prior speakers were Susan Goldberg, Editor of the Plain Dealer, and Deborah Gribbon, Interim Director of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Funding for the Feb. 4th First Thursdays has been provided by the Rocky River Chapter of the League of Women Voters and the League of Women Voters Education Fund, Inc. For more information, call 216 781-0555 or visit http://www.LWVCuyahogaArea.org.

Joann Hirsh is the publicity coordinator for the League of Women Voters.