media center

Meet WE Experts

Media contact:
Rebecca Wellisch, Marketing & Communications Dir., 312-782-3902 ext.222

Women Employed staff are nationally recognized experts on issues affecting women's economic status and have been widely interviewed by national media outlets such as the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, U.S. News and World Report, USA Today, CBS News, NBC News, ABC World News Tonight, Fox News, CNN, CBS Marketwatch, Telemundo, and National Public Radio.

• Women's economic status
• Fair workplace practices
• Equal opportunity requirements and affirmative action
• Sexual harassment
• Work and family
• Economic self-sufficiency
• Access to college, including college financial aid programs
• Community colleges and low-income students
• Career development

Anne Ladky, Executive Director, is a founding member of Women Employed. She joined the staff in 1977 and was named director in 1985. Ms. Ladky is a nationally recognized expert on women's organizing, equal opportunity issues, career development and economic self-sufficiency. She has developed and directed innovative advocacy and training programs designed to improve women's economic status and is the author of numerous reports, articles, and testimony on women's economic issues.

Melissa Josephs, Director of Equal Opportunity Policy, has expertise in a range of workplace issues such as sexual harassment, work and family, affirmative action and equal opportunity requirements. An attorney, Ms. Josephs directs Women Employed's Job Problems Counseling Service, which advises women regarding unfair and illegal workplace issues. A member of the WE staff since 1990, Ms. Josephs promotes effective implementation of equal employment regulations, policies and laws through monitoring, testimony and work with employers.

Jenny Wittner, Associate Director, is an expert on career development for women earning low wages and on adult education and literacy. Ms. Wittner has led efforts to increase welfare recipients' access to education and training and to improve the GED system in Illinois. Prior to joining the WE staff in 1999, Ms. Wittner directed a nationally recognized program that provided services to help welfare recipients overcome employment barriers and secure family-supporting jobs.

Mary Kay Devine, Director of Workforce Development Policy, has expertise in a range of labor relations issues affecting employees who work in distribution, manufacturing, industrial laundries, food service and retail. A former organizing director with UNITE HERE, Ms. Devine helped thousands of low-wage workers nationwide organize and improve their workplaces. She is responsible for WE's workforce development and education and training policy, serves on both the Steering Committee and Work Group for the Illinois Shifting Gears Initiative, heads WE's Illinois Career Pathways Initiative, and directs Student Advocates for Success.