The Women Mayors' Caucus met on Thursday, January 18, under the leadership of Cedar Rapids Mayor Lee R. Clancey, who serves as Chair of the group. Brief remarks were given by Erica Henri, Political Director for the Women's Campaign Fund. The Women's Campaign Fund (WCF) provides resources necessary to launch a winning campaign, and has assisted more than 2,000 candidates to date. WCF provides this assistance through critical endorsements, strategic technical assistance, and contributions to women candidates. Henri helps women candidates develop and implement winning campaign strategies, including fundraising, message development, field strategy, Get Out the Vote programs, and arranging meetings with potential supporters and members of the Washington political action community. Henri also has extensive political experience running several state and local campaigns, and has worked on four presidential campaigns.

This year's agenda also built in more time for networking and information sharing which took place through small informal roundtable discussions. The purpose was to allow more opportunities to tap into the talent and leadership available among members of the Women Mayors' Caucus. Moreover, the discussions were facilitated by team leaders on various areas of interest that were identified from the last women mayors' survey. Mayors led discussions on the following:

• Mayors Lee Clancey and Brookfield (WI) Kathryn Bloomberg - The Nuts & Bolts of Being A Mayor (geared more to newly elected mayors)

• Tulsa Mayor Susan Savage - Downtown Redevelopment & Economic Viability

• Long Beach Mayor Beverly O'Neil - Women Mentoring & Leadership

• Arlington Heights (IL) Mayor Arlene J. Mulder - Families & Youth Issues

In addition, Nicky Gavron, the Deputy Mayor of London participated in the roundtable discussions. Gavron served as a member of the official delegation of the Honorable Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London.

Conference Executive Director J. Thomas Cochran, addressed the group to ascertain the interest of women mayors in developing a formal dialogue around policy issues with women serving in the 107th Congress. The group agreed, so, this dialogue will begin sometime before the next caucus session in Detroit at the Conference Annual Meeting in June.

More importantly, Mayor Lee R. Clancey, Chair of the Caucus, urged the women mayors that are interested in advancing into USCM leadership positions to communicate their interest and willingness to serve to the Conference's Nominating Committee as soon as the committee is established later in the spring, and to contact the Conference Executive Director J. Thomas Cochran, should they have any questions or require more information about the process of doing so. A primary goal of the Women Mayors' Caucus is to develop and promote more leadership and involvement by women mayors within the organization.