More than 325 women attended the Women for Berke Committee kick-off luncheon at the DoubleTree Hotel on Tuesday. The purpose of Women for Berke is to elect Senator Berke and engage in a dialogue around family and community issues.
The keynote speaker at the event was Mayor Madeline Rogero of Knoxville. Mayor Rogero was elected to the post in 2011 as the first female mayor of Knoxville. Prior to her election, Mayor Rogero served as the Community Development director under then-mayor Bill Haslam where she addressed critical community issues including building sustainable neighborhoods and addressing problems relating to vacant and blighted properties. In office, Mayor Rogero has been dedicated to promoting a local economy, strong neighborhoods, and a greener Knoxville. Mayor Rogero will speak to the group about the importance of mayoral leadership in addressing key community opportunities.
“The Women for Berke committee is focused on discussing how we can move Chattanooga forward in so many important ways with Senator Berke’s leadership," said Pris Siskin, co-chair of the group. "We strongly believe all issues are women’s issues, from education and crime to economic development and diversity. We are excited to show our support for the Mayoral candidate who has a demonstrated record of bringing people together to help solve Tennessee’s tough problems.”