National NOW Times >> Spring 2010  >> Article

Meet the New National NOW Officers

NOW members elected new leadership at last year's national conference. Led by President Terry O'Neill, this team of officers is dedicated to engaging the grassroots of NOW and pushing the boundaries of feminist activism. We asked the officers to choose their top experiences since taking office. Read what they had to say:

Terry O'Neill, President

In Nebraska Terry stood with Dr. LeRoy Carhart, an abortion provider whose clinic was targeted after the murder of Dr. George Tiller. The rally was a powerful success, with CNN reporting that pro-choice activists outnumbered the opposition two to one. Terry was the keynote speaker for the Illinois State NOW conference, where she experienced firsthand the power of local networking. From speaking in California on Women's Equality Day to addressing a single-payer health care group in St. Louis, Mo., Terry has taken the opportunity to engage with NOW members and other social justice advocates all over the country.

Bonnie Grabenhofer, Executive Vice President

Last December Bonnie was thrilled to escort members of Congress to speak at the Stop Stupak rally on Capitol Hill. She was honored to stand with Rep. Jerrold Nadler at the Respect for Marriage press conference, and will never forget Kathy Griffin's appearance at the Rally to Repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell. The legislative highlight of her time in office was the passage of the hate crimes bill, an expansion NOW has been working on for over a decade. From Martha Coakley to Connie Saltonstall, Bonnie loves meeting candidates up for endorsement as part of her job managing the NOW/PAC.

Allendra Letsome, Membership Vice President

On her first day in office, Allendra hit the streets with local activists to show support for then-nominee Sonia Sotomayor, who went on to become the first Latina Supreme Court justice. She has reveled in the opportunity to meet feminist activists from all over the country and hear their ideas for organizing and keeping the movement going. Allendra credits technology like Twitter, Facebook, Skype, and webinars with an increased ability to reach out to NOW members. She's relished in receiving positive feedback such as, "I've never been able to attend a board meeting, but now I can."

Erin Matson, Action Vice President

On her first day as an officer in D.C., Erin Matson was ecstatic to be standing in front of the U.S. Capitol alongside Rep. Carolyn Maloney and her sister NOW officers for the reintroduction of the Equal Rights Amendment. Erin was proud that less than 24 hours after the anti-abortion Stupak-Pitts Amendment was announced, NOW held the very first protest on Capitol Hill, where so many people showed up that the police got involved. Another event Erin counts among her highlights is being a speaker at the Wisconsin NOW State Conference, where she talked about technology and young women.