JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A freshman state legislator from Missouri has been elected to serve on the board of a professional development organization that includes every female state legislator in the United States.
Rep. Jean Evans, first elected in 2016 and making a bid for re-election this year, was selected by the nominating committee as the incoming At-Large Republican member on the Executive Board of the Women’s Legislative Network of the National Conference of State Legislatures.
“This is an incredible honor and I am thankful to have the opportunity to work with my colleagues from around the country to promote the participation of women in the political system,” said Evans. “We know women make up just slightly more than a quarter of all state legislators, and we would like to see those numbers increase considerably. I am excited to take on the challenge.”
The Women’s Legislative Network works to promote the participation, empowerment, and leadership of women legislators. The network began when female legislators gathered at NCSL meetings in the late 1970s. It was formally organized in 1985 at the annual meeting in Seattle and later became a core program of the NCSL Foundation for State Legislatures.
The Network does not advocate for or against specific state policies, but sponsors informational briefings so legislators can better understand an issue and learn from one another. The Network also sponsors skill-building workshops for women legislators. The network hosts receptions or lunches at NCSL meetings to allow time for women legislators to interact and learn from each other.
Evans will be formally elected at the Network’s luncheon and business meeting during the NCSL Legislative Summit in Los Angeles on August 2. The first official Women’s Network meeting of her term will take place at the NCSL Capitol Forum in Washington, D.C., December 5-8.
Alisha Shurr was a reporter for The Missouri Times and The Missouri Times Magazine. She joined The Missouri Times in January 2018 after working as a copy editor for her hometown newspaper in Southern Oregon. Alisha is a graduate of Kansas State University.
