Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice and Traci Otey Blunt on Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes

Women’s History Month had its origins as a national celebration in 1981 when Congress passed Pub. L. 97-28 which authorized and requested the President to proclaim the week beginning March 7, 1982 as “Women’s History Week."  Throughout the next five years, Congress continued to pass joint resolutions designating a week in March as "Women’s History Week."  In 1987 after being petitioned by the National Women’s History Project, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9 which designated the month of March 1987 as “Women’s History Month."  Between 1988 and 1994, Congress passed additional resolutions requesting and authorizing the President to proclaim March of each year as Women’s History Month.  Since 1995, Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.” 

 Living Your Best Life Radio with Genma Holmes celebrates the strength, courage, and boldness of women who embrace life to the fullest and have not let others "no" determine their destiny in life. Join us to hear the from women who are seasoned with success and who believe in mentoring other women to become trailblazers as they empower, inspire, and motivate us to live our BEST life.

Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice

Traci Otey Blunt

On Saturday, March 22, 2014, Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, the newly appointed President of Morehouse School of Medicine – the nation’s first African-American woman to lead a free-standing medical school and Traci Otey Blunt, Senior Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs for RJL Companies will share about shattering the glass ceilings and how women leaders are changing the cultural of business as usual in higher education, medicine, entertainment, and the media.

Tune in to hear these dynamic women discuss current issues in their fields, how to build partnerships, and their advice to young women who are on their journey to becoming Women of Influence.

Tune into 760AM in the Middle Tennessee Region, on Tune In, on streaming live online at UStream.TV, and on military bases on Saturdays from 9:00-10:00am CST.

More About Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice

As incoming president of Morehouse School of Medicine, effective July 1, 2014, Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice will also maintain her role as the school’s dean. When she was announced, Dr. Montgomery Rice was the first African-American woman named to lead a freestanding medical school. She is a renowned infertility specialist and researcher, as well as current dean and executive vice president of Morehouse School of Medicine where she has served since 2011. In this role, she oversees Morehouse School of Medicine’s widespread academic and clinical programs in health sciences and leads strategic planning initiatives for both patient care, research and community engagement. Her current research includes a partnership with the University of Zambia, which focuses on the development of a vaginal microbicide for the prevention of HIV.

She is the founder and former director of the Center for Women’s Health Research at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tenn., where she had previously served as dean of the School of Medicine and senior vice president of health affairs. The Center for Women’s Health Research is one of the nation’s first research centers devoted to studying diseases that disproportionately impact women of color. Dr. Montgomery also held numerous administrative and faculty appointments at the University of Kansas School of Medicine prior to joining Meharry Medical College.

Dr. Montgomery Rice’s dedication to healthcare research, preventative care and mentoring are manifested in every aspect of her work and life. As such, she has been honored with membership in the Society for Women’s Health Research Board Member (2012- 2013), executive committee (2013), National Institute of Minority Health and Disparities and Office of Women’s Health/NIH Board Member (2013-), March of Dimes Board Member (2012-), Association of American Medical Colleges Council of Deans Administrative Board Member (2012-), FDA Advisory Committee for Reproductive Health Drugs (2011-), Scientific Committee, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2007-2011), President’s Commission on White House Fellowships Regional Panelist Selection Committee (2010), Strategic Planning Committee, Office of Women’s Health Research, NIH (2010), Every Life Matters, Every Dollar Counts Campaign - chair, National AIDS Fund Board of Trustees (2009 – 2010), National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities Special Emphasis Panel (2009),National Aids Fund Board of Trustees (2007-2011), Wal-Mart Healthcare Insights Panel - chair (2007-2010), Wal-Mart External Advisory Board (2006-2008) and American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, board examiner(2007-).

More About Traci Otey Blunt

The Network Business Journal March 2014

Traci Otey Blunt, a veteran media, political and public affairs specialist, is Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs. In this role, she is responsible for media strategy and communications, government relations and public affairs on behalf of The RLJ Companies. Prior to joining RLJ, Traci served as a Deputy Communications Director for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. Traci has more than 18 years of experience leading public relations and public affairs efforts for corporate, local, state and federal governments, as well as non-profit organizations.

Traci has experience in the fast-paced world of politics and government, having served as a media specialist on Capitol Hill, with the District of Columbia government, and in mayoral, state legislative, gubernatorial and presidential campaigns.

Prior to joining the Clinton campaign, Traci served as a Vice President and Deputy Director for the multicultural practice at Ogilvy Public Relations in Washington, DC. As Deputy Director for the agency’s multicultural communications, Traci provided the day-to-day management and oversight of several high-profile accounts and public affairs campaigns, including the African American Medicare Prescription Drug Campaign for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Readiness Initiative and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy.

As the Director of Communications for the District of Columbia’s Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development in 2002, Traci was responsible for planning economic development-related events, as well as leading all communications efforts related to development in the city. She also served as Press Secretary for the 2002 reelection campaign for Mayor Anthony Williams. In 2000, Traci served as the Communications Director for the Tennessee coordinated Gore/Lieberman campaign. She also served as a Communications Specialist at the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) and worked on legislative issues in the United States Senate.

Traci is a 1990 graduate of Tennessee State University where she received her degree, cum laude, in Criminal Justice. She currently serves on the following boards: the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBCLEO) Foundation; the College of Public Service and Urban Affairs Board of Advisors at Tennessee State University; ColorComm, a professional organization for women of color in communications; Washington Women in PR (WWPR); and Malaria No More, a non-profit dedicated to ending malaria deaths and providing life-saving tools and education to families across Africa.