TRISH MURPHY JOINS BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT GENAUSTIN.ORG I was introduced to GenAustin in February 2002 while performing at the 3M Marathon, of which GenAustin was a benefactor. Two teenage girls came running to meet me backstage after the show. They told me they were representing an organization that supported young girls in the community. I asked them to take me to their leader. I had begun to feel passionate about the opportunity to connect more effectively with girls reaching a critical point in their development, hanging in the balance between either clarity or utter confusion. Shortly thereafter, the three of us met for coffee with Anita Mennucci, the executive director of GenAustin, and before I knew it my enthusiasm had landed me an invitation to sit on the board. GenAustin was founded in 1996 and originally named the Ophelia Project, as an outreach program for sustaining self-confidence and self-esteem in girls approaching adolescence. Since then GenAustin (Girls Empowerment Network) has generated amazing momentum for this cause by creating programs and curricula that educate and inspire not only young girls but also the adults in their lives, creating a network of support at a critical juncture in the development of adolescent girls of all races and backgrounds. GenAustin's programs and services include: -- A Speakers Series that runs every week throughout the school year, with guest speakers from all walks of the educational, therapeutic, and literary communities, and provocative topics ranging from relationships to creativity to career paths. A detailed calendar of all speaker events is published each fall and available by mail and online. --ClubGen: Launched in 1997, ClubGen is a network of after-school clubs that meet on individual campuses. Led by staff-trained adult and teen facilitators, ClubGen utilizes creative and therapeutic activities designed to foster critical thinking, leadership and relationship skills in a fun and safe environment, encouraging girls to extend this supportive network to one another beyond the confines of Club. --Online and Media Programs: a collection of educational videos based on GenAustin curricula is available, and an award-winning website provides one-to-one interaction for a broad range of topics and concerns relating to young girls in this age group. For more information, hit http://www.genaustin.org.