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Hattie Kauffman and Spokane Women Talk Leadership Over Lunch

The message at Wednesday’s YWCA awards luncheon was for women: take chances in your career, and doors will open. Northwest native Hattie Kauffman knows that first hand, and gave the keynote address at the Women of Achievement event. This year seven Spokane women were recognized for leadership.

Kauffman, a leader in her own tribe and industry, told her story. With NezPerce tribal heritage Kauffman was born in northern Idaho, but her family moved to what she calls the projects of Seattle. She says she took a chance at a radio job, and doors eventually opened for her to work at KING News in Seattle, ABC’s Good Morning America, and later for CBS.

Kauffman: “You don’t know how many doors down the road may open because of that one attempt. Just give it a try, just try, just break through that comfort zone. Coming back to writing your own story, it can’t go to the next chapter, it can’t go to the next chapter if you don’t do that one step, if you don’t try that one thing.”

She lays out chapters of her life in a new book, Falling Into Place. Kauffman now lives in Seattle.

Women of Achievement Awards were given to artist Sister Paula Turnbull, City Attorney Nancy Isserlis, Rhosetta Rhodes of Whitworth University, Stephy Nobles-Beans of Whitworth, school superintendent Dr. Shelley Redinger, and WSU nursing dean Dr. Patricia Butterfield.

Copyright 2014 Spokane Public Radio

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