Opening General SessionWelcome from CWLA Leadership- A Call to Action! Leading the Nation for Children & FamiliesChristine James-BrownCWLA President and CEO Ross E. Wales CWLA Board Chair PerformanceAshley GearingCWLA Youth Ambassador The National Anthem will be performed by 16-year-old country singer Ashley Gearing. Gearing is CWLA's new youth ambassador. At age 12 she made history as the youngest female artist to enter Billboard's Hot Country Single's chart, eclipsing a 46-year-old record previously held by Brenda Lee. Gearing was voted Best Female Country Artist in a 2006 New Country Artist poll and most recently performed during the seventh-inning stretch for her beloved Boston Red Sox. Her new song "Out the Window" will be released just a few weeks before the conference, and she will be available in the exhibit hall after the general session for photos. She will also perform several of her songs at the reception this evening! Three Little WordsAshley Rhodes-Courter Author and Former Foster ChildAshley Rhodes-Courter lived in America's foster care system for 10 years, experiencing 14 different placements and abuse before being adopted at age 12. Today, she advocates on behalf of foster children for an effective and appropriate foster care system. Rhodes-Courter is a 2007 Brick Award Winner and was named one of the top 10 college women in the United States by Glamour magazine. She will be selling autographed copies of her new book, Three Little Words, in the CWLA Book Exhibit immediately following this presentation.  Close window
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