When: Tuesday 3/25/14, 6:30pm
Where: Liberal Arts Building Room 205
Panelists: Dr Jennifer Scroggins, Dr Lisa Kemmerer, Dr Joy Honea, Krista Montague

Panelist:  Dr Jennifer Scroggins, MSUB Assistant Professor of Sociology

Topic: The number of women being imprisoned in the United States is at an all-time high, as is the number of women who find themselves released to the community after a period of incarceration.  Given histories of violent victimization, poverty, employment challenges, and other social problems, many paroled women find successful reintegration into their communities to be a difficult task. In this talk, I highlight women’s social networks as a source of important reentry resources, focusing in particular on the ways gender influences social networks and the resources they provide, as well as how paroled women view the resources available to them via their networks.

Bio: Jennifer Scroggins holds a Ph.D. in sociology with emphases in criminology and gender from the University of Tennessee. Her primary research interests include prisoner reentry and immigration and crime. Recent publications have compared resources available to men and women upon their release from prison, the influence of gender on prisoner reentry, and the influence of social networks on men and women’s reentry experiences.

Panelist:  Dr Joy Honea, Associate Professor of Sociology, Chair of Department of Social Sciences and Cultural Studies

Topic: "Women, Health and Reproduction": This talk focuses on health concerns unique to women in the U.S. today, including more frequent visits to health care providers, higher health care costs than men and the politicization of reproductive health. The discussion will focus on implications for women’s health and social equality.

Bio: Joy Crissey Honea is Associate Professor of Sociology at Montana State University Billings and Chair of the Department of Social Sciences and Cultural Studies. Her research and teaching areas include the sociology of sport, the sociology of culture, the sociology of health and medicine, and gender studies.  She earned her Ph.D. from Colorado State University in 2004 and her dissertation work on the commercialization of alternative sports was published as a monograph in 2009.  Since arriving at MSUB, she has published in primarily in the areas of sport and gender and the contested terrain of cultural production.  Her recent work applies feminist theories to analyze the effectiveness of anti-domestic violence programs and her current research agenda focuses on the medicalization of depression and suicidal ideation.

Betty Robinson reaching the finish line

Betty Robinson
Betty Robinson wins the women's 100-meter final during the Olympic Games in Amsterdam on July 31, 1928. It was the first time the Olympics included athletic events for women, making her the first woman to win gold.

Panelist:  Dr Lisa Kemmerer, MSUB Associate Professor of Philosophy:  "Sister Species"

Topic:  “Sister Species” explores how ecofeminist philosophy—exposing dualism, denigration, and power structures—connects sexism with speciesism . . .  as well as with other “isms” such as racism and anthropocentrism. 

Bio: Lisa Kemmerer is a philosopher-activist who has been working on behalf of the environment, nonhuman animals, and disempowered human beings for more than thirty years. A graduate of Reed, Harvard, and Glasgow University (Scotland), she is the author of a handful of books, including Animals and World Religions and Sister Species: Women, Animals, and Social Justice, and has hiked, biked, kayaked, and traveled extensively.  You can learn more about her work at lisakemmerer.com.

Panelist:  Krista Montague, Athletic Director

Topic:  "Women in Athletic Leadership Roles:  Keeping Them at the Top"
The representation of women as athletes is an achievement to be acknowledged and has experienced incredible growth since Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 were passed.  However, the same cannot be said of the representation women in leadership positions in intercollegiate sport. Female underrepresentation in leadership positions in sport is not a new issue.  Men have, and continue to maintain, institutionalized control over the most senior levels of both interscholastic and intercollegiate athletic administration.  Athletic Director Montague is the first female NCAA Athletic Director in the state of Montana, and one of three female Athletic Directors in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (10 member institution).  Montague is an advocate for women and girls in sport and her presentation will include her own personal journey of rising to the top of a profession which has been predominantly dominated by men.

Bio: Krista Montague graduated from nearby Hysham High School in 1995.  Following a standout high school basketball career, Montague joined the Yellowjacket Women’s program in the fall where she immediately had an impact on the squad. Her career as a student-athlete culminated with a trip to the West Region Championship and the programs first and only Elite Eight appearance.  Montague was a four-year letter winner and still holds the school record for career free throw percentage. Montague began her employment with MSUB in July of 2002 as the athletic department’s director of development and marketing. Shortly after being hired, she was appointed to the position of senior woman administrator, making her the highest-ranking female administrator in the department.  In 2005, the title of assistant athletic director and NCAA compliance coordinator were added to her duties.  In 2009, Montague was promoted to associate athletic director were she oversaw NCAA II compliance for each of the 17 sports and co-ed cheer.  Since fall of 2012 she has been the interim athletic director, taking over for Dr. Gary Gray.