Girls In The Know Presents Knowledge & Power Fundraiser

Girls In The Know Fundraiser Features “St. Louis Champion” Deb Hollingsworth, Corporate Exec, Community Advocate, Philanthropist

When it comes to inspiring girls to boldly pursue their dreams, Debra Hollingsworth means business. Hollingsworth, who climbed to the top of the corporate ladder as the Regional Vice President-External Affairs with AT&T, will be the keynote speaker for the upcoming Girls In The Know (GITK) fundraiser “Knowledge and Power, small bites and big ideas.” The event, which raises funds critical to delivering fully funded workshops to underserved pre-teen girls who would not otherwise have access to GITK four-session empowerment programming, is scheduled is October 5, 5-8:00-p.m. at Vue 17, 1034 S. Brentwood Blvd.

Hollingsworth will give a dynamic presentation on “The Ripple Effect” and how it all starts with a single raindrop. A single raindrop can become the force of a tidal wave of change. “The ripple effect describes the impact we have in our circle of influence. Everything we do has an impact on others. This means, every word we speak, each action we take and our mere presence impacts others, even people we do not know. We are constantly being observed and hopefully our interactions will positively impact others on their life journey,” said Hollingsworth, who retired in 2014, after a 35-year career at AT&T.

Hollingsworth has a long, successful history of impacting the community and has earned numerous honors and awards. After many years of leadership in community-related projects and regulatory issues affecting the telecommunications industry, Hollingsworth continues to make a difference as a community advocate, philanthropist, and crusader of women’s causes.

As a grandmother of two pre-teen daughters who have been impacted by the GITK program, Hollingsworth is also a role model and knows the importance of teaching girls how to succeed as their authentic selves. Her dynamic presentation on how girls can tap into their unique, inner qualities will inspire parents to initiate conversations about important topics in today’s challenging society.

The emcee for the evening is Keith Brooks, Youth Baseball Commissioner & Director of Cardinals Care St. Louis Cardinals. Brooks is responsible for supporting area youth who play baseball on ball fields donated by Cardinals Care, the St. Louis Cardinals' charitable foundation. By working to forge relationships with local nonprofits that serve youth, Keith helps guide resources provided by Cardinals Care to kids all over the region.

Under Keith's leadership, Redbird Rookies has grown from 6 fields and a few hundred children in its first season to 21 fields and nearly five thousand children playing in the league each year.

GITK educates and empowers girls, alongside those who love them, by providing tools to establish a strong sense of self. For more information on Hollingsworth and to reserve your spot, visit www.girlsintheknow.org.