Oasis Selected As Charity for SmartTalk Speaker Series; Sigourney Weaver, Dr. Jane Goodall Headline Event

Oasis-A Haven for Women and Children has been chosen as one of the few charities being supported this year by the powerful speaker series SmartTalk.

Sigourney Weaver, Dr. Jane Goodall and Cathy Rigby are among the remarkable women headlining this year’s SmartTalk Connected Conversations series at the historic State Theater in New Brunswick, beginning this January.

 “SmartTalk is about empowering and building women and girls.  What better way to do this than by giving back to New Jersey and the local community by supporting a women’s charity like Oasis” said SmartTalk Media Executive Chairwoman Karen Menke.

A national event, SmartTalk brings speakers to 5 communities across the United States.  The first speaker in the New Jersey venue is Dr. Jane Goodall, ,  renowned chimpanzee expert, on January 16^th at 7:30 pm.  The series continues one each month with Donna Brazile, political strategist; Frances Mayes, author of  “Under the Tuscan Sun”; Olympic Gold medalist Cathy Rigby, and ending in May with Academy Award nominee Sigourney Weaver. 

After each lecture, audience members interact with the speaker as part of the Connected ConversationsTM question and answer period.  Oasis Development Director Jill Zinckgraf will be the host and moderator of the Connected ConversationsTM following each woman’s powerful talk.

“SmartTalk brings women together like nothing I’ve ever been to before,” said Oasis’ Zinckgraf who has been attending for years. “You hear these amazing stories that inspire you and give you strength and then you get to interact with these great women.  Most people don’t get that kind of opportunity.”

Women from all over the State travel to New Brunswick for the event. “Many women who attend make it a girls night out.  They go to dinner before, or go out afterward,” said Zinckgraf, who lives in Morris Plains and has been driving down for years. 

"It is an honor to witness the honesty and humility each speaker shares to inspire each of us to fulfill our dreams and journey through self-reflection.  This is the very essence of the foundation Oasis was built upon,” said Zinckgraf.

Visit the website for more information or for tickets: www.smarttalkwomen.com/tickets or by calling 732-246-7469.  For a portion of the proceeds to benefit Oasis, please enter code: OA12 NE.