GOVERNOR LAUREN OGBOURNE

Greetings!

I am Lauren Ogbourne, Governor of Sierra Pacific Region for the 2006-08 biennium.

I look forward to the next two years and serving as the Governor of the Region.

I'm a native Californian, born in Oakland, California and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. I moved to the Central Valley 19 years ago.

I was educated in the Bay Area, graduating from Cal State East Bay University (formerly known as California State University, Hayward) with a bachelor’s degree in Social Science with a concentration in Journalism and Political Science.

Initially after graduating from college, I went to work in the San Francisco office of a very large nationally known advertising agency, but soon decided that the business of advertising was not for me! I was given the opportunity to learn international agri-business management and I jumped at the opportunity. For the past 34 years I have worked in agri-business and specifically in the field of international traffic, documentation, banking and operations management.

Since 1987 I have worked as operations manager for Genetics International Inc., a small Modesto seed company that specializes in marketing and sales of vegetable seed and grasses largely in the Middle East.

It was the move to Modesto that triggered my interest in getting involved in local community service, so I joined Soroptimist International of Modesto 18 years ago and have never looked back! Joining Soroptimist is one of the best things I have ever done. It has given me much more that I could ever give back. It has given me long-term friendships, an opportunity for personal growth in speech, leadership and organizational skills. However, the best thing Soroptimist has given me is the gift of knowing all of you and many, many other Soroptimists that I continue to meet every day. It is this opportunity to be a part of an international organization with such wonderful goals and mission of helping others, especially women and girls that is the true gift that is all of ours to give --- the Gift of Soroptimist!

As a member of Soroptimist for the past 18 years I have served in many different offices in both my club and the Region. I have held most club offices and served on just about every club committee. I have served the Region as Governor-Elect and District IV Director, and a member of the Membership Committee (formerly known as Growth and Development Committee) for six years, including four years as chairman. I have also served as editor of the Region Newsletter and chairman of both the Survey and Findings and Elections Committees; and have served as a member of the Nomination, Finance, Big Basin, Laws and Resolutions, and Mary Ellen George Committees. It has been through these offices and committees that I have learned about our Region and about the Soroptimist organization. It is this experience and love of the organization that I bring to the office of Governor for the next two years.

You have elected a great Board of Directors to serve for the next two years. These ladies are very experienced, dedicated and excited about Soroptimist and serving the Region. We also have a great team of experienced Soroptimist members who have accepted appointments to region committee positions. And now we ask you the membership to join us in this team effort to focus and concentrate on the theme of “The 3 R’s . . . Revitalize, Retain and Re-Grow” for Sierra Pacific Region for the next two years.

I have enjoyed serving on the Region Board of Directors for the past four years and I look forward to another two years on the Board as Governor. I am proud to be a Soroptimist and very honored to serve as Governor of Sierra Pacific Region. I look forward to the opportunity to work with all of you this next biennium.

Lauren Ogbourne, Governor
Click here for my goals for this biennium.