About power

Pamela Varkony, along with a dedicated group of friends, some of whom still serve on the Power Advisory Committee, began “Power of Women” in 1999 as a way to bring women together to share common experiences, raise awareness of our importance to each other, and provide ongoing support for our goals and dreams.

The first Power Luncheon, held in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in October of 1999, had 67 women in attendance. By 2008, the “Power Of Women” Annual Luncheon and Networking Event hosted nearly 400 attendees and featured 50 women owned and women-managed businesses and non-profit organizations in the Networking Room.

In April of 2005, Power launched its first Spring Seminar…“Live, Learn, Lead. Women came together for breakfast, networking, and an exchange of ideas about leadership and empowerment. Our Spring Networking Events now offer an informational/educational experience, in a more informal style, as a compliment to our signature event the Power Of Women Annual Fall Luncheon.

Along the way, we initiated the “Power Of Women Spotlight” featuring an “Honored Guest” whose life and work reflect the very best in all of us. Each “Honoree” receives a donation, made in their name, to the charity of their choice. Some of our past “Honored Guests” include Kathryn Stephanoff, Senior Member of the Pennsylvania Governor's Advisory Council for Library Development, Major General Jessica Wright, the first female Adjutant General of the Pennsylvania National Guard, and Mobina Khairandish, an Afghan broadcaster who provides programming for women.

Power Of Women, has provided invaluable support to the women of Afghanistan, through both the monetary contributions of our attendees and the mentoring of our corporate partners. Power remains committed to helping the women of Afghanistan through its affiliation with The Business Council for Peace (Bpeace), as well as meeting the needs of women in developing countries around the world.

As Power Of Women enters into its second decade we continue to explore ways to provide you with more options and better information upon which you can build your lives and careers. The “Power Of Women” internet radio show is one such example. The Power Of Women Facebook page has also become a popular place to meet other “Power” women and join in group discussions.

The dedicated women of the Advisory Committee believe the growth of "Power Of Women" can be attributed to the fact that, “it’s not about "us"...it's about "you". That belief has been confirmed by countless women telling us that they need and want opportunities to network and support each other, both personally and professionally: Power Of Women will always strive to meet that need.