IN-PERSON & ZOOM MEETING : Angela & Nancy's Great Adventure - RI Conference in Singapore
Past-Presidents Angela Smith & Nancy Ray embarked on a Great Adventure to the RI Conference in Singapore. Following that, they toured Vietnam and bring back some amazing stories and pictures. Can't wait to hear about their experiences!
About our Speakers
Past-President Angela Smith
Angela Smith is a a native Texan who grew up in Beaumont. Her first life defining experience came when she flunked Jell-O making in seventh grade. On the advice of her home ec teacher, she went in another direction and took up journalism and music, which to this day have served her better than any cooking skill. Her current culinary expertise is limited to opening a bag of Cheetos.
A graduate of the University of North Texas, she was the first female editor in chief of the daily newspaper. Until then only male students were allowed to be editor because of a 10:50 curfew for women. She took on the dean of women and won that battle not only for herself but for other women who would serve in that post in the future.
The day after she got her degree, she went to work for the Associated Press and was assigned to the Capital Press Corps to cover LBJ and his administration. After leaving AP, she went into educational PR and then served for nine years as executive director of the Writers’ League of Texas. She now proudly holds the title of Executive Director Emeritus, which she describes as a cushy job with no responsibility other than to act like the queen mother.
Today she spends most of her time working as a freelance writer and editor and nonprofit management consultant. She also serves on the boards of several organizations and is an outspoken advocate for the arts and women’s rights. Her most recent two books are STEEL DRUMS AND STEELBANDS: A HISTORY and WOMEN DRUMMERS: A HISTORY FROM ROCK AND JAZZ TO BLUES AND COUNTRY, which is the basis for a documentary titled Chicks with Sticks.
She’s involved in lots of music activities and plays the steel drum, cello, piano, and hammered dulcimer – but not all at the same time. She’s also an avid amateur astronomer, and loves helping others take that first look through a telescope eyepiece to see the rings of Saturn and light from galaxies that’s traveled from millions of light years away.
Her most recent adventure was being cast in a PBS movie on women’s suffrage called CITIZENS AT LAST, scheduled to air on the anniversary this year of the women’s vote.
Her philosophy of life: every day is another chance to get it right.
Past-President Nancy Ray
Nancy was born and raised in Mineral Wells, Texas, graduated from the University of Texas and bleeds burnt orange. She is married to rancher Bruce Wittig whom she met through her 85-year-old mother-in-law (known as the matchmaker) .
Nancy has two grown daughters and four amazing grands, 2 stepsons and another set of six amazing step grands.
She is gleefully retired and her passions include faith, family, friends, Rotary and being a weekend cowgirl! As a Rotarian for over 30 years she once had the privilege of meeting the first female Rotarian president.