CHENANGO COUNTY - Patti Layton, member of New York State Women, Inc. (NYSWI) and a familiar face in the Chenango County community, will be installed as the organization's next president during its annual conference on June 13. Layton, having gone through a personal transformation during her time with NYSWI, is ready to give back to the organization that helped her to grow her confidence.

“It's time for me to pay it forward, and help other women realize we all have that potential inside of us, and you just got to build the confidence, and you just got to go with it,” she said.

Finding her voice

Layton's confidence growth journey began as she returned to school at 40 years old and a single mother of two girls. Over the course of nine years she finished an associate degree, a bachelor's degree, and graduated with her master of business administration (MBA) in 2012. Five years later, shortly after beginning her role at Bartle's Pharmacy in Oxford, she joined NYSWI in 2017. Eventually her mentor, Heather, encouraged her to join its Personal and Professional Development (PPD) program.

“I used to be the one, that hid in the back of the room, and never wanted to be seen or heard,” she said. When she was asked to share her 100 pound weight loss journey at the local chapter, the moment led to mentorship, camaraderie, and her first steps into leadership. “They helped me find my voice, and that's the mission for New York State Women, is to connect and build powerful women, our vision is to use our voices for positive change, and that's what they did for me,” said Layton.

“What I grew from them was finding my voice and becoming a better leader. In my personal life I'm much better, in my professional life I'm much better, and ever since then I've held a leadership role,” she said. Throughout her years as a member of NYSWI she has held the positions of co-finance chair, PPD chair, and treasurer.

Loss and renewal

During her treasurer term, she lost her husband, and temporarily took a break from leadership roles in the organization. “I needed to take a step back, so I took a year off, and I didn't do anything. I stepped off all my boards, and I refocused on me,” she said.

Her return to leadership was fueled by encouragement from mentors and colleagues. She attended the Chenango County Women's Conference and found new inspiration being surrounded by hundreds of professional women. Her mentor from NYSWI told her that she belongs in that room as much as everybody else does, and that helped her regain the momentum to get back into leadership at NYSWI. “Her faith in me telling me I belong at the front of the room also helps,” she said. That support reinforced her belief in the organization's mission. “It's all about building people's confidence, and pushing them forward, and out of their comfort zone, which is what New York State Women did for me,” said Layton.

Now, as she prepares to be installed as president she wants to be the support that she needed throughout life's trials. Layton, in addition to her involvement with NYSWI, is a women's issues advocate. She sits on the board of Amelia's Voice, an organization whose mission is to “give domestic violence victims a voice to end the violence and control forever” and “advocates for a community filled with healthy relationships that are free from violence.” As well, she is also a board member of Aunt Mary's House which “provides emergency and transitional shelter to homeless pregnant and parenting mothers,” and serves as “a safe haven for pregnant and parenting mothers to gain opportunities, resources and knowledge toward becoming self-sufficient.” She will continue to support those causes within NYSWI.

Plans for her Presidency

Layton plans to “hit the ground running” after her installation as president. She has already sent out advocacy surveys to gather member input to help shape the year's agenda. Layton said her top priority is strengthening the organization's visibility and rebuilding initiatives lost during the pandemic. She hopes to revive NYSWI's Lobby Day, expand statewide advocacy efforts, and encourage local chapters to take a more active role in their communities. Transparency and communication, she said, will be central to her leadership.

“My philosophy is that you can't just sit at the state level over a member-driven organization, and help women,” she said, “You've got to bridge that gap between the membership and the state.”

She also hopes to grow membership by increasing NYSWI presence at public events, including tabling opportunities, collaborations with local organizations, and continued participation in Women's Day at the fair. “I want to keep my eyes open, and just get our name out there,” she said. “I want to encourage my locals to do activities, to bring awareness in their communities.”

Layton also plans to make use of her board at NYSWI. She's been selecting the members of the board and putting people where they are going to do the most benefit. “It's just about holding your board members accountable,” she said.

She will be instituting seasonal meetings for all members, hoping to use input from these meeting for leadership decision making. She will also hold separate board meetings at other times, something new to the organization.

“We try to seek within our membership first, and give them a chance to use their voice for positive change within the organization they're paying to be a member of,” she said.

Investing in the next generation of women leaders

Another aspect of NYSWI that is important to her is its support and inclusion of women in all stages of life. “What is important to me with New York State Women, is that you don't have to be a well-renowned professional, or a seasoned person. It's perfect for all levels,” she said. “Whether you're just starting out, right out of high school, right out of college, and you want to learn how to build that confidence and how to network, how to be successful when you're first starting out in a career. How to push yourself forward. Or it's somebody, that's just returning to college at a later age, like in their middle age, like me,” she relayed.

She is especially proud of NYSWI's youth leadership component, which brings high school and college-age participants into the conference for workshops, networking, and mentorship. Last year, her granddaughter attended the youth leadership piece at the annual conference afterwards, she joined her local chapter as a student member. “She stayed for the whole day and attended the dinner, and then she's like, Nana, I'd like to join, I'd like to learn, and you're so passionate about it, I love to watch you,” said Layton.

“No matter what age you are, this organization can benefit you because it's all about personal and professional growth, and finding your voice, and using it for positive change,” Layton said.

About NYSWI

New York State Women Inc. is a statewide organization dedicating to building powerful women, personally, professionally, and politically. Its vision is to empower women to use their voices to create positive change. There's currently around 300 members statewide across its 15 chapters in six regions. Chenango County is within NYSWI Region VI home to the local Tri-County chapter, Susquehanna Chapter, Greater Binghamton Chapter, and Walton Chapter. Membership is open to women in all stages of life, from students to retirees. The organization offers women chapter-affiliated membership as well as a member-at-large option. They offer a variety of programs including professional development, youth leadership, career recognition, and political development. The annual conference is held each June, and includes, workshops, business sessions, networking, and professional development opportunities, among other fun group activities. This year they will have something called laughter yoga. NYSWI chapters across the state regularly host speakers and educational events, collaborate with local organizations, and support advocacy campaigns. To find out more about NYSWI and how to become a member explore its website at https://www.nyswomeninc.org/