Former State Legislator & Co-Founder of Wyoming Women’s Legislative Caucus to Be Honored at Annual Leap into Leadership Event February 22 in Cheyenne
Cheyenne, Wyoming – The Wyoming Council for Women (WCW) announced today that former State Representative and Majority Floor Leader Rosie Berger will receive the Governor’s Woman of Distinction Award for her decades of public service and work to advance women in leadership roles across the Cowboy State.
“Through a career spanning nearly forty years, Rosie Berger has had an outsized impact on communities, nonprofits, and women across the state of Wyoming,” said Jennifer Wilmetti, Chair of the Wyoming Council for Women. “Her contributions to her hometown of Sheridan as well as the entire state of Wyoming in conjunction with her decades of mentorship and leadership training of thousands of Cowboy State citizens – women in particular – are innumerable and impactful on the local, state, national and international level. Rosie Berger is truly a Wyoming woman of distinction and the Council is proud to honor her.”
“Having the opportunity to serve my community and the state I love so much has been the honor of a lifetime,” said Berger. “Through this work, I have seen the very best of Wyoming through our creative and talented young people, hardworking and courageous women, and innovative business leaders. It is a great privilege to continue this work and I am honored to receive this award.”
Berger will be presented with the prestigious award by Governor Mark Gordon and the WCW Council on February 22, 2023, at the Wyoming Women’s Legislative Caucus annual Leap into Leadership legislative dinner in Cheyenne. Tickets to the event are available at https://visitcheyenne.regfox.com/2023-leap-into-leadership-conference.
Raised on a dairy farm in Daleyville, Wisconsin, Berger fell in love with the Rocky Mountains on a road trip out west and settled in Sheridan where she has lived since 1978. She managed and co-owned Sheridan’s Brittain World Travel for 18 years and served as President of the Sheridan Chamber of Commerce. During her seven terms in Wyoming’s House of Representatives, Berger worked with four Governors and was involved in almost every aspect of state government. Most notably, she helped institute legislation for the judicial system, landowner rights, economic development, health industry, and was a champion for all levels of Wyoming’s education system. She served as chair of the House Appropriations Committee, Speaker Pro Temp, and Majority Leader. Berger also served as chair of the Council of State Governments-West, and on the executive board of the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Berger is a 2002 graduate of Leadership Wyoming and a founder of the Leap Into Leadership event and of the Wyoming Women’s Legislative Caucus, both of which encourage women to rise up and pursue leadership positions. Berger continues to be involved in Wyoming affairs, serving recently on the Wyoming Judicial Nominating Commission and the Wyoming Women’s Foundation, and now working with Leadership Wyoming, CLIMB Wyoming, and the Brinton Museum National Advisory Council, among other state organizations. She continues to lead and facilitate leadership training with lawmakers and community leaders around the United States and across the globe.
The WCW grants the Governor’s Woman of Distinction Award to recognize an extraordinary woman who has had significant positive impacts over her lifetime on women and families in Wyoming. The award is issued as remarkable nominations are submitted, but not more than once a year. The WCW last presented the award in 2020 to Diana Enzi of Gillette.
In 2022, the Council received several outstanding applications for the Governor’s Woman of Distinction Award. In addition to Berger, Christy Stocks of Savery and Jacelyn Downey of Moorcroft were both nominated for the award, and the WCW Board cited their tremendous records of service and outstanding recommendations when reviewing nominations. Downey is the Audubon Rockies Senior Community Naturalist and serves as a board member for Wyoming’s Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust Fund, the Barnyards & Backyards team and Wyoming Project Learning Tree. Stocks, who passed away in July of 2022, served as the Education Coordinator for the Carbon County Higher Education Center (CCHEC) Outreach in Baggs and was cited as the “heartbeat of the Little Snake River Valley” for her years of advocacy for, and service to, the community.
Attached headshot available for media use. For additional questions or interviews, please contact WCW Chair Jennifer Wilmetti at jennifer.wilmetti@wyoboards.gov.
About the Wyoming Council for Women
The Wyoming Council for Women is a 14-member council with representation from each of the nine Judicial Districts, four at large members, and a liaison from the Department of Workforce Services. The mission of the Council is to better the economic reality of Wyoming women by eliminating disparities. The Council receives its funding from the Legislature and relies on numerous volunteer hours to carry out its work.