Acknowledgements

There is a long list of members, assistants and volunteers who have been supportive of Women In Photography International and myself. Since I became president in the spring of 2000, the world wide web super highway has been a long, winding road filled with creativity, joy, challenge, growth and gratitude. I would like to thank Peter Palmquist (1936-2003) for encouraging me to take the reigns and lead WIPI into the 21st Century, and for opening the doors to the Yale University Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library under the insightful direction of Curator George Miles. The inclusion of the organization's in-depth print and digital files now held in the Western Americana Collection is a tribute to the rise of women working in the photographic arts. During the 16 years of handling the organization, the dedication of graphic designer Sharyn Keller who assisted on many of WIPI’s in-house and onsite programs, her creativity and attention to detail helped me through many a long day and night of eye straining computer work, as well as collaboration on layout and design projects. Nancy Clendaniel, WIPI’s past director (1987-1999), who I met in 1988, had spurred the organization forward from its grassroots meetings to international outreach by naming Linda McCartney as WIPI’s 1987 Distinguished Photographer. Her friendship and knowledge and our love of photography has been a constant inspirational sharing between us (by chance, we’re both from the Philadelphia, PA area).

Thank you to the sponsors of various projects from Stephen Cohen, founder of photo la, which has served WIPI well from 2002 - 2015. Joanne Warfield, past WIPI member took the first step to approach photo la to invite WIPI to exhibit the following January after 9/11, and her husband Stuart Balcomb who showed me the early few html page codings that have grown into approximately a 3000 page archive website of women’s photography work. There was Audrey Jonckheer - Kodak, Dan Steinhardt - Epson, Maryann Charis, House of Photographic Art, Mary Oliver - LAMAG, Nyla Arslanian - Hollywood Arts Council, Hossein Farnami -Lucie Awards, jurors Susan Spiritus - Gallery and Stephen Perloff - The Photo Review (there’s a very long list of jurors in the binder), Chuck Behrman, photographer who printed our posters and provided a constant flow of tech and software information, so many sponsors of product (list in the back of the book), Claudia James Bartlett - FOCUS photo l.a., and Michael Salerno.

Hands on members who invested their time and energy to support projects, Carol Henry, Candace Biggerstaff and her daughter Callie Biggerstaff, Patricia Pulga, Winifred Meiser, Cat Jimenez, Carrie Villines, Jane Gottlieb, Kathy Corday, Trish Simonte, Cathy Greenblatt, Jane Almond, Bonnie Flamer, Dawn Hope Stevens, Cordula Ohman along with Clive Waring - Silvershotz, Hossein Farmani - Lucie Foundation, Chris Davies - Photo Independent, and the kindness of Charles Sherman, Melanie Temmer, Shavone Rochelle, niece Joanne Satin and my wonderful son Eric Etebari who picked me up so often with his financial support and kindness as well as cheering me forward to succeed in keeping WIPI vibrant and strong.

Thank you to the thousands of incredible women photographers who have graced the pages of WIPI’s website from competitions to long-standing members. It’s wonderful to see so many careers gaining strength, receiving financial abundance, awards and creating life-changing circumstances in their lives and the lives of others through their photography.

A special thank you to Agnes Gund - A G Foundation, on behalf of Annie Leibovitz, Wallis Annenberg - Annenberg Foundation and the Santa Barbara Foundation for helping to make WIPI’s historical transition complete. The world’s a better place because of patrons of the arts.

Focus on Peace,



Jean Ferro
PhotoArtist / President