Here's My St. Patrick's Day "Top O' The Morning" gift to everyone who was blessed with a great father, as I was.  During my pioneering years as one of the first TV female sports broadcasters in the country -- including the challenge of fighting for equal access with male journalists to sports locker rooms -- my father, Detroit sports broadcaster Vince Doyle, was my greatest ally and a tremendous mentor.  Here's a St. Patrick's Day 1980 TV interview, which captures the magical influence that great fathers can have on their daughters.  Click here to watch.    

When Liberian leader Leymah Gbowee, winner of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, speaks people listen.  And wait till you hear the challenge she issued to the women gathered at the 2012 Women in the World Summit last week in New York.  

I was there for every riveting moment.  Here's the column I just wrote about the event for Forbeswoman.  

Military women have been weighing in ever since last week's "easing" of restrictions on women soldiers. The resounding message from female soldiers who have "been there & done that" say it is time to stop judging soldiers on gender and start judging them on capabilities.  Here's a great piece from the Daily Beast on the topic. 

I just started reading afascinating book, Love My Rifle More Than You -- a report from the front lines on what it's like to be young and female in the U.S. Army.

With our presidential election less than one year away and our nation dismayed with the leadership deadlock in Washington, D.C. the drumbeat is growing for a Hillary Clinton presidency.  I don't expect it to happen, but when the Wall Street Journal publishes a major Op Ed advocating her election, you know we've come a long way toward being ready to elect our first woman president.  Click here for the WSJ commentary.

Great to see Michelle Obama stepping up again after three years keeping a low profile. White House strategist David Alelrod told the New York Times, "Her mission is to energize folks and give them encouragement to go out and do the work." Now that's leadership! And a skill that tends to be a natural strength of women. Power On, Michelle!  Great piece in today's NY Times.

Does the latest "sex, lies and politics" mess remind you of the all-too-similar, Clarence Thomas/Anita Hill  scandal that rocked our national consciousness 20 years ago? It does me. But Americans take workplace sexual harassment a lot more serious today than we did in 1991, thanks, in part to the courage of a 35-year-old lawyer to speak truth to power. What does Anita Hill think of the Cain conundrum?

 I had a chance to hear Hill's thoughts on the Cain conundrum during her recent visit to Detroit. Here's my column on the topic for Forbeswoman.

I've just started watching the bold, powerful PBS 5-part series, WOMEN, WAR & PEACE.   It is airing every Tuesday night through Nov. 8th -- 10 p.m. EST in Detroit, check your local listings.   It challenges the conventional wisdom that war and peace are the domain of men, brings you up close to the impact of war on women and girls in Bosnia, Liberia, Afghanistan, Columbia -- and how they are standing up and Powering UP!  to not just survive as victims but to lead the way to new solutions to one of the world's oldest horrors.  

Here's the trailer and more:  Women, War & Peace.

Saudi Arabia King Abdullah surprised everyone when he announced last week that Saudi women will be allowed to vote and run for office -- for the first time in history -- in the upcoming 2015 municipal elections.  It's a small step in a country where women need permission of a male relative -- husband, father, uncle, brother, even a son! -- in order to leave the country.  But Saudi women are rejoicing over this first step.  Here's a fascinating and RARE interview with a Saudi Princess who is openly advocating for more rights for women -- beginning with the right to drive.  Listen.   

Forbeswoman, a great source of fresh news and commentary on women, work and gender hot topics, has invited me to become a contributing columnist on leadership.  My column is called Powering Up Women.  I'll be writing about the next big challenge for women: opening the leadership locker rooms.  here's my first national Forbeswoman column.

About a year ago, Princeton University President Shirley Tilghman ordered a study of why the cream-of-the-crop female students admitted to this prestigious university lag their male peers in aspiring to and achieving student leadership roles.  This is exactly the challenge I tackle in my new book, Powering Up! How America's Women Achievers Become Leaders.

The results of the study, which was just released, paint an alarming picture about what's happening with the next generation of educated, skilled women. 

The paths to achievement that they have encountered so far were paved decades ago, so they have never leared how to fight for opportunity.  And the conundrum of balancing "being an attractive female" with a person with power appears to be as complex as ever.  Here's a summary of the findings and a link to the full Princeton report.