WeSeed was the winner of a Stevie Award for Best Financial Website in the 2009 American Business Awards, and just this month Jennifer Openshaw received a Lifetime Achievement Stevie Award in the 2009 Stevie Award for Women in Business.

What book are you currently reading?
Resilience: Reflections on the Burdens and Gifts of Facing Life's Adversities by Elizabeth Edwards. What’s compelling about her story is how eloquently she makes the case that so much of the hoopla in people’s lives (in her case, public office) is really so ephemeral. It gives you a great perspective on your own life and how to deal effectively with the challenges that come your way.

What was the last movie you saw, and would you recommend it?
Cherry Blossoms on DVD.  It’s a quirky but marvelously crafted German film that portrays an older married couple who have missed opportunities in their lives to fulfill commitments to themselves and their family. Highly recommended.

What is your favorite sport or hobby?
Traveling, especially to Italy. I love the food, the people, and the history. Not only because my great-grandparents are from Italy, but it’s also where I met my American husband (in a pastry shop in Florence!)  I also love to cook and entertain friends at home.

Who is your favorite historical figure?
John F. Kennedy. He instilled a passion in all Americans to never be content with the status quo, to always strive to give back, and to not just sit back, but to engage.

Who is your favorite living person?
My husband.  He constantly reminds me that being truly successful means living a balanced life. He’s also terrific at understanding human behavior, which makes him incredibly skilled at guiding and leading people in a way that I admire. As an example, a number of our friends have lost jobs during this downturn. He’ll tell them what looks like misfortune is actually a good thing because it will open up a much better opportunity – and he’s usually right! He also reminds me that most of the things we worry about every day ultimately don’t really matter. What matters most is having your health, having friends and family to support you, and – in my case – being able to follow my passion to help and inspire others.

If you could choose another profession, what would it be?
I’d run for public office. I have a deep-seated drive to help women and families and to speak out on issues I care about. For example, it drives me crazy that corporate America is getting bailed out while everyday Americans and small businesses are barely hanging on. Thanks to my media appearances I have been able to articulate my concerns on a national level. But if you asked me what’s the best job I ever had, it would be—many years ago, when I was just out of college—press secretary to the California State Treasurer. I miss those days.

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BT Group has won multiple Stevie Awards in the International Business Awards over the past couple of years, including for its IT team and BT Conferencing. Here we focus on the company’s efforts to improve the lives of disadvantaged schoolchildren in South Africa through its CSR program.

BT, one of the world’s leading providers of communications solutions and services, has a long tradition of supporting communities where the company operates around the world. Helping to improve the education and therefore the prospects of young people, especially those from poor socioeconomic backgrounds, has been a priority for BT's CSR program for some years.  BT has been rated the leader in the telecommunications sector of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for eight consecutive years, from 2001 to 2008.

Partnership with UNICEF
In 2007, following the success of an educational program in India, BT launched a three-year global development partnership with UNICEF, which aimed to bring education, technology, and communications skills to children from poor socioeconomic backgrounds in South Africa, China, and Brazil. 

South Africa has seen enormous change in recent years. Now well into its second decade of democracy, it has made good progress in addressing the challenges inherited from the last century. Much has been done to integrate society and improve the welfare and living conditions of the most disadvantaged people, but with the scale of challenges facing the educational system much work remains in this field.

While South Africa has around 380,000 teachers and 26,000 schools catering for the needs of over 12 million school children, the quality of the educational environment and available resources varies greatly. Approximately 11% of schools still have no running water, 16% have no electricity, 80% have no library, and 67% have no computers. Crime, drugs, and vandalism cause additional problems, and many children have long and hazardous journeys to school.

Blogs, or web logs, are all the rage these days. Each month in this space we'll point you to several blogs and web sites that we think might be of interest to you.

News On Women : Winner of the Stevie Award for Blog of the Year in the 2009 Stevie Awards for Women In Business, this site shares news on women achievers in business, science and technology, education, and the arts.
Bookdwarf: Get ahead on new literature at this site from Megan Sullivan, a buyer at the Harvard Book Store.
eHub: Catch up on the latest info on next generation web (web 2.0) and social software.
Free Rice: A non-profit website run by the United Nations World Food Program in partnership with the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. The site aims to educate while providing free rice to hungry people with each correct answer.