From a young age, Celinda Lake has been interested in women's rights. She grew up on a ranch between Livingston and Bozeman and attended a women's college in Massachusetts.

She is now considered a leading political strategist for the Democratic Party and a nationally recognized expert on electing female candidates.

Lake, who now lives in Washington, D.C., is speaking in Helena on Saturday to support and raise awareness for the Women's Foundation of Montana. She'll share the results of extensive polling she has done about women and how they are changing the face of America politically, socially and economically.

Lake is the president of Lake Snell Perry Associates, a research-based strategy firm in Washington, D.C. She said speaking at fundraising events isn't a common occurrence for her.

"This is something special -- I don't usually do this," she said Tuesday.

A big reason she agreed to speak, Lake said, is her love for Montana.

She said Montana has historically been an unrecognized leader when it comes to women's rights, noting the entrepreneurship in the state and its aggressive small business network.

"It's a great place to have that conversation because Montana and the West in general are so much more open arenas for women," she said.

Her presentation however, is not just for women.

"Everybody should come," Lake said. "Whatever effort you are involved in anymore, mobilizing people behind a charity-giving event, women are often at the lead of those trends."

Lake co-wrote the book "What Women Really Want," making the conscious choice to focus on the 80 percent of topics women agree on -- no matter what their political affiliation -- rather than the 20 percent they don't.

"No one understands better than Celinda how powerful women are in shaping every aspect of American life from the economy to politics and values," said Linda Carlson, WFM advisory committee member and longtime women's advocate. "We are so delighted that Celinda has dedicated some of her time to help the Women's Foundation of Montana advance the economic self-sufficiency of Montana women and girls."

Founded in 1999 and based in Helena, WFM is an endowed component fund of the Montana Community Foundation. It has awarded more than $313,000 to nonprofit agencies working to improve the economic status of Montana women and create a brighter economic future for girls.

Fundraising event

Celinda Lake, a political strategist and author, is scheduled to speak at the Myrna Loy Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, June 21, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The event is a fundraiser for the Women's Foundation of Montana. Tickets are $40, and they are available at the door or by calling Jodi Medlar at 443-8313.

Reporter Alana Listoe: 447-4081 or alanalistoe@helenair.com