Eileen Padberg put her successful consulting business on hold in June 2004 and embarked on a journey to Iraq with the single focus of helping the Iraqi women build and expand their businesses. The 22 months that followed were life changing – both for Eileen and for the hundreds of Iraqi women whose lives she impacted.Braving a war zone in 140-degree heat wearing a 40-pound flak jacket was a test of her resolve and commitment. However, she persevered and successfully created several career training and business development programs that gave Iraqi women the tools and education they needed to succeed. Eileen believes her most important accomplishment was providing the Iraqi women-owned businesses with opportunity, hope and confidence.Read more about Eileen’s Iraqi Women’s Initiatives here.A riveting speaker, she tells a vivid account of working with the Iraqi women, living and traveling in a war zone, and to speaking passionately about the failure of the U.S. government to invest more in programs that provide the Iraqi women with an economic stake in democracy.Interested in having Eileen speak to your group or organization? Click here for more information.