(Fayette County, 1924) Born and educated in Boston, Lillian Henken Press moved to Kentucky with her husband in 1952 as a young woman and has called the Commonwealth home ever since. She has accrued a lifetime of public service to her adopted state and its citizens. However, her achievements in three fields have had, and continue to have, lasting impact on the citizens of Kentucky. In 1964, as a volunteer for the Central Kentucky Mental Health Association, she directed a nine-county survey of mental health resources and needs whose findings and recommendations were significant factors in the later development of Kentucky’s statewide mental health services. She then organized and developed Kentucky’s first Regional Mental Health Board. The first Regional Board and the first Comprehensive Care Centers became the prototypes for a state system of regional centers that was proclaimed “the best in the nation” by the National Institute of Mental Health. Lil became Executive Assistant to Commissioner Farabee in 1967 and served in that post until 1975. In late 1982, after three years in Washington as Special Assistant to Appalachian Regional Commission Chairman, Al Smith, she was recruited by Governor John Y. Brown to organize and direct the new Governor’s Scholars Program–a non-traditional, innovative summer program for Kentucky’s brightest rising high school seniors. In only its second summer it was heralded as an “Educational Utopia” by the education editor of the New York Times. Twenty thousand students have been motivated and inspired by this transformative Program, now in its 27th year of operation. Along the way, Lil organized 28 state Governor’s Schools into the National Conference of Governor’s Schools and served as its president until her retirement. In tribute, the association, now with 38 schools, has established a Distinguished Achievement Award in her name. After 2000, in retirement, Lil turned her attention to increasing the influence of women in the political process. Lil called together 13 women to discuss the creation of a new, independent Women’s Network to promote democratic values and focus on greater involvement of citizens, particularly women, in the political process. These “founding mothers” worked together for a year, writing Principals and laying a solid foundation before they began soliciting members for The Women’s Network, Advocates for Democratic Principals. Lil was named President and continues in that role today. The Women’s Network now has branches across Kentucky and more than 900 women. The Network has been recognized publicly by leading political figures as “the most important political development in recent history.” In 1992, Lil was awarded an honorary degree from Centre College. She was appointed to the Centre College Board of Trustees in 1994 and continues as a Trustee 16 years later.