KENTUCKY — The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce is hosting the Inaugural Women's Summit in Lexington at the Central Bank Center.

The summit will recognize and celebrate diverse and successful women in the Commonwealth.

The agenda for the day long summit includes a keynote and closing address, plus group panels featuring notable Kentucky women in business and politics.

Kentucky State Treasurer Allison Ball (R) will serve on the 'Women in Politics' bipartisan panel. Ball is the 38th State Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, currently serving her second term.

Prior to her role as State Treasurer, Treasurer Ball practiced bankruptcy law and focused on consumer rights and commercial litigation. As part of her time in public service, Treasurer Ball spent four years as an Assistant Floyd County Attorney, prosecuting child abuse and juvenile delinquency cases. 

During this In Focus Kentucky segment, Treasurer Ball shared why she is excited to participate in the Inaugural Women's Summit. 

"Well, just like 'Smart Women, Smart Money,' I really do believe in encouraging and empowering women. When I got elected, I was the youngest woman in the country to hold a statewide elected office, and I held that position for about three years, it's the kind of thing that doesn't last forever. Another woman who I believe the treasurer of Wisconsin replaced me as the youngest, so I knew that was gonna happen at some point, but it really is an important thing to me just to be encouraging women to take on greater levels of leadership, just to support them wherever they are, whatever it is they're doing ... So, this is something that is very much an issue of the heart for me. It's something I care about quite a bit and I do get a chance, often talk to women across the state. And I'm always encouraging them, that we need your voice. We need your potential and just trying to support them or whatever it is they're doing it," says Treasurer Ball.