At the Saturday afternoon session of the 172nd Semi-annual General Conference, the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints asked Church members to sustain a new general presidency of the Young Women.

Sister Susan W. Tanner was called as the general president of the Young Women, Sister Julie B. Beck and Sister Elaine S. Dalton will serve as first and second counselors.

Margaret D. Naduald, Carol B. Thomas and Sharon G. Larson we released and received an _expression of gratitude from the First Presidency on behalf of the church for their five years of leadership of the young women.

These new leaders will guide the 520,000 young women in the Church who are between the ages of 12 to 18.

"Our hearts are turned to the Young Women of the church," Sister Tanner said. "We are excited to be a team and look forward to helping the Young Women."

Before Tanner's call as the new general president, she was serving as a member of the general board of the Relief Society.

She earned a bachelor's degree in humanities from BYU, has led an active life as a homemaker, and enjoys hiking with her family and serving as a 4-H leader.

Tanner is a Provo resident where she has served the Church as a stake Relief Society counselor, stake Primary counselor, Stake Young Women president, ward Primary president and ward Young Women president.

She is married to Dr. John S. Tanner, BYU's English department chair. Through her husbands international assignments at BYU, Tanner and her family have traveled extensively.

The Tanners are the parents of one son and four daughters and have three grandchildren.

Tanner's parents are Richard, the current Nauvoo temple president and Barbra Winder, a former General Relief Society President.

Tanner said she is excited to work with the Young Women and plans to be very busy.

"I love the Young Women so much," she said.

Tanner's first counselor, Sister Julie B. Beck was previously serving as a member of the Young Women general board.

"I really appreciate the chance to serve more," Beck said. "I was not ready to give it up."

After earning a bachelor's degree in family science from BYU, she has devoted herself to her family and used her musical talents to teach piano lesson and encourage her children in their musical accomplishments.

Her Church experience includes service as a ward Young Women president and advisor, ward Primary president, stake Relief Society counselor and teacher, and ward Relief Society counselor and teacher.

With her husband, Ramon P. Beck, whom Beck calls a hometown guy, she served in a branch at the Missionary Training Center for four years.

As a young girl, she lived in Brazil for five years and remains fluent in Portuguese.

Living in Alpine, Utah, Beck and her husband have one son, two daughters and three grandchildren.

Sister Elaine S. Dalton of Salt Lake City is the new second counselor in the Young Women general presidency.

For the last five years, she has served on the general board of the Young Women.

"I am not ready to stop working with Young Women," Dalton said.

Also a graduate of BYU, she received a BA in English.

Dalton has served in The Church as an advisor to the Relief Societies in three young adult wards, as a stake Young Women president, counselor and advisor, and Relief Society teacher.

In her role as a full time mother, she has become a marathon runner to participate with her children who are all runners.

Dalton is married to Stephen E. Dalton and has worked with him in their family-owned design business.

The Dalton's have five sons and one daughter and are grandparents of three.

"I am interested in young women because my five sons marry these young women and they will become my daughters," Dalton said.

The new Young Women General Presidency will begin their duties immediately starting with an international trip to meet the young women of the church.



Copyright Brigham Young University 7 Oct 2002