Kat Simmons knows very well the value of hard work in her more than two decades as a comedienne, but she recently discovered that networking also is valuable – and it can make dreams come true. The Carson Valley resident on Aug. 8 won a major talent competition, the eWomenNetwork’s Got Talent, a part of the association’s international conference in Dallas.

With judges including an entertainment attorney, an actress and a successful entrepreneur/inventor, the contest provided an evening of fun for more than 2,000 attendees and was designed to help launch the careers of the contestants.

Simmons said she received the highest scores possible from all three judges.

“I’ve become a crazy woman – there’s been a lot of e-mails, a lot of offers, a lot of people who want to help me to the next level,” Simmons said.

In addition to a cash prize, she has a booking in Canada, an invitation to travel to Southern California to meet people in the industry and other offers pending.

“We have many different success stories about networking and the connections women have made, but this is a unique one,” said Kymberlee Simantel, executive managing director of the Reno/Sparks/Tahoe chapter of eWomenNetwork, one of 113 chapters nationwide.

While raising two children in Carson Valley, Simmons has done stand-up at The Improv and Catch a Rising Star and has performed on the Comedy Channel and Fox’s “Comedy Tonight,” but she sees the eWomenNetwork competition win as allowing her to take her perspective as a woman and single mother to a larger stage.

Simmons often performs for convention groups and produces an annual comedy revue at the Carson Valley Inn.

“I realize it took 22 years to get here, and as long as I’m alive, I’ll be doing comedy,” she said.

To view Simmons’ eWomenNetwork’s Got Talent performance, visit www.ewomennetwork.com/conf2009/GotTalentWinner.html. For more information on Simmons, visit www.katsimmons.com. To find out more about eWomenNetwork and local networking events, visit www.ewomennetwork.com or call 853-2120.