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Profile Summary .........................................................................................
Mrs. Abeer Qumsieh Jouaneh, Director and Founder of Better Business. After many years of an enriching career at Aramex, Mrs. Qumsieh started Better Business, a B2B business model specialized in Building Service Cultures. Mrs. Qumsieh’s main fields of expertise include Organizational Development, Service Culture Development, Organizational Mindset, Customer Cultures and others. She has consulted hundreds of companies and projects and trained thousands of people around the Middle East & GCC. A business woman who believes in social responsibility, Mrs. Qumsieh is actively involved in multitudes of voluntary work. She is highly articulate, confident and a persuasive team-builder, able to motivate and communicate to achieve exceptional business performance. She is also an experienced and innovative general manager with sophisticated leadership, customer service and business administration skills.
Mrs. Qumsieh & Better Business ...................................................................
Director and Founder of Better Business. A company identified as the Lead provider for Organizational Developmental. Better Business promotes and rewards creativity, ideas, and performance. Mrs. Qumsieh believes: “By creating values for our clients, we ultimately create values for ourselves.” "Our clients are pivotal to our future; our growth depends on their growth and referrals. We earn client loyalty and referrals because we Practice what we Preach, do it when we say we will, finish what we start, and say please and thank you." Better Business is a company that offers services in the area of organizational development, mainly to corporate clients. The company collaborates with an array of diverse clients and aims to meet their specific cultural development needs.
Ainomaija Haarla, President and CEO, Technology Academy Foundation
Ainomaija Haarla is President and CEO of the Technology Academy Foundation, which promotes Finnish scientific research that encourages both innovation and new technologies which reinforce humane values and have a positive impact on the quality of human life. She has also served as the Managing Director of ProConsilium Oy. Before this, she was Vice President of Strategy for UPM-Kymmene Oyj, having also served as Vice President of Business Development of the company’s operations in Augsburg, Germany. Dr. Haarla holds a seat on the boards of Neste Oil Oyj and Altia Oyj, and has been Chairman of the Board of Korona Invest Oy since 2008.
Anastasia Victoria Safarian is a finance and administrative assistant who graduated with honors from The American University of Rome with a degree in Business Administration. Anastasia's interest in world peace through business relationships and her love of travel have enabled her to study business practice in the United States, Europe and China. Miss Safarian is currently working in Rome for Bioversity International, an international organization dedicated to use and conservation of agricultural biodiversity. Her spare time is spent volunteering for the Girl Scouts and St. Egidio Community in Rome. Anastasia joined BPW back in 2007 and she is currently serving as an Internet Communications Chair for BPW - New York where she promotes the Federation on Facebook and WordPress. She worked with BPW - USA to design USA's entry for the "Flower Project" to be shown at the 2011 International Congress and she is also involved with Peace and Intercultural Understanding Task Force.
Photo: fotografa/berlin Anke Domscheit-Berg founded fempower.me and opengov.me. Fempower.me consults women managers and corporate management in why gender diversity makes business sense and how they can break glass ceilings. Opengov.me consults public administration in how to develop and implement open government strategies. Before becoming entrepreneur, she worked combined app. 15 years as a Director with Microsoft, Engagement Manager for IT strategy projects at McKinsey, and as Consultant at Accenture. At McKinsey, she led the study "A Wake Up Call for Female Leadership in Europe" and contributed to "Women Matter". Anke Domscheit-Berg is German embassador of the barefoot college in India, which trains illiteral women to become solar engineers. She is supervisory board member for Teachfirst Germany and active in many womens organisations, e.g. EWMD, ECWT, FidAR. She frequently speaks at conferences on women in leadership and open government.
Bachelor´s degree in International Business Administration and pos-graduation in Public Relations, with extensive 24 years of corporate experience in marketing, public relations, communications, office management and sales, working in multicultural environment. Currently working as Director of Public Relations and Communications for BPW International as the key contact for the media communications, while building, maintaining and managing the reputation of BPW International and its branding. Responsible for implementing the Communications and Public Relations plan, for the update and maintenance of BPW International website and its social medias, the development and strengthening of BPW International relationship with its affiliates worldwide, creation of guidelines for Communications and Marketing procedures.
Born in 1944, Lu Hsiu-lien graduated from the National Taiwan University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Harvard University. Lu was Taiwan’s leading women's rights activist in the 1970s, but a 20-minute speech in 1979 criticizing the authoritarian government led to her spending almost six years as a political prisoner. Lu was elected to the Legislature in 1993, where she co-chaired the Foreign Relations Committee. In 1997, Lu was elected Taoyuan County magistrate and, in 2000 and 2004, was elected Taiwan’s vice president. In 2005, she founded the Democratic Pacific Union. Having established BPW Taipei in 1973, Lu set up the national affilitate- BPW Taiwan in 2008. And she is also the President of the “Formosa Media”, a media company which she established in 2009.
Director General for the Department of Family and Equality in the Royal Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion. Former Dir.General in the Ministry of Agriculture, DG at the Norwegian University of Sports, the Science Foundation of the Oslo Region, Dep.Director General in the Ministry of Science and Education, advisor in the Ministry of Local Government and Ministry of Social Affairs, head of research in the Research Policy Council of Norway, research fellow at the Institute of Philosophy, University of Oslo. A philosopher by training (Phd) and also BA in History of Economics. Strong engagement and positions in international affairs in several fields, now mostly family/work life issues and equality; hereunder all grounds of equality with a heavy focus on gender issues, mainstreamed in all sectors. Was responsible for developing amendments to the company laws (4) on requirement for gender balance.
Warren is currently the Principal of Stooke Consulting Group, which specializes in industrial relations and human resource management. The consulting practice is an extension of Warren’s significant career in industrial relations and human resource management with the Shell Group of Companies, both in Australia and Internationally. He is a graduate from the University of Sydney in economics and education and more subsequently Monash University in Human Resource Management. Warren was employed by Shell International for 26 years and held the position of General Manager Industrial Relations and the corporation’s Chairman’s Representative prior to establishing his own industrial relations consulting practice in April 2001. He has current major assignments with ExxonMobil, BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Australia, Alcoa Australia and Toyota Boshoku Australia. Warren has held numerous positions with Australian business, community and government bodies, both in a professional and voluntary capacity, including:
Warren has had significant experience in industry, health and education. He represented the Australian Oil Industry on the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Council for six years. He had extensive involvement on a voluntary basis in community education through the Adult Community and Further Education Board, where has served on the Board for 8 years. He is a passionate supporter of women’s empowerment and has been working with BPW for the last 3 years in promoting gender advancement within Australian business and government. Warren has extensive experience in working in difficult environments where change has been required and where relationships have needed to be enhanced to achieve the required success. Warren has worked with the Leadership Trust (the premier leadership development organisation in the United Kingdom) and has represented the Organisation of International Employers at the International Labor Organisation in Geneva. In this capacity Warren was the employer’s spokesperson for the International Oil Refining Sector. Warren has presented widely on matters of Workplace Reform and Change and is a strong advocate of extracting the potential out of organisations by using cooperative and constructive management processes, which address the needs of all the stakeholders. He is an advocate for the WEP’s and passionately supports the career advancement and empowerment of women. .
Beatrice Castellane is the founder of Cabinet CASTELLANE AVOCATS based in Paris. She is an early advocate of quotas for women on boards of directors, notably by organizing a colloquium on Executive Management Teams & Boards of Directors in November 2009, lobbying for the adoption of the French law imposing a 40% quota for woman in boards of directors throughout the whole legislative process. Beatrice has held positions, including: Avocat at the Paris Bar she was elected member of the Council of the Paris Bar (2005-2007) and Council of French and foreign companies (including German, English, Hungarian, South African ...) and with intergovernmental organizations and international organizations. Beatrice handles both ad hoc and institutional arbitration, enforcement and challenge of awards. She leads arbitration cases as arbitrator at the ICC International Court of arbitration. Beatrice is HKIAC panel arbitrator, Member of the UNCITRAL Working Group of the French Commission on Arbitration, International. She is also the President of the French Association of Women Lawyers, (AFFJ), Member of the Institute of Directors and Director of the French Association of Arbitration, Honorary French President of the Franco British Lawyers Society (FBLS / AJFB), and Co-organizer of seminars on Enterprise and Arbitration in partnership with the Institute of World Business Law of ICC International Court of arbitration. Beatrice Castellane is author of publications focusing on “Separation of corporate partners”, and Arbitration” “Arbitration in employment relationships”, “French Case Law in Arbitration”, “Continental Civil Law vs Anglo-Saxon Common Law”, “EU Directive”.The French government has knighted Beatrice Castellane with the Légion d'Honneur.
Dr. Bettina Schleicher studied law and economics at the Universities of Berlin and Bayreuth. She worked for the German Central Bank and founded and built up the law firm Jung & Schleicher in Berlin. She specializes in banking law and capital markets. Bettina Schleicher has been lecturing on banking law and is the author of numerous publications, including practitioner’s handbook on financial markets. She has a reputation in the market for excellent legal advice, thorough litigation and solution oriented negotiations of settlement agreements. The mother of two children is voluntary involved in the field for the gender equality of women. From 2000 to 2004 she has been the president of BPW Berlin and from 2004 to 2008 of BPW Germany. In 2008 she launched the first Equal Pay Day in Germany and convinced other organisations to follow. Since 2009 she is the head of Equal Pay Day Taskforce of BPW International. Carla has a consulting office in Vicenza and is a specialist consultant for the organization and management for enterprises as well as in other economic disciplines. She has previously served as President of the Chamber of Vicenza 2007-2009 BPW Fidapa and BPW Past President of the Chamber of Vicenza 2009-2011. She was a Member of the European Task Force on Mentoring in 2009 and a Member Lions Palladio Vicenza. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business and Bachelor of Economics and Management. Web site www.gruppopetruzzelli.it.
Belmont BPW President Carol Hanlon has been acknowledged for her community based small business projects with many local, state and national awards since the late 1970’s, as a fashion designer in Victoria of her own wholesale, retail, export business for 20years. Since 1994, Carol established non-profit community based organizations in Western Australia; Belmont Business Enterprise Centre Inc. (BEC), Textile Clothing Footwear Resource Centre WA Inc. (TCFWA), Designedge Fashion Incubator, TCF Australia & TCF Global. Projects have assisted over 20,000 small businesses in WA and across Australia with small business training & mentoring. Twice awarded Best National BEC Manager; elected Local Government councillor City of Belmont; President Australasian Institute of Enterprise Facilitators; recognised by City of Perth as ‘100 Champions of WA’; Graduate Australian Institute of Company Directors and an inaugural Inductee 2011 WA Womens Hall of Fame.
Dr. Areti Demosthenous is Director of the Institute of Historical Research for Peace and founding member of the World Forum of Religions and Cultures (Nicosia). She teaches Comparative Religious Family Law focus on Islamic Law and Sociology of Religion as well as Intercultural studies with regard to religious difference. She uses religious law and culture as anthropological tools in order to understand social and political developments. Her lectures on Peace studies and Intercultural Education aim to enable students understand how to use cultural differences in order to find out the common heritage of people coming together in our globalized world. Dr Demosthenous is a trainer of educators in formal and non-formal education. She regards as “duty of all” to support young leaders co-exist peacefully with others under the slogan “the neighbor might be a friend – not an enemy, if we try to get to know him”. She organizes seminars and summer schools aiming at Intercultural Education of graduate students. She has taught in many universities like that of Haifa, Cambridge, Shandong, and Bogazici.
Dr. Antoinette Rüegg attained a degree in Biology. For twenty years, she taught biology at a Grammar School and held the post of Head of the Biology Department. She used her skills to focus on learning behaviour and headed for 10 years the Committee ‘Learning Behaviours and Working techniques’ of the Swiss Office for In-service Training of Upper Secondary Teachers. In 1991 she established her own consultancy business. She made second studies in applied Psychology and specialized in Career Development, Leadership and Emotional Intelligence. From 1995 to 1999 she was elected President of ‘Business & Professional Women Switzerland’ and from 2002 to 2005 of ‘Business and Professional Women International’. She conducts lectures on gender issues at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland.
Dr. Pirkko Saarikivi, Managing Director of Foreca Consulting Ltd. Innovator and modernizer of weather services. In 1996 founded Foreca Ltd, the first private weather service company in Northern Europe. Received the Award of Innovative Woman Entrepreneur of Europe in 1997. Coordinator and Project Manager of several international and national research projects for developing innovative meteorological applications and weather services. Ten years as radar meteorologist, radar system engineer, lecturer and scientist at the University of Helsinki. Six years of diverse working experience at the Finnish Meteorological Institute as Head of Weather Service Division, Project Manager, Senior Scientist and duty forecaster.
Salima Ahmed is the President of BPW –International Pakistan and has 35 years experience in government service as Accountant General East Pakistan, Director of Defense Audit. Her service includes Finance Director PIDC, Secretary to Federal Government Cabinet Secretariat-Womens Division, Chairman local government Council accounts committee Sindh Government Member. She is the founder and life president of Pakistan Federation of Business & Professional Women’s Organization. She is also the founder of The Federation of Business & Professional women East Pakistan. She was nominated Peace Messenger by the United Nations in 1988 and has been awarded Sitar-e-Khidmat in 1968, VIP award in 1988, International Badge of honor – BPW International, and various other medals and skills of honor. She has represented both as a government rep and an Ngo delegate in various conferences all over the World, including Status of Women Commission UN at Vienna for three consecutive years, E.S.C.A.P (1984)At Tokyo, NAM (1985) at New Delhi, and Womens World Conference at Nairobi Conference, Bhamas, The Hague, New Zealand, Switzerland, Finland, Germany, Canada, Italy, Beijing World Conference. Social Welfare Projects that she is involved in Include: In East Pakistan: Hostels for Working Women, APWA House and Auditorium, Free School Agha Nawab Dewri, Handicraft shop in Dhaka, and School Baily Road in East Pakistan; In Karachi Pakistan: a multipurpose women complex at Karachi which includes a hostel for working women at Clifton, Retired Women’s home, Technical Training Centre, M.C.II Centre and Auditorium and BPW Quality Azam Basti.
Eija Ailasmaa has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Sanoma Magazines since 2003. Eija played an important role in the creation of this company when Sanoma WSOY acquired the VNU Consumer Information Group in 2001. In 1975, Eija joined Ilta-Sanomat, Finland’s largest quality tabloid and a SanomaWSOY Newspaper, and stayed with the title for 10 years, holding a number of editorial positions. In 1985, she became the Editor-in-Chief for Kodin Kuvalehti, a family magazine with one of the highest circulations in its category in Finland. In 1989, Eija took the position of Vice President, Publishing with Sanomaprint and Helsinki Media. Her inspiration and experience in the magazine world led to her appointment as General Manager at Helsinki Media in 1998, and further as CEO in 2000. She remained CEO until 2002, when her responsibilities at the Parent Company, Sanoma Magazines (now known as Sanoma Media due to a merge of the media and magazine divisions) demanded her full attention. Eija is also a member of the Board of the Huhtamäki Group, a global leader in Consumer Packaging, Vice Chairman of the Solidium Board, an investment company owned by the State of Finland, and Member of the Board of Outotec, the worldwide leader in minerals processing and metallurgical technologies.
Elena Fedyashina is the Executive Director of the Committee of 20, an association of the most successful Russian businesswomen. Being actively involved in the international women’s movement since 1995 Elena is a strong advocate for economic empowerment and career advancement of women gaining recognition as one of the leading experts in this field. She has initiated and implemented numerous highly successful projects such as Mentorship programs for growing women entrepreneurs from the regions of Russia and cross-industry program for corporate HPs; women’s business exchange as well as educational programs. Elena directed six huge International Conferences and Forums. She also conducted several surveys on women economic participation that considerably raised awareness of the society of the gender equality issues. On behalf of Russia, Elena spoke at numerous major International Forums such as Business Women’s Network Summits; Vital Voices’ Forums; APEC Meetings of Women Leaders; Women’s Forums in Deauville (France); World Forums of TIAW; Global Summits of Women, Uniglobal Research Conference (London, UK); Center for Corporate Diversity (Norway), Simmons Business School ( USA). She has quite a few publications both in Russian and international press and was the winner of 2008 World of Difference 100 Award (TIAW).
Elisa Campos has served as President of BPW São Paulo in 1998 and 2205/2006. She has organized the project woman as agent for Peace in 2001 which was presented in the BPW International Congress in Melbourne, October 2002.Since then she has been working and lecturing worldwide on Education for Peace. In 2004 she was a speaker in the CSW/United Nations, New York, in the BPW workshop “A world of Peace”. Since 2005, Elisa is Chair of the BPW International Peace and Intercultural Understanding Taskforce. In partnership with the Leadership and Lifelong Learning Taskforce, Elisa and Antoinette Ruegg have been giving workshops during the following BPW International events: Langostura, Argentina 2004, Lucerna, Switzerland 2005, Santiago, Chile 2007, Brasilia, Brazil 2007, Mexico City, Mexico 2008, and Buenos Aires, Argentina 2010. Since 1996, Elisa runs a Center for Peace – CEPAZ – in São Paulo, Brazil. In 2010, as Chair of the BPW International Peace and Intercultural Understanding Taskforce, Elisa has been developing the Project “Let us build together and see what we can do”. In September 2010, the first result was presented in Curitiba, Brazil Congress and it will also be presented in the BPW International North America Regional Congress in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A.
Elizabeth A. Vazquez is the CEO and Co-Founder of WEConnect International, a global non-profit that helps to facilitate sustainable economic growth by increasing opportunities for women-owned businesses to succeed in the global value chain. The WEConnect International network represents over $700 billion in annual purchasing power. Founding Members include Accenture, Alcatel-Lucent, AT&T, Boeing, Cisco Systems, Citigroup, Ernst & Young, HP, IBM, Intel, Manpower, Motorola, Pfizer, PG&E, Verizon, and Walmart. As the CEO of WEConnect International, Ms. Vazquez is responsible for working with partners in the United States, Canada, Europe, India, China and Peru. She has been a speaker and conducted numerous trainings on globalization, value chains, diversity and inclusivity, trade, technology, advocacy, certification, and women's entrepreneurship. She has a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University, where she studied development economics and international negotiation as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow VIDEO SPEECH: http://bpw-international.org/events/helsinki-congress-2011/video-of-elizabeth-vasquez
Mrs. Lewis is also a past Chairman of the Board of the Elsie Bemand Home for Girls; has chaired various committees; participated on committees formed for the acquisition, refurbishing, and running of the HOME; and is, presently, serving on the Board of Trustees as its secretary. She is also a member of the Education Trust Fund, another project of the CLUB.
Mrs. Lewis is a graduate of the University of the West Indies, where she obtained an Honours Degree in Management Studies and a Post-graduate Degree in Accounting.
She is happily married for over 52 years; is the mother of two – a son and a daughter –and has five (5) grandchildren.
She is a Government Pensioner, having served the Government as a civil servant for nearly 39 years, specializing in training and finance..
Francesca Burack is the PR & Communications chair and a voting member of the Executive Board of EPW Manhattan and New York. She currently holds positions as the President of Take Action Now, Inc.; an organization devoted to guiding individuals and organizations in the start-up of new ventures and the maintenance and growth of successful, profitable businesses, and as President of Burack International Consultants, located in Delray Beach, Fl. and New York, NY; a consulting company devoted to ensuring people, especially women, are on the correct career path to ensure their success. Francesca has previously held the positions of Assistant Principal High School of Art and Design, Assistant Principal at George Washington School in New York, NY, Director of Student Support Services, Member of Superintendent’s Cabinet Public School District 16, Director of Sales Training and Development at Dell Publishing Company, Inc., and Manager of Human Resources Planning and Development to Equitable Assurance Society of The United States of America. Francesca has been awarded the Woman in Business Advocate of the Year, “for her commitment to the advancement of women’s business ownership, presented by the United States Small Business Administration. She was also elected as Delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business, elected by small business owners at the NYS Convention of Small Business Owners.
A successful businesswoman, Giselle Rufer feels that she has a mission to inspire and motivate others to be all what they can be. Her creation of the DELANCE watch brand serves as a model of creativity, courage and excellence for all entrepreneurs, women and men alike. As a featured speaker at many conferences, Giselle Rufer has shared her knowledge with all those who dream of creating their own business. Giselle Rufer began accepting invitations to speak at conferences around the world in 1986 on a variety of issues dealing with entrepreneurship and women’s issues. She has been interviewed on radio and television in Europe, the United States, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Giselle Rufer also participates in round table discussions where she always comes very prepared for the subject at hand, although she has a keen ability to improvise if necessary. Her audience includes woman’s groups, students, artists and artisans, men and women involved in marketing and sales, and people who simply are looking for an outlet for their creative energies. She has won several awards, including: Genilem Suisse; 10th Golden Award for Quality New York; Oscar d’or de Idée Suisse ; Global Women Inventors and Innovators; Woman Entrepreneur of the Year, international ; and Femme entrepreneur de l’année pour la Suisse.
She is a business woman who has developed a philanthropic view in her life, a standpoint which helped her to create Suma Veritas Foundation for resilient women of which she is the President. She has been involved in writing articles on womens issues, participating as speaker in conferences and a visible leader representing BPW as President of BPW Buenos Aires Club and member of the Development, Training and Employment International Committee and as Expert in the Leadership & Lifelong Learning Committee. She is also the Executive Producer of the radio program the Irresistible Feminine Force and wrote a book with other women about women in Latin American & Caribbean organizations. She has received some recognitions such as the Women in Business Award as Best Latin American Entrepreneur in New York, the TIAW World of Difference Award for empowering women in Canada, the KM Challenge Case Winner from USAID for an experience done in her BPW Club and a plaque from the Government of Reggio Calabria Italy
Heidi has over 20 years of professional experience in new media and community building. She delivers award winning keynote addresses on the benefits of knowledge sharing and building bridges as well as strategic and effective use of social media and social tools. She has a global network of professionals in leadership roles in over 120 countries. She is an Ambassador for Women in Entrepreneurship and an advocate for economic growth and empowerment influencing change through social engagement and responsibility. Her clients range from Fortune 500 to Universities to Professional Organizations. She lives by the philosophy that Knowledge is Power: Sharing is Powerful.
Helena is a Professor and Team Leader of a Finnish Forensic Expert Team. She is also a Forensic Odontologist at the Department of Forensic Medicine at the University of Helsinki, Finland. She was a visiting professor and an honorary professor in the Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú in Lima, Peru. She has held positions such as Chief Dental Office for the Prison Administration, Ministry of Justice, Finland; visiting scientist at Nordisk Institut för Odontologisk Materialforskning Oslo, Norway; Senior Lecturer (endodontics) Institute of Dentistry, University of Helsinki, Finland; Clinical Instructor at Institute of Dentistry, University of Helsinki, Finland; Visiting Scientist Meat Research Institute, Langford, Bristol, UK; Research Assistant, Academy of Finland; Department of Medical Biochemistry, and National Public Health Laboratory, Helsinki. Helena has also been on several International Missions, including: Estonia Ferry Disaster, Forensic investigations of some 450 individuals under the mandate of UNHRHR, Repartition of Finnish Soldiers Killed in action during WWII in the USSR, Chief Investigator of Klecka, Racak, and Volujak, Collection of post mortem data for ICTY, Orahovac, and Kosovo, Forensic Expert for FIDH, Jenin Fact-Finding Team, Peruvian Truth and Reconciliation Comission, Assessment of mass graves for Coalition Provisional Authority, Finnish DVI Team in Thailand (Tsunami) and in Finland (Tsunami), Forensic Expert, Council of Europe, Chechnya, Archaeological excavations of alleged execution sites WWII, Forensic Expert at University of Antioquila, Colombia, and Forensic Expert for National Human Rights Commission in Nepal. Helena has written Over 60 articles on inherited connective tissue diseases, molecular biology, microbiology and electron microscopy, forensic medicine, forensic odontology, international humanitarian law. She has also served in the following capacities: Board Member, Finnish League for Human Rights, Past President Finnish Helsinki Committee, Forensic Expert For National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health, is a Member of Governmental Advisory Board for International Human Rights Affairs, President Plan Finland Foundation, President UNIFEM Finland, Vice President National Council of Women of Finland, Member Cabinet Advisory Board for National Defence Education, Member Advisory Board of Finnish Immigration Service, and Chair Working Group on the Government Report on Gender Equality (submitted to the Parliament in autumn 2010).
Early life and education She was born on 16 January 1971 in Bonn, Germany. Professional Experience
Irene Natividad is President of the Global Summit of Women, an annual international gathering of women leaders from around the world, and co-chairs Corporate Women Directors International, which promotes the increased participation of women on corporate boards globally. Most important, she runs her own public affairs firm, GlobeWomen, based in Washington, D.C. Her views are aired nationally on PBS' 'To The Contrary', an all-women news analysis series in which she serves as a regular panelist. She also appears on CNN news shows, Crossfire, the Today show, Good Morning America, Fox News, MSNBC, etc. Her editorials have appeared in USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Des Moines Register, Chicago Tribune, to name a few. Ms. Natividad’s commitment to promoting women, nationally and internationally, stems from her decade-long involvement with the National Women's Political Caucus, a 30-year-old bipartisan organization dedicated to electing and appointing more women to public office. She was elected President in 1985 and re-elected in 1987, the first Asian American ever to head a national political organization. During the nineties, she assumed the chairmanship of the National Commission on Working Women. Ms. Natividad serves on the boards of numerous organizations, such as the National Museum of Women in the Arts and the National Association of Corporate Directors to corporate advisory boards for Cigna and Wyndham International. In 1994, she was appointed to the Board of Directors of Sallie Mae, a Fortune 100 company, by President Clinton. Ms. Natividad is also a leader in the Asian American community, where she has focused on politically empowering a group referred to as “the invisible minority.” She served as Deputy Vice Chair of the Democratic Party's Asian Caucus and has continued to organize numerous Asian American groups at all levels. She was the Executive Editor of the first-ever Asian American Almanac that was published by Gale Research in 1995. In 2004, she was selected by Women’s eNews as one of the “21 Leaders for the 21st Century.” She was named in 1997 as one of “25 Most Influential Working Mothers” by Working Mother Magazine; in 1993 as one of the “74 Women Changing American Politics” by Campaigns & Elections Magazine; and recognized by A. Magazine as one of the top 25 influential Asian Americans. Ms. Natividad was also named in 1988 as one of the “100 Most Powerful Women in America” by Ladies Home Journal. She has received numerous organizational awards ranging from the 2001 “Women of Genius” by Trinity College (Wash., D.C.) to the 1995 "Magnificent 7" award from Business & Professional Women/USA to the 1985 Women Making History Award presented by the Women's Congressional Caucus. She has been awarded a Doctorate in Humane Letters by Long Island University, from where she graduated valedictorian in 1971; and by Marymount College (New York) in 1994 for her global work on behalf of women.
Johanna Ikaheimo, Chairman, Lappset Group Oy
Kathryn Ciccolini is a Registered Nurse with three years of experience in cardiology, medical surgical care, dermatology surgery, and oncology. Kathryn earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree from University of Massachusetts Amherst College and earned her licensure in Massachusetts in 2007. Currently she works for a world – leading cancer center in New York City working in Dermatology/Oncology. Kathryn joined BPW - NY in the summer of 2010, with goals of putting her passionate energy into an organization that supported development of women's professional development, leadership potential at all levels, international relationships, awareness of policy and women's issues around the world. She was quickly recognized with the opportunity to become the Young BPW - NY State Representative. Kathryn found it perfect to combine her love for health and women empowerment, with goals of promotion of Women's Health and Activity to the organization, and to the public.
B.1968, Kati Ihamäki, MSc (Econ.) was appointed by Finnair as Vice President, Sustainable Development on 1 February 2008. In 2009, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) appointed Ihamäki a member of its Environment Committee. She has previously acted as Alliance Director for oneworld affairs and been a member of Finnair's Environmental Organisation. She has been with Finnair since 1992. In her position, Ihamäki acts as the spokesperson for corporate social responsibility and environment at Finnair Group. Her responsibilities include ensuring that Finnair's sustainable development goals in Group business activities are realised in such a way that Finnair can be among the leading airlines in sustainable development activities. She is also responsible for the coordination of sustainable development strategy and emissions trade projects as well as for integrating sustainable development issues into Finnair's competitive strategy.
Ms. Dixon is a Partner at Gordon, Dixon & Co. and heads the firm’s Intellectual Property and Entertainment division. Prior to becoming a partner, Ms. Dixon was in-house counsel for Dilieu Technologies LLC, an IT solutions company with locations in California, Florida and New York. She has a Master of Law Degree in Intellectual Property, Technology & Commerce and is a certified mediator in the area. Among her many accomplishments, she has counseled startup companies in the publishing, music and film industry, and was actively involved in the Music Cluster of Jamaica, and has participated on panels discussing intellectual property and the arts. Ms. Dixon practices law in Jamaica & NY, is a member of NY State Bar Association and the American Intellectual Property Law Association. She joined BPW International through the BPW-New York Federation, with her expertise and enthusiasm quickly rose to the appointment as Membership Chair for BPW-New York.
Kimmaree Thompson is President of BPW Sydney Club in Australia and the proud mother of 27 year old Aden. The company Kimmaree founded in 1998, holds an exclusive distributorship for a proprietary performance improvement, decision making and root cause analysis software. She works with enterprise size organizations, regulators and government agencies to drive systemic performance improvement with transparent, evidenced based decision making and systems focused structured problem analysis. Prior to founding her company, Kimmaree held Senior Executive positions in the West Australian Government including Foreign & Domestic Debt Trading with State Treasury; Director roles at the Ministry of Justice and Deputy General Manager with the State Sports Centre for the 6th & 8th World Swimming Championships, the Asian Games and the Masters Games. Kimmaree holds post graduate business qualifications with the AGSM, University of Sydney and has held numerous Board Positions including Chair of an Industry Training Council.
Kirsi Sormunen is the Vice President, Head of Sustainability Operations in Nokia and has a global responsibility for managing all corporate responsibility activities in the company. Prior to her present position, from 2004-2009 Kirsi Sormunen acted as the VP & Head of Environmental Activities for Nokia, and has held several senior management positions in the area of treasury, risk management, finance & control, investor relations, vendor finance and strategy projects in the company earlier. Kirsi is currently a member of the following groups: Corporate Responsibility Work Group, Confederation of Finnish Industries, Environmental Committee of Confederation of Finnish Industries, Vice Chairman, Nokia LD in World Business Council of Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Chairman of Sustainable Consumption WG in WBCSD, Member of Environmental Stewardship Project of UN Global Compact, Member in ERT (European Roundtable) Energy & Climate WG, Member of Avartti Council, The International Awards for Young People in Finland, and Member of “Sustainability for Innovations” support group of Aalto University.
Leena Vainio has been working in several leadership positions in business, sales and marketing in IBM Finland during her career within IT industry. Before her current position, she was responsible for IBM Systems and Technology Group, ie. IBM hardware business both in Finland and Baltics countries. Currently she is Country Manager for Marketing, Communications & Corporate Citizenship and in this positions since 2009. These functions were brougth together to drive change, fuel growth and strengthen local IBM Brand presence to enable expanding to new business areas and customer segments.
Liisa Jauri is Head of Corporate Social Responsibility of Nordea Group. Nordea provides a wide range of products, services and solutions within banking, asset management and insurance. Nordea is among the ten largest universal banks in Europe in terms of total market capitalization. Nordea has approximately 11 million customers, 1,400 branch offices and 34,000 employees. Liisa Jauri has more than 25 years experience in the financial industry. Prior to her career in Nordea she has held core positions in building the Finnish, Swedish and European capital markets infrastructure. Ms Jauri holds a Master of Laws degree from Helsinki University.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Director TAFE
Linda Brown was appointed to the role of Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Director TAFE at Swinburne in March 2009. Prior to Swinburne, Linda held the position of Director of Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE (MSIT) in Brisbane. As a senior executive with the Department of Education, Training and the Arts, Linda provided the vision and strategic leadership to change management in Vocational Education and Training in Queensland through “modelling the way” by the successful amalgamation of 3 existing TAFEs and operation and development of MSIT. From 2001-2005, Linda was Managing Director of Dartington Tech, one of the largest private providers in the UK. During this time she was a Global National Award Nominee by UK Learning and Skills Council for Innovation in Education for Business Development initiatives with European Social Fund and she created the largest women’s entrepreneurial network (Women on Top) in the UK with over 1,000 business women supported by UK Government Export Strategy, business link and European funding. Linda was part of the UK “think tank” on Education as a global business whilst Director, Ayr College UK. Linda was also part of the Government’s rapid response team for Further Education Funding Council. Linda also has over twelve years financial business experience including financial analysis, advisor and futures stockbroker and was a Regional Managing Director with Abbey National Bank, UK. Linda has extensive global experience across Asia Pacific, United States, Europe, India and Africa. Linda is recognised at state and national levels as an innovative strategic thinker and was identified by Management Today as one of “25 Australian women to watch”
Luisa has served professionally as a Specialist in Orthopaedics and Hand Surgeon at Private Hospital S.Rocco in Ome, Brescia, as specialist in Orthopaedics and First Assistant of Orthopaedics at Private Hospital S.Camillo, Brescia, and as Specialist in Orthopaedics of the National Health Service at Iseo Hospital, Brescia. She was also a Professor of Hand Surgery at the Specialty School for First Aid and Emergency Therapy at Chieti University and Professor at the Specialty School of Orthopaedics at the University of Brescia. She has visited and attended various services of orthopaedics, Traumatology and Hand Surgery: Carolinska Ospital, Stoccolma, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Swanson’s Hand Surgery Center, Grand Rapids, Maio Clinic, Rochester, Microsurgery Center, Kioto, Groteshure Hospital, Cape Town, Microsurgery Center, Louisville, Institut Francais de la Main, Paris, Hand Surgery Department « General Hospital » Sydney. Luisa has published 65 scientific works on Italian and foreign journals and a monograph about Hand Semiology, A.Gaggi publisher. She is also author and anchor woman from 1998 of the weekly TV medical-scientific divulgation program “Pan@cea” ( TELETUTTO) Since 2005 “Pan@cea” is also a radio program on “Radio Bresciasette”, with interaction with the audience. Since 2007 “ Pan@cea is also in streaming on web-site “ www.teletutto.it. She has won awards such as the Prize Unamsi “Ippocrate 2000” for medical-scientific divulgation, Price “Voltolino” in 2006 for her scientific engagement in scientific divulgation and career. She has also been the Collaborator of the monthly magazine of professional training “Medici oggi,” Scientific collaborator of daily newspaper “Giornale di Brescia,” Scientific collaborator of national daily newspaper “Il Giornale,” and Editor of the periodic journal for disabled patients “Raggi di Luce.”
from Binningen (Basel) Switzerland
Marianne is a Teacher for domestic science and home economics at professional schools and teachers’ training colleges. She is also a Teacher for German and English; other languages: French, Spanish, Russian, Japanese. Postgraduate study: corporate development Manager NDS FH NW, courses in coaching, internal auditor for quality programs. She heads Management of different educational programs, including reform of the educational system Basel, New University of Education Chur, and Professional skills for nurses’ professional education at the University Hospital Basel. She owns her own consulting firm and is the Chair Task Force Mentoring for BPW-Europe. Marina Vahtola, Managing Director, Oral Hammaslääkärit Plc Marina Vahtola has served as Managing Director of Oral Hammaslaakarit Plc since 2010. Oral Hammaslääkärit Plc is a provider of a wide range of dental care services. Previously, she was Managing Director of Bauhaus Finland and Bauhaus Estonia from 2004-2009. She has been a Member of the Board of Directors of Aktia Abp since 2007 and also serves on the company's Remuneration and Corporate Governance Committees. In addition, she is a Member of the Board of Directors of Laakaripalveluyritykset ry.
Martha Mayhood Mertz is the author of Becoming ATHENA: Eight Principles of Enlightened Leadership and the founder of ATHENA International. Mertz is a speaker, author, and successful real estate entrepreneur as president and owner of the Michigan-based firm Mayhood/Mertz Investment, Inc. Mertz’s book traces the ATHENA history and illuminates the ATHENA principles, with inspiring stories from Mertz and other leaders. Mertz was President of ATHENA International from its beginnings in Lansing, MI in 1982 to May of 1999. Now, a global board leads ATHENA and Mertz serves as a board member and ambassador, traveling the globe to share its message that women bring a distinctive, transforming approach to leadership, an approach that goes beyond gender to speak to all who would lead in the 21st century. Mertz was honored as one of the Top 25 Women Business Owners in Michigan by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), and selected as the Michigan Women-In-Business Advocate by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Other awards she has received include the Visionary Award from Office Depot, in 2004; the Vassilissa Award in Moscow, Russia; and induction in 2006 into the Enterprising Women’s Hall of Fame.
Maureen Craig McIntosh has been a member of the Greater Moncton BPW Club, Moncton, NB for the last 25 years. She has been a member of the international Task force for four years and chair for 2008-2009. In May 2011 Maureen was awarded a 25 year Certificate by her home club and honored with a lifetime membership. In 2010, she was awarded The Woman of Distinction Award in the field of Education and Training by the YWCA of Greater Moncton. She owns and operates her own coaching, training and counseling company, Moncton Reality Therapy Consultants. She is a Certified Personal and Executive Coach, a Licensed Emotional Fitness Coach and a Senior Faculty Member of the William Glasser Institute, LA. Maureen understands the value of Mentoring and along with other members of her team will offer the Guidelines developed by the Mentoring Task Force along with her personal experiences with mentoring.
Meg Jones is passionate about the economic empowerment of women through trade. For the past 20 years Meg has been working in the private and public sectors to draw attention to the significant economic and development gains to be achieved through policies and practices that enhance women’s capacity to trade. Meg is the Women and Trade Programme Manager at the International Trade Centre (a joint agency of the United Nations and WTO), where she led the team that established and secured financial support for ITC’s ‘Women and Trade Programme’. She is the former Deputy Director of the Evian Group at IMD – a trade think tank. Meg has also worked for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights, prior to which she was on the Australian delegation to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. Meg brings with her private sector experience gained from working in the financial markets and in management consulting. She has sat on several boards including the Australia-Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Organization of Women in International Trade, and was the founding president of Geneva Women in International Trade. Meg holds a Master of International Studies and a Bachelor of Economics (University of Sydney) having studied in Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and the Netherlands. She speaks English, Japanese and French.
Mildred Espinoza is a two time Emmy-Award Winning Television Executive and the General Manager at South-South News. Espinoza started her media career in 1997 at WPIX Channel 11 in New York. She is a Journalist with more than a decade of training working in print, radio, television and digital platforms. She has led numerous media outreach campaigns and conducted interviews with high level representatives from various parts of the world on Millennium Development Goals initiatives. Espinoza worked with NBC/Telemundo for several years, overseeing the Special Projects & Investigative Units. Her department was responsible for the production of special-coverage events. Prior to working for NBC/Telemundo, she was a producer for the Pat Buchanan & Bill Press show at MSNBC and Ron Insana of CNBC. In print, she worked for Crain Communications; there she was involved with two of our nation’s top publications in the pension fund industry. In radio, she produced, wrote and was a contributing reporter for the morning news show for Spanish Broadcasting Systems in New York. She is the recipient of a humanitarian award presented to by Mission International Rescue. Espinoza has participated in numerous programs mentoring high school students and spends a substantial amount of her time sharing her professional experience as a motivational speaker at colleges. Her motto is “Atrévete y Supérate.” (Reinvent Yourself!)
Nancy V. Gomez is President and co-founder of the Eve-olution Foundation which takes innovation and support for women’s economic empowerment focusing on women entrepreneurs/exporter in developing and emerging countries such as Mexico, Nepal, Turkey, China, Namibia, Poland… Owner of the company Inti Global Reach, she develops practical strategies to improve international positioning of business and advocates leaders. Nancy was nominated Women World of Difference 100 Award by The International Alliance for Women (TIAW) and European Women Inventors & Innovators Award by the Global Women Inventors & Innovators Network (GWIIN) and the London Metropolitan University (LMet). Current challenges: sports clothing business and broadcasting industry.
Niklas Bruun is a Professor of Private Law at the University of Helsinki. He is also the Director of the Graduate School for Intellectual Property Law and The Director of the Centre of International Economic Law at the Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration. Prior to these positions, Niklas was a Guest Professor at National Institute for Working Life in Stockholm, Sweden and as an academic supervisor for EU Labour Law research, Professor of EU Labour Law at Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration, and a Professor in Business Law at Swedish School of Business Administration. Niklas is also involved in the Commissions of Trust-National as a chairperson of the Equality Board of Finland and as a Member of the Freedom of Association Committee in the International Labour Organisation of the Commissions of Trust –International. He has also been the chairperson of the committee for a revision of the Gender Equality Act of Finland and a Representative of the Finnish Government at the 91st Labour Conference of International Labour Organisation, as well as an expert for EU Institutions for the European Commissions and European Parliament.
Pat Harrison has been a member of Business and Professional Women’s Federation since 1978, being the International President from 1999-2002. She is currently the Central Coast Secretary. She has served in the following capacities: the charter Vice President of Woy Woy Club for four terms, the 1st vice president for two terms and secretary for one term, NSW state division as Membership chair for one term, Vice President Communications for two terms, and Constitution Chair for two terms. She has also held leadership positions such as 2nd Vice President, Resolutions Chair, and Mentor to Young BPW Board in the Australian Federation. As part of the International Federation, she has served as Member Health Committee, Regional Coordinator Asia Pacific, 1st Vice President, Chair UN status of Women Committee, Delegate to NGO Prep Com for 4th Women’s World Conference, Delegate Asia Pacific Prep Com Beijing, Official BPW Representative 4th World Conference for Women, Attended CSW 1994-2002 and again in 2007, 2008, and 2010, chair BPW International Peace Committee, Resolutions Chair, and has wrote many BPW International Statements including the Statement presented to Beijing Conference in 1995. She has won such awards as the Central Coast Woman of the Year 1985, Order of Australia Medal 1992 for Services to Local Government and Women’s Affairs, and Honorary Doctorate University of Newcastle 2000. Pat is a general practitioner specializing in Women’s Health and was elected to Gosford City Council from 1983-91 and served two terms as the Gosford City Mayor from 1996-1999 and 2000-2001.
An award-winning leader and business facilitator, Patricia Francis joined the International Trade Centre as Executive Director in June 2006. Under her leadership ITC’s annual project implementation grew from US$ 25 to US$40 million with larger, multi-year, multi stakeholder programmes now over 50% of the portfolio. Performance management, the mainstreaming of gender, environment, poverty and strategic partnerships to achieve “Export Impact for Good” are changes championed by Mrs. Francis’s administration. Before ITC, Mrs. Francis was President of Jamaica Trade and Invest when Jamaica attracted more than US$5 billion in foreign direct investment. A member of Jamaica’s Cabinet Committee for Development, she was also twice President of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies, chaired the OECD’s Caribbean Rim Investment Initiative and the China-Caribbean Business Council. She is a member of the Advisory Board of IESE graduate school of business and a member of the Eminent Persons Group reviewing the Commonwealth.
Paula Kyrö (PhD in Educ. and PhD in Econ.) currently holds a professorship in entrepreneurship education in Aalto University School of Economics. She has written more than 80 publications and published edited books, special issues and articles in women entrepreneurship and directed several national and international research projects in women entrepreneurship. She has received Golden cross of entrepreneurship and an honorary award for meritorious consulting. Kyrö has extensive national and international experience in evaluation, editing and scientific board membership duties. She has been the Finnish representative in Nordisk Industrifond workgroups in the SMB forum "Naringsutvikling og kvinners rolle i verdiskapningen", a member of the Government’s policy work group for supporting women’s entrepreneurship, a participant in the group giving the statement of the report "Improving women's career as scientist" (Academy of Finland), Board member and President of International Women’s Management Institute and a member of Women Equity Scientific Council for Growth
Perveen Shaikh, Lifelong member of Pakistan Federation of Business & Professional Women’s Organization (PFBPWO), Founder of Entrepreneurship and Community Development Institute (ECDI), a nationally recognized development practitioner and HRD trainer with over 20 years of experience in women’s economic development and programming. Her major career focus has been in Women Entrepreneurship Development with specialization in marketing, advocacy, facilitation of business services, sub-sector analysis and value-chain and market development for the poor as well as research related to socio-economic and gender issues in Pakistan. Perveen Shaikh’s complete profile is posted on the Enterprise Development Exchange website. |
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