Elections

The WBN is run by a volunteer board of up to 13 directors. The commitment necessary to successfully serve the WBN membership is approximately 10-30 hours/month (depending on the position) fulfilling the duties of the role including attendance at monthly and special board meetings throughout the year, and attendance at membership meetings from September through June.  

Additionally, directors must be email and computer savvy as this is a progressive organization that relies heavily on communication and technology for efficiency. 

Constitutionally, WBN Board of Director positions commence July 1st each year and each Board Director term runs for two consecutive years.  

Board Nominees are applying to serve on the WBN Board from July 1, 2023, through to June 30, 2025.

Newly Elected WBN Board members will be expected to attend monthly board meetings and a Strategic Planning session in May of 2023, as a means of transitioning into the role with their predecessor. 

The nominees will be presented to the membership at the AGM. The eligibility of all nominees was validated according to our constitution and bylaws. 

Note that a nomination is to the Board, not to a specific position. However, there is an opportunity to list first and second choices on the nomination form. We endeavour to match the skill set to the position. This is an excellent opportunity to become involved with the operations of the Network. 

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Nominations for 2023-2025 Board of Directors

The WBN received the following nominations:

• Emily Argyrides
• Adeilah Dahlke
• Deanna Hunt
• Rebecca O’Rourke
• Nancy Wiskel

Nominee Bios

Emily Argyrides

My name is Emily Argyrides and I am a Greek/Cypriot-Canadian. My parents left Canada when I was five years old and I grew up in Cyprus. Creativity and design were a passion I had from a young age. In high school I majored in Architecture and Graphic Arts and in 1998 I received the first prize in a logo design competition for the 50th year anniversary of a national soccer team.
From 1999 until 2002 I attended the University of Plymouth in England and studied Graphic Design and Communications. For my final year I received a scholarship and graduated in 2002 with a BA (Hons).

In 2002 I returned to Cyprus where I worked as a graphic designer for DC4 Visual Communications. This was my first opportunity to gain experience in the field, working with talented and accomplished designers. Our customers were mostly hotels, travel agencies, and other tourism-related businesses, including InterContinental, Elysium and more.
I worked at DC4 for two and a half years, until I moved to Athens, Greece, to study for a year at the Greek Bible College. There I was approached by Hellenic Ministries (HM), a non-profit Christian organization, offering me the position of Graphic Designer. I started working for them in 2006 until our family moved to Canada in June 2022. My role at HM was designing promotional material for their various departments (social medical center, educational center, maternity home, maritime, summer camps, youth work, etc.) and doing photography. Through this work I met some very inspiring people from all over the world and made life-long friendships.

One of my passions is traveling, observing people, and learning about other cultures. An all-time highlight is a trip to Iran in 2014. This is my husband’s homeland and it was an experience I will never forget. I have also traveled to Israel, Turkey, South Africa, Korea, Italy, Germany and France. I am grateful for these experiences that have had a significant impact on my life.
Along with my husband and two children (ages 6 and 8), we now reside in Peterborough, where I have started a graphic design business.

 

Adeilah Dahlke

Adeilah Dahlke is the owner and Trained Professional Organizer of Jigsaw Organizing Solutions.

She started her business in 2015 in Waterloo, but moved to Peterborough in 2021 to be closer to her hometown and family in Haliburton County.

In addition to taking on this role at WBN, she currently volunteers with Professional Organizers in Canada as the Director of Marketing and Communications.

As a solopreneur she wears many hats, but in her free time she loves reading and relaxing with her husband and puppy!

 

Deanna Hunt

Born in Peterborough, raised on the shores of Chemong Lake, graduate of Adam Scott and Fleming College, lived in Keene and Buckhorn, Deanna Hunt is the definition of your hometown girl. Her Grandparents are from Havelock blessing her with memories at the family cottage on Belmont Lake. Though well-traveled, Deanna’s roots are deeply grounded in Peterborough and the Kawartha Lakes.

Deanna’s previous work experience includes many years at the Riverview Park and Zoo as a student zookeeper. Cleaning the offices at Microage for the lovely Amy Simpson. Creating and operating an aquarium and pond service company for 10 years. After selling Kawartha Aquariums Deanna began to pursue her current passions by becoming a licensed Realtor. Now working with Royal LePage Frank out of Peterborough and Buckhorn, she is honored to help her clients achieve their Real Estate goals. Her love of the surrounding Peterborough area and compassion for her clients make her job a true joy.

Deanna joined WBN as the owner of Kawartha Aquariums and immediately appreciated all that WBN has to offer, wishing only that she had joined sooner. Now passionate to give back to WBN and encourage other woman to join this supportive community, she is thrilled to be part of the board. Women supporting women because we are stronger, together!

 

Rebecca O’Rourke

Rebecca O’Rourke is a Consulting Hypnotist, certified in Neuro Linguistics Programming. Her Diploma as a Social Service Worker and previous work experience and dedication as an Educational Assistant with the School Board for over 10 years has given her insight to the pleasures and challenges we as humans face. She’s worked with some of the top minds and agencies in the community learning effective tools for teaching and reprogramming behavior. Rebecca now brings a unique and effective approach to assisting change in all age groups, teaching the subconscious mind, and providing effective tools and strategies for change on a subconscious level. She personally has used hypnosis and NLP to manage chronic severe pain, lose weight, stop smoking and build a life to love. She has also been called a Behavioural Specialist and People Reader. As a member of the Master Hypnotist Society and the National Guild of Hypnosis, Rebecca has helped hundreds of people in the Peterborough community lose weight, stop smoking, manage stress and neutralize fears and phobias. When she’s not helping people with their personal subconscious changes, she is having fun performing Comedy Stage Hypnosis Shows and free educational workshops for the community.

 

Nancy Wiskel

Nancy originally lived in Peterborough for four years over 25 years ago and was able to fulfil her wish of someday moving back to Peterborough when she took ownership of Dan Joyce Clothing in October 2019.

She has a Bachelor of Arts in Commercial Studies from Western University, a Bachelor of Arts in Labour Studies from McMaster University, a Certificate in Building Science from the University of Toronto and is a Six Sigma Green Belt.

She has spent over 20 years working on the sales and marketing teams for various Fortune 500 companies and has developed strong leadership and communication skills.

Nancy has been a part of the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough since September 2020.

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The following documents are posted for Members to review prior to the May 3, 2023, AGM:

• AGM Meeting Minutes – May 4, 2022
• Treasurer’s Report

*Please note: these financial statements are posted for your review only and do not encompass a full fiscal year which ends in June; these are only a year-to-date to the end of March and will be presented as they are at the AGM.

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The submission deadline for Board Nominations for the 2023-2025 Board was April 15, 2023.

Please contact WBN President president atttt wbnptbo dotttt ca for more information on becoming a board member.

Details on available positions for the 2024-2026 Board of Directors (along with nomination forms and job descriptions) will be posted here in the first quarter of 2024. 

WBN Constitution, Article 5. Board of Directors:

1. Eight to thirteen elected members shall constitute the Board, at the discretion of the current Board.
2. The Board shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting, shall serve a two-year term and shall not be eligible for re-election for more than two consecutive terms, with the exception of the President and Past President. Nominations and elections shall be conducted in accordance with By-Law 7.
3. The Board shall meet monthly to formulate plans, elect the Officers, and decide all purposes and procedures of the Network.
4. The Officers may appoint a network member to fill a Board position that has become vacant. Such appointment shall expire at the next Annual General Meeting (or after the June Strategic Planning Meeting). An exception may be made if a vacancy occurs during the Network year in the office of President, in which case the Vice President may succeed to the office of President.
5. Directors must be Network members in good standing for the duration of their term.

Bylaw 7A. Nominations:

1. The current Board may appoint a Nominating Committee, chaired by the Past President, who shall present a slate of nominees to the membership a minimum of ten days in advance of the Annual General Meeting. Such notice shall be posted on the Network website and distributed to the membership.
2. Any single member, or the named member of record for a Corporate Membership, who is currently a member in good standing and who meets the board requirements as set out in the WBN board policy document. Nominees must sign a completed current nomination form, which must be submitted to the Past President by April 15th.
3. Any current Director who is completing their current two-year term may submit a new nomination form by April 15th to stand for re-election to the Board as per Article 5.2.

Elections

Depending on the number of nominations received, the election may take place by secret ballot with the nominees receiving the most votes will be declared elected. In order for you to make an informed decision, please read each nominee’s submitted biography. Their skills and experience will help you to determine the best fit with the demands of the various positions.

Remember, elections are to the Board as a whole, not to specific positions. The WBN officers will appoint each elected member to the position they are most interested in assuming and qualified for. 

If you have any questions about the positions, how the board operates, or anything else regarding governance, the president atttt wbnptbo dotttt ca or the pastpresident atttt wbnptbo dotttt ca are more than happy to help you.