Aboriginal Woman of Distinction Award: Ruby Baptiste - Northern Health - Prince George.
The Northern BC Today's Woman's Awards is proud to recognize Ruby Baptiste - Northern Health - Prince George.
Presenting the Aboriginal Woman of Distinction Award on behalf of the Aboriginal Business Development Centre is Teresa Dolman, Business Development Officer.
Ruby provides high quality admin support services to the senior management team within mental health & addictions, developing contract management systems, shared information systems, databases, an intranet website, and systems for increasing the efficiency of our meeting processes. Ruby has a strong voice within mental health & addictions planning for first Nations communities and peoples. She acts as an ambassador within northern health for aboriginal people and presents their needs in a positive, hopeful, straightforward manner. Ruby acts as a bridge to Native Friendship Centres and other aboriginal services that are contracted by and/or partner with northern health mental health & addictions.
Innovator of the Year Award sponsored by Business Development Bank:
Betty Barton - Northwest Science and Innovation Society - Terrace
The Northern BC Today's Woman Awards is proud to recognize
Betty Barton - Northwest Science and Innovation Society - Terrace
Presenting the Innovator of the Year Award on behalf of the Business Development Bank is Adele Yakemchuk, Account Manager. Accepting the award of behalf of Betty is
Michael Kerr, Industrial Technology Advisor, IRAp
Betty has been a true supporter of innovation in northern BC. Not only is she the owner of a very profitable construction business, she is also a Director for the Northwest Science and Innovation Society (NISC). This Society is dedicated to the advancement of science by promoting science in the schools through junior achievement, science and innovators in the schools and many others. In addition, the organization helps innovative businesses with business advice, seminars etc. on issues such as how to market technology, how to advance tax credits for innovation and many others. Finally, the mentor links program to help mentor one on one with science and tech businesses through the northwest is a key service. Betty is the reason the organization exists.
Focus on the Future Youth Award sponsored by Alcan:
Mackenzie Skorepa - The Beat - Prince George
The Northern BC Today's Woman Awards is proud to recognize
Mackenzie Skorepa - The Beat - Prince George.
Presenting the award on behalf of Alcan is
Colleen Nyce, Manager, Corporate Affairs and Community Relations.
Mackenzie is the only teen writer publisher in any newspaper in Prince George. Her Teen Beat column in Prince George This Week seems to have an impact on people of all ages as she gets props from her peers and letters from parents who wish to show their appreciation and acknowledge the wisdom of her words.
Home Based Business of the Year Award sponsored by
Community Futures Development Corporation:
Vanessa Hamilton - PG Fitness Connection - Prince George
The Northern BC Today's Woman Awards is proud to recognize
Vanessa Hamilton - PG Fitness Connection - Prince George
Presenting the award on behalf of Community Futures Development Corporation is Laurie Hooker, Self-Employment Benefit Coordinator.
Vanessa provides an excellent valuable service to folks wanting to improve their health and change their lifestyle. She is the driving force behind fitness connection and the boot camp fitness-training program. Health and
fitness are a personal passion of Vanessa's and if she can share it
with others, it's a bonus.
Vanessa has innovatively transformed fitness clinics into a variety of new and interesting forms. Vanessa almost single handily offers a variety of fitness activities 5 days-week. - running and walking clinics - boot camp fitness - exotic movement clinics - greatest loser contest.
Forging Our Future with Education sponsored by
Sprott - Shaw Community College:
Dawn Hemingway - UNBC - Prince George
The Northern BC Today's Woman Awards is proud to recognize
Dawn Hemingway - UNBC - Prince George
Presenting the award on behalf of Sprott - Shaw Community College is
Alan Timberlake, Executive Director
Dawn is currently a social work professor at
the University of Northern British Columbia with teaching and research interests that include disability issues, aging, social policy development, community organizing and research, northern/remote health and quality of life. She is involved with many high profile and beneficial organizations that promote the well-being of residents of our northern communities.
Dawn is very supportive and encourages learning through reflection. She takes a strong leadership role both professionally (within the practice of social work) and personally within various non-profit activities.
Professional Woman of Distinction Award Sponsored by
Dick Byl Law Corporation:
Carole Whitmer - CNC - Prince George
The Northern BC Today's Woman Awards is proud to recognize
Carole Whitmer - CNC - Prince George
presenting the award on behalf of
Dick Byl Law Corporation is lawyer Kerri Fisher.
Carole has demonstrated leadership throughout her dental hygiene and instructing career. In the spring of 2005, with local dental colleagues, she lobbied government for base funding to establish the pain control dental clinic in Prince George. The clinic is currently operated in partnership with the Prince George Native Friendship Center. Carole was instrumental in coordinating several agencies (northern interior dental health program, PGNFC, (a-tech dental service) and had the expertise required to establish
a clinic of this nature. By spring 2006 the clinic was operational and provided free dental care to its first clients. The dental care provided is free
of charge and is aimed to help individuals or families living in poverty,
youth at risk, people living on or close to the street, and people struggling with drugs and alcohol. Many of these individuals have a long history
of unmet dental needs and suffer with chronic pain. There are very few
free dental clinics in Canada and the pain control dental clinic is the very first of its kind in Prince George.
Health and Wellness Award sponsored by Northern Health:
Angela de Smit - FT. St. John Hospital - Ft. St. John
The Northern BC Today's Woman Awards is proud to recognize
Angela de Smit - FT. St. John Hospital - Ft. St. John
presenting the Health and Wellness Award on behalf of Northern Health is Roseline Ferre, Board Member of Northern Health.
Angela is the director of patient care at the Fort St. John Hospital & Health Centre. Not only does she deal with the day-to-day nursing, staffing and operation issues, she always has her door wide open and ears ready to listen. She is a warm and caring person, who always has a smile on her face and aura that welcomes you in! Angela is extremely dedicated, progressive thinking, and instrumental in moving our hospital forward due to her wonderful leadership. She is able to lead with honour, integrity and "over the top" dedication.....a real hands-on, multi-talented leader who thinks outside of the box and looks at all aspects of problems to find the solution. She is also encouraging and supportive.
Women in Leadership Award sponsored by Dean Mason & Company Chartered Accountants:
Janna Gertzen - ABC Communications - Prince George
and
Lorna Morrison - Kitamaat Village Health Centre - Terrace
The Northern BC Today's Woman Awards is proud to recognize
presenting the Women in Leadership Award on behalf of Dean Mason & Company Chartered Accountants is Linda Meise, Administrative Manager.
Janna Gertzen:
Janna has been with ABC Communications for more then five years, and during this time she has shown herself to be a strong, bold, effective and compassionate leader. Through Janna's hard work, sharp intuition, decisive decision making skills, she was quick to prove herself invaluable. Janna oversees and manages several key divisions of ABC Communications throughout the province. With more then 50 employees, nine service cities and six locations, ABC Communications is a dynamic company that calls for dynamic employees. Janna is division manager of the cellular, marketing, and new media divisions. She is also director of product development, leading ABC and its staff into new frontiers of voice, data and communications technology.
Lorna Morrison
Lorna is a woman who doesn't let anything bar her way from doing what ever is needed to improve the health of the peoples living in the community of Kitimaat Village. She is selfless in her work putting her employees and community foremost in her endeavours helping them achieve personal wellness. Her ability to provide leadership is so natural. She thought a group was joking when it suggested that she should become the next chief. Lorna is Caucasian. They were not joking!!
Community Enrichment Award sponsored by
Prince George Motors:
Roberta Grant - Kitamaat Village
The Northern BC Today's Woman Awards is proud to recognize
Roberta Grant - Kitamaat Village
presenting the Community Enrichment Award on behalf of the ownership of Prince George Motors is Richard Antonenko.
Roberta provides endless hours of volunteer work to the people in her community of Kitamaat Village. She is a woman who the community members call on for any event. She has the respect and trust of the many community organizations and community members she never complains about what she is doing, she keeps the laughter going even when the times can be very difficult for people and their families. Her countenance reflects a women who is at peace with what she loves to do and that is "making peoples' life a little easier with her lovingly helpful hands!"
Community Enrichment Award Honourable Mention:
Mary Jarbek,
Director of Community Relations
for the Prince George Child Development Centre
Community Enrichment Award Honourable Mention
Mary Jarbek, Director of Community Relations
for the Prince George Child Development Centre
presenting boquet on behalf of the ownership of Prince George Motors is Richard Antonenko.
Leader in Knowledge Advancement sponsored by
UNBC: Dawn Hemingway - UNBC - Prince George
The Northern BC Today's Woman Awards is proud to recognize
Dawn Hemingway - UNBC - Prince George.
presenting the Leader in Knowledge Advancement
on behalf of UNBC is Sharon Cochran,
Vice-President Administration & Finance.
Dawn has made a large impact on the development of the social work program at UNBC, on community avocation and projects for the elderly. She writes and presents extensively on issues of students, elder issues and social work practices. Dawn is extremely educated, a wonderful mentor, leading by example - encouraging self-reflection and knowledge growth by education (formal and informal. she is able to conceptualize learning in a grass roots, relevant manner but still encourages and maintains a high academic contribution. She is a person who really walks and talks the same language!
Business of the Year Award sponsored by Pacific Western Brewing Company:
Gerry Gorek - Owner, Grower Direct - Prince George
The Northern BC Today's Woman Awards is proud to recognize
Gerry Gorek - Owner, Grower Direct - Prince George
presenting the Business of the Year Award on behalf of Pacific Western Brewing Company is Tom Leboe, Plant Manager.
Gerry loves people and she loves to succeed. She makes sure that everything she does is number 1. She says that this is both her biggest credit as well as her downfall as it makes a lot of work for her.
Gerry chose the grower direct franchise because of its all-Canadian make-up and because she liked the franchise's code of ethics. The farmers from whom the flowers are purchased receive a fair price for their product.
Gerry chose Prince George as the location for her business 10 ½ years ago (moving here from Calgary), based on market research. But she says she has grown to love the community and the people in it. Whenever she can't participate in an event herself she "makes damn sure my flowers are there."
Entrepreneurial Growth Award sponsored by The Women's Enterprise Centre:
The Northern BC Today's Woman Awards is proud to recognize
Shelley Giese - PG Web Design Ltd. - Prince George
presenting the Entrepreneurial Growth Award on behalf of
The Women's Enterprise Centre is Shirley Higgins, Director.
Keeping up with changes in technology is one of the basic requirements of a web design business. As the internet grows and develops at an ever faster pace, it is important to stay on top of current trends, update work procedures to incorporate new standards and implement new techniques to ensure that businesses are able to take advantage of their website and fully utilize it as a marketing and communications tool.
Shelley has a thirst for growth and knowledge that inspires her to stay on the path to learning as much as possible. She is always ready to try new things and keeps a constant watch for applications and techniques that can take her designs to the next level. As a creative idea person, Shelley's favourite activity is brainstorming new marketing ideas with her clients. She is always ready to help and offers website marketing advice in most cases free of charge just for the thrill of it.
Technology Leadership Award sponsored by
Applied Science Technologists & Technicians of British Columbia:
Debora Munoz- Northern Health - Prince George
The Northern BC Today's Woman Awards is proud to recognize
Debora Munoz- Northern Health - Prince George
Presenting the Technology Leadership Award on behalf of ASTTBC is john leech, executive director & registrar of Applied Science Technologists & Technicians of British Columbia.
Over the past 25 years Debora Munoz has been a highly ethical and compassionate practitioner committed to examining one of the most complex and intriguing integrated processing systems known to mankind, the human brain. Debora works at PGRH, under the Northern Health Authority, as a clinical neurophysiology technologist. She applies bioelectric recording techniques to monitor and assess spontaneous electrical activity of the human brain, or brain waves. Recording brain waves allows her to detect altered physiology of the brain that is often not apparent on imaging studies.
Debora has demonstrated great leadership in her profession and she has fulfilled many roles as a clinical neurophysiology technologist, including technical apparatus inventor, a chief technologist, a supervisor of special procedures, an instructor, who also hosted the very first international evoked potentials exams and a corporate manager of five clinical neurophysiology departments.
Influence and Impact - Woman of the Year Award sponsored by
Commonwealth Financial:
Lee Hall - Health Services Administrator for Northern Health in the North Peace and Fort Nelson
The Northern BC Today's Woman Awards is proud to recognize
Lee Hall - Health Services Administrator for Northern Health in the North Peace and Fort Nelson presenting the Influence and Impact - Woman of the Year Award on behalf of Commonwealth Financial is Dan Mclaren, President.
Lee Hall was new to Fort St. John in 2004, relocating from Lloyd Minster Saskatchewan. She has an extensive background in health care management and a designation in physio therapy. lee is the health service administrator for the northern health authority and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of three northern BC hospitals. She manages a team of department heads and works with each of them to ensure processes run smoothly and guidelines are always followed.
Lee was given a mandate to bring the three communities under her jurisdiction, together to work as a team and strengthen abilities with each other's resources. She was successful with uniting the communities and work towards strategic plans to foster the growth of health care services.
She was also asked to spearhead a number of community initiatives such facility space planning, long-term care housing, new medical transportation resources and rehabilitation services for the entire Northern Health Authority. She also sits on numerous committees and groups throughout the province and always has the best interests of the clients at heart.
Lee is diplomatic, professional, intelligent, loyal, honest, dependable, motivated, efficient, effective, organized and undoubtedly caring!
