Contact: Susan Baka
Co-VP, Communications
Sbaka@baycomm.ca
DIVERSE GROUP TAKES REINS TO LEAD GLOBAL WOMEN’S GROUP
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 19, 2016) – The Organization of Women in International Trade (“OWIT”) is pleased to announce that a team of dynamic and accomplished group of global women elected to serve on the 2016-17 OWIT Executive Committee assumed their roles January 1, 2016. These Executive Committee members will lead the world’s premier organization for women and men who are focused on sharing global business knowledge and contacts, peer mentoring, professional development and entrepreneurship.
Members of the new OWIT Executive team are:
President – Andrea Ewart (Washington, D.C. Chapter), International Trade Attorney and Consultant, Founder & CEO, DevelopTradeLaw LLC, Washington, D.C.
Immediate Past President – Karen Bland (Hampton Roads Chapter), Deputy General Counsel, Ferguson Enterprises, Hampton, Virginia
Executive Vice President/President-Elect – Jennifer Diaz (South Florida Chapter), International Trade & Customs Attorney, Founder, Diaz Trade Law, P.A., Miami, Florida
Treasurer – Janet Strong (NE Ohio Chapter), Manager, International Business Development, Zircoa Inc., Solon, Ohio
Assistant Treasurer – Magda Gomez (S. Florida Chapter), Senior Tax Accountant, Goldstein Schechter Koch, CPAs, Miami, Florida
Secretary/General Counsel – Margaret Heine (Orange County Chapter), Attorney at Law, Heine Law Group, Fullerton, California
Assistant Secretary/General Counsel – Deepti Vithal (New York Chapter), International Trade Attorney, Pasricha & Patel, LLC, New York City, New York
Vice President, Strategy – Violette Ruppanner (Geneva Chapter), Partner, Strategos SA, Geneva, Switzerland
Co-Vice President, Chapter Development – Freda Owinga (Nairobi Chapter), CEO & Founder, PassionProfit Ltd., Nairobi, Kenya
Co-Vice President Chapter Development – Stephanie Kam (Ottawa Chapter), Senior Consultant and Legal Counsel, CPCS Transcom Limited, Ottawa, Ontario
Co-Vice President, Chapter Support – Tamuna Gabilaia (Washington, D.C. Chapter), Executive Director, World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (WFDSA), Washington, D.C.
Co-Vice President, Chapter Support – Banu Demiralp (Washington, D.C. Chapter), Vice President of Operations and Global Membership Liaison at World Future Society, Washington, D.C.
Co-Vice President, Marketing/Communications/Public Relations – Susan Baka (Toronto Chapter), President, Bay Communications & Marketing Inc., Toronto, Ontario
Co-Vice President, Marketing/Communications/Public Relations – Anne Deetjen (Lake Geneva Chapter), Communications & Marketing Professional, Lausanne, Switzerland
Co-Vice President, Partnerships – Angela Marshall Hofmann (Washington, D.C. Chapter), International Policy, Trade & Development Executive, Bentonville, Arkansas
Co-Vice President, Partnerships – Aze Malawo (Virtual Chapter), International Development Professional, Seattle, Washington
Co-Vice President, Programs – Laura Halik (Phoenix Chapter), Founder, Global Partners International, LLC, Phoenix, Arizona
Co-Vice President, Programs – Kelly Nelson (Atlanta Chapter), Manager, U.S. Trade and Customs Practice, KPMG, Atlanta, Georgia
Co-Vice President, Information Technology – Pat Granum (Virtual Chapter), CEO/President, Co- Operations, Inc., Portland, Oregon
Co-Vice President, Information Technology – Sabina Zunguze (Tampa Chapter), Founder & Owner, Beautiful Options USA (dba Gift To Africa), Basa Body LLC and Muchero LLC – USA, Tampa, Florida
“The new Executive Committee is an incredibly diverse group of both experienced and new talent from around the world,” says incoming President, Andrea Ewart. “This team represents the best of OWIT’s 25- year existence and I look forward to working with everyone over the next two years beginning with a strategic quest to establish the direction for OWIT’s next 25 years,” continues Andrea.
The organization also recognized the outgoing Board members for their contributions to OWIT. During their term OWIT built a new website and ramped up its successful webinar program focused on trade and international business education.
About OWIT
The Organization of Women in International Trade (www.owit.org) is a non-profit professional organization dedicated to advancing global trade opportunities for women by providing networking and educational opportunities. It has over 26 chapters in countries worldwide as well as a virtual chapter.