Showing posts with label National Council. Show all posts
Showing posts with label National Council. Show all posts
Sunday, September 19, 2010
National Council September Meeting
National Council had our September meeting today! We had a lot to talk about and a couple of CBP changes to go through. Keep an eye out for some voting and new information... and some blog announcements coming in the next few days too!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
National Council Bio: Sara DaSilva, VPAA
We continue the series of profiles of our National Council Members. These letters were written to the membership to help you get to know us better as your governing council. This letter is from Sara DaSilva, Vice President of Alumnae Affairs.
Hello everyone!
My name is Sara DaSilva, and I am the National Vice President of Alumnae Affairs for Phi Sigma Rho. I am 29 years old and live in a town called Pottstown, not too far from Philadelphia. I got married in 2007 to my husband Marco, and we have two dachshunds named Coco and Bear. I work as a Six Sigma Black Belt for Praxair, Inc., an industrial gases manufacturer. I am a chemical engineer who
went to Pittsburgh-Zeta, and I also have my MBA.
I grew up in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota and went to Catholic grade school and public high school. It was a huge switch going from a class of 19 to 650! My parents were transplants to Minnesota (my Mom is from Wausau, WI and my dad is from Cleveland) but have lived there ever since they got married. I have a younger brother named Dave, but unfortunately ladies, he is no longer single.
I had some great science teachers in high school who really made science challenging and fun. I am definitely a logical, analytical person, so I think engineering made sense for me at the time. But I also always enjoyed English and Music classes. I decided to go to Pitt in the fall of 1998 after looking at
several schools—we went there on a really beautiful day for the campus tour and I think that is what locked it in for me! Little did I know how gray it usually is in Pittsburgh.
All kidding aside, I loved Pittsburgh and my experience there. I really struggled at times with school, and I was never going to win any merit scholarships! But again I had teachers who cared whether I learned what they were teaching me, and they helped me make it. During school I co-oped at two different places: OSRAM Sylvania in Towanda, PA, and Honeywell Performance Fibers in Hopewell, VA. Neither of them were hiring when I graduated in April 2003, though. I wasn’t sure where I would want to live, so I would take anything that seemed right. I interviewed with lots of places but ultimately it came down to two companies that were supposed to make me job offers within the same week: GM and Praxair.
I found out about a program for Leadership Training at Praxair through another Pitt grad. For my interview with Praxair I was a mess! It was in Houston in May and it was about 95 degrees. There I was in my nice suit, eager to get the job--and my flight got cancelled! I showed up late to the interview and consequently had to be interviewed by a couple of the teams put together—there were 8 people interviewing me at once! But I got the job and definitely credit my ability to adapt to difficult situations in helping me make it through that situation and many others since then.
I started my leadership program in July 2003 in Suffield, CT. I got to travel all over the country and learn about the various parts of Praxair’s business. After about a year and a half I was transferred to my first permanent position as Facility Superintendent of a production plant in Hatfield, PA. At this time Marco came to live with me. We started dating in 2001 (and we met at a sorority party!). It was very nerve-wracking at first (I was worried he would get sick of my clutter and I wouldn’t be able to stand his neatness) but it did lead us to marriage! And the neatness and clutter is definitely an issue—but it’s worth it being married!
I have encountered a lot of tough situations in my job as I worked in a place with no other women and I was always the youngest person by at least 10 years—usually by about 30! I transitioned into my current role as a Black Belt in April 2009 and I have been very happy with it. It was a big shift from being a manager of about 20 people (now I work at home) but both work environments have their
advantages.
Because I have struggled both through school and in my jobs, I have always appreciated the bond of sisterhood. I have found it so hard to make friends once I moved new places, but Phi Sigma Rho has this terrific network of women who at least share one thing in common: something drove us to at
least attempt an engineering or science-related field! I have been able to meet some terrific women in the Philadelphia area that get together about once a month. We’re all from different chapters but it’s funny how much we have in common! And it’s wonderful to have some friends to lean on in those tough times.
I’ve often said that PSR means even more to me as an adult than it did while I was in school. I was an Alpha class member at Pitt, and I am so proud of my Charcoal Gray family (it’s very prolific!). I am also proud of what my chapter has become. I remember a semester when we only had 8 girls active, and now Pitt is one of the biggest chapters. When I was in school I held lots of different positions, but I loved being Vice President. When I graduated I decided to stay involved and I became the RFD for UConn-Theta. Then in my second year, Rutgers-Xi was added to my territory. I also became involved with the beginning stages of the Foundation at that time and ultimately decided to run for a National Council Position.
I ran for National VP of Alumnae Affairs in 2005, and was lucky to be elected. It was a learning curve at first, but there is always a mix of experienced and new people on Council, so I was able to catch up quickly. I enjoyed my two-year term and decided to run for President for the 11th National Council. I was elected again and spent an eye-opening two years as President. I learned to delegate and trust
people, and to use my management skills to maintain an effective and productive board. I decided one more term would be fun, so I ran for VPAA again, and that’s where I am now!
I’m very passionate about the alumnae experience and want other sisters to experience the benefits I have stumbled upon by meeting other great alums and networking and just connecting. Phi Rhos have enriched my life beyond what I could have expected. I talk to Phi Rhos about deciding whether and when to have kids, how to deal with bosses who think you should be more like a man, dealing with people at work who think you are too pretty to be smart, how to manage a dual-earner partnership with your spouse, but also what books are good, where to find good coupons, and where our next girls trip will be!
I will leave you with a few tidbits from my PSR experience. My best friend in the world is a Phi Rho. Seeing her be able to manage having a child, a husband, and a job made me realize I can do it too. At my little’s wedding last August, we actually sang the Phi Rho Round and circled around her. My chapter’s alumnae welcome the new alums every semester by taking them to a piano bar and having them go on stage. I would consider myself an honorary member of at least two other chapters where I’ve gotten to know some of the alums very well. We are proud that we are an engineering sorority. Penguin Perks and snaps to all of my Phi Rho friends!!
Phi Rho Love,
Sara DaSilva
National VP of Alumnae Affairs
Sara.engel.phirho@gmail.com
Hello everyone!
My name is Sara DaSilva, and I am the National Vice President of Alumnae Affairs for Phi Sigma Rho. I am 29 years old and live in a town called Pottstown, not too far from Philadelphia. I got married in 2007 to my husband Marco, and we have two dachshunds named Coco and Bear. I work as a Six Sigma Black Belt for Praxair, Inc., an industrial gases manufacturer. I am a chemical engineer who
went to Pittsburgh-Zeta, and I also have my MBA.
I grew up in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota and went to Catholic grade school and public high school. It was a huge switch going from a class of 19 to 650! My parents were transplants to Minnesota (my Mom is from Wausau, WI and my dad is from Cleveland) but have lived there ever since they got married. I have a younger brother named Dave, but unfortunately ladies, he is no longer single.
I had some great science teachers in high school who really made science challenging and fun. I am definitely a logical, analytical person, so I think engineering made sense for me at the time. But I also always enjoyed English and Music classes. I decided to go to Pitt in the fall of 1998 after looking at
several schools—we went there on a really beautiful day for the campus tour and I think that is what locked it in for me! Little did I know how gray it usually is in Pittsburgh.
All kidding aside, I loved Pittsburgh and my experience there. I really struggled at times with school, and I was never going to win any merit scholarships! But again I had teachers who cared whether I learned what they were teaching me, and they helped me make it. During school I co-oped at two different places: OSRAM Sylvania in Towanda, PA, and Honeywell Performance Fibers in Hopewell, VA. Neither of them were hiring when I graduated in April 2003, though. I wasn’t sure where I would want to live, so I would take anything that seemed right. I interviewed with lots of places but ultimately it came down to two companies that were supposed to make me job offers within the same week: GM and Praxair.
I found out about a program for Leadership Training at Praxair through another Pitt grad. For my interview with Praxair I was a mess! It was in Houston in May and it was about 95 degrees. There I was in my nice suit, eager to get the job--and my flight got cancelled! I showed up late to the interview and consequently had to be interviewed by a couple of the teams put together—there were 8 people interviewing me at once! But I got the job and definitely credit my ability to adapt to difficult situations in helping me make it through that situation and many others since then.
I started my leadership program in July 2003 in Suffield, CT. I got to travel all over the country and learn about the various parts of Praxair’s business. After about a year and a half I was transferred to my first permanent position as Facility Superintendent of a production plant in Hatfield, PA. At this time Marco came to live with me. We started dating in 2001 (and we met at a sorority party!). It was very nerve-wracking at first (I was worried he would get sick of my clutter and I wouldn’t be able to stand his neatness) but it did lead us to marriage! And the neatness and clutter is definitely an issue—but it’s worth it being married!
I have encountered a lot of tough situations in my job as I worked in a place with no other women and I was always the youngest person by at least 10 years—usually by about 30! I transitioned into my current role as a Black Belt in April 2009 and I have been very happy with it. It was a big shift from being a manager of about 20 people (now I work at home) but both work environments have their
advantages.
Because I have struggled both through school and in my jobs, I have always appreciated the bond of sisterhood. I have found it so hard to make friends once I moved new places, but Phi Sigma Rho has this terrific network of women who at least share one thing in common: something drove us to at
least attempt an engineering or science-related field! I have been able to meet some terrific women in the Philadelphia area that get together about once a month. We’re all from different chapters but it’s funny how much we have in common! And it’s wonderful to have some friends to lean on in those tough times.
I’ve often said that PSR means even more to me as an adult than it did while I was in school. I was an Alpha class member at Pitt, and I am so proud of my Charcoal Gray family (it’s very prolific!). I am also proud of what my chapter has become. I remember a semester when we only had 8 girls active, and now Pitt is one of the biggest chapters. When I was in school I held lots of different positions, but I loved being Vice President. When I graduated I decided to stay involved and I became the RFD for UConn-Theta. Then in my second year, Rutgers-Xi was added to my territory. I also became involved with the beginning stages of the Foundation at that time and ultimately decided to run for a National Council Position.
I ran for National VP of Alumnae Affairs in 2005, and was lucky to be elected. It was a learning curve at first, but there is always a mix of experienced and new people on Council, so I was able to catch up quickly. I enjoyed my two-year term and decided to run for President for the 11th National Council. I was elected again and spent an eye-opening two years as President. I learned to delegate and trust
people, and to use my management skills to maintain an effective and productive board. I decided one more term would be fun, so I ran for VPAA again, and that’s where I am now!
I’m very passionate about the alumnae experience and want other sisters to experience the benefits I have stumbled upon by meeting other great alums and networking and just connecting. Phi Rhos have enriched my life beyond what I could have expected. I talk to Phi Rhos about deciding whether and when to have kids, how to deal with bosses who think you should be more like a man, dealing with people at work who think you are too pretty to be smart, how to manage a dual-earner partnership with your spouse, but also what books are good, where to find good coupons, and where our next girls trip will be!
I will leave you with a few tidbits from my PSR experience. My best friend in the world is a Phi Rho. Seeing her be able to manage having a child, a husband, and a job made me realize I can do it too. At my little’s wedding last August, we actually sang the Phi Rho Round and circled around her. My chapter’s alumnae welcome the new alums every semester by taking them to a piano bar and having them go on stage. I would consider myself an honorary member of at least two other chapters where I’ve gotten to know some of the alums very well. We are proud that we are an engineering sorority. Penguin Perks and snaps to all of my Phi Rho friends!!
Phi Rho Love,
Sara DaSilva
National VP of Alumnae Affairs
Sara.engel.phirho@gmail.com
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
National Council Bio: Stephanie Gagliardi, VPE
As you may know, Phi Sigma Rho National Council has been undertaking a National Awareness Campaign for the last few years. We want National Council to be more transparent to our membership and to allow you to get to know us, even if it is virtually!
We would like to share National Council bios with all of you. You may have seen some of these before, but we like to take advantage of all the social networking options available to us!
Introducing: Stephanie Gagliardi, the VP of Expansion! (Written in July 2010)
Dear Sisters,
My name is Stephanie Gagliardi and I am the new National Vice President of Expansion. It is my first day back in the “real world” after a great weekend full of Phi Rho love at LEAP Conference 2010 in Cleveland, OH. I had a wonderful time meeting many of you for the first time, as well as reconnecting with some familiar faces. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and share some details about my background.
I was born in New Haven, Connecticut and have lived in East Haven, Connecticut for the past 23 years. In High School I applied to college as an undecided major, but by the middle of my senior year, I planned to attend college to pursue English and Political Science, but boy was I ever wrong about that! I attended a technology exposition with my Computer Graphics class, and participated in a demonstration given by a Chemical Engineering professor. Being enrolled in AP Chemistry at the time, I was able to answer all of his questions and actively participate in his demonstration. Given my strong math and science background, suddenly I was hooked on the possibility of becoming an engineer.
I attended the University of Connecticut, Go Huskies! (I am an especially big fan of the women’s basketball team), along and ended up majoring in Materials Science in Engineering, after switching back and forth between MSE and CHEG a couple of times. I rushed Phi Rho in the spring of my freshman year and became a member of the Theta Chapter Kappa Class. Phi Rho helped me to figure out who I was and to find my niche. I had always wanted to be in a sorority and Phi Sigma Rho seemed like the perfect fit for me. Unlike most engineering students, I did not have an internship during college (which I deeply regret and strongly encourage all of you to pursue). I was however fortunate enough to gain some research experience with wear and fatigue testing of materials.
Post graduation I frantically utilized monster.com to find a job in industry. This proved to be rather difficult given the economy, no one seemed to be hiring. Finally, I was granted an interview with an engineering outsourcing company, and the hiring manager, was none other than a Phi Sigma Rho alumna from the Theta chapter! I was hired, and have been working ever since, starting out supporting Pratt and Whitney as a Project Engineer and Cost Reduction Team Lead, and now supporting Hamilton Sundstrand as a Materials Engineer/Failure Analyst, both of which are divisions of United Technologies Corporation (UTC). There are now 4 Theta Chapter Phi Rho’s working at my company, and some other alumnae working at the companies we support.
In addition to my full-time engineering job, I am a Daisy Girl Scout leader in East Haven, CT, a part-time employee at Weight Watchers, a member of my local SWE professional section, and of course a Phi Sigma Rho volunteer! I also spend a lot of my free time exercising with Zumba classes, boot camp classes (6-7am before work 3 times a week! Check out the video on my facebook!), Jillian Michaels DVDs, and running 5Ks. I am also a HUGE country music fan (especially Keith Urban) and love attending concerts!
After making many great memories and gaining friendships, motivation, and inspiration from the Penn State Regional Conference in 2007, LEAP Conference 2008, and Convention 2009, I knew immediately upon graduation that I wanted to continue to stay as involved as possible because I wanted to give back to the sisterhood all that it had given to me and more. I wanted the opportunity to make a difference in future of the sorority, meet more sisters from across the nation, and share my ideas and opinions.
At LEAP Conference 2010, it was said “You only have 4 years to be an active sister of Phi Sigma Rho, but the rest of your life as an alumna”, and I wanted to make the most of that opportunity. I joined the LEAP Committee and became the Alumnae Programming Director, which was a very rewarding experience and offered me the freedom to explore a lot of new ideas and programs. After serving for about a year in that role, I was selected to become the new VP of Expansion on the 12th National Council.
As VP of Expansion it is my responsibility to coordinate and implement expansion efforts. This includes providing support to interest groups and colonies throughout the process to become a chapter, as well as seeking out new campuses that Phi Rho would like to become a part of. Some of my current goals include: updating the colony educator manual, revamping and creating sorority promotional materials, and creating a strategic expansion plan. I hope to create a more solid foundation and standardized expansion process to lay the groundwork for achieving “30 chapters in 30 years” by 2014, while ensuring that the current needs of our colonies and interest groups are adequately met.
3 Random Facts About Me
1. I’ve hugged a beluga whale.
2. I once ate 24 Wendy’s Chicken Nuggets in 3 minutes (AEPi philanthropy event)
3. I’ve seen Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Montgomery Gentry, Sugarland, and Kenny Chesney front row in concert!
Stephanie Gagliardi
VP of Expansion
vpofexpansion@phisigmarho.org
Sunday, July 4, 2010
National Council June Meeting
Last weekend, National Council had our June meeting. We had a lot of exciting things going on and some necessary operations updates to work through. This meeting was focused on some policy and bylaw amendments addressing our RFD terms, insurance fees (as we warned everyone would come this summer!), and National Council visits. Look for an update on those changes coming up this summer.
And of course we talked about our plans for Conference 2010 next month (wow, in less than 2 weeks now!). We are thrilled to see everyone in Cleveland and can't wait to attend the LEAP workshops, networking activities, and legislative session with you all!
And of course we talked about our plans for Conference 2010 next month (wow, in less than 2 weeks now!). We are thrilled to see everyone in Cleveland and can't wait to attend the LEAP workshops, networking activities, and legislative session with you all!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Welcome to our new VP of Expansion!
The 12th National Council is pleased to announce the appointment of our new VP of Expansion, Stephanie Gagliardi (UConn-Theta Alumna)! Please join us in welcoming Stephanie to National Council. Don't worry, you'll hear more from her soon.
We would also like to thank our former VPE, Cate (Knapp) Landry (PSU-Lambda Alumna) for her dedicated service over the last year. We wish her the best of luck in her endeavors and look forward to having her volunteer again in the future!
We would also like to thank our former VPE, Cate (Knapp) Landry (PSU-Lambda Alumna) for her dedicated service over the last year. We wish her the best of luck in her endeavors and look forward to having her volunteer again in the future!
Monday, March 22, 2010
National Council Spring 2010 Face-to-Face Meeting
This past weekend, National Council met in Indianapolis, IN for our Spring 2010 Face-to-Face meeting! We had a very exciting weekend with a lot to do and a lot to accomplish. This spring, our session focused on the following:
We were very lucky this weekend to be able to spend time with Brian Tenclinger, the Executive Director of Triangle, at their headquarters to discuss potential areas of collaboration - including Convention 2011! We're very excited about the opportunities to work together at a national level. Brian Tenclinger, Ryan Hayes (Foundation Director of Development),and Jeff Cottrell (Triangle Vice President) also joined us for our social on Friday night. Many thanks to the guys from Triangle for their support, ideas, and time!
Also, a thank you to VP of Communications, Kristie (Rector) Waters for hosting us in Indy!
- National Council training (required for National Council as the LEAP Star Award)
- Finalizing the strategic plan - we're almost finished and can't wait to share it with you all at Conference 2010
- Conference 2010 Planning
- National Awareness Campaign planning - get ready chapters, we'll be on our way to visit you all soon!
- Technology improvements for the national organization
- Updates on how the chapters are doing
- And a meeting with Triangle at their headquarters
- Some fun teambuilding activities for National Council - with a few Triangle guys there too
We were very lucky this weekend to be able to spend time with Brian Tenclinger, the Executive Director of Triangle, at their headquarters to discuss potential areas of collaboration - including Convention 2011! We're very excited about the opportunities to work together at a national level. Brian Tenclinger, Ryan Hayes (Foundation Director of Development),and Jeff Cottrell (Triangle Vice President) also joined us for our social on Friday night. Many thanks to the guys from Triangle for their support, ideas, and time!
Also, a thank you to VP of Communications, Kristie (Rector) Waters for hosting us in Indy!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
PSR 12th National Council Spring 2010 Face-to-Face Meeting
National Council has scheduled our Spring 2010 Face-to-Face meeting. We will be hosted by VP of Communications, Kristie (Rector) Waters, in Indianapolis, IN.
We have a lot to do at this meeting - we plan to complete our required LEAP training and finish up some of our strategic planning to get it read for review and presentation at Conference.
We're also looking forward to catching up with the Triangle staff at their headquarters for some of our trip! (Thanks, Brian!) If you have any questions or comments, please let us know and we'll keep you posted on what we accomplish!
We have a lot to do at this meeting - we plan to complete our required LEAP training and finish up some of our strategic planning to get it read for review and presentation at Conference.
We're also looking forward to catching up with the Triangle staff at their headquarters for some of our trip! (Thanks, Brian!) If you have any questions or comments, please let us know and we'll keep you posted on what we accomplish!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Phi Sigma Rho Welcomes a New VP of Finance!
In case you haven't heard the news yet, the 12th National Council has appointed a new VP of Finance - Anita Ambani (PSU-Lambda Alumna)!!!
Please join us in welcoming Anita to National Council! We'll have Anita introduce herself to you all just as soon as she gets settled.
Please join us in welcoming Anita to National Council! We'll have Anita introduce herself to you all just as soon as she gets settled.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
12th National Council Fall 2009 Meeting
This past weekend, the 12th National Council got together for our first face-to-face meeting since Convention 2009. We had a very busy weekend together - since we're spread out so far across the country we needed to take advantage of this time we had together!
One of the key focuses of the weekend has been our strategic plan for the next 5 years. While we have some work to do on finalizing our plan and actions, we are all confidant that we have a great plan that will address some of the current concerns and focus areas that are important to actives and alumnae. Look for more information in the near future - but if you want the full brief of the final plan, make sure to meet us at National Leadership Conference 2010!
The other focus areas of this weekend included:
-The National Awareness Campaign
-Planning for National Leadership Conference 2010
-Budget and the 2010 grant request we will soon make to the Foundation
-Some current standards areas of concern coming from the Actives
-Continuing to streamline and improve efficiency of National Council operations and organization
-And a million other great ideas that we have been talking about!
As always, I enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with my sisters - you ladies are an inspiration and great motivation to me!
One of the key focuses of the weekend has been our strategic plan for the next 5 years. While we have some work to do on finalizing our plan and actions, we are all confidant that we have a great plan that will address some of the current concerns and focus areas that are important to actives and alumnae. Look for more information in the near future - but if you want the full brief of the final plan, make sure to meet us at National Leadership Conference 2010!
The other focus areas of this weekend included:
-The National Awareness Campaign
-Planning for National Leadership Conference 2010
-Budget and the 2010 grant request we will soon make to the Foundation
-Some current standards areas of concern coming from the Actives
-Continuing to streamline and improve efficiency of National Council operations and organization
-And a million other great ideas that we have been talking about!
As always, I enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with my sisters - you ladies are an inspiration and great motivation to me!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
National Council Fall 2009 Face-to-Face Meeting
National Council is getting ready for the 1st face-to-face meeting of the 12th National Council. We will be hosted by VP of Expansion, Cate Landry, in Orlando.
The main focus of the F2F will be the strategic plan for 2010-2014. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know!
The main focus of the F2F will be the strategic plan for 2010-2014. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
National Council October Meeting
Tonight, National Council had our October meeting. A lot of the discussion tonight focused on preparing for the strategic plan at our face-to-face meeting next month and next steps of our National Awareness Campaign, continued from the one that the 11th National Council started.
We also got a lot of updates from the Council members and Foundation on all the wonderful things we're working on, such as the West Regional Conference coming up in November, the end of Resumania, Ritual updates, Conference 2010 planning, alumnae and chapter updates, expansion activities, and the upcoming newsletter!
Watch for more updates soon!
We also got a lot of updates from the Council members and Foundation on all the wonderful things we're working on, such as the West Regional Conference coming up in November, the end of Resumania, Ritual updates, Conference 2010 planning, alumnae and chapter updates, expansion activities, and the upcoming newsletter!
Watch for more updates soon!
Monday, September 21, 2009
September 2009 National Council Meeting
Last week, National Council met for our September monthly meeting. We had a lot of business to discuss this week - a few proposals on bylaw changes and some fun stuff, including our Fall newsletter. We got some updates on what is going on with all of the chapters and our current expansion efforts, including VCU this weekend! The most exciting is preparation to work on the strategic plan at our November Face-to-Face meeting. Last month, National Council was finishing up setting our personal goals for the next two years and each officer had a one-on-one with me to finalize our transition steps. We have definitely been busy, and I think you'll be hearing some exciting things in the next few months!
PRL,
Nikki
PRL,
Nikki
Saturday, August 29, 2009
12th National Council Meetings
Last week, the 12th National Coucil had it's first monthly meeting. We would like to keep you up to date on what kind of things we are busy working on.
Each month, the NC will get together via teleconference and internet on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 9pm EST/6pm PST. If you have any questions, please feel free to let us know!
Last week, we spent our time talking about:
-Expansion
-A few strategic proposals we received and are working on
-NC Officer transition improvements (yes, we need to work on this stuff too!)
-The next version of the National Awareness Campaign
-Planning our NC Face-to-Face (while NC is a completely virtual team, we do need to get together at least twice a year separate from the convention to get some good work done together!)
Our next Face-to-Face meeting is going to be the weekend of Nov. 21st, so look for more information on what we're planning coming up!
Let us know if you have any questions or want any additional information!
Each month, the NC will get together via teleconference and internet on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 9pm EST/6pm PST. If you have any questions, please feel free to let us know!
Last week, we spent our time talking about:
-Expansion
-A few strategic proposals we received and are working on
-NC Officer transition improvements (yes, we need to work on this stuff too!)
-The next version of the National Awareness Campaign
-Planning our NC Face-to-Face (while NC is a completely virtual team, we do need to get together at least twice a year separate from the convention to get some good work done together!)
Our next Face-to-Face meeting is going to be the weekend of Nov. 21st, so look for more information on what we're planning coming up!
Let us know if you have any questions or want any additional information!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Congratulations to the 12th NC! Thank you to the 11th NC!
The National Convention elected our 12th National Council of Phi Sigma Rho at National Convention 2009! Here are our new council members:
President: Nikki Yovanof, Lambda: president [at] phisigmarho [dot] org
VP of Standards: Becky Frye, Kappa: vpofstandards [at] phisigmarho [dot] org
VP of Finance: Kellan Ponikiewicz, Lambda: vpoffinance [at] phisigmarho [dot] org
VP of Communications: Kristen Waters, Lambda: vpofcommunications [at] phisigmarho [dot] org
VP of Collegiate Affairs: Teresa Phillips, Theta: vpofcollegiateaffairs [at] phisigmarho [dot] org
VP of Alumnae Affairs: Sara DaSilva, Zeta: vpofalumnaeaffairs [at] phisigmarho [dot] org
VP of Programming: Minna Krejci, Omicron: vpofprogramming [at] phisigmarho [dot] org
VP of Expansion: Cate Landry, Lambda: vpofexpansion [at] phisigmarho [dot] org
VP of Publications: Jennifer Andy, Omicron: vpofpublications [at] phisigmarho [dot] org
Thank you to the 11th National Council for all of your hard work! Penguin Shout-out to the past NC officers:
Sara DaSilva, President
Vivian Robertson, VP of Standards
Allison Lenhoff, VP of Finance
Lindsay Gelorme, VP of Communications
Tracy Egut, VP of Collegiate Affairs
Monique Chinchar, VP of Alumnae Affairs
Nikki Yovanof, VP of Programming
Sharon James, VP of Expansion
Meghan Edwards, VP of Publications
President: Nikki Yovanof, Lambda: president [at] phisigmarho [dot] org
VP of Standards: Becky Frye, Kappa: vpofstandards [at] phisigmarho [dot] org
VP of Finance: Kellan Ponikiewicz, Lambda: vpoffinance [at] phisigmarho [dot] org
VP of Communications: Kristen Waters, Lambda: vpofcommunications [at] phisigmarho [dot] org
VP of Collegiate Affairs: Teresa Phillips, Theta: vpofcollegiateaffairs [at] phisigmarho [dot] org
VP of Alumnae Affairs: Sara DaSilva, Zeta: vpofalumnaeaffairs [at] phisigmarho [dot] org
VP of Programming: Minna Krejci, Omicron: vpofprogramming [at] phisigmarho [dot] org
VP of Expansion: Cate Landry, Lambda: vpofexpansion [at] phisigmarho [dot] org
VP of Publications: Jennifer Andy, Omicron: vpofpublications [at] phisigmarho [dot] org
Thank you to the 11th National Council for all of your hard work! Penguin Shout-out to the past NC officers:
Sara DaSilva, President
Vivian Robertson, VP of Standards
Allison Lenhoff, VP of Finance
Lindsay Gelorme, VP of Communications
Tracy Egut, VP of Collegiate Affairs
Monique Chinchar, VP of Alumnae Affairs
Nikki Yovanof, VP of Programming
Sharon James, VP of Expansion
Meghan Edwards, VP of Publications
Sunday, July 19, 2009
National Convention 2009 - The Big Day!
On Saturday at Convention, we had so much fun celebrating that we didn't get a chance to tell you all about the day! What a great celebration it was! Look for more information and details soon - but here are some of the highlights!
We started out the morning with the legislative session where we voted on some proposals and held elections for the 12th National Council of Phi Sigma Rho! Congratulations to our new officers and the ritual committee for a job well done.
After the legislative session, we had a great awards lunch where we got to thank our convention volunteers, present chapter and alumnae awards, and hear from our Founders! Abby, Rashmi, and Christine all took a few minutes to talk about their experiences and their thoughts on PSR. Between some of the awards and their speech, we had a very emotional event and some inspiring moments.
The afternoon was filled with roundtable discussions, meetings, and other activities including the Foundation Hospitality Suite for donors. All day, the Phi Rho Lounge was filled with people and amazing historical items. You could also see a table completely covered with donations for the penguin drive for the Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh.
The final celebration of the weekend was our Pyramid Builders Award Banquet where we honored sisters for the top 25 significant contributions to the sorority. Our MC's did an amazing job - Christine, Kristin, Minna, Leanna, and Lisa were great! And our sisters have been truly inspiring over the last 25 years - we cannot wait to see what the next 25 hold for us!!! (Stay tuned for more ideas for the next 25 years from Convention!)
We found out about a special surprise at the banquet too - Christine Jackson and the Foundation raised $10,000 this weekend! What an amazing accomplishment - thank you to all of our generous donors. We are so excited about the potential that all these donations can bring to future sorority events.
The celebrating lasted well into the evening when the Pitt-Zeta chapter hosted a Murder Mystery night that was quite a hit and the other alumnae and actives hit the dance floor all night! Look for pictures soon - we had a blast! How many other sorority girls can say they danced all night with their Founders?
Congratulations on 25 years Phi Sigma Rho! We hope you all had as much fun celebrating as we did!
We started out the morning with the legislative session where we voted on some proposals and held elections for the 12th National Council of Phi Sigma Rho! Congratulations to our new officers and the ritual committee for a job well done.
After the legislative session, we had a great awards lunch where we got to thank our convention volunteers, present chapter and alumnae awards, and hear from our Founders! Abby, Rashmi, and Christine all took a few minutes to talk about their experiences and their thoughts on PSR. Between some of the awards and their speech, we had a very emotional event and some inspiring moments.
The afternoon was filled with roundtable discussions, meetings, and other activities including the Foundation Hospitality Suite for donors. All day, the Phi Rho Lounge was filled with people and amazing historical items. You could also see a table completely covered with donations for the penguin drive for the Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh.
The final celebration of the weekend was our Pyramid Builders Award Banquet where we honored sisters for the top 25 significant contributions to the sorority. Our MC's did an amazing job - Christine, Kristin, Minna, Leanna, and Lisa were great! And our sisters have been truly inspiring over the last 25 years - we cannot wait to see what the next 25 hold for us!!! (Stay tuned for more ideas for the next 25 years from Convention!)
We found out about a special surprise at the banquet too - Christine Jackson and the Foundation raised $10,000 this weekend! What an amazing accomplishment - thank you to all of our generous donors. We are so excited about the potential that all these donations can bring to future sorority events.
The celebrating lasted well into the evening when the Pitt-Zeta chapter hosted a Murder Mystery night that was quite a hit and the other alumnae and actives hit the dance floor all night! Look for pictures soon - we had a blast! How many other sorority girls can say they danced all night with their Founders?
Congratulations on 25 years Phi Sigma Rho! We hope you all had as much fun celebrating as we did!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Kicking-off Convention 2009!
National Convention 2009 kicked-off tonight with a few fun events! We hosted about 70 people at the meet & greet followed by the State of the Sorority Address and Q&A with National Council and the Foundation. After that, we kicked off the celebration with some karaoke thanks to the talents our Pitt-Zeta actives and our national volunteer Minna Krejci.
We're so excited to be in Pittsburgh this weekend and can't wait to see how the LEAP workshops and alumnae sessions go tomorrow. We hope to keep you all updated on the activities of the weekend as we celebrate silver!
We're so excited to be in Pittsburgh this weekend and can't wait to see how the LEAP workshops and alumnae sessions go tomorrow. We hope to keep you all updated on the activities of the weekend as we celebrate silver!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Meet our new Director of Operations!
Meet one of our new employees, Phi Sigma Rho's first Director of Operations:
I grew up in Northeast Ohio. I graduated from The Ohio State University in 2002 with a B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering. I joined Phi Sigma Rho during my sophomore year (since I transferred to OSU) in 1997 as part of the Upsilon Class at the Beta Chapter. I lived in the house during my last 2 years at OSU and have many many fond memories!
I grew up in Northeast Ohio. I graduated from The Ohio State University in 2002 with a B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering. I joined Phi Sigma Rho during my sophomore year (since I transferred to OSU) in 1997 as part of the Upsilon Class at the Beta Chapter. I lived in the house during my last 2 years at OSU and have many many fond memories!
I've held several jobs since graduation at McKesson in Richmond, VA, Limited Brands in Columbus, Ohio, National City Bank in Cleveland, Oh and most recently with Exel Logistics, which is based out of Westerville, OH but I work from home in Akron, Ohio. All of my positions have been focused on process improvements, project management and labor management. I am a Six Sigma Black Belt, a certified Project Manager (PMP), and am certified in labor standard methodologies. In August of 2008 I completed my MBA at Ashland University.
With all that being said, I've recently decided to quit corporate america! I have spent over 75% of my career traveling and away from my family and it's beginning to be too much to handle especially now that I have two little ones at home! I've decided to re-focus my life on the things that I place the highest value on. Although I'm going to be a full-time mom to Lucy (2 1/2 years old) and Gretchen (6 months old), I did not want to lose myself and everything that I worked for. The opportunity with the sorority came at a great time because it honestly answered my prayers of finding some middle ground! My best friends are my Phi Rho sisters and the older I get the more I realize what an impact Phi Sigma Rho has had on my life -- I honestly can't imagine where I would be today without the experiences I've shared with some wonderful women who have pushed me and challenged me to achieve more and to be a better person and a better mother. All of these women are, of course, my Phi Rho Sisters! I'm also blessed to have a supportive husband, Brian (can't forget to mention him!)
Lisa (Preebe) Canterbury
DirectorofOperations@phisigmarho.org
Ohio State - Beta Alumna
Friday, May 8, 2009
Convention 2009 Registration - Less than a month left to sign up for the fun!
We are very excited to tell everyone that as of our early bird registration close last Friday, we have over 130 attendees registered for Convention 2009! This is definitely a great showing for the event and we're looking forward to seeing you there.
So far these numbers also include registrations from past National Council officers and some of our founders! Abby and Rashmi will both be in attendance, and they'll be joined by Christine Jackson, another charter member! Since registration is still open until June 1st, who knows what other surprises we'll have in store!
It's not too late, you can still register: http://www.phisigmarho.org/Convention2009/
So far these numbers also include registrations from past National Council officers and some of our founders! Abby and Rashmi will both be in attendance, and they'll be joined by Christine Jackson, another charter member! Since registration is still open until June 1st, who knows what other surprises we'll have in store!
It's not too late, you can still register: http://www.phisigmarho.org/Convention2009/
Thursday, May 7, 2009
News from the PSR Nominating Committee for the 12th NC!
The preliminary slate of candidates for the 12th National Council is complete and has been sent to all who are eligible to vote at the National Convention meeting. The candidates' platforms will be available to view in the "Sisters Only" section of the National website by Monday, May 11, 2009. A login and password is required and will be made available to voting delegates.
There is still opportunity for sisters who are not on the slate or who were not nominated to run for a National Council position. An individual sister, active chapter, or alumnae group may nominate other sisters, or a sister may nominate herself, by contacting the Nominating Committee for a nomination form. A sister who wishes to be considered as candidate will then be required to submit a platform to the Nominating Committee by June 1, 2009. The Nominating Committee will follow up with all additional candidates, which may include phone interviews. The final National Council ballot will be announced on June 15, 2009.
There is also still opportunity for sisters to run for a Foundation Board of Directors position. A sister who wishes to be considered as a candidate for the Foundation must follow the same process detailed above, with a deadline of May 20, 2009. Platforms submitted to the Nominating Committee for Foundation positions will be sent to the current Foundation Board of Directors. These candidates are not voted on by the general Sorority body, but are selected by the Foundation Board of Directors.
Please contact the Nominating Committee at nominations@phisigmarho.org with questions and requests for more information or nominating documents.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
PSR Around the Country
Today I checked out our PSR Google Map and was amazed to see how many Phi Rho's are now on there! I think this is a really cool tool to see where everyone is, like alumnae:
Chapters & National Council members:
I'm so glad to see people using it! This is a great way to find out where other Phi Rhos are, National Council, and how close you are to all our Chapters!
*For more information, the link to the website, or to add/update your information on the map, contact AJ: tigramber@gmail.com*
Chapters & National Council members:
I'm so glad to see people using it! This is a great way to find out where other Phi Rhos are, National Council, and how close you are to all our Chapters!
*For more information, the link to the website, or to add/update your information on the map, contact AJ: tigramber@gmail.com*
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