When I joined TIAW some fifteen years ago, it was the motto ‘connecting to make a difference’ that made an impression on me. In these economically challenging times, that motto has never been so important. The TIAW Global Partnership Forum recently held in
Toronto was a superb example of this.
As the new TIAW President, I look forward to leading the TIAW Board to meet the needs of our member associations and individual members.My leadership skills have been honed with FEW (Tokyo), PrimeTime (Singapore), and CWN (
London, ). I was proud to lead them and I am equally proud to lead TIAW, an umbrella organisation that connects both individual members and over forty associations around the world.
As a marketing professional, I have lived and worked half my career overseas - in Nigeria, USA, Japan, Singapore and the UK. My goal is to keep up the momentum to increase the awareness of TIAW in all the regions by sharing resources and best practices. The pilot TIAW Global Cities event in
London was a great success with the organising team having expanded to a larger group meeting regularly at Asia House. In 2009, members in
Washington DC hope to emulate its success, and I hope members in other Global Cities will follow their example.
Not only will I be encouraging such regional events but I will be championing the development of our website. The groundwork has already been done by the marketing committee. At the TIAW Global Partnership Forum, we heard all about the latest developments in connectivity, and it is my intention that TIAW embraces the new technologies to further our mission to advance the economic empowerment of women.
It is with much gratitude that I salute my predecessor, Stephanie MacKendrick for the outstanding commitment that she gave during her tenure particularly to improving our structure of governance, as well as taking on the Chairmanship of the TIAW Global Partnership Forum. But without a doubt, The World of Difference 100 Awards will be her legacy, and I look forward to continuing our partnership as we develop these further.
Leaving the TIAW Board are an outstanding group of women – three past Presidents, Kay Leaumont, Hannah Sorscher andBobbie Gohn as well as Margie Armen, Lea Chambers and Linda Muir who have contributed tirelessly in hugely significant ways to the development of TIAW.
I would however like to welcome to the TIAW board, an energetic and diverse group – Dyahanne Ware (Chicago), Gina McAdam (London), Maura Griffin (Washington DC), Rebecca Neufeld (Hong Kong) and Sue Van de Hout (Toronto).
It will be my honour to lead the Board as a team into 2010 when, all being well, we will celebrate our 30th Anniversary. Until then we have to tackle the challenges that face all non profit organisations in these economically challenging times.
