Meet the new Pinays Manitoba board of directors

Pinays Manitoba Board of Directors, l-r: Margaret “Meghan” Marquez, Director; Josie Concepcion, Director; Luella Sadicon, Vice-President; Araceli Ancheta, Director/Past-President; Connie De Villa, Auditor; Leah S. Beltran, CPA, CGA, Treasurer; Emmie Joaquin, Public Relations Director; Marita Salazar, Director; Winnie Navarro, President; Maybelle De Leon, Director. Front row with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus is Lucille Nolasco-Garrido, Secretary. The organization is now inviting nominations for the 2023 Pinays Trailblazer awards.

Pinays Manitoba has a new set of officers to its Board of Directors for the incoming two-year term that begins in January 2023. The election of the executive officers took place during a special board meeting on November 27, 2022. Subsequently, they were officially introduced to the general membership on December 11, 2022, during the Pinays Christmas party.

Founded in 2016, Pinays Manitoba Inc. is a non-profit, registered community organization dedicated to the support and empowerment of Filipino women in Manitoba. Its founding president was Perla Javate, a well-known community leader, an active volunteer, and a Winnipeg School Trustee. The organization's out-going president is Araceli Ancheta who was elected in May 2019.

Annually since 2016, Pinays Manitoba has recognized outstanding Filipino women of all ages – the Pinays Manitoba Trailblazers – that have made outstanding contributions to the community not only in Manitoba but also in the mainstream society at large. The organization is now inviting nominations for the 2023 Pinays Trailblazer awards.

The new Pinays Manitoba board of directors

Winnie Navarro – President

Winnie Navarro is wife to Mano Navarro and mother to Martin and Cat. She graduated from the University if the Philippines (Diliman) with a degree in BS Business Administration. Her career path took her to the world of broadcasting where she has worked in senior management and executive level positions for over three decades. At CTV, Winnie worked for 17 years as the Manager for Programming and Traffic.

She is currently employed at APTN TV as the Director for Scheduling and Traffic. Aside from serving as a board member in Pinays Manitoba, she also serves as a Director for the Board of Women in Communications and Technology, Manitoba Chapter.

Luella Sadicon – Vice-President

Luella is new in her job as Executive Assistant for the Broadway Neighbourhood Centre. Before joining the centre, Luella was previously employed as an administrator at Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC) and as the Web, Event, and Client Relations Officer at the Sustainability Network in Toronto.

Luella sits as a board member of the Mindoro Association of Manitoba (MAM). She is also the founder of a charitable organization called the Island Zone Learners Charity that helps indigenous schoolchildren in the island-province of Oriental Mindoro.

Luella holds diploma degrees in Business & Administrative Studies (Red River) and Website Design (CDI). She has a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications and a Master’s in Communication Research.

Leah S. Beltran, CPA, CGA – Treasurer

Leah S. Beltran currently works as a supervisor in the finance division of a crown corporation. She was a contractor panellist for a CPA Capstone 1 presentation. Her previous volunteer work includes BOD Treasurer for École Guyot Pre-Kindergarten school in 2016 and 2017. She was also a panellist for the ASBAA business case competition in 2019 and 2021. She has been a Winnipeg resident since 2006 with husband Ronald and two kids ­– Iris and Lee.

Connie De Villa – Auditor

Connie De Villa is an accountant and owns CLP Financial Services Inc., a company specializing in accounting and consulting services. She is a partner and currently serving as Executive Assistant for B.W. Phillips and Co. Connie has been able to put the accounting degree she earned to excellent use. Over the years, her strengths, and her ability to make connections with her clients has garnered some recognition from kababayans in Winnipeg.

She has been an invaluable volunteer for Pinays Manitoba since it was founded in 2016. For many years, she was also a volunteer/finance officer for Magdaragat Philippines.

Lucille Nolasco-Garrido – Secretary

Lucille Nolasco-Garrido is the afternoon drive program host and program producer at 92.7 FM CKJS, an Evanov Radio Communications station. She also serves as creative writer and Filipino translator for the multilingual radio station.

As a journalist, Lucille writes for Pilipino Express News Magazine. She has also contributed to the Winnipeg Sun and Filipino Journal.

Being a dance and music enthusiast, she has organized and supported community fundraisers such as for the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba, Diabetes Canada, and St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church. Her fundraising efforts have extended to her elementary school in Bulacan, Philippines in rebuilding their school library.

Lucille is a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas, where she majored in Communication Arts.

Most recently, Lucille was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal in celebration of Her Majesty’s 70th anniversary of accession to the throne. The medals were given to Canadians for outstanding contributions and community leadership.

Emmie Joaquin – Public Relations Director

Emmie Joaquin is the editor-in-chief and co-publisher of the Pilipino Express News Magazine. She is also a licensed insurance broker affiliated with W.P.G. – The Wealth Planning Group. She graduated from the University of the Philippines (Diliman) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Communication. In 1989, she was instrumental in the conceptualization, design, and production of the Filipino programs on CKJS 810 Radio (now 92.7 FM CKJS) that Manitobans enjoy today. She worked at CKJS until 2003. In recognition of her service to the community through the years, Emmie is a three-time recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Medals in celebration of Her Majesty’s anniversary of accession to the throne: Gold in 2002, Diamond in 2012, and Platinum in 2022.

Araceli Ancheta – Director/Past-President

Celi Ancheta started volunteering in 2005 with United Way of Winnipeg as a Loaned Representative for the Government of Manitoba. She saw the value and contribution of volunteers in the community so that the following year she got involved with BIBAK Association of Manitoba, an organization composed of indigenous people from the Philippines; she represented the group at Philippine Heritage Council of Manitoba for more than 12 years.

In 2016, along with other Filipino women from different organizations, she became one of the founding members for Pinays Manitoba Inc. where she acted as secretary. In 2019, Celi became the first elected president of the organization.

Recently, she was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (Manitoba). The occasion marked the 70th anniversary of Her Late Majesty’s accession to the Throne as Queen of Canada.

Josie Concepcion – Director

Josie Concepcion currently works as constituency assistant for Kevin Lamoureux, MP for Winnipeg North. Previously, she worked for the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities as its office manager for many years. Since 1986, Josie, with her late husband and daughter (choir member), have been active volunteers for St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church. She is now a lector and minister of communion for the church. A widow for almost 12 years, Josie dotes on her three children and five grandchildren. She is also a member of the Bicol Association of Manitoba, Magdaragat Philippines, and the Mabuhay Serenaders.

Maybelle De Leon – Director

Maybelle De Leon is an accountant. This January, she began working for the Province of Manitoba in the Department of Families-Manitoba Housing. She is also currently working part time at CLP Financial Services and was formerly employed at Neighbourly pharmacy. She is a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas with a bachelor’s degree in accountancy. On her free time, Maybelle loves to bake and experiment with new recipes. She regularly works out at the gym. During her time as an OFW in Dubai UAE, she finished three full marathons and a sprint triathlon.

Margaret “Meghan” Marquez – Director

Meghan, also known as Margaret, Marquez has been a change management consultant for the past five years and was in several executive administration and management positions at Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation (MLL) since 2008.

Before MLL, she worked at Convergys, Inc. as a call centre agent and was promoted to a team leader after six months. This was Meghan’s first job when her family moved to Canada in 2004. Meghan is blessed with a loving husband, Erbe and three children, Maisie, Erik and Maggie.

Outside work, Meghan is actively involved in volunteering at her Catholic parish in several positions. Currently, she is the Vice Chair of the Parish Pastoral Council. She also goes to the gym at least three times a week to keep herself fit and has participated in the 10k marathon at the Manitoba Marathon since 2019.

Meghan is a graduate of the Ateneo de Manila University with a Bachelor of Science Degree, with a major in management

Marita Salazar – Director

Marita has been working as an accountant for Neighbourly Pharmacy for six years now. Prior to that, she worked in a similar capacity at Manitoba Housing & Builders Association (MHBA) and at BW Phillips & Associates.

She is a sports buff, being a certified bowler and a member of the Nairn Ten-Pin Bowling Association and the CFT Canadian Ten-Pin Federation. Aside from sports, she’s also a diva singer – belting like a pro the songs of Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, and Regine Velasquez.

Marita completed her bachelor’s degree in Commercial Science with a major in accounting.