OIVAC’s Steering Committee members are many of the VA industry’s most dedicated leaders and members who unselfishly share their time and talents while running their own successful businesses. They willingly agreed to plan and support the convention because of their dedication to its members and growth.

Congratulations on creating an exceptional convention. We salute you!

Sharon Williams

Committees: All

Sharon Williams is the owner of The 24 Hour Secretary and founder of the Alliance for Virtual Businesses and the Online International Virtual Assistants Convention. Sharon brings 25+ years of administrative, marketing and business management experience to her numerous ventures and diverse clientele. While specializing in digital dictation and transcription services, her passion is marketing and event coordination. She is the inaugural winner of the Thomas Leonard Virtual Assistant of Distinction Award and holds several certifications, including Master Virtual Assistant, Professional Author’s Assistant, Social Marketing Specialist. She has written three publications, Marketing Your VA Practice, Nuts & Bolts of Branding, and Racism in State Government. Her expert team of internationally-based Virtual Assistants handle the responsibilities busy and often overwhelmed executives and entrepreneurs dislike or lack time to complete. The company is open 24/7, always reachable and willing to help.

Teresa Berger

Committee: PR/Media

As founder at Innovate Services, Teresa has married her passion for writing and marketing with the principles of ethical public relations to help her clients gain the exposure they deserve. Clients partner with Innovate Services to organize, write, edit and submit their public relations activities including press releases and story pitches. Through her writing expertise and marketing background, Teresa has helped clients obtain radio interviews, print media mentions and increased exposure sending traffic their way.  She also works closely with brand advocates to help “create positive buzz” for clients in various industries.  Her commitment to operating a sustainable business is also carried over in client relations by helping them implement more sustainable practices in marketing and PR.

Yvonne Bignall

Committee: UK Marketing

As Director at EHO Coaching Limited and owner of information site Entrepreneur Home Office Yvonne gets to express her passion to help others grow successful virtual businesses. With some 30 years experience in customer service, training and office management Yvonne sees a golden future for virtual entrepreneurs and is focused on raising the industry profile in the UK and globally. A studying member of the ILM (Institute of Leadership & Management), Yvonne also operated Virtual PA Service for 5 years before entering the coaching field. She is a Graduate Virtual Assistant of the Virtual Assistance University (2005) and was a top 5 finalist in the UK’s first ever VA Awards ceremony (2007).

Nancy Calandra

Committee: International Virtual Assistants Day Celebration (IVAD)

Nancy Calandra is president of My Virtual Counterpart and a 15 year veteran of the Administrative Assistant field. In addition to supporting “C” level management, Nancy’s career roles have also included Supervisor and Office Manager. When the economy got tougher, so did Nancy! That’s when she decided it was time to pursue her dream of becoming a business owner and Virtual Assistant. Her doors opened for business in July 2008 and she hasn’t looked back since. Drawing on her experience working in fields such as Publishing,  Insurance, and Real Estate helps Nancy excel in her most recent role as Virtual Assistant. Nancy lives just outside of Philadelphia with her boyfriend, his 3 kids, two cats and 13 hermit crabs that the cats would love to play with.

Andrea Cannavina

Committee: Speakers, Moderator Training

Andrea Cannavina, is the creative and technical force behind LegalTypist, Inc. and Law Firm Solutions, and she’s made it her mission to educate CEOs, Managing Partners, CFOs, HR Coordinators, IT Administrators and solo practitioners about their options in the setup and use of digital and web based technology to slash overhead, safeguard company/client information and improve overall productivity.  Andrea provides vital support to busy professionals through customization of easy to use and implement processes allowing firm personnel and company representatives the ability to work remotely — securely and professionally — 24 hours per day/7 days per week – using nothing more than a phone.

Topsie Egbetokun

Committee: Donations

Topsie Egbetokun is a savvy business social entrepreneur with passion for business, technology, social media, networking and ventures. She has extensive corporate and entrepreneurial experience in a wide variety of industries. She is the CEO of Business Without Boundaries, a business management company providing global business support service and solutions to small and large corporation worldwide. She is also the mastermind and founded of African Virtual Assistants Network (Afrivan) which educate, empower and let people see the global business opportunities in virtual profession and also educate business on the benefit of outsourcing and partnering with Virtual Assistants. Topsie is a certified Internet Marketer, Social Media Consultant and Virtual Event Specialist and was name one of VAaccolade Business Entrepreneur for 2009.

Karen McGreevey

Committees: PR and Marketing

Karen McGreevey is president of Konceptuality. Specializing in editing, proofreading and general administrative support services, copywriting and grant writing, too, Karen has the desire, and an excellent proficiency, to improve upon the editing and writing predicaments of coaches, speakers and Solopreneurs in small business via the Internet. Karen has managed to translate a “human services”-focused education and lengthy, diverse career with experience in the education, publishing, mental health, and human services fields in the corporate world into a profitable online endeavor.

Becki Noles

Committee: Website and Program Schedule
Becki Noles, Visionary of Virtual Accuracy has been at the forefront of stream-lining coaching and entrepreneurial businesses since 1998. Utilizing her background in marketing, publicity, corporate training, advertising and media, Becki custom tailors and implements individualized action plans for taking coaching businesses to the next level. As a Virtual Assistant her business partners with top business and executive coaches in the United States, Canada, Switzerland and the world over.

Iris Poole

Committee:  Registration

Iris Poole is the owner of Iris Virtual Assistant Professional (IVAP), a VA practice established in 2007 with the small business owner in mind. Iris has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Small Business Management and over 10 years of office administration and management experience working within state government and in private firms. IVAP provides small business owners and coaches with the personalized administrative and marketing support they need to bring their vision to fruition.

Lyn Prowse-Bishop

Committee: PR, Speakers

Lyn Prowse-Bishop is Australia’s first certified Master Virtual Assistant (MVA), an EthicsChecked VA, Accredited Secretary Online (ASO), Certified Australian Virtual Business, 2008 Australian Achiever Award – Highly Recommended, 2007 Business Achiever’s Award winner for Professional Services, and 2006 Thomas Leonard International VA of Distinction Award Nominee. She has been in private practice since February 2000 as owner of Executive Stress Office Support, coming from over 15 years’ experience in senior Executive PA roles in the legal and hospitality industries. One of Queensland’s most well known and respected virtual assistants, Lyn is founder of the Australian Virtual Business Network, is a foundation steering committee member of the Online International VA Convention, and serves as Australian representative on international committees looking at standards and certification for the global VA industry.

Kathy Ritchie

Committees:  Customer Services

Kathy Ritchie is the owner of Ritchie Secretarial Service and the RSS Herald, as well as the founder of the Colorado VAs. She is a Master Virtual Assistant (MVA) with over 20 years experience and has provided administrative support services to her clients around the world since 1996.

Rosie Shilo

Committee: Sponsors and Exhibitors

Rosie Shilo (nee Murphy) is the owner and founder of ‘Virtually Yours – Virtual Assistant Network’ and ‘Rosie Shilo’.  Rosie implemented Virtually Yours in 2004 and since then, Virtually Yours has developed into a supportive and reliable network for Virtual Assistants, predominantly located in Australia. Since commencing Virtually Yours, Rosie has been a Thomas Leonard International Virtual Assistant of Distinction Award Nominee (2007), a 2007/2008 Australian Home Based Business Award Finalist, a 2009 Telstra Women’s Business Award Nominee and one of the women featured in the first annual ‘Celebrating Nillumbik Women’ celebrations. Rosie specialises in Website design and setup and desktop publishing.

We also wish to thank all volunteers.