Meet the SIA 48th Biennial Convention Committee Chairs!
Get to know our esteemed convention committee chairs who will join Convention Chair Theresa Heidt-Vanderschoot, Co-Chair Karen Hall and SIA staff in crafting an unparalleled experience. Convention registration opens in early 2024. Stay tuned for details! #SIAConv2024
Convention Chair: Theresa Heidt-Vanderschoot
Theresa Heidt-Vanderschoot of SI/Bend, OR (Northwestern Region), will serve as convention chair. A member since 2001, Theresa has held several leadership positions, including district secretary and director and region secretary. She is currently president of her club.
Theresa has a master’s in counseling and worked as a counselor for 10 years. She owns and operates an adult foster home and does private behavioral counseling and consulting. She has an extensive background in social services that has included assisting with event planning for work and community-related events. Currently, Theresa is a consultant for a non-profit providing education to individuals to be employers of home care workers. This includes creating training events for groups of individuals so they can remain in their homes and be safe as well as for professionals.
Advocating and supporting minority populations is a passion of Theresa’s. She has served on numerous community committees to help further the positions of marginalized populations and creating and presenting training on how to better serve these groups of people. She is committed to the mission of Soroptimist and lives by their values. Theresa will do her best along with the committee of dedicated women volunteers to present to you an amazing conference that provides education, fellowship, and fun for all.
Convention Co-Chair: Karen Hall
Karen Hall of SI/Olympia, WA (Northwestern Region), will serve as convention co-chair. A Soroptimist since 2011, Karen has held several leadership positions at the region and club level, including running workshops and events. She is also the current president for her club.
Karen’s background in events stems from the mid-’90s as an event planner in Seattle. More recently, Karen applies her planning expertise to event creation and implementation. She really enjoys creating, running and maintaining successful events in her community.
Karen is the director of housing at South Puget Sound Habitat for Humanity, which supports the county of the Washington state’s capitol. She created a public education program including courses on financial well-being, budgeting, and first-time home buying for the income diverse. Karen is passionate about helping others see the value within themselves and gain empowerment by learning something new. She is excited to bring an SIA event to her region and state!
Hospitality Chair: Cheryl Sallee
A self-proclaimed “forever” Soroptimist, Cheryl Sallee has been a member of SI/Auburn, WA (Northwestern Region), since 1977. She boasts an extensive history within her local club, having held multiple roles including treasurer, president and fundraising chair. Transitioning beyond her club, Cheryl is eager to contribute at the federation level as chair of the SIA convention hospitality committee.
With a 30-year career as a senior activity center manager for the city of Auburn, Washington, Cheryl brings invaluable experience in recruiting, supervising and collaborating with numerous volunteers. Her role also entailed extensive party and trip planning, fostering interactions with diverse stakeholders, including staff, community members and politicians. Cheryl embraces the challenge of extending her impactful contributions beyond the local sphere to the broader Soroptimist community. As hospitality chair, Cheryl will work with SIA staff and the hospitality committee to ensure all participants feel welcome and VIPs are cared for.
General Sessions Chair: Chris Kelly
Chris Kelly, a devoted member of SI/Missoula, MT (Northwestern Region), for over two decades, initially joined the club after an invitation to its annual awards banquet. Chris thrives in her role at the Western Montana Fair's bingo booth, a favored fundraiser supporting her club's awards and Club Giving. She also holds a special affinity for her club’s partnership with Mountain Home Montana, dedicated to providing housing, therapy and support to single mothers and their children. Passionate about fostering women's personal and professional growth, Chris collaborates to enhance collective impact locally and globally.
Beyond her volunteer pursuits and time with family, including chasing grandkids and enjoying moments with her chickens, Chris is a marketing professional with an international civil engineering firm. As general sessions chair, Chris will work with SIA staff and the general session committee to ensure the smooth function of general and business sessions through credentialing and registration, maintaining proper time, monitor microphones, runners and door monitors.
Content Chair: Donna Ronca
Donna Ronca, a dedicated Soroptimist for over 35 years, currently contributes her passion and leadership to SI/Auburn, WA (Northwestern Region), but has belonged to several other clubs in three different regions throughout the years. She has served in leadership roles at vaious levels of the organization including SIA Board of Directors, Desert Coast Region Governor, region program and membership chair, conference committee chair and workshop presenter. Professionally, Donna is a sales consultant in the healthcare diagnostic laboratory market.
Although Donna spent most of her life in Southern California, she now calls the Pacific Northwest home. As a proud "bonus mother" to three daughters, two nieces and a lively team of grandchildren, she finds joy in reading, golf, movies, travel, cheering on the Seattle Seahawks, and exploring the scenic wonders of the Seattle area with her family. As content chair, Donna will work with SIA staff and the content committee to ensure high-quality program content that supports the goals and objectives of the convention.
Marketing Chair: Peggy Gentile-VanMeter
Peggy, a devoted member of SI/Cumberland County, NJ (North Atlantic Region) for nearly two decades, has contributed significantly in various leadership roles at the region and district levels, including region governor and governor-elect and district director and secretary. She was also selected for the 2023-2024 Soroptimist Leadership Fellows Program. A seasoned presenter, she has shared insights at several North Atlantic Region leadership seminars and conferences.
Academically accomplished, Peggy holds degrees from Cumberland County College, Glassboro State University and a Master of Arts in Holocaust & Genocide Education from Stockton University (2001). With 34 years as a history teacher at Cumberland Regional High School and an adjunct history professor at Cumberland County College, Peggy is also a dedicated advocate for human trafficking and domestic violence awareness and contributes to various community education projects and events. As marketing chair, Peggy will work with SIA staff and the marketing committee to generate excitement and interest in attending convention.
Sponsorship Chair: Sharron King
With a 35-year membership at SI/Port Orchard, WA (Northwestern Region), Sharron has played pivotal roles, including three terms as club president, various offices and numerous committee chair positions. She has also served her region and district in various leadership positions as well.
A retiree from Kitsap County Central Communications (911), where she served as executive secretary and office manager, Sharron continued contributing for 11 more years at the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office-Detectives Division in an extra help position. For the past 35 years, she has played a pivotal role in the Fathoms O' Fun Festival organization, serving as chair for the last 14 years and orchestrating impactful community events. As a dedicated volunteer, Sharron is driven by the shared commitment to make a meaningful difference in the lives of women and girls. As sponsorship chair, Sharron will work with SIA staff and sponsorship committee to attract sponsors and partners for convention.
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