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New ProWoC President

by | Feb 3, 2023 | Leadership, ProWoc Denmark, Thank You

Phaedria and Ify 2023

Dr. Phaedria Marie St. Hilaire will step down as President of the Professional Women of Colour (ProWoC) Network

We wish to announce that effective 15th February 2023, Dr. Phaedria Marie St. Hilaire will step down as President of the Professional Women of Colour (ProWoC) Network, and current Vice President, Ifeoma Okpala, will take over as the interim President. Phaedria will remain an active Board Member of ProWoC until June 2023 when elections will be held.

After almost four years at the helm of ProWoC, our Co-founder Phaedria has decided to focus on other professional and personal ambitions beyond ProWoc, which meant her resigning as President.

Dr. Phaedria Marie St. Hilaire

“It was a very difficult decision to make, and I had to acknowledge that I could no longer put 200% into ProWoc and pursue other opportunities with great vigour at the same time. I remain fully committed to and passionate about gender equality, and to broadening and improving the practice and concept of DEIB in Denmark and in the Nordics. I will continue to work towards equality and equity in other ecosystems both as an individual and as a Co-Founder and member of ProWoC. I am so very grateful for the privilege and honor to lead ProWoC and I thank all whom I have worked with over the years, both inside and outside of ProWoC ”

– Dr. Phaedria Marie St. Hilaire, Co-founder and outgoing ProWoc President.

Phaedria, together with Selim Ablo-Nielsen, co-founded ProWoC in 2019 and since its inception, she has been a strong driving force and advocate for ProWoC. As a volunteer run, non-profit organization that aims to increase the visibility and impact on women of color in Denmark, ProWoC provides a platform for its members to connect, grow, and evolve in their professional pursuits. Under Phaedria’s leadership, ProWoC has undoubtedly become an important and formidable voice in the discourse on diversity, inclusion, equity and belonging in Denmark.
To ensure the sustainability and continued success of the network, Phaedria passes on the baton to Ifeoma Okpala, who will serve as interim President until the Annual General Assembly in June 2023, when elections will be held for a new President. Ifeoma is an empathetic and driven leader, with 13 years of various leadership roles at Maersk. She is a founding member of ProWoC and she has served as Vice President from 2020. Both Phaedria and Ifeoma are committed to a smooth transition, with Phaedria continuing to serve actively on the board until a new one is constituted in June 2023.

“Having been a part of ProWoC from its inception, I remain fully committed to our vision and I am thrilled by the opportunity to lead alongside our talented board members. I feel privileged to take on this responsibility for the foreseeable future and look forward to growing our thriving community and continuing to be a part of the discourse around DEIB in Denmark. Personally, I would like to thank Phaedria for her passionate leadership, trust and friendship over the last few years. It has been an enriching partnership and I look forward to going into a new phase together.”

– Ifeoma Okpala, Interim ProWoc President.

Ifeoma Okpala
At ProWoC, we are proud to create a platform for members to build on their strengths and develop in their careers and personal pursuits. To grow, evolve and continually reinvent oneself is in our DNA. As Ifeoma takes on this new interim leadership role, we express our heartfelt gratitude to Phaedria for her strong and visionary leadership. We look forward to seeing Phaedria excel in her new endeavors, where she will no doubt continue to be a role model, a change agent and a phenomenal woman of courage.
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