Women In Profile — Dover Area — Spring 2009
Every week we work with outstanding professional women, and with this issue we have decided to do our part in spotlighting some of these fascinating women. On the front cover are just a few of the many women that we have met, and on the inside you will find short profiles on each of these women. In the future months we will be doing more profiling of women from different walks of life.
Nancy Hawkins Rigg
Owner & Founder
Forever Fit Foundation Personal Training Services
Dover , Lewes & Chadds Ford
www.foreverfitfoundation.com
Nancy owns and operates the Forever Fit Foundation Personal Training Services located in: Dover and Lewes, Delaware and Chadds Ford, Pa. Forever Fit Foundation is celebrating its 16th year in business. Nancy was the first person to open a full Pilates Apparatus studio in the State of Delaware. She is the only individual in Delaware to practice Gyrokinesis, Gyrotonic training and the myofascial release technique Yamuna Body Rolling. Nancy is a Muscle Activation Technique practioner as well as a Certified Athletic Trainer. After receiving her Master’s degree from Miami University of Ohio, Nancy continued her education in Germany, Netherlands, England, France, Ireland, Scotland and Africa. She leaves the country twice each year to learn new cutting edge training techniques to better serve the needs of her clientele.
Nancy believes that the exercise has to fit the person not the person has to fit the exercise. She has made it a priority to assist stroke and cancer survivors to reach an optimum of strength renewal.
Nancy is also an adjunct professor teaching three classes each semester at Wesley College. She is a world, National and American record holder in the sport of powerlifting and plans to compete this spring to set a new national record.
Nancy and her husband Chris operate the Keeshond rescue and are financial supporters of the Kent County SPCA , USO, Williamsburg Foundation and Stratford Hall.
Renee Lawson
Strike-A-Pose Boutique
Camden, Delaware
www.strikeaposeboutique.com
302-697-8558
Renee is the owner of Strike-A-Pose Boutique, a lifestyle boutique, which is located in Camden, Delaware. Two words, ‘Do Y-O-U!’ express her business mantra, which she encourages every woman to embrace.
When Renee is working with customers & clients, she gets a thrill out of showing them how to force colors to work together. She is an advocate for bold, bright, colors & patterns. She especially likes to prove to plus size women that this works for them too. Helping women overcome fashion phobias & challenges is one of her gifts that she enjoys sharing. Renee urges her clients to go beyond exploring fashion possibilities. Instead, she challenges them to exploit fashion & reject limitations to what their imaginations can create!!! That’s how to ‘Do Y-O-U!’
At the age of 16, Renee dreamed of one day owning her own boutique. In 2001 she embarked upon this journey, and it has been wonderful. ‘I believe that fashion is one of, if not, ‘THE’,’ most powerful tools of self-expression. This belief is the foundation upon which my business is built.’ The initial mission of Strike-A-Pose Boutique was to dress the plus & extended size woman. It has since expanded to include women ranging from size 6-24+.
Renee earned the B.S. Degree in Business Education, and the MA Degree in Curriculum & Instruction from Delaware State College and went on to pursue a professional career in education serving at the college and high school levels. She has served as Educational Research Assistant/Institutional Research & Planning, Database Specialist, Business Education Teacher with a Concentration in Business Applications & Technology, Administrative Secretary to the Superintendent of Schools & Board of Education, and Business Manager, respectively.
Kimberly Kelly Provo
Investment Adviser
Representative
First Command Financial Planning
1991 S State St
Dover, DE 19901
302-698-0472
kkprovo@firstcommand.com
Kim Provo strives to deeply understand the feelings and emotions of the clients she serves, and not just the percentages and numbers involved in creating a financial plan. Kim understands that money, or more accurately, financial security, touches every aspect of life. It not only affects the monetary part, but also physical health (i.e. stress), family, marital relationships, and even spiritual aspects of everyday life.
Kim is uniquely suited to provide comprehensive financial advisory services to her clients. She is not only an Investment Adviser Representative and holds life and health insurance licenses in Delaware and Maryland, but she also holds a Master of Education degree in Counseling. As she assisted individuals and couples during her practicum at Cambridge University and in serving over a decade as a therapist, she consistently observed the impact and stressors that are placed upon American families when they don’t make smart financial decisions. In response to this unmet need, she came to the conclusion that she could utilize her talents best by educating and motivating people to take control of the financial aspects of their lives and getting on track to pursue their goals and dreams.
Since 2001 Kim has been a small business owner who has assisted thousands of families through values-based financial planning. As a Delaware native, she returned to her hometown in 2005 to be close to her parents. Kim finds balance in her life by spending time with her husband Jim and 2 daughters Victoria and Ashley.
Trisha Peterson
Partner,
Medical Massage of Delaware, LLC
Trishatp411@yahoo.com
With over 30 years in the nursing field, Trisha Peterson’s experience and expertise casts a broad net, having touched many lives in many different venues. A native of southern New Jersey, Peterson began her career in an Emergency Department. She has worked in home health, family practice, managed a county school system workers compensation, as a regulatory consultant, in Occupational health and case management, and as a volunteer for a non-profit clinic serving patients without means to pay for medical treatment. She is now proudly a partner in Medical Massage of Delaware, LLC (MMD) with colleagues met through employment in Wilmington.
Peterson and her partners are committed to offering Medical Massage as a complimentary modality for people suffering soft tissue injuries as a result of automobile accidents or work related injury. Patients are skillfully treated by therapists trained in advance techniques, after being referred to MMD by a physician or chiropractor. Recently Peterson became certified in Complex Lymphatic Therapy for treatment of patients with lymphedema, as the business plans to expand into this area of care. In her leisure hours, Peterson is an avid gardener and enjoys all things even remotely related to fauna or fowl.
Wendy R. Harrold
Owner
Comfort Zone Center For Whole Self Healing
www.comfortzoneyogacenter.com
comfortzoneyoga@comcast.net
302-645-2334
Wendy owns and operates Comfort Zone Center For Whole Self Healing along with her husband Ed. Wendy grew up in Media, Pennsylvania and began her career in the banking and financial industry. After a successful 12-year career, Wendy grew tired of corporate America and left to follow her passion of opening a health & healing center.
Along the way, Wendy met her husband Ed and his daughters Charlotte & Ellen. Ed was already an experienced yoga studio owner so the marriage personally and professionally fit perfectly.
In 2005, Wendy put her financial background into good use and the two bought a commercial building to house their business in Lewes, Delaware. In December 2006, Comfort Zone Center opened as a 3,000 square foot yoga, healing and training facility. In 2008, they expanded into another 3,000 square feet to accommodate workshops with some of the leading professional in the holistic health industry.
Wendy is dedicated to showing the local and regional community about the importance of good health. Wendy is focused on showing clients how to keep disease at bay instead of being a victim to a “crisis-oriented healthcare system”.
Wendy manages the operations of the business, teaches classes and partners with her husband on workshops and trainings. Wendy likes to travel, read books, enjoy walks with her family and their dog Belle.
Dr. Michelle R. Brown
Founder & President,
Catalyst Enterprises
International
www.catalystenterprise.com
302-734-2505
As Founder and President of Catalyst Enterprises International, Dr. Michelle Brown’s mission is to “help organizations and individual turn potential into performance.” Headquartered in Dover, Delaware, Catalyst Enterprises provides consulting services which include assessments, strategic planning, meeting facilitation, organizational and individual development. As an Organizational Strategist and Performance Consultant, Michelle has conducted leadership development and process improvement programs for corporations and nonprofit organizations in the United States, Central America, South America, Europe, and Africa.
Recognized in Delaware Today Magazine as one of the top 20 Outstanding Woman Owned Businesses in 2008, her firm successfully assists organizations to achieve positive measurable goals. Michelle works closely with clients to develop their Three P’s (people, processes and plans), in order to achieve results far beyond their expectations.
With a sincere passion for giving back to the community, in 2000 Michelle launched World Changers Empowerment Center (WCEC). This non-profit organization is committed to the personal development of young women through instruction in practical leadership and entrepreneurial skills with emphasis on strong moral values. Additionally, she currently serves on the Board of Directors for the United Way of Delaware, The Greater Dover Unit Boys and Girls Club, co-founder of The Delaware Youth Leadership Academy and as an advisor for the Delaware Community Foundation’s Youth Philanthropy Board.
Nasrin Ansari MD
General/Trauma/
Vascular Surgeon
Surgical Associates at Eden Hill
nansari@desapa.com
302-674-0600
Dr. Nasrin Ansari was born in India, immigrated to the United States as a child and grew up in Northern Virginia. She graduated from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey and moved to Long Island, New York for her surgical residency.
During her residency, she married Dr. John Brebbia, who is also a surgeon. They had a son while she was still a resident. Juggling the responsibilities of a wife, new mother and surgical resident was challenging to say the least. Dr. Ansari completed her residency at State University of New York at Stony Brook in 2002. After her residency, she took time off to have more children. She and her husband now have three children, one son and two daughters (10, 6, and 4).
Dr Ansari and her family moved to Dover, Delaware in 2006. She joined Surgical Associates, which is now a group of four Surgeons. She is one of three female surgeons at Kent General Hospital. The bulk of her practice consists of breast care, endoscopies, and laparoscopic surgeries along with all other aspects of general surgery. She is also involved in a wound care center where she takes care of all kinds of chronic wounds. Dr. Ansari is one of the physicians who can perform HBO (hyperbaric oxygen) therapy. She also treats patients who suffer from various types of burns. During her residency, she received training at a Burn Center and is able to treat patients with various burns. In addition, Dr. Ansari trained at a Level I trauma center and is involved with treating trauma patients at the hospital.
Along with her practice, Dr. Ansari is also involved with teaching ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) and ATLS (Advance Trauma Life Support).
When not busy taking care of patients, she is busy raising her family. She enjoys all aspects of her life with her husband and kids.
Sharon K. Fields
Vice-President of Halpern Eye Associates
Co-Owner of Good News Natural Foods
302-346-1511
sfields@halperneye.com
Sharon Fields is Vice-President of Marketing for Halpern Eye Associates. Over her 15 years of employment with Halpern, she has been successful in developing marketing plans and strategies to help build the company to a multimillion-dollar practice that has grown by 230% over the last 6 years. Sharon’s responsibilities include overseeing the Marketing Department, Advertising in all traditional and electronic media, Frame Inventory, Call Center and Business Development.
Sharon has been very involved in the community volunteering in several positions – Board Member of the Middletown Chamber of Commerce for over 6 years, President of the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce Marketing Department for over 5 years, and various committees. She was awarded the 2008 President’s Award from the Middletown Chamber and in 2002 named Volunteer of the Month from the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce.
She is a 1981 graduate of Marymount University of Arlington Virginia. Sharon previously worked for PNC Bank in Delaware and Petre Corporation, which owns several large retail clothing stores based out of New York. Sharon was instrumental in developing retail locations in Delaware and was also responsible for opening new stores outside of Delaware.
Sharon’s lifelong dream was to be a Small Business Owner, and her dream came true in 2002. She is a co-owner of a large health food store, Good News Natural Foods in Dover, Delaware. In the last 6 years the business has grown to a full service health food store offering the finest in Organic Produce, Meats, Health & Beauty Products, Vitamins & Supplements, Wheat & Gluten Free Foods and the newest Healthy Lunches and Fresh Baked Goods.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Ray, two boys, Tim & Christopher and Yorkshire Terrier, Chloe.
Cheryl Stover
Admissions Director,
Heritage at Milford
(302) 422-8700
Cheryl Stover, a Maryland native, just last year moved to Milton, Delaware to make a life changing career decision. Cheryl, who had developed a career in business administration, decided she was looking to step out from behind her desk and do more with the community. After spending nine years as Manager of Accounts Receivable for Maryland Medicaid for Genesis HealthCare, she made an internal transfer to become the Admissions Director at one of Genesis’ Assisted Living Communities, Heritage at Milford.
Heritage at Milford, a 71-unit assisted living facility located just minutes from downtown Milford, DE, offers private and shared accommodations to area seniors who need assistance with everyday life activities. As Admissions Director, Cheryl works with seniors and their families to ensure that they obtain the care that’s right for them or their loved one. Heritage at Milford offers multiple levels of care including:
*General Assisted Living which encourages and supports residents in living independent lives, filled with exciting activities and special events.
*Specialized Alzheimer’s care in a safe, secure, home-like environment with consistent staff to promote strong relationships and a stable family atmosphere.
*And all-inclusive Respite support which provides relief to caregivers while providing their loved ones with the care they need.
Cheryl has found this life transition to be very rewarding and is happy to make a difference in the lives of the people she touches.
Photos Provided By:
Royal Photography
Royal Photography’s owner, Roy McDowell, brings a wealth of experience, both creative and
business, along with an unmatched ability to put people at ease, to every occasion he photographs.
Over the past 18 years, Roy McDowell has captured “that” moment for more than 300 brides and grooms and preserved high school memories too numerous to count. Such exposure has led Roy to become one of the most recognizable photographers in Delaware. He creates a lasting impression, not only of an event, but of himself. The pride, precision, and passion he exudes has compelled brides-to-be to track down, “the photographer who took their senior portrait years before”.
Roy exhibits this same commitment and customer service when working with the many schools and businesses with whom he’s managed contracts. “The consumer drives the product I provide; not the other way around”.
With the help and support of family, friends, and business associates, Roy McDowell strives to achieve his goal of providing an unforgettable experience with superior photographs, exceptional customer focus, and lasting relationships.
Royal Photography
Phone: 302-438-1308
E-mail: royalphotogde@aol.com
Hair Styling Provided By:
Tracy Torres
Owner,
The ARTT Studio 4 Hair
Wyoming, DE
302-698-5012
Tracy Torres formally of New Jersey moved to Delaware in September of 2005 with a background in the Pharmaceutical industry and a Cosmetology license. Prior to relocating to Delaware she spent five years at sanofi-aventis Pharmaceuticals full time and over 9 years working part-time in a couple different local salons. After several failed attempts at applying for a desk job in Delaware, she decided it was time to fall back on her Cosmetology experience. On December 8, 2007 The ARTT Studio 4 Hair was born.
Tracy operates a family focused salon along with her 3 sisters and local Melanie Ozman, formally of Master Cuts. The ARTT Studio 4 Hair is a full service hair salon with prices starting at just $15 for a wash and cut, $11for Men and $9 for kids. Every Tuesday the Salon offers a 10% senior citizen discount for clients 60 and over, they also offer an everyday 10% discount for all Firefighter, Law Enforcement and Military Personnel. The salon hours accommodate families and the working class, open until 8 PM Monday thru Thursday, 6 PM on Friday and 3 PM on Saturdays, located in Wyoming, next to Hall’s Family Restaurant. The ARTT Studio 4 Hair welcomes your family to theirs; the staff is committed to friendly, quality service at the most reasonable prices. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 302-698-5012.
Photos Shot On Location at the
Eden Hill Medical Center
200 Banning Street
Dover, DE 19904
Make-up Application Provided By:
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