East Coast Admins Board 2012-2013
Mary French - President
Before joining Beothuk Chapter (now East Coast Admins), IAAP in 2000, Mary obtained the Advanced Toastmaster Bronze (ATM-B) and Competent Leader (CL) designations from Toastmasters International. In May 2003, she successfully completed the Certified Administrative Professionals certification and successfully recertified May 2008. In June 2004, she was named “Administrative Professional of the Year”. In 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 she was awarded the "Member of Excellence".
Since joining in March 2000 Mary has been very active in the Chapter and was awarded “Chapter Member of the Year in her first year of membership. She has served as Secretary, President-elect and President. She has also chaired a number of committees including Membership, Certification, Education, Nominations and AP Day. She served as Chair of the Certification Committee for the Eastern Canada Division and was President-Elect of the Eastern Canada Division in 2006 – 2007 and President 2007 – 2008. Her favourite saying is “if you always do what you always did you will always get what you always got.”
Mary is currently Administrative Assistant to the Director, Information Management and Technology, Eastern Health, St. John’s, NL.
Donna Rodgers-Grouchy - Secretary
Donna is currently working as an Administrative Assistant with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) where she has been employed for over 24 years. She has completed some Memorial University Distance Education courses towards a Certificate in Business Administration and is also working towards a Certificate in Skills Development for Administrative Professionals offered by the Career & Learning Centre. She is an experienced workshop facilitator with the Joint Learning Program which offers a variety of sessions for union and management public service employees on topics of Anti-harassment, Understanding the Collective Agreement, Respecting Differences/Anti-discrimination, Union/Management Consultation, and Employment Equity.
While attending an Administrative Professionals Day Luncheon & Seminar event some years ago, Donna was recruited to join the Beothuk Chapter – now known as the East Coast Admins Chapter. Since joining, she has helped with other AP Day events and volunteered to serve as Treasurer in 2009-10 when there was a sudden need for someone to take on the role. Donna also volunteers on the Board of Management for Cowan Heights United Church and sings in the church choir.
In her spare time, Donna likes to sing and play guitar, she is learning to play the accordion, and loves to read. Donna is a proud mother of three grown boys, and one little granddaughter. Donna enjoys travelling with her husband Phil and has recently returned from a trip to visit her youngest sister in Australia.
Susan Hutchings
Susan Hutchings is currently employed with Eastern Health’s Regional Protection Services Dept as an Administrative/Research Assistant. She is a graduate from Bell Island District Vocational School in 1979. She spent approximately 20 years working in Ontario as an HR Assistant with the City of Kitchener and a Research Assistant with SunLife of Canada and returned home to NL 6 years ago.
Susan has enjoyed working with several groups outside of fulltime work, including The Girl Guides of Canada (as a leader) , Scouts Canada where she held several positions leader, group committee chair person, secretary & treasurer over a ten year period. She is also a member of the Atlantic Chapter of the International Association for Healthcare Safety & Security.
Susan enjoys knitting, sewing, networking and spending leisurely time with her husband and looks forward to spending some precious time with her children & grandchildren this summer.
Debbie Chafe
Debbie is presently the Executive Assistant to the President of GJ Cahill and Company Ltd. and has been in this position since 2002. Before joining GJ Cahill, she worked with the Faculty of Education at MUN handling the admissions process for diploma, degree and masters programs. She also taught Administrative Assistant students for six years in two private post-secondary institutions. Three of these years she was Faculty Leader for the Medical Administrative Assistant Faculty.
Debbie holds a Bachelor of Education, Post Secondary Degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland. She also has a CTM (Competent Toastmasters) designation and held the positions of Secretary and Vice President of Education on the Executive Committee of Terra Nova Toastmasters. In 1995 she received her CPS designation from PSI.
Over the years she has volunteered her time facilitating workshops for Junior Achievement and Scouts Canada and was a Beaver and Cub leader for eight years.
Debbie has been married to her husband Wade for 23 years and has two sons, Mark is 21 and Devon is 17. They enjoy hiking the East Coast Trail in their spare time, and one of these days they plan to retire to her home community of Codroy Valley and spend their days hiking and beach-combing.