International VA Association Announces New Board

The International Virtual Assistants Association (IVAA- www.ivaa.org) is pleased to announce their newly installed 2004-2005 Board of Directors. IVAA is a non-profit organization dedicated to the professional education and development of its members and the Virtual Assistance profession. Their comprehensive Certification programs, CVA (Certified Virtual Assistant), EthicsChecked, RESS (Real Estate Support Specialist), are internationally recognized as the most in-depth programs serving the VA industry

(PRWEB) May 2, 2004 --The International Virtual Assistants Association (IVAA- www.ivaa.org) is pleased to announce their newly installed 2004-2005 Board of Directors. IVAA is a non-profit organization dedicated to the professional education and development of its members and the Virtual Assistance profession. Their comprehensive Certification programs, CVA (Certified Virtual Assistant), EthicsChecked, RESS (Real Estate Support Specialist), are internationally recognized as the most in-depth programs serving the VA industry.

A Virtual Assistant (VA) is an independent entrepreneur who provides administrative, creative, and/or technical services utilizing technological modes of communication and data delivery to assist clients in their area of expertise. The Association (IVAA) provides a host of benefits to their members around the globe.

Taking over the reins as President of their Board of Directors is Jodi Diehl who has served on the IVAA Board for the past two years, as VP of Communications (02-03) and as Vice-president (03-04). Mrs. Diehl is the owner of CentralFloridaVA.com (www.CentralFloridaVA.com), a Florida based Virtual Assistant practice specializing in developing an online presence for existing businesses. Working with the Internet since 1996, Mrs. Diehl has been a successful online entrepreneur for more than eight years.

Jeannine Clontz, owner of Accurate Business Services (www.Accbizsvcs.com) in Arnold, MO, takes on the position of Vice-President/President-Elect. Clontz specializes in Realtor/legal support and holds many industry certifications, IVAA CVA, EthicsChecked, CRESS, PREVA, MVA, and CRVA. She is the winner of the 2001 Bill Williams Business Person of the Year Award; 2002 Arnold Kiwanis Distinguished Service Award; and the 2003 Don Earl Citizen of the Year Award. She has served IVAA on their Bylaws Committee, and provided business ethics presentations at their last two IVAA Summits (www.vasummit.org), as well as, monthly ethics articles in the IVAA Cast Newsletter ('03-'04). Clontz is an active volunteer on many non-profit boards and her board experience will assist IVAA in moving forward.

Appointed as Treasurer, Kimberley Thomas-Catanzaro, owner of Bookkeeping & Secretarial Services (www.on-linesecretary.com), is located in Jupiter, Fl. Catanzaro has 15-years of office and bookkeeping experience and specializes in individual and small business full charge bookkeeping. Her experience in office management, secretarial and executive assistance, as well as, credit and collections services, enables her to offer her clients, and IVAA, professional and efficient accounting support. Catanzaro is also a member of A.I.P.B., the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers.

Peg Vanderlipp of Tracys Landing, MD owns and operates her VA practice, Virtual Assistance 4 You (www.virtualassistance4you.com), specializing in website design and make-overs, desktop publishing and database management. She is an active member and assistant director of the Bay Area Business Leaders Club, Entrepreneurs Exchange, Deale Merchants Association, and the Southern Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce. Vanderlipp will serve IVAA as their Board Secretary.
Debbie Tester is the Historian for IVAA, and President/Managing Partner of Outer Office, LLC (www.outer-office.com). Having more than 20 years of management and administrative experience, Tester specializes in research, technical writing, database and contact management, event planning and transcription services. She will be a welcome addition to the current IVAA Board structure.

Due to a recent update in the organizations Bylaws, the size of the Board has increased to provide better representation to their more than 600 member base. Additional members serving the IVAA Board as Directors will be: Michelle Ulrich owner of Reflections of You Virtual Assistance (www.ReflectionsOfYou.us), specializing in database management, desktop publishing and marketing strategies, she targets the real estate business sector, as well as, the financial and employee benefit markets. She has attained the CRESS and REPA, real estate specific Certifications, and her community service on advisory boards will be key to her success on the IVAA Board; Sandra Hill Giusti (www.consideritdonebest.com), has a degree in Broadcast Communication, and started her business, Consider it Done Virtual Assistance Services, more than a year ago, after being downsized by a merger in the radio industry. Giusti specializes in desktop publishing, event planning and marketing plan implementation. She is a welcome addition to the IVAA Board; Michele Hanson-OReggio owner of Admin Pro (www.adminpro.ca), is based out of Ontario, Canada, and serves as the only Board member operating her business outside the U.S. OReggio has a BA in Management with Distinction and provides virtual administration and marketing support services to enhance productivity and increase the profitability of her clients. AdminPro has a team of highly skilled and efficient VAs to ensure her clients benefit from their superior services; and Raquel Nilson, of Executive Assistance, operating in Lake Tahoe, NV (www.virtualexecutiveassistant.com) round out the new Board of Directors for IVAA.

IVAA is working to get their membership more involved with the day-to-day inner workings of the organization, and will be opening up their Board meetings to include input and attendance by their international membership. It is their hope to continue to provide and focus on the needs of their members in this rapidly emerging industry. For more information about IVAA and the Virtual Assistants Industry, you may visit their website at: www.ivaa.org.