Rhonda Barnet is the President & Chief Operating Officer of AVIT Manufacturing (formerly Steelworks Design), an engineering and custom automation firm in Peterborough, Ontario. An ardent supporter of Canadian Manufacturing and Exporting, Rhonda was appointed the first female Chair in history of the National Board of the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (2016-2018). She maintains an active schedule of government and industry engagements, including functions in Germany, Holland, Italy, China, Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Further appointments include the Federal Advanced Manufacturing Strategy Table and Board Member of Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen Canada), one of the 5 Canadian Super Clusters to deliver $950M of federal innovation funds.
Rhonda currently serves CME in the role of Past Chair and newly appointed as the Chair of The
Workforce of the Future. In 2018 Rhonda launched CME’s “We Can Do It” Campaign, an initiative
funded by the federal government to add 100,000 women to the manufacturing workforce over the
next five years. Rhonda is a regular spokeswoman on diversity, women in manufacturing, skills and the
future workforce.

Rhonda believes in the value of mentorship and upholds the philosophy

“If you can see me, you can be
me”.

As a long time business person in the area, Dawn Hennessey has enjoyed working with entrepreneurs, associations and the like for the last two decades. Professionally, she has been in the financial services industry for 20 years. Dawn started her early career in Toronto and eventually accepted employment in
Peterborough, Ontario to enjoy a well balanced lifestyle. In her personal time she contributes to the community as Vice Chair of Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, School Council Committee and now a Co-Founder of FemSTEAMPTBO. Dawn is passionate about supporting education, the business ecosystem and making a positive contribution to the community at large. Dawn grew up in Sarnia, Ontario; attended McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario and is dedicated to life long learning while enjoying family life as a wife and mother. Dawn is an advocate of empowering anyone, especially young women, who want to achieve success and meet their full potential!

Sofie Andreou, Founder of 123DigitalPower, Digital Marketing Services & Training  
"We'll train you or do it for you!"

Sofie holds her undergraduate degree in Computer Science and her Masters of Engineering in Information Systems from the University of Toronto.

Started her career as an Engineer at Bell Canada and now runs her own Digital Marketing Agency, her team provides training and full-service digital marketing services to clients across Canada. 

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She believes in giving back to her community, she was the Chair of the award-winning Bears' Lair Entrepreneurship Competition, Board of Directors for the Women's Business Network of Peterborough, Director of BREI Business Retentions & Expansion International, Currently a Judge of EDCO's Economic Development Council of Ontario Annual Marketing Awards, a founding member of StartUpPeterborough, founder of FemSteamPtbo and current member of the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

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She balances by hiking or kayaking daily, either around her home or globally!