Donna Miller, Team Leader
Sponsored by the Colwood Rotary Club
Vocation: Education/School Principal, 30 years
dmiller@sd62.bc.ca
Married, Children: 3 biological, 3 stepchildren, 4 grandchildren

Donna has been a member of Colwood Rotary for eight years. She, and her husband Trevor, are active members of the club and have served on the Board of Directors in different capacities. Donna is District Principal of Community Education for Sooke School District, adjacent to Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. She is responsible for academic upgrading and employment training programs for youth and adults in the region. Donna has been a teacher of most grades from Kindergarten to Grade Eleven, served as a School Trustee and worked for the University of Victoria in a Rural Education Program in the Interior of BC for four years. Since moving to Vancouver Island, she has worked in the field of adult education for the past seventeen years. Donna and Trevor have a blended family of six adult children and four grandchildren.

Donna has been active in community projects over the years. She was the founding president of Project Literacy Victoria and is currently second Vice-President of the West Shore Chamber of Commerce. Hobbies include skiing, boating, gardening and golfing (as a novice). She is looking forward to learning about the Education system in Finland.

Our GSE trip to Finland. The URL is www.geocities.com/district5020   Thanks.  Donna
Miller, Team Leader Finland 2001
 

Jennifer Ward, Team Member
Sponsored by the Tacoma #8 Rotary Club
Vocation: Elementary School Teacher
Jen6774@aol.com

Jennifer's European Adventures

Jennifer Ward is a media-tech specialist at Hillside Elementary located in Ft. Lewis WA. She teaches the advanced 4th and 5th graders reading and computer classes to students ranging from kindergarten to 5th grade. She received her Masters in Technology last year and loves being able to use it in her classroom. Students are amazed of what technology can do these days. The fun part about her job is that it is never the same. Something new comes up every day and it keeps her on her toes.

As for hobbies, Jennifer loves hiking and softball. Those two activities keep her pretty busy during the spring and summer. With her job, she has developed into an avid reader. J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books, has brought the life back into reading for kids and even adults. She has made the kids excited about reading and Jennifer is looking forward to reading her other books that are coming out soon.

Jennifer's family is the part of her life that she values the most. Without them, she does not know where she would be right now. She will miss her twin sister the most this June because this will be her first birthday she will not be with her. It is a treasure to have a family that is so supportive and dedicated to each other.
 

Greg Belding, Team Member
Sponsored by the Bremerton Rotary Club
Vocation: Architect
greg@ricefergus.com

Greg is an architect practicing for Rice Fergus Architects in Bremerton, Washington. Greg has practiced for ten years in this firm and has spent another two years practicing in other firms in Seattle. While he has been involved in the design of medical offices, municipal projects and multi family housing, the bulk of his experience and interest lies in the design of single-family residential and religious architecture. Within those fields he is particularly interested in "sustainable" design and the use of natural and artificial light to create space.

Outside of the profession of architecture, Greg is involved in outdoor activities, and the collection of jewelry and fine metal art. He is currently a volunteer for local backcountry ski patrol, and an instructor for telemark skiing. During the summer months he spends much of the time hiking and climbing in the Cascade Mountains.
 

Colleen Douglas, Team Member
Sponsored by the Parksville AM Rotary Club
Vocation: Child and Youth Recreation Programmer
cdougl@island.net
Married, no children

Colleen works in the field of recreation as a Child and Youth Recreation Programmer. In this position, Colleen has an active role in creating community partnerships, coordinating special events and programs, developing youth leadership and providing summer day and outdoor camps for children and youth.

In addition to her work, Colleen leads an active leisure lifestyle which includes playing, promoting and coaching female ice hockey, mountain biking, hiking and camping in the outdoors. She is also active as a volunteer board director for Big Sisters, a community organization that provides positive adult female role models for female youth.

She is looking forward to the exchange to Finland and the experiences and friendships it will bring.
 

Jodi Waldman, Team Member
Sponsored by the Comox Rotary Club
Vocation: Operations Assistant - Tourism Comox Valley
Jodi_Waldman@hotmail.com

Having grown up in the Comox Valley, Jodi is excited to have returned a year and a half ago to work in her field of interest in a community that she loves dearly.

Jodi's vocational background is event and project management and marketing. For 3 years she was the P.N.E. Prize Home Lottery manager where she developed her interest and passion for project management and development. For the past 9 months, Jodi has been working with Tourism Comox Valley as the Operations Assistant where she is developing new skills in the field of tourism marketing and tourism product development.

Outside of work, Jodi's hobbies lie in a myriad of activities. When she is not able to travel, she enjoys skiing, mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, running and softball. Being less active, Jodi can be found taking in movies, reading, or socializing with friends and family. She is a relatively new aunt, which has opened up a whole new world for her.

When it comes to interests, Jodi loves to learn about different cultures and how they vary so greatly. The world is very large and has so much to offer. If only we could all see it.

If Jodi could only have one motto, it would be: "try everything, at least once"