Meet the Leadership Team

Megan Shellman-Rickard earned a Master of Science, organizational leadership major, from Colorado State University and a Bachelor of Arts, communication major, from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Megan has more than 25 years of experience in a wide variety of disciplines. She brings her former experience in the entertainment industry, strategic and green event planning, advertising sales, print and digital marketing, retail sales, publication and book production, nonprofit leadership, business development, and operations management to bear as the owner of her own company: Simple Synergy Consulting. She offers concierge business consulting services to nonprofits, small businesses, and entrepreneurs. Megan is an accomplished change agent with a skill for connecting people in the face of adversity.

Finding that volunteering in leadership positions can help expand your viewpoints and skills, Megan also believes that volunteering can allow you to gain experience in roles that might not otherwise be available to you.

Megan finished her second term as the 1st Vice President of Membership for NFBPWC and continues to serve as a member of committees at the national, state, and local level. She has served in leadership positions for the National Federation of Business and Professional Women and the Business and Professional Women of Colorado (BPW/Colorado) since 2008. As she grew with BPW, Megan served as the BPW/Boulder President for 2 years, the BPW/Colorado President for 2 years, the BPW/International Sub-Regional Coordinator for Canada and the United States for the N. American and Caribbean Region, the BPW/Colorado Vice President of Membership for 1 year, and a Delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) representing BPW/International.

She also brings her experience to bear as a member of several committees at her children’s school as a Member at Large for the Parent Council (PTA at a charter school). Megan also serves as a member for the Diversity and Inclusivity Committee and the Sustainability Committee.

Megan lives in Durango, Colorado with a packed household: husband, two children, two cats, one dog, many houseplants and an organic vegetable garden. She was born and raised in Southern Colorado, but has found homes in Boulder, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, France and Sanborn Western Camps.

Sandra Thompson (Sandy) is a native Californian and still resides in her family home with her cat Lily. She has been a member of the NFBPWC/Burbank club for 40 years and has held every position on the E.C. She is a Past State President of the California Federation. Sandy has also served on International Committees.

Sandy graduated from San Diego State University with a BA in Social Science and a MA in Special Education and has a Lifetime Teaching Credential. She was employed by Amtrak for 35 years where she held a variety of positions, including being a Train Manager responsible for the on-board services of three trains, Manager of Union Station in Los Angeles, and Director of Operations Management dealing with finances.

Since her retirement she has been volunteering at the Library bookstore, assisted in writing the history of her church, and serves as the Chair of the Church Council. She currently represents BPW at the Burbank Coordinating Council. She is active with Home Again LA where she was one of the founding members and was recognized with their Hands On Hearts In Award in 2019. Sandy is also a member of the National Association of Parliamentarians.

Kathy Kelly has been a small business owner and is celebrating 50 years in business. Her company, Personnel Profiles, Inc., was established in 1971 and continues today with service to the new home industry in the US and Canada.

With a degree in Religious Studies with a minor in Women’s Studies from the University of Colorado, Boulder, Kathy’s passion has always been to advocate for women and girls. She has served in many BPW positions, including state president, in her home state of Colorado. At the national level, Kathy completed her two-term position as Chair of the Lifelong Leadership & Learning (L3) Committee. At the international level, Kathy has served as the BPW delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status on Women (2013- present) and completed a 3-year term on the Women for Water Partnership International Steering Committee.

Utilizing the skills and confidence learned from BPW, Kathy went a little crazy and volunteered in Afghanistan with two missions in 2010 and 2011 as interim country director and continues to volunteer for the non-profit Afghans4Tomorrow (A4T). She stays close with her students, many who have gone on to receive professional degrees.

Kathy splits her time between Personnel Profiles (with the support of her rocket-scientist husband of 42 years, Jimmie), volunteer work, her two grown children and four grandchildren. She enjoys skiing, hiking, Bronco games and concerts at Colorado's beautiful Red Rocks amphitheater.

Daneene Monroe Rusnak began her association with BPW when she joined the Berea local chapter in Ohio in 2010. She immediately agreed to fill a recently vacated chair as the Historian. In 2011 she was the BPW/Ohio Individual Development Speak-Off winner and continued her passion for the ID course by serving as a moderator for Berea BPW's Individual Development classes.

Throughout her tenure with the Berea local, Daneene has held a variety of positions which included three terms as local President, PR/Social Media Chair, 2nd VP/Membership Chair and Region 2 President. In 2014, Daneene was selected as the Berea BPW Woman of the Year and one of the honorees at the Berea BPW National Business Women’s Week event.

At the state level, Daneene has served as Legislation Chair, Corresponding Secretary and Social Media Chair for BPW/Ohio. Currently, Daneene continues to serve BPW/Ohio as the Co-Chair of Website Management, the Social Media Chair, and is in her third term as the BPW/OH PAC Chair.

Daneene has been a member of the NFBPWC/USA Virtual Chapter since 2015. She is the current President of that chapter and has served as the Social Media/Technology Chair or Co-Chair throughout her time as a member. In 2017 she joined the NFBPWC/USA PR/Social Media Committee and led the team as PR Chair from 2018-2020. Most recently, Daneene has participated in the Lifelong Leadership and Learning Facilitator Program.

Daneene is a Business Solutions Specialist/Benefits Advisor with Consultative Business Solutions and lives in Parma, OH with her husband, Jeff, her daughter, Maya and her son Jerrod.

Sondra Nunez, a member of Downtown Sacramento BPW, is a 20+-year co-owner of her family-owned business, Mountain Valley Petroleum, Inc., currently serving as the company chief financial officer. Founded in 1998, Mountain Valley Petroleum, Inc. continues to be a family owned and operated fuel transportation company, serving a wide variety of customers throughout Northern California and Western Nevada. Our Mission is to provide the highest quality service possible, ensuring safe deliveries, on time, every time.

While managing her company is her main priority, Sondra’s real passion lies in volunteering with organizations that align with her personal value of service to others. Guided by the motto: “present circumstance does not dictate future success”, Sondra believes true success in life comes from working with others to help them understand and develop their own self-worth and potential.

A long-time resident of Northern California, Sondra currently resides in Yuba City, CA.

Emily VanVleck holds a B.A. from City College of New York majoring in International Studies with a double minor in Public Policy and Human Rights. She has experience working with elected officials on public policy and constituent services. Emily’s love for traveling and learning about other cultures led her to her career as a flight attendant which she has been doing for eight years.

Emily joined the NYC chapter of NFBPWC as their Advocacy/UN intern for the summer of 2021. Having a passion to advance human rights and create a more equitable world for all, she was interested in joining an organization that fought for women’s rights and had consultative status with the UN. Since joining, Emily has taken an active role in the organization, helping to create and lead the Afghan Women Project, representing the organization on the NGO Committee on Migration, and being elected the YBPW Representative for the NYC chapter. Emily recently established a project to create mini training videos

An Oregon native, Emily now lives in New York. When she is not traveling, she can be found taking care of her plants, checking out museums, or reading.