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Board of Directors


Nancy Beth Guptill, President

Nancy Beth Guptill is a mom, a business woman, an entrepreneur, and Islander who deeply cares about women's personal successes as well as our collective contributions to the various organizations and industries we represent.

Over the 32 years of her career, she has worked in retail, tourism and hospitality, market research and marketing communications, economic development, web development, digital marketing, internet safety and women and girl empowerment. Currently, she is President and Executive Consultant at Sweet Spot Academy which is headquartered in Summerside PEI.

Her current passion and specialty lies in business, digital and life skills training for adult learners, as well as raising digital leaders. As an experienced speaker and trainer, her favorite topics include all things entrepreneurial and small business related with a sprinkle of personal development for good measure.



Isabelle Dasylva-Gill

Isabelle Dasylva-Gill is Executive Director of Societe Acadienne et Francophone de I'lle du Prince Édouard. In addition to her Executive Director position, she has served on several boards of directors of organizations devoted to community development, the Francophonie, the status of women and children, multiculturalism, mental health for youth and access to justice. She has also received numerous recognition awards for her leadership, volunteerism, and contributions, including the Diversity Champion Award.  




Maureen Hanley

Maureen Hanley has more than 30 years experience operating businesses, including a seafood processing plant. She specializes in project management, client relationship development, and developing media content. She is COO and cofounder of Navigate Food Safety Solutions in Montague, PEI, which provides coaching and online/onsite training to manufacturing companies primarily in global food safety certification and standards. Previously, she worked for seven years managing all initiatives related to the brand of Chef Michael Smith. 



Sherry Huang 

Sherry Huang is CEO of Study Abroad Canada and co-owner of Sunrise Group which works in a variety of sectors in Atlantic Canada and China - including software and database development, business development and management consulting, immigration services, and logistics solutions. In 2022, she was recognized as one of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Business by Atlantic Business Magazine. 


Julie Murphy, Treasurer

Julie Murphy has been Controller of the PEI Bag Company in Central Bedeque since 2014. Prior to that, she served as Senior Manager of Grant Thornton LLP from 2000-2014. A graduate of the University of Prince Edward Island with a bachelor's degree in Accounting and Business Management, she is a Chartered Professional Accountant. She has been an active member of the advisory group for PEIBWA's Rural Women's Business Centre since 2019 and supportive of its development. She has been an advocate for women and various not-for-profit organizations in Prince Edward Island for a number of years.  



Martie Murphy

Martie Murphy is co-owner of D.P. Murphy, a giant in hospitality and food service in PEI. She is also CEO and owner of Tollestrup Construction Inc. She has made a contribution not just in the province's tourism sector but also throughout the community due to her commitment to giving back, including the Oak Acres Children's Camp in Murray River which provides subsidized day camping for children. In 2022, she was recognized as one of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Business by Atlantic Business Magazine. 


Li Yuan Ma, Vice-President

Li Yuan is a Manager, Market Sales Support with RBC’s Commercial Financial Services Team in British Columbia. She holds an EMBA degree from UPEI and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill University. She emigrated to Canada from China 15 years ago and has been nominated as one of Canada's Top 25 immigrants. She volunteers with the PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada and many other organizations. She is prominent in PEI's Chinese business community. Li Yuan has won a number of awards, including Canada's Volunteer Award in the "Community Leader" category from Government of Canada (first person from PEI to receive this award), RBC's Global Citizen Award, Diversity Award, Lighthouse Award, and more. 


Susan Robinson, Secretary

Susan Robinson, QC, is Executive Director of the Law Society of Prince Edward Island. She previously served as Director of Human Resources and Legal Affairs for the City of Summerside. She is a Director of Eric C. Robinson Inc., a multi-generational family farming operation in Albany, PEI. Susan holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Acadia University and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Queen’s University. She has been involved with various community organizations over the years including the Transition House Association, the PEI Curling Association, and the Tryon Baptist Church. She is presently a member of the Prince County Hospital Foundation Board of Directors, The Workers Compensation Appeal Tribunal, the Discipline Administrators of Canada, the Canadian Lawyers Insurance Association, and is involved in various community fundraising initiatives.


Carol Rybinski

Carol Rybinski is a successful business entrepreneur based in Tyne Valley, Prince County, P.E.I. Her popular restaurant, Tyne Valley Teas Cafe, features fresh, locally sourced food products, as well as catering and online sales. Her company Demesne Design specializes in website development and design. A graduate of Concordia University with a bachelor of science degree in biology, Carol is also fluent in English and French. She serves as vice president of the West Prince Chamber of Commerce and is a former member of the advisory group for PEIBWA’s Rural Women’s Business Centre. Carol is an active advocate for PEIBWA, serving as a spokeswoman and participating in a PEIBWA delegation meeting with Parliamentary Secretary Gudie Hutchings (Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development) to discuss rural internet access in P.E.I.


Eliane Salgueiro

Eliane Salgueiro graduated with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineer and a Masters's degree in Marketing. She worked in Brazil for 3M and General Electric, leading projects using Lean Six Sigma methodology. She worked with functional groups, redesigning processes to reduce inefficiencies, improve profitability, and better meet customer expectations.

During her career, she also worked as a business adviser for a Brazilian non-profit organization, developing strategies to promote business competitiveness for small, medium, and large companies, including branches of government.

Eliane fell in love with PEI when she first visited in 2013, and made PEI home in 2018. She is very active in volunteering her time in various island associations, and in supporting small businesses on PEI. Eliane is passionate about motivating people to think out of the box.


Sydney Seggie

In 2013, Sydney Seggie (with her husband Chris), founded Fellow Earthlings, a handmade custom eyewear design and production company based in Guernsey Cove, Kings County, P.E.I. From an entrepreneurial family with roots in the eyewear industry that once flourished in P.E.I., Sydney worked in the eyewear sector in Hong Kong and London (U.K.) before returning home to P.E.I. to create Fellow Earthlings. The company has built a successful niche with design and prototype work, short-run production, environmentally friendly material, and online retail eyewear handmade to order. It sells its products nationally and internationally, and has won the attention of international designers, regularly appearing on the fashion runways of Europe and New York. Sydney plays a key role in incorporating the company’s P.E.I. location into the company brand, on Instagram in particular. She serves on the Premier’s Council for Recovery and Growth in Prince Edward Island.