February 2025 UPDATE

In this month‘s newsletter, you will find interesting information about our network, past and upcoming events and our exciting plans for the future.

Please continue reading to learn what we have in store for you in March and beyond!

In this issue, you can read about:

• February Event Recap: Sensory Healing Spices Workshop, with Geri Brown
• Get ready for our March Event: From Survivor to Thriver: My Journey Beyond Cancer, with Gabriela Gutierrez
• Survey Results Are In: Thank You for Sharing Your Voice!
• Your Support Matters: Help PWNCR Grow in 2025
• PWNCR Members Spotlight: featuring Gloriana Brenes and Ruth Fredericks
• PWNCR Membership and Merchandise: Benefits and Opportunities

Make sure you follow PWNCR on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram or subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Don’t forget to like our posts and and share them with your community.

Please feel free to scroll down to what matters most to you.

February 2025 Event Recap

PWNCR continued its 2025 programming with an engaging workshop on the healing properties of spices led by Geri Brown on February 15th at the Delta Hotels by Marriott San José Aurola. Attendees experienced a sensory journey through various healing spices, including Thai Ginger, Lemongrass, Hibiscus, and the “three queens” – Ginger, Turmeric, and Black Pepper.

During this hands-on workshop, participants had the opportunity to smell and taste a variety of fresh spices while learning about their medicinal properties. Geri shared valuable insights on how these natural ingredients can help reduce stress, manage blood sugar levels, combat signs of aging, and enhance overall wellness.

We sincerely thank Geri Brown, who, with her husband Rob, has been farming trees and spices in Costa Rica’s northern central zone for more than 15 years at their farm Cinco Ramas. Their commitment to regenerative and organic farming practices and their extensive knowledge of traditional healing methods made this workshop particularly valuable for our members.

March 2025 Event

Don’t forget to SAVE YOUR SPOT !!

Cancer changes everything – not just during treatment, but in ways that ripple through every aspect of life long after you hear the word “remission.” As a survivor, our speaker discovered that thriving after cancer requires more than just medical follow-ups. It demands a complete reimagining of how we approach wellness, personal growth, and our relationship with our transformed bodies and minds.

Through this deeply personal journey, you’ll discover that true healing extends far beyond the physical realm. This presentation will explore the multifaceted path of post-cancer thriving, offering insights and practical approaches for those navigating their own healing journey.

Join us to hear PWNCR‘s own Gabriela Gutierrez share her inspiring story of healing and transformation

• What: From Survivor to Thriver: My Journey Beyond Cancer
• Who: Gabriela Gutiérrez
• When: March 15, 2025, 9:30am-12:30pm
• Where: La Colmena, 400 metros oeste de la UCIMED, Carretera Vieja Escazú, San José, Costa Rica. Click here for the Google Maps pin.

Special Lunch Networking Opportunity:
You can join us after the event for a special lunch at La Colmena! This beautiful spot, owned by Lila, one of our PWNCR members, will offer healthy vegetarian menu options at the special price of 12,000 colones per person.

Important note: To ensure fresh, specially prepared meals, lunch reservations require a 6,000 colones deposit to PWNCR one week before the event. The remaining 6,000 colones will be due at check-in.

REGISTER HERE!

PWNCR Interest and Engagement Survey 2025: Results and Raffle Winners

Thank you for your outstanding participation in our recent member survey! Your thoughtful responses and insights are incredibly valuable for understanding how we can better serve our community.

What We Learned:
Your responses highlighted several clear preferences and interests:

• Business development, technology & innovation, and financial empowerment emerged as top areas of interest

• Interactive, in-person workshops and networking opportunities are your preferred formats for engagement

• Saturday mornings stand out as the optimal time for our community to gather

• There’s growing interest in practical skills development, particularly in areas like AI and public speaking

The leadership team will carefully review all feedback to inform our future planning.

 Congratulations to Our Survey Participation Raffle Winners! 

As a token of our appreciation for completing the survey, we held a raffle at our February 15th event. We’re delighted to announce the winners:

• Ana Lucía Guerrero: Free entrance tickets to our March event

• Elaine Kalra: One-hour career coaching session with our expert member

• Cristina Hernández: PWNCR signature mug

Winners, please check your email for details about claiming your prizes.

Your Support Matters: Help PWNCR Grow in 2025 

Dear Members of the PWNCR,

First, we’d like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to those who have already contributed to our organization. Your generosity has helped us maintain our operations and continue providing valuable networking and professional development opportunities.

The Professional Women’s Network of Costa Rica has a strong history of philanthropy and we focus multiple times a year on this Social Responsibility goal with rotating fundraisers for non-profit organizations. However, in focusing on fundraising for these non-profits we realize that we have been neglecting the financial health of our own organization. Some months our earnings from membership dues and events do not cover our running costs. There have been many times over our history when members of the Leadership Team have covered the basic expenses out of their own pockets. In some cases they have later been reimbursed and in other instances have offered it as a donation. We need to be fully financially stable to provide a strong base for growth.

As we begin a new year of interesting activities and speakers, your Leadership Team is working diligently to respond to the preferences and needs of our members, as highlighted in our recent survey.

We have monthly expenditures of about $100 USD between accounting, website and event pages, as well as our email system and Zoom. Up until this time, we have been running on a shoestring budget and only able to have our meetings at Tin Jo. However, we realize that as a growing organization we are running into new expenditures, such as:

• Rental of new venues for our expanding meetings

• Purchasing a laptop for our exclusive organizational use

• Possible compensation for high-profile speakers

We will, of course, continue the fundraising for non-profit organizations through our Social Responsibility campaigns, but first, to keep our own organization running throughout this coming year, we need to increase our coffers.

Please be your generous self and donate to keep YOUR Professional Women’s Network running smoothly. Every contribution, regardless of size, makes a meaningful difference in our ability to serve this community of professional women.

You can make your donation via:

• SINPE Móvil: 8803-1930

• Bank transfer: Please contact info@pwncr.com for details

Thank you for being an essential part of the PWNCR community!

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PWNCR Members Spotlight

Meet Ruth Fredericks

Are you seeking a new personal assistant in your new chapter in Costa Rica? Look no further! Ruth Fredericks has been a personal assistant for over 20 years and has built a reputation for being trustworthy, honest, hard-working, organized, and responsible.

Ruth offers a range of services, including:

• Providing compassionate and personalized care for seniors

• Administrative support

• Household management

• Errands and personal tasks

“Contact me today, and together, we’ll create the perfect partnership to conquer any challenge that comes our way!” says Ruth.

Connect with Ruth:
Email: ruth.assistancescr@gmail.com
Facebook: Ruth’s Personal Assistant Services

 

Meet Gloriana Brenes

Meet Gloriana Brenes – Empowering Young Minds through English Learning

Gloriana Brenes is a passionate English teacher with 18 years of experience, and for the past 10 years, she has been the driving force behind Ace Kids, a thriving business based in Escazú. Ace Kids specializes in teaching English to children and teenagers, focusing on one-on-one tutoring that not only enhances language skills but also boosts self-confidence and promotes mindfulness. Gloriana’s approach ensures that her students build a positive relationship with learning, preparing them not only for academic success but also for a bright future in life.

When she’s not teaching, Gloriana enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids, paddle boarding, and nurturing her garden. With her dedication to education and well-being, Gloriana is a true advocate for personal growth and lifelong learning.

Connect with Gloriana on Instagram at ACE Kids

PWNCR MERCHANDISE!

Get your PWNCR merchandise. Help us spread the word about this amazing community…while supplies last! You can purchase these items at our next event.

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR PWNCR MEMBERSHIP

Benefits of PWNCR Membership

What’s in it for you? What we know you’ll gain from becoming a member:

• Opportunities to network with other professionals
• Lifelong friendships
• Get collaboration and advice on your projects
• Promote your business using our social media
• Get strategic contacts when needed
• Join our monthly meetings
• Knowledge and education on professional and personal development
• In-person events and workshops
• Opportunities to become a speaker at our meetings
• Become a mentor or receive mentorship
• Opportunities to belong to our Leadership Team
• Join our WhatsApp group
• Increased job opportunities
• Webinars and virtual workshops

Membership is only ¢20.000 per year or ¢50.000 for a 3-year membership. Under this scheme, you pay an additional fee of ¢3,000 for each event you attend.

A Premium Membership is now available for ¢30.000 per year.  Under this scheme, you may attend all events for FREE.

Join us, won’t you?

Payment information: Please connect with Rommy for bank transfer information.

Email Rommy, our Director of Membership!