Be sure to mark your calendar for one week from today!! August 1 at 1:00 pm at the BCP Events Center….come down and vote for the two contested seats on the Council. Below you can learn a little about those folks, and those who are uncontested too.
Council Candidates
Unopposed Candidate – President
Dave Ross:
My background is primarily in corporate training and consulting. I have a Master’s Degree in both management (organizational development) and education (counseling and group dynamics). I have also done work toward a PhD in Human and Organizational Systems. I spent the early part of my career as an officer in the U.S. Air Force. Following that, I designed and delivered educational programs to both private and public organizations through the western United States. This provided an entry to large system change consulting work, which I did as an independent contractor and as a member of a consultant group. I also designed and delivered seminars to corporate clients on issues as diverse as stress management, leadership, executive development and conflict resolution. I have been active in BCP both as an actor and in support roles since its beginning – and I am one of its founding members. I believe BCP provides a valuable service to its members and the community at large. Through the arts and making available our facilities for social, educational and cultural interaction, I believe we have made valuable in-roads to a more cohesive cross-cultural community – and I intend to help BCP achieve even greater progress in the future.
Candidates – Vice President
Jack Bute:
Jerry Wager:
I grew up in upstate NY learning to hate winters. I earned a BA in geography and a Masters in Community Planning, neither of which were ever really applied. I served 2 years in Guyana with the Peace Corps and thereafter, lucked into my career as environmental program manager and worked for the Feds, state and Territory of Guam. I really enjoyed my work and did lots of volunteering with kids doing a variety of water related projects. I retired in 2003 and moved to Panama in 2005. I have appeared in several theater productions here in Boquete. I am married to Janet and have four grown kids and 2.5 grandchildren. We live on a couple of beautiful acres near St. Lucia.
Candidates – Secretary
Judi Isham:
I was born and raised in a small town in Kansas, and attended Kansas State University. I then moved to Southern California where I worked for a Savings & Loan Company. I met and married Ron Isham in 1967. While he was in Southeast Asia I was in charge of the Admitting Office in a hospital in Riverside, CA. We moved to Kansas in 1970, bought and operated an AM/FM radio station and later added a small marketing/printing company. We have 2 sons and so far, no daughters-in-law or grandchildren (that we are aware of). Ron and I retired in 2006 and moved to Boquete, with the help of our youngest son who thought we should go on an adventure….it surely has been that. Our son, Jason, is still here with us…guess he thought it was time for him to retire too. I am currently Secretary of the Valle Escondido Homeowners Board, I love to play bridge and until I broke my femur in February, played lots of golf. I truly believe in the BCP concept and hope to be in a production myself one of these days. I would appreciate your vote for Secretary of BCP. My experience as Secretary of VEHB will prepare me to do a good job for BCP.
Sandi Stephens:
Before I moved to Boquete from Roatan, Honduras, I followed BCP happenings on the internet and decided this was an avenue I wanted to pursue. My background and previous pursuits did not include involvement in the theatre ~ acting or directing or the complexities of putting together a production. After moving here in December 2007, I immediately joined BCP and became actively involved. I attended a director’s workshop. Graduation included directing a short vignette from Sam Shepard’s True West. That’s where I discovered the intricacies of putting on a theatrical production. Another graduate went on to direct the entire production of Social Security and I found myself working in a production capacity for that show. What followed was a deep foray over the next couple of years into the production side of the shows BCP and others presented. I was elected to the BCP Council in 2008/2009 and again in 2009/2010. During that time, I have produced, with much help from a tremendous team, Reflections, Sixties Show, Fabulous Fifties Show, Golden Crab Mystery Dinner, Doubt, Premature Corpse, was involved in the Art Fair, the Christmas Pageant, BCP’s Anniversary Party, BCP’s Grand Opening, evenings of entertainment including dances, happy hours and improv, to name a few. I am also involved with a summer Kids’ Camp program and have been an active participant at Amigos de Animales sterilization clinics since coming to Boquete. I wish to continue my involvement in BCP and be part of taking our theater to the next level.
Unopposed Candidate – Treasurer
Jerry Gaspard:
I have been in Panama for 7 years. I was married for twenty eight years and have five wonderful children. I am presently married to Aris, my Panamanian wife. She has five fantastic children (one who is a BCP member) and seven grandchildren. I have had only two jobs in my life. The first was Food and Beverage Administrator for a 600 patient Hospital in North Carolina. I spent twenty eight years there also. I then chose a career change and worked for a newspaper publishing company as Circulation Director with a daily readership of 90,000 and on weekends 94,000. (7 ½ years.) I spent two years in the military. I have a Masters in Business Administration. I came to BCP last October, just in time to help with some painting. Ever since, Aris and I have been volunteering taking tickets, collecting at the door for the Tuesday morning meetings, bar tending, karaoke, pot luck, happy hour and in any other way that we possibly can help. I think I can serve BCP in a positive manner and help to bridge the facility in the Boquete, Chiriqui communities. I promise to do my best and give the treasure’s position my all and to be a team player.
Unopposed Candidate – Creative Director
Leara Clausing:
I began singing professionally at 14 years of age. I then began acting in the theatre, moving to Los Angeles at 18 to pursue my career. I moved to NYC at 19 to study acting at the prestigious Neighborhood Playhouse for 2 years, returning to San Francisco to work with ACT. I have performed in over 50 stage plays, 400 radio and TV commercials and worked for 14 years on cruise ships as a singer. Over a career of 35 years in show business, I have directed theater, taken my nightclub act around the world, taught acting in LA, NYC and SF, was a theatrical agent for 2 years in LA. I am also a professional and published author.
Unopposed Candidate – Operations Director
Vicki Phelps:
I spent 31 years working in Information Technology in the oil & gas industry (all in Dallas/Houston Texas). The first two-thirds of my career was as technical analyst for petroleum engineering software, software support & training, and project management. The last third of my career was in management. I managed 3 teams (26 people) to provide data into various databases & engineering applications and to provide & support GIS maps using both the internal and external data. I retired in September 2009 and moved to Boquete in October. In November I started working with Nikki Steele to assist with BCP Theater Management. I have also participated “behind the scenes” on several BCP productions. BCP is an excellent organization that strives to contribute to the local community through many different avenues and I’m happy to have been a part of it in the past and look forward to the future.
Unopposed Candidate – Marketing Director
Penny Ripple:
I was born in Charleston, SC and lived most of my life in California and Florida. My professional career began in the travel industry with a major airline and a large travel agency. Later I owned two of my own companies in the meeting and convention industry, providing marketing event services to Fortune 500 companies including creating and producing industrial theater and corporate special events. After semi-retiring from my life as a road warrior in 2001, I joined Colwell Banker in north central Florida as a residential realtor and later became the company’s Marketing Director. In 2005 I retired permanently and moved to Boquete. I spent one year in Cuenca, Ecuador, but returned to Boquete after realizing how much I missed the special nature of this valley and its community of wonderful people. In February of 2010 I became the Publicity Manager for BCP and I look forward to working hard in the upcoming year to manage BCP’s membership, publicity and special events activities. My hobbies include golf, travel and reading.
