2017-18 District 5495 Governor Nancy Van Pelt 
Nancy Van Pelt is a member of the Rotary Club of Glendale West.  She is proud to have served as the first District Governor of District 5495 in 2017-18, its inaugural year.  She played an active role in the rewarding and challenging process of merging two Rotary districts (5490 and 5510) into a cohesive single District.  Melding the systems, values and traditions of two distinct cultures was an unforgettable experience, made possible by the dedication of dozens of talented members who generously shared their rich and diverse skills, opinions and creative ideas.
 
Preparing for and launching the new district provided Nancy with an opportunity to use the professional skills she had developed over her career in training and development and group facilitation.  For more than two decades she provided support to organizations and teams, helping them build their organizational capacity and develop future leaders.
 
Many Rotarians say they joined Rotary because someone invited them.  DG Nancy understands the power of that invitation because that’s just what happened to her!  When her husband Tom Hutchinson invited her to attend a membership social at the Glendale West Rotary Club, she joined and has been active ever since!  She has served Rotary in many capacities at the club, district and multi-district levels.  She has both organized and participated in wheelchair distributions, international service projects, Polio immunizations and three international Peace conferences.  As governor she focused on Peace-related projects, increasing collaborative relationships and building bench strength. 
 
Nancy and Tom are avid supporters of the Rotary Foundation.  Their blended family includes four children and five delightful, future-Rotarian grandchildren.