With four small children and the challenges of juggling home, her nursing career, and her husband having his own business, Colette Cooper made the decision to step away from a demanding career as an intensive care nurse — and never went back. Instead, she joined forces with her husband Darren, ultimately taking on the […]
Carinne Chambers-Saini Founder, Diva International TELUS Trailblazer Award Finalist Carinne Chambers-Saini has led a 15-year journey to create and market the revolutionary product and brand, the DivaCup. As the only real innovation in feminine hygiene in decades, the DivaCup has completely disrupted the industry by providing the most eco-friendly, clean and comfortable way to […]
Jesse Finkelstein Founder, Page Two TELUS Trailblazer Award Finalist Jesse Finkelstein and Trena White have 35 years of combined experience in book publishing. The pair worked together at D&M Publishers until 2012, when the company went into creditor protection. With their backs against the wall, they choose to take a leap of faith […]
Trena White Founder, Page Two TELUS Trailblazer Award Finalist Jesse Finkelstein and Trena White have 35 years of combined experience in book publishing. The pair worked together at D&M Publishers until 2012, when the company went into creditor protection. With their backs against the wall, they choose to take a leap of faith […]
Natalie Voland Founder, Gestion Immobilière Quo Vadis TELUS Trailblazer Award Finalist With a background in social work, Natalie Voland created a unique vision using real estate projects as a tool of economic development and urban regeneration, leading to the creation of over 3,000 new jobs. A Quebec leader in social innovation, Natalie works collaboratively […]
Hailing from Yamaguchi, Japan, Chef Aiko Uchigoshi brings 14 years of impressive knowledge and experience in the art of pastry to Miku Toronto. As the restaurant’s talented Head Pastry Chef, Aiko and her team proudly make every delicious dessert offering in-house. She incorporates her mastery of Japanese flavours and French baking techniques into her breath-taking […]
With a breadth of marketing and strategy expertise, Virginia is known for building and scaling high-performing customer-focused teams. A Business Strategist and Marketing Partner at ELIM5, a Toronto-based digital media company, she’s a valued member of the Women of Influence Advisory Board and an American Marketing Association mentor. by Virginia Brailey […]
As Senior Vice President, Global Engagement for Women of Influence, Jan Frolic has the privilege of connecting with people who are doing the work to advance women and are looking to do more. Passionate about inclusion, she’s also the founder of boypro-ject, offering in-school curriculum to encourage youth to be authentic in their unique […]
For most of us, the biggest thing we were rallying for at 15 was an extension on our curfew or a new outfit — but Autumn Peltier is not your average 15-year-old. Newly appointed as the Anishinabek Nation chief water commissioner, Autumn has already spent years advocating for water protection in First Nations communities, and […]
A co-op placement while earning a math and computer science degree introduced Shannon Kot to the consulting world. A few years later, at the urging of her mentor, she chose to complement her skills with an MBA from Smith School of Business. In just seven years, Shannon had made partner at Deloitte — a feat […]
Carol Deacon began her career sourcing automotive parts in Detroit. After earning an MBA from INSEAD, she worked with several large retailers and consumer brands on growth strategies, innovation, and turn-around plans, before returning to the automotive world with a role at Canadian Tire. During her six years at the company, she led the turnaround strategy […]
Isaac Olowolafe Jr., President of Dream Maker Inc, a Toronto-based asset management firm, started his entrepreneurial journey at just 22 years old. Now at 36, he credits the support of his parents, wife and his community for his success — and he’s paying it forward, with venture capital investments and philanthropic support guided by a […]
Dr. Yolanda Kirkham is an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Toronto. After her Masters’s and medical degrees at the University of British Columbia, she moved to Toronto to pursue her OBGYN career path. She cares for women through all of life’s transitions. She delivers babies and performs […]
Geetha Moorthy Founder, SAAAC Autism Centre Social Change Award Finalist Geetha founded the South Asian Autism Awareness Centre (SAAAC) in direct response to the growing need for awareness and support for South Asian families impacted by ASD and related developmental disorders. The centre began with two families, a handful of volunteers, and minimal resources. […]
Laurel Douglas CEO, Women’s Enterprise Centre Social Change Award Finalist Laurel Douglas is the CEO of Women’s Enterprise Centre (WEC). WEC is a non-profit organization devoted to helping BC women launch, lead, and scale their own businesses. Under Laurel’s leadership, WEC has become recognized as one of the leading business resources for women entrepreneurs […]
Pascale Bouchard Founder, Leucan Social Change Award Finalist A member of the Quebec Bar, Pascale practiced law for a little over a year before heading into management. She joined Leucan in 2015 as Director of Family Services, and a year later became General Manager. Leucan is a nonprofit organization that supports children with cancer […]
Theresa Keeping, owner of the Port of Stephenville, is the quintessential serial entrepreneur, with over forty years of experience building several businesses. But it wasn’t until she moved back to Newfoundland — where she was born and raised — that her entrepreneurial aspirations have been connected to revitalizing the area her ancestors have called […]
Without a background in business, but a love and passion for retail and cocktails, Kristen Voisey St. John’s, Newfoundland native, opened her first store in Toronto in 2011 and has since been dubbed Toronto’s “Cocktail Queen” . She is the founder and owner of Cocktail Emporium that currently has two stores with a new location […]
Camille Jagdeo Founder, EDGE1 Equipment Rentals Momentum Award Finalist Born and raised in Guyana, Camille moved to Canada in 1985 and attended the University of Toronto. Her defining moment in entrepreneurship was between 2014 to 2018, where she successfully defended her company’s name against US rental giant Hertz. Camille’s no-nonsense approach has earned her […]
Janet LePage Founder, Western Wealth Capital Momentum Award Finalist For the past decade, Janet has been focused on creating wealth through well-selected real estate investment. Under Janet’s leadership, WWC has placed more than US$ 408 million in private equity and acquired 58 multi-family properties, comprising more than 11,600 rental units, with a purchase value […]
Youlita Anguelov Founder, AgroFusion Momentum Award Finalist Youlita Anguelov moved to Montreal from Bulgaria in 1993 with her six-year-old daughter, two suitcases, and $500. After a decade of working hard to establish herself, she launched AgroFusion. Back then, she was the business and the business was her — in a small warehouse where she […]
Natalie James is a wife, mom of three, entrepreneur, creator and owner of Toronto’s most exclusive blow dry bar – Vent Blow Dry Bar. Inspired by the stories of female entrepreneurs she met, Natalie set out to take a detour and leave the security of a “good job” when she opened Vent Blow Dry Bar’s […]
Can changing a physical workplace foster inclusion? Barbara Mason, Group Head and Chief Human Resources Officer at Scotiabank, explains how an “Activity-Based Working” approach to their office design created a space that enables all employees to work when, where, and how they choose — demolishing barriers, increasing engagement, and ensuring everyone is enabled to be […]
Lisa Ali Learning Founder, AtlanTick Repellent Products Ones to Watch Award Lisa’s business idea arose when her two sons were sick with Lyme disease. While focusing on the immediate care of her children, she developed safe, natural formulas to keep them from encountering future tick bites, the source of the disease. As her sons […]
Jessica Anuna is the 27-year-old founder and CEO of online fashion retailer Klasha, selling fashion to millennials in Africa. Klasha is backed by Techstars and Ginco Investments in Dubai and is based in Lagos with a team of six. They deliver in 1-5 days across Africa and sell affordable fashion under $100 with payments in […]
Dina Kulik Founder, Kidcrew Ones to Watch Award Dr. Dina Kulik is a mother and Paediatrician in Toronto. With a focus on superior patient outcomes and education, Dina is one of Canada’s leading child health media experts, providing child health information to parents and the public through television, radio, and print media and via […]
Melissa Kargiannakis Founder, Skritswap Ones to Watch Award Melissa Kargiannakis is the founder and CEO of Skritswap: a Silicon Valley venture capital-funded AI start-up that swaps complex jargon into plain, easy-to-understand language. Imagine a mortgage at a grade six reading level. In just nine months full-time at Skritswap, Melissa led the team to win […]
