Embracing the Essence of a Legend, by Idalin McKenzie, 2023 Top 100 Award Winner.

Reflecting on the Women Executive Network’s (WXN’s) 2023 theme, “Like a Legend,” brings to mind the individuals I consider legends—those who have profoundly impacted my life in various areas, including work, home, and community. To me, being a legend means leaving a legacy, demonstrating resilience in the face of challenges, and using those experiences to empower others, thereby perpetuating a cycle of positive influence, just as the legends before me have done.

According to the Collins dictionary, a legend is “a notable person whose deeds or exploits are much talked about in his or her own time.” Being a legend involves making a significant impact, whether by shaping products, processes, people, or policies or sharing resources that transform lives. A true legend is not motivated by the need for power or recognition but by the desire to make a lasting difference.

Standing on the Shoulders of Legends

Many of the qualities that have guided me through my personal and professional life can be traced back to the legends who have supported and guided me. These individuals—parents, families, friends, and mentors—are often ordinary people who took the time to listen and share their resources, helping me become a better version of myself. They taught me to run my own race, lead with integrity, humility, and empathy, and remain resilient in the face of adversity. Their support and encouragement allowed me to stretch my thinking, expand my goals, and achieve greater things.

Running My Own Race

From an early age, I learned that life is a marathon, not a sprint. This perspective helped me stay grounded amidst uncertainty and change in all aspects of my life. “There is a reason for this season” became my mantra. I commit to learning from every experience—amidst setbacks and triumphs—and setting bigger goals for myself, even without a clear route to the destination. At the start of my career, I recall the pride of earning my Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and securing my first consulting role at a Big Four firm. These achievements inspired me to pursue an MSc in Management Information Systems, followed by a CPA designation, an MBA, and various other certifications. By setting bigger goals for myself, I was able to diversify my skillset, enabling me to gain roles across IT, Finance, Strategy, Transformation, Audit, and more, and allowing me to impact people, processes, products, and policies positively.

Resilience and Recharging

As the first in my family to embark on a unique career and entrepreneurial pursuit, I've embraced my journey with passion and courage, viewing each experience as an opportunity for growth and learning. I've discovered that resilience is not just about bouncing back from setbacks but also about recharging—taking time to refill my cup so I can continue life's journey with renewed energy and determination.

One of my favourite ways to recharge is through hiking and nature walks. Immersing myself in the beauty and tranquillity of the natural world boosts my endurance and strengthens my resolve to navigate life's challenges. These moments of pause and reflection in nature allow me to return to my work and personal life with greater clarity and resilience.

Paying It Forward and Continuing the Legacy

Creating a lasting impact is the true essence of being a legend. Continuing the legacy is about using the lessons I have learned along my unique journey to mentor, coach, and advise others, providing them with the tools to chart their own paths. As Seth Parker said, “You may not have saved a lot of money in your life, but if you have saved a lot of heartaches for other folks, you are a pretty rich man (woman, human).”

I am still on the marathon of my life's journey, but I am proof that when you run your own race, find time to recharge amidst the challenges and embrace your unique calling, you can make a difference at home, work, and in the community.

Living Like a Legend

In conclusion, legends are defined not for recognition or accolades but for the betterment of those around them. Thank you, Women Executive Network (WXN), for this incredible honour of being named a 2023 Top 100 awardee under the theme “Like a Legend.” I look forward to continuing this journey of making a difference at home, work and in my community.

Idalin McKenzie is a Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner in the Professionals award category for 2023. She has been recognized as a woman who is professional in practice and plays a leadership role within her organization.

Click here to learn more about Top 100 and our Gala honouring our 2024 winners on November 27 in Toronto.

About Idalin:

Idalin McKenzie

Collaboration, Connections and the Power of Communities Working Together, by Nicola Hill, 2023 Top 100 Award Winner.

Receiving the 2023 Canadian Tire Community Impact Award has been a profound honour, not only for the recognition of the impact of community action and social change but also for the immediate acceptance into an incredible network of women across the country who are all remarkable and striving to make a difference in their work and communities.

As a recipient of Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award, I was prompted to reflect on the 2023 theme, "Like a Legend." For me, living like a legend means taking bold actions that may not be popular, with the aim of truly changing the lives of those who may not have the same power to speak for themselves.

Much like the Women’s Executive Network (WXN), the journey to eradicate period poverty across Canada has required collaboration, connections, and the power of communities working together. While I initiated the United Way’s Period Promise campaign, the successes it has seen in BC—and now in other provinces—have always been a collective win, involving the dedicated efforts of many volunteers and partners.

Period Promise was launched to address the harsh reality that many individuals can't afford or don't have access to menstrual supplies, leading to inequities in our society. The campaign hasn't always been easy. Stigma around menstruation is real, and building allies took initial effort due to that stigma. However, a growing number of volunteers persisted, and organizations from across BC began to collect products in annual drives, helping bring the issue into the public domain as a global movement was gaining momentum.

New advocates emerged as they understood that kids in our own communities were missing school when they didn't have access to menstrual supplies, people missed work and isolated themselves, and families made hard decisions between food and such a basic necessity. Leaders like BC Federation of Labour President Sussanne Skidmore, long time Period Promise Co-Chair inspired many to join us.

As a result, Period Promise has achieved significant change. Advocacy from Period Promise and the network of partners has led to dozens of local governments, unions, post-secondary institutions, and major employers committing to distribute free menstrual projects in their facilities by signing the Period Promise Policy Agreement.

In 2019, BC Minister of Education Rob Fleming required all BC public schools to provide free menstrual products in school washrooms, making it the first province to show this leadership. The BC Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction has since provided multiple grant streams to Period Promise for community programs, including funding the most comprehensive research project in Canada.

Partnering across the country with advocates working passionately together has seen the Government of Canada take critical steps to address menstrual equity with significant gains in 2023.

Period Promise and community organizations advocated for the Government of BC to create a body to address period poverty in BC with cross-sectoral collaboration as a priority. The Government of BC appointed me to Chair the new Period Poverty Task Force for the province throughout 2023. The task force is currently the only body globally looking at recommendations for a government that will address the systemic issues of period poverty and will provide a model for jurisdictions across Canada and internationally.

These are the successes that come to mind when I reflect on what it means to live like a legend. If these actions can inspire others to engage in issues they are passionate about, support their communities and neighbors, make a difference in people’s lives, and decrease stigma on an issue, then every moment spent is meaningful.

WXN provides a network to inspire, support, and celebrate together, and I’m grateful to be a part of it now and into the future.

Nicola Hill is a Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner in the Canadian Tire Community Impact award category for 2023. She has been recognized as a woman, who strives to make a difference in her community. 

Click here to learn more about Top 100 and to nominate a BOLD woman for 2024! HURRY nominations close on May 28!

About Nikki:

Nikki Hill

Paving the way for Women's Equality in the Construction Industry, by Lisa Laronde, 2023 Top 100 Award Winner.

When I think of Canadian legends a few names come to mind, Viola Desmand, Doris Anderson, and Dr. Lillian Dyck. The commonality between these remarkable women is their drive to lead, challenge, and fight for equality. And that is what I do daily as I work to pave the way for women’s equality and leadership opportunities within the construction industry.

When I began in this industry, I knew I wanted to be a leader, I also knew that to make that a reality, I would have to work twice as hard as my male counterparts to get the recognition I deserved. A challenge that continues for women, who are under-represented in leadership and executive positions across Canada, many of whom comparatively, are underpaid.

Looking around the table at my first executive board meeting, I knew I needed to bring women up into the seats beside me, to create diversity, equity, and inclusion. I have dedicated much of my career to doing just that, creating opportunities, and mentoring through my day-to-day job and volunteer work with the Canadian Association of Women in Construction, (CAWIC) an advocacy group dedicated to elevating women in the construction industry, while improving work conditions and providing further training and skill development opportunities.

Since becoming president of Powell Contracting and subsequently RSG International, the organizations have seen a surge in growth, which is fantastic, but I have also created a company culture that promotes employee wellness, inclusion, and collaboration while building psychologically safe work environments.

Being recognized as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women has been an honour, it has reassured me that I am a transformational leader who is making a difference in the lives of others and the industry. I still find it hard to comprehend that my name is on a list of more than 1,600 extraordinary women who have given back, questioned societal norms, and advocated for others, many of whom have shown courage, sometimes risking their reputations and careers, for what they believe in. When I look at WXM’s top 100 list, I see a list of extraordinary names - women who are changing the world.

For me, it is about blazing trails for women, smashing barriers in front of us, and uplifting them through to power through their careers. But I don’t want to be the only female leader in the industry doing this, I want to walk this path together with other women leaders, to be united with one voice so that women do not face the same challenges as I did. Why should they? I am tired of being the first woman leader in a male-dominated industry, I am ready for others to join the ranks. I want to see my woman counterparts surpass me, bringing new and innovative ideas to the table to help rejuvenate an industry in need of a shake-up. Because some of the best leaders are women who lead with integrity, are visionaries, are courageous, and lead by example.

It is also largely about giving back, whether through grassroots organizations or simply lending my voice. Volunteering my time to speaking at various leadership and industry engagements, including not-for-profit organizations, dedicated to promoting skilled trades, women in leadership, and diversity in construction is vital to my efforts to improve the industry and workplace experience for all.

Legends aren’t self-serving, they work together for the common good and to enact change. And while I do not see myself as equal to Desmand, Anderson, and Dyck, I do feel as if I’m doing my part to make a mark on a mostly male-dominated industry, to stand up for women, to be inclusive and champion diversity, change the narrative, and to use my platform to elevate others who may otherwise not have that opportunity.

Lisa Laronde is a Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner in the Executive Leaders award category for 2023. She has been recognized as a woman, aged 40 plus, who not only exemplify what it means to be a great leader, but also build confidence and champion others. 

Click here to learn more about Top 100 and to nominate a BOLD woman for 2024! HURRY nominations close on May 28!

About Lisa:

Lisa Laronde

A Legend’s Legacy of Pioneering Leadership, Transformational Change and Trailblazing for Women and Future Generations, by Kristi Hines, 2023 Top 100 Award Winner.

In Canada’s impressive landscape of female entrepreneurs, where numerous women shine, Kristi Hines has made her mark. Showcasing an unwavering dedication to providing exceptional healthcare services, community support and a resolute determination to lead as an inspiration, she embodies what it means to lead “Like a Legend.” Kristi stands shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow female entrepreneurs and empowers individuals with their opportunity to make positive change—the same way she has. Her journey to success with Hines Health Services (HHS ) has been defined by her willingness to defy norms and a legacy that showcases that regardless of humble origins, a commitment to local impact can resonate on a national scale.

This is the story of an inspirational woman who built a values-based organization that is constantly innovating to diversify services as the world needs them and pushes the limits of even its own goals.

Hines Health Services: A Story of Growth
Kristi Hines, a Registered Nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Alberta, founded HHS in 2012. Illustrating a compelling narrative of scalability, this organization grounded in professionalism, integrity, collaboration and community, has experienced remarkable growth, expanding its team from 20 members to over 250 dedicated employees. HHS secured municipal, provincial and federal government contracts, established a national network and earned accolades that are testament to Kristi's entrepreneurial prowess, including:

     • Small Business of the Year by the Fort McMurray Chamber of Commerce (2017).
     • Fort McMurray Chamber of Commerce’s Gold Award for Professional Services (2018).

Pioneering the Path: Visionary Leadership Empowering Female Entrepreneurs and Shaping Future Generations
The success of HHS can be attributed to the innovative leadership of Kristi, who creates an environment for her employees to grow, thrive and excel. Through turbulent times, including the Fort McMurray fires, economic challenges in Alberta and the global pandemic, Kristi has continued to build a growth-oriented business. Her commitment to bridging gaps in the market, providing superior services and fostering a customer-oriented approach has consistently affirmed her as a game-changer in the healthcare sector and a trailblazer for future generations.

Woven into the fabric of her business is a profound belief in the power of youth and the cultivation of the next generation of leaders and healthcare professionals. Collaborating with Careers Next Generation, HHS has opened its doors to ambitious interns, providing them with invaluable hands-on experience and new possibilities within the healthcare and occupational health industries.

As a leader, Kristi's approach is pivotal in empowering women, fostering entrepreneurship and opportunity, as well as recognizing the significance of flexibility in achieving professional success. Kristi has dedicated her time to building a diverse and balanced team, exemplified through innovative work schedules built to be particularly accommodating to working mothers. As a mother herself, Kristi recognized the need for a self-schedule model to support the demands of motherhood and the pursuit of a meaningful, fulfilling career.

Kristi's leadership has earned notable accolades, including:
     • ACC Alberta Business Awards of Distinction for Woman Entrepreneurship (2019).
     • Women of Inspiration by Girls Inc. of Northern Alberta and Syncrude Canada

A Powerful Commitment to Community and Excellence
Beyond the professional, Kristi remains deeply committed to community service. As the first Vice Chair of the Alberta Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee, Director of Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo Economic Development & Tourism, and Past Chair of the Fort McMurray Chamber of Commerce, she actively contributes to shaping the economic landscape of her community. Kristi also provides mentorship to nursing students and offers practicum placements to aspiring healthcare professionals from Keyano College and the University of Alberta. Her dedication extends to provincial initiatives as well. Appointed to the Government of Alberta’s Supporting Working Parents Advisory Group, she plays a vital role in considering short and long-term initiatives to ensure parents, particularly women, can actively participate in Alberta’s economic recovery. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to both her community and the province, Kristi was honoured with the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee award.

In addition to her immediate community in Fort McMurray, Kristi has extended her commitment to her fellow female entrepreneurs. HHS’ foundation was built on strong personal and professional relationships, coupled with organic strategic partnerships cultivated by Kristi.
This has not only cemented her standing as a dependable businesswoman, but has also showcased her commitment to a lasting positive influence for women in leadership roles. Her proactive approach is evident in her enthusiasm to engage with fellow women entrepreneurs, furthering her contribution to enriching support networks and collaboration within the female entrepreneurial community.

For Kristi, this community that has expanded even further thanks to the valuable network of Compass Rose Entrepreneurs that she has connected with through the events surrounding her win as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women. Being linked to the other legendary women who are making impacts in their communities and defying convention has only opened more doors to new opportunities and inspired Kristi to continue to build on the momentum that these new relationships will bring.

Kristi Hines emerges as a shining example of a transformational figure embodying leadership, resilience and community commitment. Her story goes beyond business success; it is a narrative of empowerment, innovation and true desire to make a positive difference. As Kristi takes her place among Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award winners, her journey serves as an inspiration, encouraging others to break norms, defy conventions and leave a lasting impression—just like a legend.

Kristi Hines is a Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner in the Compass Rose Entrepreneurs award category for 2023. She has been recognized as a female founder who owns and operates a businesses and brings to the table her bold enthusiasm.

Click here to learn more about Top 100 and to nominate a BOLD woman for 2024! HURRY nominations close on May 28!

About Kristi:

Kristi Hines

“I’m a lifelong learner and student” – Meet WXN member Vivian Chan

Change doesn’t happen without community. And you can’t create community without understanding and friendship. That’s why Vivian Chan describes herself as a friend before anything else - even after her 24-year career launching AI technologies with some of the world’s largest companies and disruptive startups.

Read on to discover how an internship in tech turned into a lifelong career, what she learned from dance, why she keeps her thank-you notes nearby and why the “X” in WXN means uniting the country.

WXN: How did you find your way into the technology field?

Vivian: I got into the technology field via an internship while I was attending Simon Fraser University, and I never left. I was lucky to enter the field at a time of exponential growth. There was no blueprint for how things would work. Change happened so rapidly that, every six months, I felt like I was working for a different company. We changed organizational structure to stay nimble. We raced to launch new products against competitors. We’d double or triple in size in months, not years.

I’ve been trained for disruption by really brilliant humans. I also burned out twice. The velocity of change and the volume of work was intense. I worked 14-hour days, six days a week. Building a world-class company in a growing sector took sacrifices… and I made them.

WXN: What was that burnout like?

Vivian: In the first 12 years of my career, I didn’t set healthy boundaries. I didn’t say “no,” firmly enough. It took years of self-development to learn how to communicate effectively and advocate for myself. I took a year-long counsellor training course to learn how to be a better listener.

I think everyone has a journey around finding the boundaries that keep them safe and healthy. I actually find the younger generation good at that. They’re more empowered to have a voice.

WXN: Can you share any lessons from working at both global corporations and small startups?

Vivian: Corporations hire top talent. You get opportunities to work with a large number of subject matter experts. I am grateful to have learned from people who are really strong at building relationships and gaining buy-in. I’ve worked with some of the world’s best technical, sales and legal experts at companies like SAP, VMware and ServiceNow.

On the other hand, when I go into entrepreneurship mode, the creative part of me shines. I get to be a strategic, disruptive builder. There is a real-time feedback loop where I get to learn while building, and that process can be so invigorating. But I would say entrepreneurship is not for everyone. You have to have the stomach for risk and a good support structure. That’s a privilege.

WXN: Enterprise or startup – which side keeps you busy today?

Vivian: I’ve recently moved back into entrepreneurship, working to commercialize science-based innovations. We're now in an age where we need novel solutions for clean and regenerative technology. There's urgency to do things differently. I get to work with scientists who measure and test everything, and I value the precision of that. The longer development cycle also gives me time to continue my community work.

WXN: Community work such as…?

Vivian: I'm on the executive committee and Board of Ballet BC. We’re a creation-based contemporary dance company led by Artistic Director Medhi Walerski. Ballet BC is based in Vancouver, but we tour internationally, and our reputation is global. Our mission is to create dance at its most essential: visceral, thought-provoking and transformative.

Dance is my first love. I was three years old when I started dancing. It taught me discipline and work ethic. I’ve come to learn that mastery requires practice, focus and repetition. Dance has also taught me how to think in more abstract ways – that’s a differentiator.

WXN: Through all of this, what would you say is your biggest challenge to overcome?

Vivian: My hardest challenges came down to mindset. A lot of people have linear careers. They love working through the ranks and deepening their expertise. I, however, have a creative mind that wants to veer off into new uncharted waters. My career journey is non-linear because I keep prioritizing curiosity.

For people following non-linear journeys, you have to make sure ego doesn’t get in the way. When I don’t have expertise, I shift into learning/internship mode, even though I’ve previously been a C-suite executive. That has been one of my biggest lessons: approach life with curiosity but humility. This has led me into new sectors like higher education, clean technology and strategy consulting.

WXN: What about successes – what moments stand out the most?

Vivian: My friendships are my greatest success. I keep thank-you cards on my mantle. Here’s what a few of them say: “Through challenges and victories, your friendship is a sustaining force…” “You’re making Vancouver feel like home…” “The puffs of joy, deep listening and knowledge that you are here for us in good times and bad really comforts me…” These cards reaffirm for me how I want to continue to show up.

We have this deep need to be seen for who we are. To be able to see someone, you have to hear them first. You’re only as good as the information you receive. If you’re a bad listener, you aren’t going to be a good leader. That skill can be really hard for high-performing people who work at an accelerated pace, but it’s essential if you want to become a leader!

WXN: Finally, what does the X in WXN represent to you?

Vivian: It’s a supportive coalition of women from all walks of life, from coast to coast. Canada is a geographically large nation organized by region, and those regions often interact more with the U.S. than they do with each other. It's a missed opportunity. We need to think about our country as a whole, and we have to unite as a whole in order to be seen as a global leader, not follower. I'm looking forward to bringing regional organizations together so that we can expand our footprint across the nation.

Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your “X”? Join Vivian and the rest of the WXN community!

WXN is offering an annual Individual Membership of just $12.50/month. Take advantage of this offer, because there's never been a better time to invest in yourself.

Learn more and join us today!

About Vivian:

“As women, we are capable” – Meet WXN Member Hanna Abdel Hamid

Hanna Abdel Hamid is a woman on a mission. She's determined to inspire young women who are just starting their professional journeys by demonstrating that they can balance the responsibilities of both a family and a thriving career. She aims to emphasize to young professionals that a family can provide a solid grounding and the determination to aspire for greater things. Her personal philosophy revolves around the belief that when you commit to a goal, your lack of self-forgiveness and fear of failure become your primary hurdles to overcome.

How does the Head of Sigma Software Group Canada and founding member of the Canadian Alliance of Women in Web3 do it? Read on!

WXN: How did you get started on your career path?

Hanna: To my great surprise, my father initially discouraged me to study languages and political science and favoured that I pursue my studies in health science. After giving it try, I realized that this was not what I aspired to do. After one semester of college, I decided to take a break and go back home to Sudan. I came back to Canada after nine months, and I enrolled in the Political Science program at Concordia University.

I'm passionate about sharing my knowledge, so I thought that teaching would be the perfect career choice for me. While I was at Concordia, I had the privilege to be a teaching assistant for two interesting courses: one on Ancient Greek Philosophy & Politics and another on Nietzsche and Political Thought. I absolutely loved leading the classes and delivering lectures, but I realized that I didn't want to do that for the rest of my life. I had another dream, which was to work with NGOs in Africa, particularly focusing on helping children who had experienced civil wars or been forced into becoming child soldiers. Unfortunately, at that point in my life, I also wanted to start a family, so I had to put that dream on hold temporarily.

My career journey has been quite diverse. I started in real estate, then transitioned to product development, and eventually found my true calling in sales. I'm deeply passionate about working in sales because it allows me to connect with people, empathize with their pain points and needs, and assist them in finding the best solutions. I understand that the stereotypical image of a salesperson may not align with my approach, but that's the kind of salesperson I am.

During this time, I also decided to pursue higher education and earned an MBA degree. While pursuing my MBA, I took on the role of managing director at an IT recruitment firm. Shortly thereafter, I was presented with an incredible opportunity to lead the operations of the Canadian division of a global Swedish-Ukrainian tech company.

WXN: What made you decide to earn your MBA?

Hanna: I have a passion for learning, and if I could make a living by attending school indefinitely, I would do it without hesitation. I believe that as individuals, we should constantly strive to enhance ourselves. When I embarked on my MBA journey, it was because I sensed that my career had hit a plateau. I wasn't being sufficiently challenged, and I believed that pursuing an MBA would not only expand my knowledge but also unlock doors to higher-level positions with more demanding responsibilities.

WXN: What about your transition into tech - what was that shift like?

Hanna: Transitioning into the tech industry was both exciting and challenging for me. It was a significant shift that required a lot of effort and dedication. One thing I quickly realized is that the tech industry operates at a lightning-fast pace, so being proactive and staying ahead of the curve is essential. It was a learning curve, but I persevered.

Now, I can confidently say that I feel right at home with Sigma Software Group. The company's values align perfectly with my own ethics and principles, making it a harmonious fit. The challenges I faced during the transition were well worth it, and I'm thrilled to be a part of such an innovative and forward-thinking organization.

WXN: What would you say has been your biggest challenge?

Hanna: Like everyone else, I've encountered numerous challenges in my life. I, like many other women, have experienced a love-hate relationship with imposter syndrome. I'm fully aware of the hard work I've put in and the deserving success I've achieved thus far. Yet, there are moments when an inner voice tries to convince me that it's all just luck and that I'm an imposter. So, I've made a conscious effort to change the dialogue of this internal voice, fostering a more positive and self-affirming mindset.

Here's something you might find surprising about me, even though I conduct keynote speeches, seminars and panels: I struggle with public speaking due to being an introvert and naturally shy. However, during my time at Concordia, one of my professors introduced our class to Amy Cuddy's TED Talk on power posing. Initially, it seemed a bit peculiar, but when I gave it a try, it surprisingly boosted my confidence. Nowadays, before stepping onto a stage or heading into a crucial meeting, I engage in power posing and practice self-affirmations. It's incredible how telling yourself your story can lead to believing it.

I've come to understand that sometimes the most challenging obstacles stem from within ourselves. That's why I'm particularly forgiving toward myself. I have a clear awareness of my capabilities and what I can achieve.

WXN: What about successes? Any proud moments to share?

Hanna:  I'm passionate about children's literature and poetry. When my oldest son turned one, I began writing a draft of a children's book called "Je ne veux pas grandir" (I Don't Want to Grow Up). I shared the idea with my best friend Cristina, whom I met in high school. Our shared love for poetry and Johnny Depp forged a lifelong friendship.

We decided to take the idea seriously, fine-tuning the book and collaborating with an illustrator, ultimately publishing it in 2016. We also conducted book shows and literacy workshops in schools to inspire a love for reading in young minds.

Our first book teaches kids the consequences of "white lies" told by adults. Our second book explores sibling jealousy, especially at a young age, and how to deal with it. Currently, we're working on a third book about death and the loss of a loved family member, aiming to help children navigate challenging life situations.

WXN: Is there anything else on the horizon that you’re excited about?

Hanna: I aim to make a greater impact in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, particularly in supporting women, especially new immigrant women, to build successful careers. While I'm fortunate to have a strong support system from my parents, siblings and friends, I recognize that not all women have this privilege. Additionally, I'm developing a growing interest in the intersection of DEI and AI, and I'm committed to furthering my knowledge in this area.

WXN: Finally, what does the “X” in WXN represent to you?

Hanna: To me, “X” symbolizes community. It represents an inspiring gathering of women from diverse backgrounds and various fields. It's a collective of resilient women supporting one another. This community embodies women who, by their own actions, inspire and empower fellow women, fostering collaboration rather than competition.

Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your “X”? Join Hanna and the rest of the WXN community!

WXN is offering an annual Individual Membership of just $12.50/month. Take advantage of this offer, because there's never been a better time to invest in yourself.

Learn more and join us today!

About Hanna:

Hanna Abdel Hamid
Head of Sigma Software Canada
Sigma Software Group

 

Living like legends: 10 tips from our Top 100 Award Winners

When we think of legendary women, we think of names like Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, Helen Keller and Susan B. Anthony – past trailblazers who defied norms and carved new paths for future generations.

But we also think of the Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winners – modern-day explorers and warriors who, like their sisters in history, shape the narrative of progress for women at all levels, in all sectors and of all ages.

As legends, they honour those who fought seemingly impossible battles. They also create a better future for all women who follow in our footsteps. So, who better to ask, “What does it mean to live like a legend?” than our 2023 Top 100 Award winners?

That’s exactly what we did – and here are 10 powerful insights they generously shared.

1. Stay true to you

Focus on the core values, principles and causes that drive you. Be intentional about how they align with your authentic beliefs and your actions. Sometimes it takes courage to do what you think is right. But when you deeply believe in the change you enact and commit to your principles for the right reasons, your impact has tremendous potential. When others try to change you, remember your true self. Never compromise on your values, ethics or integrity.

"Like a legend," means not letting any outside pressure change who you fundamentally are, being truthful to yourself and respecting others.
Patricia Bouchard, 2023 CPKC Skilled Trades Award Winner

2. Follow your passion and purpose

Know your purpose – and own it. Living a meaningful life means listening to your heart and daring to follow your passions with everything you’ve got. It’s doing what only you can do, and mastering it like no one else can. Devote yourself to what you’re best at and challenge yourself to aim even higher. Do what you love unapologetically, embracing every step of the journey toward making an even greater impact.

By wholeheartedly following your passions and striving to create a positive impact, your deeds and aspirations can ignite
a similar drive in others who share similar goals and aspirations.
Prerana Manoj, 2023 BMO STEM Award Winner

3. Step into your best self

Being your best self is a lifelong journey that unfolds every single day. Part of that journey means embracing who you are, recognizing what makes you grateful, celebrating your individual strengths and mastering your unique skills. After all, the stuff of legends is already inside of you! The other part? Never stop evolving, learning and growing. Forge a path you love that allows you to achieve your fullest potential. Leading a life that’s equal parts influential, inspirational and impactful starts from within.

Living like a legend to me is to be the best version of myself that I could be, every day, every moment, especially when times get tough.
To live with integrity and values instilled in me and be kind, humble, and compassionate to those around [me].
Afsheen Jiwani, 2023 Canadian Tire Community Impact Award Winner

4. Take big, bold leaps

Legends don’t follow the status quo; they disturb and disrupt it. Step outside of your comfort zone to embrace innovation, growing stronger and more resilient in the face of uncertainty. Make tough decisions and own them, even if your actions aren’t popular, because what you do can truly change lives. Tread a path no one has dared to explore before. Strive forward despite (and because of) your fears. Take big risks because you follow big dreams.

Dream big, take risks, fall down and rise up even higher. 
Lily Pourzand, 2023 Women of Courage, presented by Richardson Wealth Award Winner

5. Embrace failure as opportunity

No matter how many times they fall, legends rise again and again, reaching ever higher toward the next challenge. In every setback, find the opportunities to push past the ordinary into the extraordinary. Sometimes life will feel unfair, and when it does, don’t dwell in fear. Rather, ask, “What’s my unfair advantage?” Don’t be afraid to fail because within failure is the fuel to burn brighter.

Like a Phoenix who rises [out] of its ashes stronger than before, living like a legend means rising up for a challenge, not fearing failure and embracing it as an opportunity. 
Dr. Atty Mashatan, 2023 Executive Leaders Award Winner

6. Serve humbly

Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Put people at the centre of what you do. Give as much as you can, serving with humility, generosity, compassion, grace and humanity. Inspire others by sharing your stories and resources. When others don’t have the power, privilege or means to speak up, be their voice. Reach across differences and value each other.

Living like a legend is about striving to leave a positive echo in the room once you exit -
that the emotions in others created when they think of the work you have done cause the biggest impact. 
Stephanie Thompson, 2023 WXN Hall of Fame Award Winner

7. Leave the world better than you found it

Legends leave legacies. We honour the women who refused to back down so we could stand on their shoulders and achieve what they dreamed to achieve. We also carry that responsibility forward for the leaders to come. We turn glass ceilings into stepping stones so that others do not face the same hurdles. Our progress, small steps and large alike, is blazed through hard, relentless work that endures over time and makes amazing things possible.

Living like a legend is to recognize our kuleana (Hawaiian), or responsibility, in making the world a better place and working relentlessly to do so. 
Rochelle Atizado, 2023 Amex Emerging Leaders Award Winner

8. Ignite the spark in others

Within you lies an extraordinary power to help others achieve more, grow stronger, go farther and be better. As a legend, you are a role model who can bring out the best in others. As a guiding light, you empower them to find their own superpowers, reach their highest potential and make a lasting impact on the world. Through your words and actions, you nurture curiosity and learning, rallying forces larger than you ever imagined.

If I can have a positive impact on someone's day, career, or life, no matter how small or unrecognized, then I have achieved something impactful and lasting. 
Tanya Postlewaite, 2023 Executive Leaders Award Winner

9. Redefine leadership

No legend succeeds on their own. It takes many hands and minds working together to achieve a greater purpose and shared goal. That’s why it’s important to think about leadership in new terms. When you lead a diverse and passionate team with compassion, integrity, humility and collaboration, you create the right conditions for success. Collective achievements are won by amplifying a multitude of voices, passing the baton forward and standing by each other’s side at every step.

To live ‘Like a Legend’ is to be a leader who seeks to bring out the best in others, both in character and performance. By combining a clear vision with empathy, high standards, and a growth mindset, they create an environment where individuals are inspired to achieve their utmost potential. 
Jenn Lofgren, 2023 Compass Rose Entrepreneurs Award Winner

10. Be the catalyst for change

You harbour the strength and ability to make a profound impact on the world. And you get to decide how you wield that power and influence. This is your call to challenge existing systems that are broken and disrupt a status quo that doesn’t serve us. With determination to make a difference, you can bring solutions to the table that no one else can. You simply need to show up and fight the fight. 

 Living [like] a legend means going past the ordinary and making a positive change in the world. I am a catalyst for change to promote more inclusive
and equitable spaces where everyone has the opportunity to become the best version of themselves. 
Lara Shewchuk, 2023 Professionals Award Winner

Congratulations to our 2023 Top 100 Award winners! You honour the legacy of powerful women who came before and inspire us all with hope as you create a brighter, bolder path forward.

“If you push yourself a little more and more, those challenges become second nature” – Meet WXN Member Jessica Shaver

“Do one thing every day that scares you.” Jessica Shaver lives by Eleanor Roosevelt’s words, even if it means jumping off of a waterfall in Jamaica. Maybe it’s boldly accepting a new job in a field she’s never worked in before. It could even be moving to Ottawa, leaving her friends and family behind (though not so far away that she can’t visit). Or even the little things that challenge her in her role as Manager, Membership Engagement & Marketing with the Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada (MCAC).

We’ll dive into it all, as Jessica walks us through her journey, why she pushes herself toward the things that scare her, the story behind her tattoos, and why the “X” in WXN means support.

WXN: Let’s start at the beginning – what can you tell us about Jessica Shaver and your journey to where you are today?

Jessica: I always enjoyed art. The Nightmare Before Christmas was my favourite movie as a kid, and after seeing it, I decided I wanted to be a Disney animator. As I went through high school, I tried different art courses, and I really liked graphic design. I even went to college for graphic design! But I found that it was more of a passion, not something I wanted to do as a career.

After college, I found my “second career” in the hotel industry. I've worked everywhere from housekeeping and front desk to sales and catering. And I really thrived there! But then an opportunity opened up in the mechanical contracting industry as an executive assistant and event planner for an HVAC association.

It flipped the coin for me. In hospitality, I worked for other organizations, and whatever they planned for an event, I’d make it happen. When I stepped into my role with the HVAC association, I was the one planning the event, meeting everyone who attended, and networking. It was great to learn something completely different!

WXN: Did you have any background or connection with mechanical contracting at the time?

Jessica: I had no mechanical background or understanding of the industry. I had to learn all the abbreviations and all the terms from scratch. But I will say, everyone's very supportive. I never thought I would end up here, and I definitely wouldn't change it for the world. I consider this a long-term career.

WXN: What do you find most fulfilling about it?

Jessica: I really like engaging with the members themselves because I can put a face to the name that I've been talking to for months. I like coming up with new ideas to keep members engaged. And since I also do cold calling to encourage new members to join us, I’m constantly thinking about creative ways to reach out to them. Ultimately, we want our members to be happy. We want what our members want.

WXN: When you’re not doing all of that, where might we find you?

Jessica: Hiking is one of my favourite activities, especially visiting different provincial parks. And when I say hiking, I mean spending a couple of hours out there. I’ve also ziplined a few different times over Niagara Falls and at Collingwood. I even took a trip to Jamaica where I jumped off of a waterfall! I'm not a fan of heights per se, but I still did it. It was at a freshwater river that went through the mountains, with a tour guide. We had to swim across to a platform, holding a rope to go past the currents. As I was waiting in line, I could see all these kids who didn't even hesitate just jumping in. I thought, okay, if they can do it, I’ve got to do it!

WXN: That sounds like quite a challenge! But what would you say has been your biggest challenge?

Jessica: I haven’t had one big challenge that I’ve overcome, but I have lots of mini-challenges that I do every day. Those are the things that make me nervous or that I'm scared of doing. And I’ve found that, if you push yourself a little more and more, those challenges become second nature.

If something makes me nervous or a little bit challenging at work, I’ll write down: why is this a challenge? From there, I look at the different parts and try to break them down into smaller steps. Then, I’ll work my way up to the bigger picture.

Public speaking would be one of those challenges – and also an accomplishment.  Whenever I get up to speak in front of a group, my hands start to get sweaty and I get a little nervous. They tell you to look at the back of the room or make eye contact with one person, but here’s what I find most helpful: the more I push myself, the less that feeling comes over me.

WXN: What’s scarier: jumping off of a waterfall or speaking in front of a group?

Jessica: Talking to a roomful of people is a little more nerve-wracking! At least when you’re jumping off a waterfall, it's done in 10 seconds. When you’re speaking, you don't get to talk for only 10 seconds. So definitely I would find talking in a large group more challenging.

WXN: What other accomplishments make you feel the proudest?

Jessica: So far, my proudest moment is taking this job and moving away from the place where I grew up and spent my entire life. I took this chance in Ottawa, even though I only had one girlfriend who lived here. I left my family, the area I knew, my friends - everything - just because I knew this opportunity would be so much more.

WXN: Is there a story behind the tattoos on your arms?

Jessica: It all started with one little rose tattoo when I turned 18. Throughout the years, I just added to it. One arm is a mixture of different Halloween artwork. There’s the house, moon and Zero the ghost dog from Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas. I have a Pac-Man ghost, too. I love Halloween!

The other arm has a bunch of little tattoos I got of things I like or things that mean something to me. There’s a doughnut on my wrist because sprinkled doughnuts are my favourite. I have an envelope because my grandmother used to write me letters. I have raspberries because I used to pick raspberries with my grandmother. I have a windmill because my grandfather was Dutch. It's a hodgepodge of everything.

WXN: Finally, what would you say the “X” in WXN means to you?

Jessica: It's about support. We have the power to create positive changes when need be, not just for ourselves, but also for other women. We need to support women - and each other - more often than we actually do.

It’s an opportunity to connect with people who aren’t necessarily in my industry, with different experiences, because someone could be going through the same thing I'm going through.

It's also a safe place. I lost my mom about 11 years ago. We were very, very close. So, it's nice to have women who I can talk to about anything, even when it doesn’t pertain to work, because I don't have my own mom here to support me. I know that I can reach out to anyone at any time, and I won't feel like I'm bothering someone with a question.

Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your “X”? Join Jessica and the rest of the WXN community!

WXN is offering an annual Individual Membership of just $12.50/month. Take advantage of this offer, because there's never been a better time to invest in yourself.

Learn more and join us today!

About Jessica:

My Perfectly Imperfect Truth: Confessions from Top 100 winner Dr. Denise Koh

I’m sitting across from my colleague—my white male colleague, and I suppose in some respects, he’s not just a colleague. If you look at the org chart, he definitely has power over me, and I should tread carefully. At least ensure my filter is working. Probably the safest bet in this type of job in these types of meetings is to go through the pleasantries but say nada—nothing of substance for sure. But I’m stubborn that way. When it comes to seniority, I trump him. Technically, he came after me in terms of training, and obviously I can’t let that go, despite the knowledge that now, he could probably fire me.

He’s pleasant enough today, “I just want to check in with you and see how you’re doing.”

I pause for a millisecond. I just came from lunch with my new mentor, who’s kind of a big deal—I started to remember just how much as lunch went on. Peeps of this calibre frame their personal experiences, who they’re dealing with, differently; like all of it’s normal—hanging with celebrity A, doing mind-blowing work B, in opulent circumstance C. For common folk like me, it is so not normal. My mentor’s so influential that as we were leaving the table, this business-suited man at the next table waits til I pass and then intercepts and addresses my lunch partner by formal title, apologizing for interrupting. I can tell he rehearsed what he’d say to my mentor while we were obliviously devouring the sticky rice.

Right now I feel exuberant, giddy still, with all the opportunities discussed during dim sum. Bullet-proof.

“How’m I doing? Let me put it this way--you know how my other job was the shit job? Well, now, this job is the shitty one, and here’s why…” Uh oh. Did I just…? I completely did not plan to say this—in fact, all I had time to prep for was to rhetorically wonder what we’d talk about as I rushed to the meeting, but not actually come up with anything.

And then it was like a fountain. I just couldn’t stop. Absolutely zero filter. I was aware of it as words spilled out of my mouth, but I couldn’t locate any brakes. I swore like a sailor, dropping f-bombs like I do with only inner circle and telling him each problem that bothered me about this job and how to fix it, which I supported with evidence and a hint of reckless panache. I was practically daring him to write me up. Is this how men feel all. The. Time??

He and I had a phone meeting mid-pandemic, but then, I was enraged at him for blowing me off for months. I blasted him without letting up, pushing him into a corner with my logic to force his hand to put his money where his mouth was and get my outcome. He couldn’t weasel out. I did get my outcome, but at a cost—I won the battle but lost the war. I’m certain he remembered that conversation well. Today, he isn’t my target, so thankfully the talk is easier. I’m ballsy, even giving myself kudos, rather than playing my lifelong role of modest obedient good little girl.

“Well, Denise, I wouldn’t want you to feel like you aren’t valued here…”

I can’t help but smile at these words now. He’d said the same thing last time, but the word “feel” triggered my fury the first time. I took offence thinking he was insulting me by concluding my arguments were about feelings—ie “we will placate you, Denise, because we don’t want the little lady to feel bad…(but, if you weren’t a woman, we’d take strong decisive action because The Man should be understood and respected).” I angrily told him he should do what I asked of him--giving me the same work status/pay all the others in my position got automatically, months previously, when it hit the fan at the start of the pandemic--because it was the smart thing to do and the right thing to do, and NOT because it would make me feel better. I see now this is just his canned, go-to phrase in sticky situations rather than an “F you” to my gender, and the realization I tore a strip off him when his intent wasn’t to harm makes me giggle inside. I’m living my truth. It’s the no-filter, messy, angry and no longer trying to hide it, loud, call-a-spade-a-spade version of my truth, but it is all me, and I feel amazing.

How did I go from polite, scared head-down worker bee to this bigger badder version of myself? It was a process, and the last year, in particular, the WXN Most Powerful Women in Canada Top 100 Award, was transformative.

The WXN experience was a fun exhilarating blur. There was all the prep work, media buzz, excitement, and interest in me (me!) and my work/advocacy, which has, more often than not, gone unnoticed/ignored. I stepped into myself as a Filipina, something I rarely mentioned in career settings. I reconnected with my childhood buddy, fabulous designer Farley Chatto whom I grew up with, and like old times, he created my gown which was inspired by our heritage and my MedResRx logo. My partner and I were thrilled to go on our first trip together WITHOUT 4 kids in tow—on an airplane (vs. a rusty, hastily over-packed minivan)! And then being surrounded by such inspiring women doing amazing things, listening to beautiful speeches and stories. I realized I’ve been living under the Medicine rock for years—completely unaware of the outside world and all that these incredible women are doing. I struggled keeping my Imposter Syndrome at bay, trying not to fangirl these powerhouses I got to hang with. We became fast friends with Chef Nuit and her hubby Jeff who treated us to a feast at Pai restaurant after the festivities (my mouth waters as I type), and we did our best to show them a good time when they came to Manitoba the following week. It was such a blast connecting and collaborating with the Community Impact gang and many others in Toronto and since, including at WXN events, mentoring, and planning a MOJO series with the fabulous Laurie Clark. I’m so grateful to join this wonderful sisterhood and know that my struggles and successes are shared with a tribe of warrior women. This award has led to other insane opportunities (TBA!) that are aligning me closer to my true calling.

In Medicine, we don’t celebrate our successes. We give cursory acknowledgement of modest wins, but glaze over them because we’re already focused on the next rung on “the never-ending ladder of Medicine” (Spoiler alert: there’s always a higher rung, and you’re glued to this ladder). This leads to major achievements seeming hollow to doctors and so many of us tapping out from burnout. But celebrating ourselves around other successful women allows us to try on this Power Woman persona and wear it for a good, long, champagne-sipping year. When I see what my new friends are doing—the challenges they go through and the courage they show to do the thing anyway, it gives me permission. I think: Who do I have to be right now to call myself one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women? It is the best lens for me to see myself with because it pushes me to outdo myself and go for the things Mouse Me would run from.

I will no longer make myself small for others’ comfort, editing myself to the point I forget my message or can’t recognize myself. I will no longer hold my breath, suck it in, minimize myself, “reading the room” to determine which me I need to be for that occasion. No more cramming my wild self into boxes and confined spaces. I won’t wait to be invited to the power tables, tiptoeing around the fringes, begging, suggesting, wheedling, nudging, strongly-worded-emailing to be included, whining after the fact that my expertise/knowledge/position were the tickets they decided not to validate, again. I am going to stomp into rooms and sit my butt down at any table I please; I won’t knock. If they deny me, bounce me, kick me out of the club, it’s all good...I’ll bloody well make my own. I deserve to be here. I will say what I will say and not apologize for being too anything. I’m going to trust my gut and assume I’m in the right spot at exactly the right moment (funny how flow state always comes when I do this).

I’m taking the bigger strides in life. Making the bigger moves. Taking the bigger risks. The ones that can lead to colossal failures but also to massive victories. I’m going to live my perfectly imperfect truth. And I will savour every sweet second of it.

[UPDATE]

Dr. Denise Koh, Founder of MedResRx and Creator of the MedResRx Hypnotherapy App, is set to receive the prestigious “Most Influential Filipina in the World” award in the Innovator and Thought-Leader category from the Foundation for Filipina Women’s Network. This recognition is a testament to her significant contributions and impact in her field.

Dr. Denise Koh’s collaboration with 14 other accomplished female doctors to explore the potential of AI from the lens of various medical specialties is truly commendable. Her distinction as the sole Canadian, the only public servant who worked on her province's COVID response, and the lone specialist in Public Health and Occupational Medicine in the group all highlight her unique perspective.

Denise’s chapter delves into her personal experiences during the pandemic, her background, the pivotal role of data in shaping healthcare policies (and its potential to exacerbate inequities), and the ways in which AI can serve as a bridge to address these disparities; it is a significant and insightful contribution. Her work is likely to be a valuable resource in understanding the intersection of healthcare, data and AI, ultimately contributing to the improvement of healthcare systems and outcomes. Congratulations to Dr. Denise Koh on this exceptional collaboration, her impactful chapter, and the book’s success at achieving #1 Best Seller Status on Amazon in multiple categories! 

Artificial Intelligence in Medicine: A Compilation of Stories from Doctors Across Multiple Disciplines on AI Breakthroughs, Challenges, and Potentials in the Healthcare System eBook : Schafer, Dr. Liudmila: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store

Dr. Denise Koh is a Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner in the Canadian Tire Community Impact category for 2022. She has been recognized as a woman who strives to make a difference in her communities.

Click here to learn more about Top 100 and get tickets for the 2023 Gala!

About Denise:

Dr. Denise Koh, 

“Give yourself grace as you apprentice with life” – Meet WXN member Sarah Hines

Sarah Hines wants us all to talk about death and grief more openly and honestly. She’s the one at lonely bedsides in those final breaths. She’s the one consoling family members during life’s most difficult moments. And as the founder of Grief Advocacy, she’s on a mission to make our workplaces more grief-friendly, too.

Read on to learn why grief and death spark her passion for life, why she advocates for better workplace supports for employees going through tough times, and why the “X” in WXN means everything and everyone.

WXN: You’ve certainly walked an interesting path. How did you find it – or how did it find you?

Sarah: I feel like I’ve lived my life almost in reverse! A few decades ago, I had an acquaintance who was dying of AIDS. His family disowned him because AIDS was scary and unknown back then. I had a really hard time with the idea that we would let people we love die alone, so in my early 20s, I started volunteering in home hospice, caring for men who were dying of AIDS, and eventually moving into home hospice care for children, sitting bedside, cleaning toilets, preparing food and grocery shopping for people who couldn't do it themselves.

It was the most rewarding work I have ever done. I cannot think of a deeper honour than to sit with someone in their most vulnerable moment and being desperately needed in that moment. There isn't much on the face of this planet that holds that much honour. Even saying those words chokes me up a bit.

Doing that work in your 20s hardens you, though, and I had to take a step back. I spent the next few years building a career in tech sales. Still, I really wanted to contribute to the work in some way, somehow. So, I became a death doula and did some deep studies into alternative schooling. I became a funeral celebrant, too. I wanted to dedicate my time to growing awareness and normalizing our feelings about death and grief. It was about going deeper rather than broader.    

WXN: How did that lead to your business, Grief Advocacy?

Sarah: It wasn't until my best friend died in 2015 that I really experienced what it means to grieve at work – the isolation, the shame and the guilt you carry every day. I found myself not being fully present. I was hard on myself for not hitting my own expectations. I realized there was a gap in how workplaces tend to and care for those who are going through an emotionally hard time. I was, like so many employees, passed off to Employee Assistance Programs.

But the problem wasn’t with me; it was the way my company showed up in the everyday. We need organizational leaders to show up not only by acknowledging what grievers may be experiencing, but also to make room for us to be human.

WXN: That sounds like a big roadblock – but what would you say has been your biggest roadblock or challenge, personally or professionally?

Sarah: Many of us in Western cultures – and over generations – do not know how to show up for grief. We don’t want to be a burden. We don’t want to intrude. We want to fit hard emotions into neat and tidy therapy offices. We believe only happiness, opportunity, strength and tenacity have a place in our culture and in our workplaces.    

I want leaders to hold onto conflict as growth. I want hard feelings to rattle cages and change the way we expand. That means, when an organization states its values, it actively lives them, even when times are tough. I want leaders to show compassion, to communicate and frankly to see the opportunity inside of adversity.

Unfortunately, that mindset change takes time. Lots of leaders speak it. Fewer act on it. So my response to it has to be grace. I need to hold onto grace as we, as a society, begin the long journey. Many will take the emotional shortcut, and I will offer them and myself grace. But this work is urgently needed. Ask anyone who has experienced it and they will tell you the same thing. They too hold onto grace.

WXN: What advice would you give to someone struggling to find grace?

Sarah: We have this tendency to think worthiness is found in other people, but you are this beautiful, whole, pleasure-seeking, accomplished woman. The power of that cannot be bound inside of other people. Give yourself grace as you apprentice with life. Hold that and be inside of that with every ounce of honour you have. The same is true of others. I ask others so very often, “What happened to you that made this ok?” Tell me the story that you want to throw away. And, inside of that, we will find why they struggle with grace.

WXN: What moments or accomplishments make you feel the most proud?

Sarah: I could say I'm so freaking proud that I started this little grief advocacy company that helps people across Canada. I could say that we grew that company to 35 people in two years. Without question! But if I had to pick, the proudest moments are when I get a phone call in the wee hours of the night from someone who has found the courage to say, “Help.”

It's that moment when someone calls me to say, “I'm thinking about MAID (Medical Assistance In Dying) for my wife.” Or, “My wife's thinking about MAID. She wants me to say yes and I can't.” Or, “He's dying. Can you come?” Or, “He's died and you're the first person I thought of.” I’m able to stick my elbows out and create a container where they are able to fall apart. That’s what I love about my work… it’s the courage of the human spirit to connect when they need it the most.

I am also very proud that I focus my work and my business on going deeper rather than broader. I have year-long 1:1 programs where I humbly witness transformations that can only be possible when you do this work from love instead of for love. 

WXN: Is there anything on the horizon that you’re excited about or currently learning more about?

Sarah: I love ritual and ceremony. I'm studying rites of passage because I ultimately would like to go deeper inside of workplaces and rituals at work. Grief support isn’t just about policies and processes. I want to get deeper behind the scenes. So, I'm spending some of my time formalizing the rituals I currently have and looking at how I can bring those inside of a workplace.

I also have two children and a partner whom I have the absolute honour of knowing and expanding with in all the ways we grow together.

WXN: Before we wrap things up, one final question. What does the “X” in WXN mean to you?

Sarah: The X means everything and everyone. I’m done with women holding on to this idea that we are lone warriors who can fix our problems and the problems of the world. I'm done with the idea that equity is not as important as equality. I want to be in a world where my feminine energy is honoured as equally as my masculine energy. Women made the rally cry. We called out for equality first, because it is the easier path. That is what I love about the W – it begins with us. The N reminds me that we are not alone; that equity is possible when we are all carrying the olive branch out to each other. We can’t shame men into a corner. We can’t bypass them. We need everybody. We have to realize our power, and we have to share it in an equitable way. And that means the X is the true connector. It means that all are invited to the creation, and that all skills and passions are equitable. May it one day be so.

Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your “X”? Join Sarah and the rest of the WXN community!

WXN is offering an annual Individual Membership of just $12.50/month. Take advantage of this offer, because there's never been a better time to invest in yourself.

Learn more and join us today!

About Sarah:

Sarah Hines
Founder
Grief Advocacy

“My work and my presence will create ripples” – Meet WXN Member Angie Kim-Miskuski

Angie Kim-Miskuski remembers the coffee and tea preferences of every single member on her team – after all, even the smallest of gestures can make an incredible impact when you’re having one of “those days.” But that’s just part of the story of how she helps others find joy at work as the Associate Dealer of her own Canadian Tire store in St. Marys, ON.

As for the rest, read about her journey from executive to entrepreneur, how she bounced back after burnout, how she’s celebrating International Women’s Day, and why the “X” in WXN reminds her of a scissor lift!

WXN: Can you tell us about what you do?

Angie: My title is Associate Dealer for Canadian Tire. But my job is a little bit more complex than a few words. Some days I'm in my office managing high-level P&L and making strategic decisions with my senior management team. And some days I'm sweeping the floor, shoveling snow or taking out the garbage.

Once you get to the front line, you see the hustle, the sweat, the blood and the tears, and you want to do whatever it takes to lead by example. That’s how I want to show up as a leader. That's my most authentic self. It's a dynamic, humbling role, and I try to be flexible and resilient whatever the day might bring so I can always show up as my best self.

WXN: How did you get where you are today? Can you paint a picture of your career path?

Angie: Before joining Canadian Tire, I celebrated 10 incredible years at Loblaw Companies Ltd. I started as a sales rep, cold calling and going door-to-door for the wholesale division. After two years, I applied to be a buyer for the same division. That was my first job in head office, and I fell in love with the culture.

In total, I took eight different roles and five promotions. I became a store manager because I really wanted to challenge myself on the front line. I pivoted to finance as a senior director so that people would look past my bubbly personality and recognize me for my strategic mindset and financial acumen. That gave me a platform to become an executive – and I was the youngest woman of colour to ever lead National Operations!

WXN: How did that lead to opening your own store?

Angie: It’s so bittersweet to leave a company and team that you love and served with all your heart. But success felt like a one-way street. Unless you're constantly putting your name in for bigger roles, bigger titles or different challenges, you're afraid of becoming stale and irrelevant. I kept feeling like I had to constantly change my position and do new things. That ultimately caused a big burnout.

Now, with the prestige of working for one of the most iconic Canadian brands that has been around for over 100 years, having independence and freedom to cater uniquely to my community and team… that is my dream come true!

WXN: What do you find most fulfilling about the work you do now?

Angie: A couple of weeks ago, a young girl came into the store with her mom to shop for her first bike. The girl asked me, “You’re so nice! Is your boss nice, too?” I said to her, “I am the boss here! This is my store and I love working here.” You should have seen the look on her face as she turned to her mom and said “She’s the boss!” And then her mom added, “Yes, and you can be one too.”

When high school girls come in to apply, they assume that they’re only qualified to be cashiers. Why not be an auto service advisor or work in the warehouse? You can do whatever you want – we can teach you the skill sets. I’m changing bias.

WXN: Why does that matter so much to you?

Angie: As a member of the BIPOC community and one of the very few female Associate Dealers in Canadian Tire, moments like that remind me that I represent an equal playing field and limitless potential for all deserving future talents. I’m not here because I’m a token Asian woman in the old boys club. I’m living proof that everybody deserves equity in chasing their dreams.

With almost 500 Canadian Tire Associate Dealers across the country, I’m a relatively new kid on the block. I'm honored to be wearing the same jersey as them, but I also stand tall knowing that my work and my presence will create ripples of positive impact.

WXN: We talked about a few challenges in your career path, but what would you say is your biggest challenge?

Angie: When people look at like my career progress, they think, “She's been so successful. What obstacles could there be?” But my biggest obstacle to overcome was my own expectation of what being “good at work” means. I used to sacrifice so much of my personal time – time that I would have and should have used for my physical and mental wellbeing. I would leave my house at 4:30 a.m. just to beat the traffic so I could be the first one in the office. I wouldn’t leave until I had every email answered. After 10 years, that chips away at your wellness.

I lost sight of what is most important, which is to be my most unapologetic, authentic, confident and beautiful self. I had to recover one step at a time. A little bit every day, I started to regain my sense of self-worth and self-esteem. In total, it was almost six months of recovery.

That recovery is ongoing every day, but I’m in a place where I know I won’t walk away because now this is mine. This is my business. I have my name on it, and I don't want to walk away from it because I failed to take care of myself.

WXN: What advice would you give to other women considering entrepreneurship?

Angie: If you’re considering entrepreneurship, I already know you are a go-getter. You are smart. You are courageous. You are dedicated. You are creative. You are a people person, and you are not afraid to get your hands dirty or your feet wet. But I also know you tend to overthink things. You worry too much. You need things to be perfect. You obsess over details. You are your own worst critic, and you don’t forgive yourself easily. The traits that make you an incredible entrepreneur are probably the biggest barriers that are holding you back.

I only have one piece of advice: just do it. Try different things, try the same thing twice. We can empower each other on our journey. I will fix your crown all day long, but you have to be the one to take that first step.

WXN: How are you celebrating International Women’s Day?

Angie: In business, equity demonstrates how much financial ownership you have. We all strive for high equity because we know and understand what having good equity means in our business. Striving for equity within our culture is no different. We all win when we make space for diverse talents and celebrate our differences.

I am here because Canadian Tire embraces equity, and we understand that our differences are what makes us even better. In celebration of International Women's Day, I am reconfirming my commitment to embracing equity every day, being a sponsor to the future generation, cultivating diverse talent and perspectives, listening to our customers, listening to our employees and partners, and helping prioritize needs for equity-deserving communities. I stand for making life in Canada better.

WXN: Finally, we’re curious: what does the “X” in WXN mean to you?

Angie: Do you know what a scissor lift looks like? It has this X-shaped extension that supports a platform on top. To me, that’s WXN – it's a strong platform that we can all stand tall on. This platform that we have has no capacity limit. It's such a strong shape that it can withstand a lot of pressure. And it will only get stronger as we onboard more to join the cause for diversity, equity and inclusion. It's up to us to continue building on this platform and continue pulling each other up.

Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your “X”? Join Angie and the rest of the WXN community!

WXN is offering an annual Individual Membership of just $12.50/month. Take advantage of this offer, because there's never been a better time to invest in yourself.

Learn more and join us today!

About Angie:

Angie Kim-Miskuski
Associate Dealer
Canadian Tire

As a daughter of a diplomat, Angie has lived in multiple countries before immigrating to Canada in 2001 and she received her B.Sc. with Honours from the University of Toronto. Leaving her retail executive role behind, she is now celebrating her entrepreneurial zest serving as an Associate Dealer at Canadian Tire in St. Marys, Ontario. Her greatest passion is in driving culture and engagement through empowering people and actively mentoring the next-generation leaders.

Interested in learning more about becoming a Canadian Tire Dealer and contributing to Making Life in Canada better?  Visit our Dealer Careers website or reach out to dealers@cantire.com for more information.

One day each year we stop to recognize the incredible women in our lives.
Across the world, we march. We challenge. We celebrate. We raise awareness. We take a stance.
Most of all, we say it loud and we say it proud: women deserve to be heard and respected.

But why limit ourselves to one day?

What could we achieve if we did this 365 days a year?

Every day we drive change for better mental health.
Every day we build nations.

Imagine what would be possible with a powerful community of women at your back – and by your side…

Every day we walk in her shoes.
Every day we enable voices to be heard.

Lifting us up to the next level, no matter our role, industry or age…
And taking meaningful action through research, education, advocacy and recognition.

Every day we are powerfully empowered.
Every day we transform women's lives.

At WXN, every day is International Women’s Day.

Every day we unite and rise.
Every day we are generation equality.

When women rise, we all rise. When women prosper, we all prosper. When women thrive, we all thrive. When women win, we all win.

Every day we stand in RAW Courage.
Every day we choose to challenge.

Don’t just imagine what would be possible if we lifted the voices of women year-round. Realize what it means through your words, through your actions, through your community.

Every day we live our truth.
Every day we break the bias.

Together, we can create a more equitable world for all. Because when we elevate women, we elevate everybody.

Every day we are legends.
Every day we embrace equity.

We’re North America’s number one and only organization that meaningfully propels and celebrates the advancement of professional women at all levels, in all sectors and of all ages.

Join us in our mission. Not just for today but every day.

How the WXN Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards connected Scott Mission Board Vice-Chair Melanie Au with former beneficiary, Dr. Stephanie Zhou

What is your connection to Scott Mission?

Stephanie: When my parents and I immigrated to Canada with only three suitcases, we settled down in subsidized housing in one of the lowest income neighbourhoods of downtown Toronto. Not knowing any English or having any friends, we looked for community in a local church. It was through the church that we were introduced to Scott Mission, a grassroots charity that would change my family’s life for the better.

As a child in Scott Mission’s childcare centre, I was provided with clothing, toys, and hot meals. Most importantly, it was where I learned compassion in my formative years. My mom worked on an assembly line and my dad worked as a dishwasher at the time. Their work hours were long and irregular. One evening, when all the other children were picked up by their parents, I was the last one remaining. The former CEO of Scott Mission stayed with me until later that night when my mom finished her shift and could pick me up.

Melanie: I was drawn to the Mission’s desire to transform lives with practical programs serving Toronto’s most vulnerable communities. I joined the Board back in March 2020 and I saw the demand for their hot meals, food bank, men’s shelter, and counseling services grow exponentially during COVID. The needs in our city are real and pressing evidenced by the increased number of requests from our neighbours for our services and growth in all of our programs. For example, our hot meal program provided 50% more meals in 2022 than the previous year. I also believe that Scott Mission’s expansion into the affordable housing space will be extremely impactful and is much needed in our city. Investing in Scott Mission is investing in a better Toronto. Click here to learn more!

How did you meet through WXN?

Stephanie: We met through the 2022 WXN Top 100 Awards. I received the RBC Future Launch Future Leaders award and Melanie was a recipient in the Canadian Tire Community Impact category. During the awards ceremony, I saw her profile featuring her work as Vice-Chair of the board at Scott Mission. At the end of the ceremony, I introduced myself and showed her some of my childhood photos taken at Scott Mission.

We connected and reunited at Scott Mission to meet with their CEO, Peter Duraisami. It was nostalgic for me to visit Scott Mission again before its 502 Spadina location will be demolished to build a 9-story building with affordable housing units. The last time I was there was in 2013, volunteering in the kitchen and dining hall when I was still a student.

Melanie: Years ago, I attended a WXN event and was inspired to increase my community involvement by joining a Board of Directors. It is full circle that 7 years later, I am a recipient of The WXN Top 100 Award for Community Impact. The greatest gift this award gave me is the connection to this phenomenal cohort of winners. There were so many inspiring women that I had the privilege of connecting with during and after the events. Stephanie is certainly one of them. Her accomplishments and contribution back to community is extremely impressive.

It is fulfilling to serve in an organization that has such great impact on lives such as Stephanie’s. To know that someone got a lift up from Scott Mission services and is now contributing at this exceptional level is very meaningful. And, Stephanie’s story is not unique at Scott Mission. I am so glad that I got to connect with her personally and to witness her success.

What is the impact of philanthropy on your life?

Stephanie: Similar to any investment, you don’t always see the returns until many years later. This was the case with me. Now, I am an Addictions and Family Medicine physician, and Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto Medical School, where I continue to pay it forward to my patients and students. I am also on the board at Habitat for Humanity GTA, to ensure that families like mine can continue to experience the generational change that comes with safe and affordable housing.

In 2021, I founded the Physicians Financial Wellness Conference, the largest national conference on physician financial literacy that is volunteer-led, with the annual proceeds going towards charitable causes. This year, the conference proceeds established The Equity Award, an endowment fund for students with financial need.

Melanie: Community involvement is such an integral part of my family’s purpose. My husband and I are raising our two children to be in service of others. Over the years of volunteering at food banks and hot meal programs, raising money to sponsor refugee families, and serving on not-for-profit boards, I realize that I am the one who is transformed. This other-centeredness has helped me be a better mother, friend, and leader in the workplace. In 2021, I co-founded togetHER network, a not-for-profit organization serving women in the workplace designed to empower Canadian women professionals to reach their full potential by providing learning opportunities, community, motivation, and inspiration.

—

Melanie Au is a Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner in the Canadian Tire Community Impact category for 2022. She has been recognized as a woman who strives to make a difference in her community.

Dr. Stephanie Zhou is a Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner in the Canadian RBC Future Launch Future Leaders category for 2022. She has been recognized as one of five exceptional young women, between 15 and 29 years old, who are transforming their communities through innovation, collaboration and courage.

2023 Top 100 Nominations are now open! Click here to learn more about Top 100 and nominate a powerful female or even yourself!

About Melanie:

Melanie Au
Senior Director, Digital and Enablement, CIBC
Vice-Chair, Board of Directors, The Scott Mission

Melanie Au is a Senior Director at CIBC leading a Digital & Enablement team. She is deeply committed to purposeful transformation work both digital (at work) and life transformations with her community service. Melanie is the Vice-Chair of the board of directors at The Scott Mission and led the fundraising initiative with the High Park Refugee Committee to welcome two refugee families. She co-founded togetHER, a not-for-profit organization, because of her desire to elevate and empower women in Corporate Canada.

About Stephanie:

Dr. Stephanie Zhou
Addiction Medicine Physician and EDI & Social Accountability Lead, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Board Member, Habitat for Humanity GTA
Community of Practice Lead, Ontario College of Family Physicians


Dr. Stephanie Zhou developed the financial literacy curriculum at the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine and serves on the financial aid committee. Stephanie grew up in subsidized housing and was the first in her family to pursue post-secondary education. She is a nationally invited speaker on financial empowerment, economic mobility and diversity mentorship. She runs a popular financial education blog on Instagram and Youtube called Breaking Bad Debt.

“I believe there's pride in public service” – Meet WXN Member Renee Laforet

There’s nothing quite like coming home for Renee Laforet. Born and raised in Toronto, she’d say it’s the best place in the world, with everything a world-class metropolitan city has to offer – plus a dash of its own unique flavour. It's no wonder she's so passionate about her role in the City of Toronto, as Deputy Chief Technology Officer, Technology Services Delivery and now as Interim Chief Technology Officer.

What drew Renee to public service – and technology in particular? How does she face big projects with her team and partners? What gets her excited about the future? And why does the “X” in WXN mean connection with other leaders? Read on to find out!

WXN: What can you tell us about the work you do?

Renee: I work with a dedicated team of deeply technical experts who deliver a large and complex portfolio of modernization initiatives, technology services and business solutions, in collaboration with our business partners within the city. I enjoy working with our leadership team to evolve our service delivery, to enhance our culture, and to develop our talent. Our responsibilities include enabling public-facing city services like 311, as well as, enterprise services and solutions that support the operation of the city.

WXN: What do you find most rewarding about your career in public service?

Renee: Throughout my career, I appreciated the opportunity to learn and grow, and work with dedicated people who share my passion for public service. I enjoyed applying my leadership, relationship and change management skills to enable the transformation of business areas as varied as public health, community health, justice and shared services to name a few.

Prior to joining the city, I was the Chief Information Officer, Government Services Integration Cluster in the Ontario Public Service where I had responsibility for the enterprise resource planning systems and business application services for five ministries, including government and consumer services, infrastructure, seniors affairs, and economic development and trade.

What drew me to the City of Toronto is the opportunity to be closer to the people we serve. I believe there's pride in public service and I’m so proud of our team, and the initiatives and services that we're delivering with our partners. I love my city and love the idea of being part of our team that continues to make a difference in how Torontonians experience city services.

WXN: Have you always been interested in technology?

Renee: I’ve always been interested in what technology can do to transform services and outcomes. While technology is important, it’s just that – technology. It's how we use it, how we're going to enable what we need to do with it, and the outcomes we're trying to achieve. Everything gets done with and for our people. It's really about the human side of what we're trying to accomplish, the customer experience, the organizational change management and the cultural transformation that goes along with it.

WXN: What would you say has been your biggest challenge, professionally or personally?

Renee: I would say, the biggest challenge professionally has been managing the complexity of balancing multiple priorities while maintaining a focus on delivery and employee well-being.
Staying self-aware, but also aware of other people's needs and issues while achieving the outcomes collectively.

WXN: How do you navigate that high level of complexity?

Renee: It's about relationships. It’s about how we support and help our team clear the path when they hit blockers. It’s about having an agile approach where possible, so we can be flexible, adaptable, and responsive. Sometimes we must pivot, like what happened with the pandemic. A lot had to happen in very short order to make services available – things that people said for years, “Oh, that can’t be done virtually or electronically.” All of a sudden, these things have to happen – and they did!

We’ve got great people who bring strong expertise and commitment to the table. We make sure we’re tapping into that expertise, whether it's internal or external to achieve our objectives.

WXN: What’s next for Renee – is there anything you’re looking forward to?

Renee: There's a significant set of transformational initiatives that our team is working on in collaboration with our partners, and I'm excited to see how that impacts the outcomes for the people we serve.

Beyond that, the most rewarding part of my job is watching and helping our teams grow and change. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to do this on a larger scale, to have greater impact. We can impact other people's lives just by being kind, being there to listen, being able to provide support and coaching when people are having a difficult time.

WXN: As a WXN member, what has the “X” in WXN come to represent for you?

Renee: For me, “X” represents connecting with other women leaders, learning from each other, sharing experiences, and having a community. Leadership is not positional, in my mind. Leadership is a quality we bring to whatever job or role we're playing. It’s about inspiring and motivating others, and being able to support and clear the path ahead. It’s about being present, listening, being empathetic and adding value to help our team achieve its objectives.

I always think about the quote from Maya Angelou: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

I am grateful for my colleagues, coaches and this community.

Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your “X”? Join Renee and the rest of the WXN community!

WXN is offering an annual Individual Membership of just $12.50/month. Take advantage of this offer, because there's never been a better time to invest in yourself.

WXN  is donating membership profits to the Institute for Advancements in Mental Health (IAM).

Learn more and join us today!

About Renee:

Renee Laforet
Interim Chief Technology Officer
City of Toronto

Since November 2022, Renee Laforet is fulfilling the role of Interim Chief Technology Officer providing leadership to the innovation of City services in collaboration with divisional partners through strategic technology investments that advance the City’s priorities. Prior to that, Renee was the Deputy Chief Technology Officer, Technology Services Delivery, leading enterprise application and infrastructure services. Renee joined the City in September 2020 from her role as Chief Information Officer, Government Services Integration Cluster enabling five Ontario ministries including the enterprise contact centre service and enterprise resource planning systems. Renee brings over 20 years of experience leading technology transformation in a variety of sectors. Renee is a graduate of the Queen's Executive Program, has an Honours B.A. in Economics from University of Waterloo and is a Certified Scrum Master.

“Hi Mum, I just wanted to say I am soooo proud of you and all the work you have done and accomplished. I am very lucky to have such an amazing person to look up to in my life.”

That was how my Top 100 award week started – a text from my 25-year-old daughter on the Monday morning while I was en-route to Ottawa for another event. And suddenly, an award that I was pleased about, an award I was honoured to have been recognized for – it became something more.

Up until that moment, it’s not until you pause and reflect as you go about your day, doing what you do and being yourself do you realize the true impact.

People have said really nice things about me and to me since the recognition. People I haven’t seen in a while, or people I didn’t realize I had impacted, or people who just plain surprised me because it was unexpected. It is these moments that remind you to be your authentic self. And it’s a reminder that what you do, it does make a difference. I was asked what being my authentic self means – and that’s hard to define. I am who I am. I do what I do. I focus on the goal and the outcome. I give people the power to make decisions and do their work and drive change. My authentic self knows that I am not the smartest person in the room. My authentic self knows that there are opinions and ideas out there that I can help to elevate. I listen to all opinions – even the contrarians – because there are lessons and ideas that need to be heard. My authentic self thinks about change, how I can make a difference and how I can support change.

The Top 100 event was an amazing opportunity to meet and connect with talented, successful Canadian women. It was a chance to celebrate, reflect and be inspired. What I saw and heard – it inspired me to do better and made me wonder – how do I get to be in the Hall of Fame? How do I do more to encourage and lift the voices of those around me, to make a difference?

I am incredibly proud of leading 3M in Canada. Whether it was about standing up an N95 manufacturing facility to help keep Canadians safe as the waves of the pandemic continued, a commitment to improving access to STEM education in Canada for underrepresented communities or leading on advancements to Women’s issues including pushing the $10 affordable daycare agreements with every province – these are all important components of Canada recovering and our economy thriving in the future. Under-represented communities in Canada deserve the opportunity to go to school for STEM, to get a job in STEM and I am committed to working with academia, business, and government to make this happen. Women need the opportunity to find roles in sectors that are growing and high-paying or they need the tools and support to start their own businesses. I am inspired to push harder and continue to make a difference.

Thank you to WXN for the recognition, for lifting us up and for creating a community of incredible leaders.

—

Penny Wise is a Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner in the Executive Leaders category for 2022. She has been recognizing as a women, aged 40 plus, who not only exemplify what it means to be a great leader, but also build confidence and champion others.

2023 Top 100 Nominations are now open! Click here to learn more about Top 100 and nominate a powerful female or even yourself!

About Penny:

Penny Wise
President and Managing Director
3M

Penny Wise brings more than 20 years of global marketing experience to her role, having held a variety of senior leadership positions in business, commercialization, brand and corporate marketing. She led several successful, award-winning marketing transformation projects and is a champion for STEM advocacy. She co-chairs the Canadian Chamber’s Council for Women’s Advocacy and is a board member of the Business Council of Canada and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

Bringing Science to the Service of People

by Inez Jabalpurwala, 2022 Top 100 Award Winner
 

The third time is definitely the charm. Having twice before been named one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 by Women's Executive Network (WXN) for my first building venture, I was humbled to be recognized a third time for building and leading Viral Neuro Exploration (VINEx), and for more than two decades working to advance brain health.

VINEx was at the forefront in the early days of the pandemic. When the medical device company Rocket Science Health was founded in 2017, its principals committed to pursuing several social impact priorities, including pandemic preparedness. In April 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic was gaining momentum around the world, they asked the questions: could this virus, entering through the respiratory system, impact the central nervous system, and what would be the consequences on brain health? These questions led to the creation of a non-profit venture named VINEx.

While there was a precedent of viral pandemics leading to neurological and psychiatric illness, VINEx, comprised of a small team of exceptional, dedicated professionals, became a trusted voice to bring the issue to the public and government’s attention. With the emergence of Long COVID, there is now a greater awareness of COVID-19 impacting brain health, pointing to the need to have a better understanding of the intersection of brain health and the physical environment.

Long COVID is a multi-system, multi-symptomatic condition. The most frequently reported symptoms are fatigue, shortness of breath and cognitive dysfunction, or “brain fog”. While estimates vary, anywhere from 10 to 30 percent of COVID-19 survivors have Long COVID symptoms. Indeed, in October 2022, Statistics Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada released the results of a national survey for Long COVID which reveals that 1.4 million Canadians are reporting lasting impacts from their initial infection. Women are disproportionately impacted, and in the early months of the illness manifesting, struggled to be heard or believed. The effects of Long COVID can be debilitating, and extend beyond the individual to family, the workplace, and an already overburdened healthcare system. Based on US calculations, the estimated cost to the Canadian economy could be in the hundreds of billions of dollars.

In the context of COVID-19 and Long COVID, VINEx connected researchers and clinicians from different disciplines and institutions across North America and people with lived experience, to raise awareness and initiate action. VINEx joined with COVID Long-Haulers Support Group Canada and Neurological Health Charities Canada to conduct two surveys (May 2022 and June 2021) of Canadians living with Long COVID, to better understand the full extent of its impacts. Collaborating with COVID long-haulers and patient advocates brought urgency to our work, and it has ensured that lived experience is at the centre of everything.

Last November, VINEx co-authored and joined a call-to-action by scientists, clinicians, relevant experts and advocates affected by Long COVID, to ask the federal government to commit sufficient, sustained and dedicated funding, to develop and execute a comprehensive and equitable Pan-Canadian Long COVID strategy. This strategy must be patient-centred and ensure that Canada’s response to this crisis is proportional to the size and scale of Long COVID’s impacts, bringing hope to all those who now and in the future will live with the long-term consequences of this illness.

I am now working on my third venture, as Executive Lead of the Brain Health Nexus, a global collaboration initiated by Cohen Veterans Bioscience and its CEO, Magali Haas, MD, PhD, to unleash science and technology to optimize brain health for all citizens globally, and prevent brain disease. Last September, I joined colleagues at the Global Partnerships in Brain Research meeting, held during the Science Summit at the 77^th Annual United Nations General Assembly, and presented the vision for the Brain Health Nexus. As we better understand how brain health is linked to the health of the whole human system and to the external environment, we can determine what measures can be used to monitor our brain health across the lifespan, and focus on prevention, wellness and even optimization. This is a departure from a singular focus on finding cures for brain diseases, to a broader understanding of how we can protect our brain health, our most valuable asset for social and economic prosperity.

Through my journey I have been reminded every day that science leadership is not a technical endeavor; it is about a community working to bring science to the service of people, and capturing and amplifying their voices and priorities at every stage. If you miss the people part of the equation, you are not asking the important questions about quality of life, and whether you are capturing the diversity of our populations. Asking those questions is as much a part of advancing science as experimenting in the lab. Finally, science discoveries belong to the public, and therefore the benefits of research must be accessible and broadly shared. My work has given me the enormous privilege of travelling around the world to communicate the importance and relevance of discoveries, and to learn from people with lived experience—even when cures are far in the future, every discovery along the pathway carries the potential to improve lives.

—

Inez Jabalpurwala is a 3 time Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner with the most recent in the Science and Technology category for 2022. She has been recognized as a woman in a STEM role who challenges the status quo for knowledge and female empowerment.

2023 Top 100 Nominations are opening soon. Click here to learn more about Top 100 and prepare to nominate a powerful female or even yourself!

About Inez:

Inez Jabalpuwala
Global Director, Vinex - Viral Neuro Exploration
Vice-Chair, Brain Health Nexus
Alumni Governor - Board of Governors, McGill University

Inez Jabalpurwal is global director of VINEx, a nonprofit corporation initiated by Rocket Science Health to understand how viruses and other infectious agents may affect the brain; co-chair of the Brain Health Nexus, a global collaboration to optimize brain health and prevent brain disease; board of governor member of McGill University; co-chairs the joint Board-Senate Committee on EDI; and long-standing board member of Equitas —International Centre for Human Rights Education.

“Femininity is my superpower” – Meet WXN Member Julie Shipley-Strickland

When her father was diagnosed with ALS, he told Julie Shipley-Strickland that his biggest accomplishments were the relationships he built with his wife and three kids. Julie took that to heart in more ways than one, as a mother, a wife, an educator, a community leader, a Senior Wealth Advisor with Wellington-Altus Private Wealth, a Senior Insurance Advisor with Bergh Tatomir & Associates, and Principal and Founder of Julie Shipley-Strickland Wealth & Risk Management.

Get to know Julie as she talks about finding her values, the role of femininity in finance, the influence of family and why the “X” in WXN marks the spot!

WXN: How did you get your start in finance – was it something you always wanted to pursue?

Julie: I’ve always loved numbers! My Dad was the same way. When I was a kid, he could tell you every Stanley Cup winner from the year he was born onward… I loved that game! So, numbers walk into my brain really well, a skill I believe I can attribute to him!

My Dad was my mentor. He started his financial planning career with London Life in 1976, and I ended up following him in August of 2008 – right at the beginning of the financial crisis. He and I were very close. Sadly, he passed away in 2012 from ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease, and I took over part of his book of business.

Doing so gave me the opportunity to work with his clients who were approaching retirement. In my early-thirties, it gave me the competence, expertise and insight into the retirement income market – something that's not as common in my industry. I now have quite a large clientele who affectionately say that I'll be around long past them, and they know I'll make sure that everything gets transitioned properly to their heirs. That’s a huge peace of mind for them – and a pretty special gift for me, from my Dad.

WXN: What was it like to strike out on your own?

Julie: In 2019, I joined Wellington-Altus Private Wealth – an independent wealth management firm that fosters camaraderie, strives for growth and puts their clients at the forefront. In 2020, I rebranded to Julie Shipley-Strickland Wealth & Risk Management, which was a beautiful experience because, until then, I hadn't really sat down to figure out my OWN business values. WHAT was my purpose? WHY am I doing what I do?

During COVID, I had the time to figure that out. I worked with a wonderful marketing talent –  together we did a deep dive and uncovered my concrete mission and a brand promise that embodied what I strive to bring to my clientele: Through heart-led conversations, I empower my clients to achieve peace of mind and freedom with their wealth.

WXN: What values emerged on that journey?

Julie: One of the first values is to foster freedom…  for my clients, this means to build their confidence around finances, and to foster my own freedom by empowering the fantastic team around me.

My second value is to be the bright spot in someone's day. This was the big notion of how I want compassion to be infused in all the work I do. We came up with the term I KARE leaning into five key characteristics that I want at the forefront of my business and how we serve our clients - Intention, Kindness, Accountability, Respect and Empathy.

My third and final value is to compassionately impact the community. I founded an organization with my brothers called Gordie’s Army, named after my dad. We raise money for ALS because we promised him we would try our hardest to find a cure in our lifetimes. I’m also involved with financial literacy through Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta, I launched my financial literacy course, I collaborate with a female-led financial platform called The51, and I coach my daughter’s softball team.

WXN: Speaking of your course – what are some common “black holes” in financial knowledge that you commonly address?

Julie: I would reframe the phrase “black hole” into “small crater”, as most individuals have a general understanding of financial knowledge but not a CLEAR understanding. And with so much information and unsolicited advice out there, the financial playground can get pretty muddy. I wanted to create a course that educates and helps to establish a concrete understanding of financial knowledge first, and then continue to build a financial foundation.

My Wealth with Julie Prosperity Playbook is an E-Course that was designed to assist individuals to learn and walk away with a foundation, including easy-to-access reference material to embark on a personalized wealth building journey. My first priority was to break down the complicated “financial world fundamentals.” From there, I dive into where our money habits come from (upbringing, beliefs and experiences). Next, I dive into investments and insurance, as well as a section for small business owners. 

The last chapter is a nod to my dad. It's all about old adages that he and my grandma – a really savvy investor at a time when women really didn’t invest – used to say when I was growing up. For example, does money double every seven years?

WXN: What would you say has been your biggest challenge to overcome on your journey?

Julie: Personally, it was losing my dad at a young age. He was not only my father but one of my best friends, a mentor, and a gentleman. I love keeping his memory alive by focusing on his legacy in various ways – from my charitable work within Gordie’s Army to education within my industry.

Professionally, it’s definitely being a female in this male-dominated profession.

Little things like that started to add up. I questioned myself as a female in this industry, and with losing my dad and having two kids, I really struggled. I’m very lucky because, on top of my female support, I have a few good male friends and colleagues in this business who have been championing me since day one. I am so thankful for and to them for pushing me to continue to believe in myself and my career.

When you think of how compliance is organized and how everything is dictated, there's no room for femininity. So, I’m leaning into femininity. That's going to make me a great fit with some clients and not with others, and that's okay. Femininity is my superpower – not a detriment. I’m actually really proud of it!

WXN: What about your successes and accomplishments – what stands out most to you?

Julie: My marriage and my kids, without a doubt. My husband Kurtis and I have been together for 19 years and married for 16 years. He's my “partner in crime,” for sure! We have two beautiful children – an eleven-year-old-daughter and a seven-year-old son. I am very blessed to have beautiful relationships with each of them. They are so fun, and I adore the time I get to enjoy with each of them.

Professionally, it's just riding the journey. I'm taking the next steps in building my practice, with the support from Wellington-Altus Private Wealth. I’m really excited to have this evolve and for what the future holds!

WXN: What does the “X” in WXN mean to you?

Julie: X marks the spot! I think WXN has done a really good job of being inclusive, so everyone can find their spot within the community. You can find a group that supports you whether you’re an emerging leader or you've been in the business for 20, 30 or 40 years. No matter where you are on the spectrum, you can find great people within that network. I look forward to taking advantage of that and being a part of it!

Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your “X”? Join Julie and the rest of the WXN community!

WXN is offering an annual Individual Membership of just $12.50/month. Take advantage of this offer, because there's never been a better time to invest in yourself.

WXN  is donating membership profits to the Institute for Advancements in Mental Health (IAM).

Learn more and join us today!

About Julie:

Julie Shipley-Strickland
Senior Wealth Advisor 
Julie Shipley-Strickland Wealth & Risk Management / Wellington-Altus Private Wealth

Passionate, forthright and dynamic, Julie Shipley-Strickland builds strong relationships with her valued clients by understanding their goals, supporting their concerns and providing thoughtful and strategic solutions. As a Senior Wealth Advisor with Wellington-Altus Private Wealth, Julie provides independent investment advice, financial planning, insurance solutions and clear guidance to entrepreneurs, executives and their families.

As one of the few female investment and insurance advisors in Canada, Julie is paving the way for future females in finance with her strong leadership and dedication to women-led businesses in the community.

Living my truth: The irony of having to push for an equitable platform in an industry that exists to push for equitable platforms is not lost on me

by Jacquie LaRocque, 2022 Top 100 Award Winner

Have you ever had an instance when something happens to trigger a moment of nearly instant clarity? Substitute the word clarity for truth, if you like. To me, the two are inextricably linked.

Over two decades, the Women’s Executive Network (WXN) has meaningfully celebrated the advancement of professional women at all levels, in all sectors, and of all ages – annually naming Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100. This year, they somehow deemed me worthy to be included on the list. My reflections on the accolade led me to a larger realization – one about the people who define the community in which I work and live (especially as a woman) and who have enabled me to succeed.

When I reflect on this award, I’m under no illusion – there are thousands of women across the country who are equally deserving. Still, I can accept this with some real triumph, because I know what work and stamina it has taken to build my small but mighty company, while helping to chart a channel through an industry that has, like so many others, historically been the domain of men. When I started in the business, more men were at the head of leadership tables than women and it was the general truth of the time that women seldom could have it all. So, the acknowledgement is one I share not just with my own team, but everyone around me who have helped shape the public affairs industry, including the women who stood up and took their place.

I cannot say that it hasn’t taken a certain determination and a mountain of tenacity to build and succeed in this space – as it does in so many others. My role in the development of public policy for the common good hasn’t evolved in a vacuum. My team has charted the path with me, led by Bea who has been with us since nearly Day One. Many other women have supported me and helped me succeed, and to their credit, so too have many men who are driving forces in actively helping to lift up women in business. Being true to myself, I’ve learned, means remembering that “my truth” is dependent on and interwoven with those who make-up my community and those who walk the same path.

Working in government affairs and public policy for over two decades, the irony of having to push for an equitable platform in an industry that exists to push for equitable platforms, is not lost on me. It’s made me more truly conscious of the plights that clients have to fight. Every partner we work with comes through the door with a desire and a need for change. In their quest to arm their cause with as much force as they can, I see the paths I’ve had to navigate over decades. The munitions that we at Compass Rose use to move the dial are logic, appeal, reason, dedication and experience. 

I know there are so many more women who swim against a tide that I’ve been fortunate to have a raft to navigate. This recognition, this moment, is a reminder to ourselves – especially in the difficult past few years – that we don’t accomplish our goals alone and nor do we have to. That safe landing that seems to float just a little past the horizon draws nearer when you have support to carry you. As time passes, I’ve begun to realize that there are friends, colleagues, mentors, and even people you admire from afar, who offer floatation you can assemble and build as you move through your career. They are the ones who secure us from drifting and propel us through rougher waters that calm as we gather the strength they can share. Sometimes we just have to recognize it and grasp on. And sometimes we have to supply it for others.

So, it is with immense gratitude that I receive this award. It’s a sign that I’ve learned something valuable during the course of my career that is indeed bigger than what I’ve built; and hopefully I can offer a little easier passage for those on their way up – a compass, or even just a buoy until a little fog blows away. Women don’t need to feel as though they’re maneuvering a flutter-board through the St. Lawrence. Upon reflection, it’s the strength of community and our ability to help others on a similar path that is my biggest truth.

—

Jacquie LaRocque is a Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner in the BMO Entrepreneurs category for 2022. She has been recognized as a woman who operates a thriving business in Canada.

2023 Top 100 Nominations are opening soon. Click here to learn more about Top 100 and prepare to nominate a powerful female or even yourself!

About Jacquie:

Jacqueline (Jacquie) LaRocque

Founder

Compass Rose

Jacquie LaRocque has spent her career dedicated to finding the common good. Her success defies the conventional wisdom that public affairs is a zero-sum game of winners and losers. She believes solutions that benefit the common good rather than a privileged few are out there if you bring together smart, principled, experienced people and work hard to find them.

10 ways our Top 100 Winners Live Their Truth

Throughout 2022, we’ve been on a mission: to live our truth. From workshops to webinars to coaching, our programming has given you the tools you need to discover your truth, live it in your daily life and use it to bravely tell the world, “this is me.”

But what do our Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winners have to say about living their truth? And how do they do it in their day-to-day lives, on and off the job?

Well, we asked… and they overwhelmingly agree: it means being authentic, vulnerable and honest. It means courageously showing up as your full self. It means bringing all you are to all you do, personally and professionally.

But we learned a lot more, too. Here are the 10 most powerful ways our Top 100 winners live their truth.

1. Live (and lead) according to your values

Knowing your values is part of the equation. Acting on them is another. By rooting ourselves in the values that are most core to who we are (and sticking to them even when others ask us to compromise), we make ourselves stronger. We can make better, more intentional decisions. We can set clearer ethical and moral boundaries. So trust and respect your own values – and check in on yourself regularly to make sure you’re not being driven by other motivators.

"I could answer any question about my truth in my career and personal life with one word – values. I live by six of them, all key to me and I couldn't live without: Respect. Loyalty. Trustworthy. Courage. Kindness. Leadership."  - Katherine Hay, 2022 Canada’s Most Powerful CEO Award Winner, presented by Postmedia

2. Find and follow your purpose

What gives you joy? What do you find most meaningful? What drives you forward? When you immerse yourself in a core purpose that brings together what you love and what you do, you tap into a fount of energy and passion that keeps you motivated and engaged, even in the face of doubt. And you can keep that flame alive by meaningfully investing in the values and purposes that matter most to you.

"When you have passion for what you are doing, then your work doesn’t feel like work. And it keeps me excited and motivated when I wake up every morning."  - Nuit Regular, 2022 BMO Entrepreneurs Award Winner

3. Speak up and stand up 

When you hear or see injustices, don’t stand on the sidelines. Even when the odds seem insurmountable, and even when others pressure you to keep silent, stand up and fight for what’s right. It takes courage to take action, set a positive example and get back up when you get knocked down (and you will get knocked down from time to time). But when you live your truth, that courage is inside you. 

"My truth is that you must always fight for what is right. This means that you must keep pushing even if things are not going your way or seeming to be insurmountable. Just do it!"  - Dr. Anne Innis Dagg, 2022 Women of Courage Award Winner, presented by Richardson Wealth

4. Push yourself further

Living your truth is about embracing who you are today as well as stepping into who you will be tomorrow. That means stretching yourself to bigger goals and challenging yourself to step outside of your comfort zone. To reach your full potential, you need to face opportunities with an open mind and heart. Look toward the achievements that you have yet to earn – and honour the ones that came before.

"I take steps to stretch myself professionally, personally and physically to reach my potential and I support others to do the same."  - Beth Wilson, 2022 WXN Hall of Fame Award Winner

5. Be kind to yourself

You can’t pour from an empty cup – and that’s why it’s important to do things that bring you true joy. To giving yourself permission to invest in your own health. To practice self-compassion. To let go of old patterns that no longer serve the person you are. Take those risks and make those mistakes without judgment. When things don’t go according to plan, accept that it’s okay to be kind to yourself as you sort through it all.

"Let go. We are constantly evolving and growth can be messy – it isn’t the glossy life we see on Instagram. Let go of others expectations, bad bosses, mistakes, words that hurt instead of help."  - Lauren Tedesco, 2022 Mercedes-Benz Emerging Leaders Award Winner

6. Help others live their truth

For many of us, living our truth means helping others. That could mean pushing a colleague to reach their potential, amplifying and illuminating stories and voices that deserve to be heard, creating spaces where others can find belonging, and even coaching others to live their truth, too. As a woman who lives your truth, you can be a role model who shows others what they can become, and leave them feeling seen, heard and valued.

"I believe we are all stronger when we accept and respect each other. Building communities where everyone has a sense of belonging, lifts us all up. That is my truth."  - Indira Naidoo-Harris, 2022 Canadian Tire Community Impact Award Winner

7. Dare to be you 

You can only be you. So why try to fit into someone else’s definition of who you should be? Living your truth is about letting your whole self shine through – imperfections and all – in all of your glory. If that makes others uncomfortable, so be it. You don’t change for them; rather, you look for other authentic people who love and support you as you are. You (and only you) define what success means, in your own terms.

"For me, living my truth entails being comfortable with what makes me, me. It is about finding those unique differences and allowing those parts to flourish and shine."  - Sharnelle Morgan, 2022 RBC Future Launch Future Leaders Award Winner

8. Go where no one has gone before 

When the road ahead isn’t clearly marked, it’s a good sign that few people have traveled it before. Why not be the first? When you’re rooted in your values and you trust your instincts, you can move forward and forge your own path with courage and confidence. You don’t rely on doing things the way they’ve “always been done before.” With enough will and perseverance, nothing can stop you!

"Being fearless - not afraid to take the road less travelled. Someone's got to lead the way and someone's got to be the first."  - Kim Keating, 2022 Executive Leaders Award Winner

9. Don’t forget where you came from 

As you pave a new path, stop to reflect on how you got there. Find inspiration in the experiences that shaped who you are today. Appreciate the pieces of yourself that endure over time – and listen to what they can teach you. Embrace your identity. Honour the people and the communities that propelled you forward. Your story is as unique as you are, and that deserves as much recognition as your achievements.

"Be myself embracing my diverse identities as a person of color, my ethnicity, religion, gender, and my lived experiences as a refugee, as a person growing up in developing world and as an immigrant to Canada." - Dr. Tanjina Mirza, 2022 KPMG C-Suite Executives Award Winner

10. Never stop learning (and improving)

The live-your-truth journey never ends. There’s always room to learn, grow and adapt as you continue to further understand and transform yourself. Internally, honest self-inquiry can help you figure out what’s working and what’s not. Externally, interacting with people who have different backgrounds, identities and perspectives can provide fresh ideas and new solutions to your challenges. Whatever you do, find meaning in moments both big and small – and embrace that we can hold many different ideas at once!

"I know that Living my truth is a continuous process, it's my journey to grow and to learn about myself; it's my life-long journey!" - Rokhaya Gueye, 2022 CP Skilled Trades Award Winner

Congratulations to this year’s Top 100 winners! You show us just how powerful living your truth can be – and you inspire us all to march forward with greater passion and purpose.

“I put the doubt aside and stepped into it anyway.” – Meet WXN Member Alicea Stewart

If there’s one thing Alicea Stewart knows, it’s this: You never quite get used to stepping outside your comfort zone. From her journey from Jamaica to Canada with her husband and her one-year-old daughter in 2009, to her decision to join Grainger Canada and ultimately step into her role as Senior Manager, DC Operations, she has shown that great things can happen when you set your fears aside.

Read on to learn more about Alicea’s love of learning, taking big leaps, tackling self-doubt and why the “X” in WXN means resilience.

WXN: Can you tell us a bit about the path that brought you here?

Alicea: I’m currently the site leader at a Grainger Canada distribution center. I joined the team eight years ago in an entry-level role as an individual contributor.

This line of work was not originally on my radar. I studied sciences in college with the intention of becoming a nurse. When I realized I wasn't passionate about nursing instead of continuing to nursing school, I took a job with the Government of Jamaica - Revenue department. Moving to Canada in 2009, I was unsure of my career path. This move meant starting over but I embraced the change! After spending five years in retail, I was introduced to Grainger. Joining the distribution center was a big leap for me because I knew absolutely nothing about distribution center operations, and I would be starting from the bottom again. I quickly found there were tremendous growth opportunities if I was intentional about my development. Also, the culture and the work environment in the DC are awesome!

Within a few years, I worked my way up to a supervisor position and after several progressive leadership roles, I find myself in the role I occupy today. I am grateful for the incredible support I have had from peers, leaders and mentors along the way.

WXN: What do you find most fulfilling about what you do?

Alicea: I’m passionate about learning, change, continuous improvement and I’m endlessly curious about how things work and why. I’m always thinking about how I can help make things better. I also enjoy helping teams and individuals realize their full potential.

I like making authentic connections with people and tend to seek out opportunities to learn about different cultures. I would even say the biggest deciding factor in my move to Canada was wanting a new and different experience. I wanted to learn and immerse myself in a different culture. That was another big leap because it meant leaning out of my comfort zone, but I’ve found throughout my journey in life that I've done a lot of that!

WXN: Leaving your comfort zone seems to be a recurring theme in your life! Do you ever get used to stepping outside of it?

Alicea: No, the fear never goes away, but it gets easier! I’ve often doubted myself when attempting a new task or moving into a different role. But then I look at all the success I've had when I put the doubt aside and stepped into it anyway. I draw courage from those experiences.

I think it's a journey that will forever continue. Before I moved to Canada, I had a comfortable life. I had strong family support and a job I was good at. But when the opportunity came up, I jumped at it. My experience isn’t without setbacks, disappointments or failures, but I'm still thriving. Sometimes the walls that provide the security of our comfort zone are the same walls that limit our growth.

WXN: As someone who seems to take challenges head-on, what would you say has been your biggest challenge so far?

Alicea: From a young age, I’ve always felt that I needed to overachieve to be seen as equal or enough. This has caused me to put limitations on my capabilities and shy away from tasks or opportunities I believed I couldn’t overachieve on. This fear of disappointing those around me led to me being way too hard on myself, and it took me a while to realize that mindset did not serve me or anyone around me. Now, I make a conscious effort to try new things and embrace challenges in spite of the fears or doubts. 

I don’t believe one truly overcomes self-doubt fully… and maybe a little bit is necessary to keep complacency at bay but being able to find validation from within (this takes practice) and recognizing that no one criticizes us harder than we do ourselves, goes a long way in helping to remove the barriers we create in our own minds.

I also strongly recommend mentorship I have been fortunate to have some good mentors and leaders who have helped me along my journey.

WXN: Let’s talk a little about your accomplishments as well. Any stand-out moments to share?

Alicea: The proudest moment in my career was when I was appointed to my current role 18 months ago. Eight years ago, when I walked into the building, I didn’t envision myself leading the site – and especially not this quickly. I am proud of my growth and achievement over the years.

On a personal note, my feel-good moments are when I overhear my 15-year-old (who completely dominated Grade 9 last year, achieving the female athlete of the year award and making the high honors list) on the phone with her friends crediting her drive and tenacity to being inspired by her mom. Also, those times when a friend, acquaintance or team member shares with me that I have influenced positive change in their life through my actions or words – nothing tops these.

WXN: What’s next for you? What has you excited about the future?

Alicea: I’m an introvert and while I fully embrace this, I recognize that the next step in my leadership growth requires a certain ‘presence’, one that necessitates tailoring some of those introverted tendencies to be more vocal and more willing to face the spotlight. I’m working on this… at my own pace. I like to think that I am in the early chapters of my story, and the future holds many more experiences for me. I am open to the opportunities ahead and I’m always keeping an eye out for new ways to learn and grow.

From a personal perspective, I try to find hobbies that my daughter and I can enjoy together. We’ve tried painting, baking and cake decorating. Right now, we are on the verge of kickstarting our winter hobby and venturing into the world of sewing and design! I just bought the sewing machine and the tools we’ll need to get started!

WXN: Given where your journey has led you, what does the “X” in WXN mean to you?

Alicea: For me, the X means resilience, staying true to who I am and helping to pave the way for future females who are interested in this career path. As a Woman of Colour occupying what was once a predominantly male role, I believe representation matters. The work that we're doing now to empower each other as women will set the stage for those who come after.

Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your “X”? Join Alicea and the rest of the WXN community!

WXN is offering an annual Individual Membership at a discounted rate of $99. That's a 30% savings!

Take advantage of this limited time offer, because there's never been a better time to invest in yourself.

Learn more and join us today!

About Alicea:

Alicea Stewart

Site Leader, DC Operations

Grainger Canada

Alicea Stewart is a Site Leader, DC Operations at Grainger Canada – Saskatoon Location. She has over 8 years of distribution centre experience, 5 of which has been spent in progressive leadership roles. Her passions include driving continuous improvement, supporting individual and leader development, and helping teams realize their full potential.

Finding different creative outlets that she can enjoy with her teenage daughter is one of Alicea’s personal interests, along with sightseeing, reading, and learning about people, different cultures and ways of life.

“I chose to fight for women” – Meet WXN Member Petra Remy

Petra Remy, Senior Wealth Advisor with Remy Investment Group, is committed to supporting women who want to achieve financial independence as part of their overall well-being. An avid outdoorswoman, when she isn’t glamping her way through scenic Alberta and British Columbia in her 19’ camper van, you might find her delving into sustainable investing, studying blockchain or artificial intelligence, or simply enjoying her two daughters and their families.

She’s a pioneer across many frontiers who we talk to about discovering her own path, combating financial inequalities, completing her thesis, raising her daughters, and developing a successful career. For her, the “X” in WXN means extra.

WXN: What can you tell us about Petra Remy?

Petra: I’m a woman of many experiences, thoughts, and ideas. A pioneer at heart, I have my share of firsts, both at university and in my professional and personal lives. I want to work with women, to support them in making the world more equal, diversified, and inclusive. I’m a woman who wants to move forward with the women I meet, thoughtfully and gently – that’s what I do in my business.

WXN: How did you discover that path for yourself?

Petra: It started as a child, but really took off when I was an undergraduate at university. I hit bottom then: recently divorced, my ex-husband had cleaned out our bank account. I stood at the bank machine with my seven- and one-year-old daughters and there was no money. I couldn’t get diapers. I couldn’t get groceries. I swore I would never let that happen again.

I continued and earned a business degree but I just couldn’t get ahead, even though I was doing all of the work that needed to get done. Of course, I blamed myself – it’s often what women are socialized to do – but I realized that it wasn’t me. I realized we live in a world of inequality. I was overwhelmed by it to the point where I was getting sick. I went to a retreat in Port Burwell, ON, and when I talked to the Indigenous Peoples there, several women said the same thing: you have to pick your battles, pick where you want to hang your hat, pick what you want to do.

I chose to fight for women. I knew I needed more education to be able to provide a decent life for myself and my daughters, so I took an extra year to get an honours degree in sociology. I went on to do a master’s degree focusing on integrating quantitative and qualitative data, thereby giving those who participated in my research a voice. After graduating, I ended up working in the financial industry.

WXN: What sparked that desire to get into finance?

Petra: When I went to university, I knew how to budget, but I had no clue about investing money. I ended up taking a couple thousand dollars and bought some mutual funds from Brazil. They did well and paid for a little bit of my schooling. However, I did end up in debt. So, I thought, I’m going to get into the financial industry!

When I moved to Vancouver with my second husband, my career really took off. I became a regional manager with Vancity, the largest credit union in Vancouver. I learned a lot there and made a lot of changes. I made sure that clients brought their spouses in, and that our staff knew how to talk to all sexes. We learned how to do estate planning for same-sex couples before they were able to get married. I also introduced investing with environmental, social, and governance screening (ESG). That was not a big thing in B.C. at the time, but we pioneered it with my leadership.

WXN: We’ve talked about a few of your challenges, but what would you say was your biggest one?

Petra: I don’t think about my challenges in terms of their size! When I did my thesis, I lived in a world of feminism. My thesis was about gender roles creating the glass ceiling, rather than it being a sex issue. Do men who also play a big part in raising their families also hit the glass ceiling? I had a very small random sample because that population was almost non-existent at that time. But the answer was: yes! So, I wrote a pioneering thesis that said, men can also hit the glass ceiling if they are more inclined to be involved with their kids.

I brought in a professor who worked with quantitative data and a professor who worked with qualitative data, and I was one of the first to bring the two approaches together. The challenge was putting ideas, thoughts, and strategies together. We had to integrate the qualitative data with the quantitative data in a way that recognized both as valid and valued the power of perspective that was achieved. Before that, such a combined perspective didn’t exist – but it needed to exist. Because the approach was new, it took me forever to write the damn thing! The good thing is that combined perspective is now considered a fundamental research methodology.

I’d say my absolute biggest challenge was believing I had to do it alone. I always fought on my own merits. I stood my ground and had all the details and backups. I didn’t know I could get people to support me. That’s what I’m learning to do now.

WXN: What about accomplishments – any highlights along your path to share?

Petra: My proudest accomplishments are my girls – they’re the most amazing young women you’ll ever meet! My older daughter has a learning disability and had some major childhood trauma. She overcame all of that, completed her honours in university, became a teacher, and recently graduated with her master’s degree in education (while making profits for her department). My second daughter lives in Australia. She has a son and an amazing husband. Her upward trajectory has been phenomenal. She’s worked as a publicist in the movie industry and is now with a values-based IT company that’s creating an app for working parents. I would say my girls have an amazing talent for business!

I’m also proud of my master's thesis, which I completed as a single woman, along with all the other things we’ve talked about!

WXN: What’s on the horizon for you? Do you have any upcoming projects or goals to share?

Petra: Well, I want to live to 100, and I want to be in my career for another 10 years supporting women in their finances! My goal is to continue to grow my business and gear it toward women so they’re comfortable coming to me for financial advice and ESG investments.

Paralleling that, I actually want to get on stage! I want to be a voice of encouragement and knowledge, so that other women, know they can still have a life they want, no matter where they are on their journey’s path – and I want to send that message from a financial perspective.

One of my daughters wants me to look at the environmental, social, and governance impact of Bitcoin, so I’m learning more about that currency. I’m also interested in artificial intelligence, and gender issues just keep getting more and more interesting. We’ve seen what happens when a diverse group of people have a voice in putting together systems. Women being part of that is a good start. We need diversification and ethics behind our world systems if we are going to make a better world.

WXN: Finally, along your path, how does the “X” in WXN fit in?

Petra: I used to attend the morning breakfast meetings in Edmonton, and what the “X” meant to me at that point was “extra,” and learning from other women. I’ve been missing those in-person events lately. The very thing that I wanted to do, I watched them do. I met so many women, from accountants to lawyers. The WXN events were another motivation for wanting to get on stage and share what I know. Who knows? It might help somebody.

Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your “X”? Join Petra and the rest of the WXN community!

WXN is offering an annual Individual Membership at a discounted rate of $99. That's a 30% savings!

Take advantage of this limited time offer, because there's never been a better time to invest in yourself.

Learn more and join us today!

About Petra:

Petra Remy

Senior Wealth Advisor

Remy Investment Group

Certified financial planner, Petra Remy, just gets out there and does it! A tireless advocate for lifelong learning, Petra obtained her Masters while a single mom raising two daughters, and then just kept right on going, eventually amassing 25 years of financial experience as a “Senior Wealth Manager”. Petra is especially committed to socially conscious investing, Environmental Social Governance (ESG) with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). She is committed to influencing a more positive community while reducing the risk of her clients’ portfolios.

2020 was definitely a year of adaptation for us all. For two people the pandemic forged a bond of friendship that burns bright today. Don’t miss this conversation with Vasie Papadopoulos and Lorraine Gray on their journey from WXN Top 100 award winners to the beginning of a lifelong friendship connection.

Vasie: 2020 was a year of great uncertainty and change for everyone. We found ourselves living through an unprecedented pandemic that impacted all aspects of everyone’s lives – health, work, family, and relationships. For Lorraine and me, a nice and pleasant thing occurred at the end of 2020; we both made Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 list. And in the same category – The Mercedes Benz Emerging Leaders Award! It was bittersweet being named to the list given everything that was going on and not being able to meet or get to know any of the other winners in person.

Lorraine: Given the circumstances, Vasie and I met virtually first through our official winners’ event and then we kept a consistent line of virtual communication following that. I took the initiative to create a call for all the ‘Emerging Leaders’ winners, because I wanted to get to know these inspiring women more. Vasie offered to be my support person for the group and its coordination.

Vasie: Lorraine and I, for some reason, immediately clicked and our conversations – both virtual and via messaging – helped to consolidate a strong base for a close and honest relationship.  Our shared mutual beliefs drive us to want to change the meaning of leadership, especially for women and other voices not represented in roles of power. It’s a mutual belief of inclusion, leading by example and breaking the mold of current patriarchal structures which, a lot of the time, our society doesn’t always question.

Lorraine: When restrictions started lifting, Vasie and I decided to meet for lunch in mid-2021. At the lunch I knew she was ‘one of my people’. While I was so appreciative of our calls and her help, it was that lunch that solidified it for me. We discussed our careers, our families, and the types of challenges we have faced. We talked about our respective work coaches and the advice we regularly receive. We even realized our mutual love of mentoring and our approach that we share when mentoring. It was obvious to me that both Vasie and I want to make the world a better place and leave a lasting impact. What also really drew me to Vasie, is how comfortable she is with herself. I don’t meet a lot of women who show up that way. Our culture has really indoctrinated women to be uncomfortable in our skin, and I love how Vasie always shows up as herself.

Vasie: For me, Lorraine really is a person that truly cares about others and approaches life with such vigor, it’s hard not want to be her friend, be led by her and work for her. She’s faced hard personal challenges in her life, and she has dealt with them with such resiliency and drive, that she makes it look easy. It was also wonderful to find a woman that allowed me to be as open, ambitious, and direct as I was, without having to feel I needed to be less or show up less. So, when my company moved me to Switzerland for a new global role, I asked Lorraine if she wanted to visit me. She immediately accepted.

For me, the trip culminated in us fully understanding that it’s ok to be who we are without compromising. As women, we are constantly being told one thing, while having to act in an opposing way: “I am too much. I am not enough. I should do more. I should do less.” The best way to lead and live your life is to be who you are! Period.

It was also clear to me that being a change agent means being an outlier. With that comes criticism and a hard road to build buy-in and understanding of what needs to happen next. Rather than shying away from the criticism or toughness of it, I should embrace it.  Without that, the notion of change is just an abstract concept.

Lorraine: I personally had so many ‘ah-ha’ moments on the trip. The pandemic, for me, was long and hard and it prevented me from accessing parts of myself. My trip with Vasie helped to solidify much of what I had been thinking about. As women we are cultured to make other people comfortable, however, making other people comfortable all the time is exhausting and prevents us from expressing ourselves as we truly are. While it can be uncomfortable to make others uncomfortable, one can only control the things you can – and that is you! Be fully and completely you, giving others the chance to embrace you as you are, plus permission for them show up as themselves as well.

Also, I would normally plan trips down to the detail and this time I chose not to do that. Vasie is a seasoned traveler and I learned from her it’s okay to not ‘always’ plan. Not planning as much enables me to be more agile and present; when there is so much going on, sometimes you just need to focus on what’s important. It’s such a great metaphor for life and has caused me to see that more clearly since the trip; going slowly does not mean you miss out on things, it means you are experiencing them more deeply.

Vasie: What Lorraine and I fully realized is that it is extremely important to find women who can challenge your norms and assumptions while also supporting exactly who you are. We are thankful the Women’s Executive Network created the opportunity for us to connect and I know we will be each other’s friends and cheerleaders for many years to come.

Vasie and Lorraine: In conclusion, “Write your own rules.”

About Vasie:

Vasie Papadopoulos

Global Intelligence and Planning Manager

Philip Morris International

Vasie has over 15 years of experience working both in the public and private sectors. She spent several years working in transit – first as a consultant, then an employee of GO Transit - Metrolinx and then at the Financial Services Commission of Ontario. Prior to that, she worked as a political aide. She currently works at Philip Morris International and is on a global assignment in Lausanne, Switzerland as a Global Intelligence and Planning Manager.

She has over 14 years of volunteer experience supporting women’s rights and affordable housing. She first began in 2002 when she joined Habitat for Humanity International as a volunteer and then as a team leader. Since then she has organized logistics and fundraising for multiple international trips and raised over $50,000 in support of poverty alleviation.
From 2015-2019, she was a board member for Hamilton’s Culture for Kids in the Arts, an organization providing high quality arts experiences to kids by removing financial barriers, and became its Board Chair in 2016. In 2016, she was named to the board of Habitat for Humanity Hamilton and served on the board until 2019.

In 2015, she founded a volunteer organization called OurWrite. OurWrite strives to allow ‘Every female to be their own superhero’ through building, maintaining and supporting female-centric schools and community centres. Since 2015, OurWrite has helped build and raise funds for 3 educational facilities in Mongolia, Oaxaca, Mexico and Kenya. OurWrite’s goal is to build 5 schools in 10 years, while also building awareness for the right to literacy amongst girls in developing nations.

She is the co-host of a podcast entitled The Future Of...that launched in 2019 and in 2020 launched her own shoe line with 8 shoe designs, including The Nomad. She is also an accomplished travel photographer. Her undergraduate degree is from the University of Ottawa, she has a Masters degree in Philosophy from the University of Edinburgh and completed her executive MBA from the Ivey School of Business in 2018. In 2018, she was nominated for a YWCA Woman of the Year Award and in 2020 was nominated for a Diversity and Inclusion Award with the CCDI. In 2020, she was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women through the Women’s Executive Network.

About Lorraine:

Lorraine Gray

Director, Station Services

Hydro One

Lorraine Gray, a 2020 WXN award winner, is a Professional Engineer who has been with Hydro One for 16 years, 13 of which has been spent in leadership positions. In her current role as Director, Station Services, Lorraine is responsible for overseeing all of Hydro One’s transmission and distribution stations in the Province of Ontario. She leads over 700 employees that in-service and maintain crucial electricity equipment. She is the first ever woman to hold this role and is a fierce advocate for women pursuing non-traditional roles.

“You can always learn from the past, but live for today” – Meet WXN Member Zareen Khan

Zareen Khan’s career has spanned finance, logistics, courier, business and technology. Her education ranges from corporate law to computer science. Her path has taken her to many corners of the world. It’s no wonder her current role as Senior Information Technology Manager at Purolator breaks down silos and barriers as she applies her technology, business and leadership chops across the organization.

Don’t miss this conversation about why Zareen fell in love with tech, how she makes each day the best it can be, climbing the career ladder (twice), and why the “X” in WXN means strong women empowering one another.

WXN: As an IT leader, were you always interested in pursuing technology as a career?

Zareen: I'm from Southeast Asia. I grew up in Bangladesh and I came to North America – to Philadelphia specifically – back in 2000 to do my undergrad. When I came here, I found there were so many great choices that I just couldn't confine myself to one school. So I started doing corporate law in the business school, and then I also did computer science in the science school.

I got more and more interested in technology. With technology and programming, you can actually create something very quickly and see how it works out. The sense of accomplishment it gave me made me more motivated in that process.

But the most fulfilling piece is making other people's life easier, making things simpler. The field that I am in is always embedded with multiple challenges, and just working through them patiently and overcoming them (and then looking back at it) the whole process is satisfying.

WXN: When you’re not at work, what might we find you doing?

Zareen: Over time, I've tried to separate work from life in general. It doesn't work all of the time, but most of the time it does! I love spending time with my family and to engage in activities that lead to a positive and healthy lifestyle. I like volunteering for initiatives and activities around senior citizens. I also try to get on initiatives for the food bank, as well as other forms of charity where there is a good humanitarian cause.

My real focus is on giving back but also learning from those journeys. You learn so much from volunteering, and at the same time you're able to share gratitude for what you have today. You can always learn from the past, but live for today. Your main goal should be to make today the best version that you can make it.

WXN: That’s fascinating! What have you done today to make it the best it can be?

Zareen: So far, it’s sharing my story and making a new connection. It helps me when I read other people's stories or their bios. Sharing my message will maybe help others and have some kind of an impact!

I also have some plans for later today to meet a group of people and motivate them to put more emphasis on their health. It’s all connected – your health and your mental state. What you do there affects your work, your family life, et cetera. It's a very important aspect that a lot of us often forget.

WXN: Of course, we love to talk about challenges and successes. What’s been your biggest roadblock or hurdle?

Zareen: When I moved to the United States, I was at the end of my teenage years, and it was very hard initially to understand the culture, understand how people think, understand my values vs. the values of the culture I was in. It was as different as night and day – and the only exposure I had going into it was on television. Adjusting was a challenge. And then, when I came to Canada, I had to adjust again because Canadian culture is also different from U.S. culture!

You learn through it, but at the same time, you miss opportunities because you're not on the same playing field as others. You're behind in some aspects. People don’t always understand where you're coming from or what you're saying, and because of that, there's always this miscommunication and misunderstanding.

In addition to that, learning to prioritize making relationships and using them at the right time was another challenge that I had to work through. You could be the kind of person who keeps their head down, feels great about their work and gets things done. But it's not black and white that, if you do well, that promotion is going to happen. It's really about your relationships.

WXN: Can you tell us about a moment or accomplishment that made you feel particularly proud?

Zareen: I would say there are a few, to be honest! Coming to the U.S. as a woman from my background, working three jobs to pay for my education and at the same time coming up magna cum laude in diverse colleges and majors – and then being able to pay off my student loan within two years of graduating – is a big one.

After I graduated, I got a job where within four years I was in a senior position. But then I had to stop all that, move back to Bangladesh, and then start all over again in Canada. Now I'm in a position where I'm a senior manager. I fought through the elements, I fought for change, and at the same time, when I look back, I have moved on. A lot of people would have given up a long time ago on my journey and would have taken an easier path, but to be persistent and to see it through, I think that's where it gives me the most satisfaction.

WXN: What about looking forward – what’s next on the horizon?

Zareen: I want to be in a more senior leadership position where I can motivate more people and lead by example through my experiences!

WXN: Finally, considering your own journey and your experience with WXN, what has the “X” come to represent for you?

Zareen: To me, the X means strong women empowering one another to propel forward. It's that collective and united push to raise one another higher. I have attended some of WXN’s seminars and events online, and all of those were very, very helpful. I noticed how passionate everybody was in terms of sharing their experiences, sharing their values, sharing their thoughts. These are things that they have come across and used in their lives, and they are sharing that with others so that everyone can benefit. That itself is great!

Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your “X”? Join Zareen and the rest of the WXN community!

WXN is offering an annual Individual Membership at a discounted rate of $99. That's a 30% savings!

Take advantage of this limited time offer, because there's never been a better time to invest in yourself.

Learn more and join us today!

About Zareen:

Zareen Khan

Senior Information Technology Manager,

Purolator Inc.

Zareen Khan is a senior information technology professional with over 17 years of progressive work experience in diverse industries with significant expertise in IT solution delivery, program and project management, application management, business relationship management and change management. She has a MBA from Saint Joseph’s University, Haub School of Business, USA. Zareen is currently working as a Senior Information Technology Manager at Purolator, Inc. based out of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

Zareen strives towards creating organization value through collective success supporting DEI, innovation and sustainability while delivering exceptional employee and customer experience.

“There's always a silver lining, no matter what” – Meet WXN Member Goldie Hartford

It’s not that Goldie Hartford doesn’t want to settle – it’s that she always believes she can do a little bit more. It’s what drove her to become a military tradesperson at the age of 17, go back to school for computer science and information technology, earn her project management certification, earn her graduate certificate in executive coaching from Royal Roads University earlier this year, and launch her new leadership coaching and development business, H.A.V.E. Solutions.

Keep reading as Goldie shares her path to entrepreneurship, falling in love with coaching, motorcycles and photography, what pauses (but never stops) her, and why the “X” in WXN means elevating each other.

WXN: Can you walk us through your path to where you are today, as Information System Project Manager with FortisBC and Founder of H.A.V.E Solutions?

Goldie: I come from a very remote, fly-in-only community in northern Quebec. I didn't grow up with roads, cars, traffic lights or fast food. We didn’t have a high school – I had to leave my parents’ house at 14 to live with another family to attend high school. Then I joined the military at 17.

And at that time, the military had only recently opened all trades to women. Of course, being young, full of energy and a lot of attitude, I chose to be the third woman to become a boatswain; a trade that had just recently been opened to women. I distinctly remember being interviewed by the recruiting officer who was this big, hefty military man. He looked at me and said, “You're too little to be in that trade.” He made me do push-ups in his office! And I did them because, like I said, I had a lot of attitude.

After leaving the military, I worked in administrative roles for about 10 years. Upon realizing that wasn’t quite the best fit for me, I shifted gears again. That’s when I chose to get into technology. In my mind, everybody needed a computer, and this field would provide stable and secure employment. Technology brought me into the worlds of banking, healthcare, and now utilities.

WXN: What is it about leadership and coaching that catches your interest?

Goldie: As I’ve become more experienced and worked in more senior roles, I’ve learned the importance and value of people. I believe the saying “people make your organization” is so very true, despite having seen organizations not truly value their people or their individual and collective brilliance. I have seen very bright people be stunted and deflated because they didn’t receive the support they really needed to fully see or reach their potential and do the great things they were capable of.  I have observed and experienced poor leadership that could have been avoided given the appropriate support systems. 

Taking all this into consideration, I wanted to make a difference in those peoples’ lives. I want to influence change in our leadership culture that embraces a people-centric focus. I want leaders to understand that, when you do this, the work will be completed to a greater standard and with more quality and ownership from those who are the true experts in their field. 

Coaching is about guiding people to see their path forward and supporting them in reaching their goals. It’s about helping sort through the chaos and noise to figure out what’s really going on, what’s really needed and how to show up at your best every day. I am that reality check for people, but in a very kind, compassionate way. I offer an open and safe space to unravel those inner thoughts in a way that makes sense to the person being coached. In doing so, I help them shift their mindset and focus to what really matters, and ultimately bring alignment with organizational goals and objectives.

WXN: I also read that you’re passionate about motorcycles. Can you tell us more about that?

Goldie: I started riding in 2005 after having a long-standing appreciation of motorcycles. It was love at first “ride.” The feelings and sensations you get from riding are exhilarating. The smells, the wind, the sun (or rain), the perspectives are all incredible and unique to that individual experience. Having recently started riding more off road, I now experience an added layer of perspective, uniqueness, and diversity that many rarely would ever get to see.  It’s a wonderful experience and sport.

WXN: Do you have any other passions to share?

Goldie: Photography is my happy place; I've had a camera since I was 10 years old. Capturing moments and memories to be revisited is so full filling. I love nature and wildlife photography but do appreciate any opportunity to capture memories that live on forever. I’m partial to photographing bears and have a large collection of photos from several photo trips in Northern BC.

Bears represent a quiet strength that remind me of navigating through some very difficult times in my life.  I have needed resilience, courage, and strength to get through multiple rounds of grief, of leaving home at a very young age, divorce, emotional abuse and so much more.  Bears represent quiet strength with a can-do attitude (or maybe it’s a “kick ass and don’t bother with names” attitude)? Either way, camera, bears, and nature heal my mind, body and soul. Through all the things I have been through, I have always taken something good away from the experiences. There has always been a silver lining, and I’ve learned tremendously from those opportunities.

WXN: I love that approach to thinking about challenges and hardships! What would you say your biggest challenge has been so far, and what pushes you through?

Goldie: Life, in general, is hard, so there isn’t one thing that stands out. I choose to look at the positive, to take life’s lessons and apply them going forward. Be a lifelong learner. Mindset is everything, and hardships and challenges are a lot about how you frame it to yourself. Look for the silver lining and keep going. I do work hard at maintaining confidence, believing in myself and my abilities. I have days where imposter syndrome shows up, but it never stops me.

WXN: And what about the successes – any moments to share that make you feel particularly proud?

Goldie: For me, it's the life that I've built for myself and now share with my amazing husband. I've overcome so much, from living in a very remote community to being a very successful professional. I've gotten myself to a place where I'm very happy and content with who I am and where I am going. I often reflect on the challenges that I've overcome in my life and acknowledge that I've done a really good job. I am grateful for those experiences as they have influenced who I am today.

WXN: Amazing! Finally, given your path, your passions, your challenges, and successes, how do you think about the “X” in WXN?

Goldie: For me, it's supporting, sharing, and elevating each other. We need to embrace each other. We need to be each other's cheering squad. It’s never about competition, money or title; it’s about fostering a culture amongst women that elevates, supports, loves and encourages others. This is so very important! Together, we can do (and are doing) great things in the world.

Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your “X”? Join Goldie and the rest of the WXN community!

WXN is offering an annual Individual Membership at a discounted rate of $99. That's a 30% savings!

Take advantage of this limited time offer, because there's never been a better time to invest in yourself.

Learn more and join us today!

About Goldie:

Goldie Hartford

CEO,  H.A.V.E. Solutions

I am a senior level professional with 30+ years’ experience and proven abilities in people empowerment, leadership development and relationship management. I am passionate about leadership development, employee experience and working with individuals and teams to realize their full potential. My personal passions include riding motorcycles, walking, hiking with my dog, Charlie and my husband, Dennis; and reading anything from a great adventure to an interesting biography or personal development read.  

10 powerful EDI takeaways from the 2022 CEDI Summit and Awards

EDI creates a powerful advantage. An organization that’s committed to equitable, diverse and inclusive practices is more likely to access new markets, generate fresh ideas, come up with more creative solutions, make better decisions, attract better talent and generally outperform its peers.

“The research is established and clear,” shared Sherri Stevens, Owner and CEO of WXN at this year’s Canadian Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Summit and Awards program on May 25 and 26. “The next barrier is that of rhetoric – turning what we know and say into action. Going beyond the business case to building trust and changing minds.”

That means asking the tough questions, like why are so few women and equity-deserving groups in leadership positions in 2022 (and why has progress been so slow)? It means leaning into discomfort and difficulty.

And it means listening to each other’s voices and taking meaningful action to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to advance. Here’s what we learned from listening to our lineup of EDI experts.

1. Adopt a multi-focus approach.

For Dr. Helena Dalli, European Commissioner for Equality, closing the gender gap is one facet of a greater whole. It also requires tackling stereotypes and fixed norms on an intersectional level. “In addition to the gender equality strategy, we have also adopted an EU Anti-Racism Action Plan, the EU Roma Strategic Framework, an LGBTIQ Equality Strategy and the Strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities,” she shared. “This is our union of equality package with a lot of emphasis on equality, mainstreaming and intersectionality.”

“Very interesting and an amazing campaign!” – Teri Campbell

2. Don't zero in on the highest levels.

Across 16,000 corporate board members in Canada, exactly nine are Black men and four are Black women, shared Dr. Wendy Cukier. “The underrepresentation of racialized people, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and those from the 2SLGBTQ+ community is massive … If you don’t have good gender representation and diversity at the lower levels in the organization, you can’t just wave a wand and have senior leadership appear.”

“Thank you for talking about intersectionality. Non-white women, for example, are having very different experiences. Poorer outcomes.

Black and Indigenous women in particular.” – Kike Ojo-Thompson

3. Remote work pros and cons look different to everybody.

Remote work has its ups and downs. But those ups and downs don’t always look the same to everyone. Rosalyn Carneiro points out that some women don’t feel comfortable turning on a webcam. Nadira Barre adds that many BIPOC women don’t have the option to work from home. Eunice Chen-Promotorov is still on the fence following her own experiences with anti-Asian racism. “I was really concerned about stepping outside,” Eunice shared. “I feel better safer being at home. But part of me worries that being tucked away, you easily could be lost and not have your voice unless people know and have worked with you before.”

“I agree Eunice. I feel similar as a petite Asian woman, I had occasions feeling exactly the same.” – Candy Lo

4. Embrace trial and error in allyship.

“Mindblowing” is how Luke Schauerte describes his company’s reverse mentoring program. It began as an experimental initiative with LNG Canada’s anti-racism and women’s networks. He appreciated having a safe place to explore others’ experiences, ask the awkward questions and be open about what he didn’t know. And that experiment is already paying off for him. “It really started to bust down some barriers, started to make connections across the company.”

“Powerful panel! Thank you to the panelists for your vulnerability and transparency in your shares.” – Katie Edwards

10. Look beyond the obvious barriers.

An accessible workplace is friction-free – meaning everyone can work in a way that works for them. That means addressing the invisible and intangible barriers along with the more visible physical ones. “So much of what we do is online these days. Inaccessible software and inaccessible user interfaces are a major gap,” said Yahong Chi. “And then some of the intangible barriers are things like lack of knowledge [about those barriers] from senior management.”

“Thank you all, what a wealth of information and expert advice. Very appreciated! Keep knocking down the barriers!" – Susanne Hinds

Want more insights? Full results from our 2022 Western Report is now available.

Thank you to everyone who supported WXN’s CEDI event – we hope to see you next year!

“The odds were stacked against me. But I thrived!” – Meet WXN Member Lori Morrison

Try packing 52 years of life into one profile… it’s almost impossible, especially for Lori Morrison. She’s a voiceover artist with 25 years of experience under her belt as CEO and founder of The Vox Box. She’s Chair of the Board of Directors at the Forest & Stream Club in Dorval, Que. She’s a School Commissioner at Montreal’s Lester B. Pearson School Board. She managed bands at the age of 15. She once ran for a seat in federal politics, and she’s also gone back to university. All of this and we’re just scratching the surface.

We’ve got a lot to cover – so let’s learn how Lori got her start, how she uses her voice to empower others and why WXN is all about exuberance!

WXN: Where did you get your start?

Lori: I grew up in what was one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Montreal, Pointe-Saint-Charles. Coming from a socio-economic background like that, the cards are stacked against you right from the get-go. Even though I come from a background of Irish immigrants, I went to a French school. Being one of very few Anglophones at a French school, again, the odds were stacked against me. But I thrived!

One memory I have from kindergarten is being asked to draw a picture of what we wanted to be when we grew up. And I said, I want to be a businesswoman! I drew this big house, with little moving doors and windows. I had my little briefcase and I was ready to go at the age of six.

WXN: How did you get involved in voiceover production?

I worked as a cosmetician for Christian Dior at The Bay, and I always did the PSAs. You know, “This week at Dior Cosmetics, we have a gift with purchase.” People would always come and say, “You should do radio!” But I mean, how do you “do radio”?

I cold-called radio stations and asked, “I want to do commercials. How can you help me?” There was one person, from one station who gave me all kinds of tips and pointers. And then I just made connections. From there, my company has grown to where it's almost 25 years old now, and I have clients around the world.

WXN: What voiceover projects excite you the most?

Commercials are so much fun! I can really put enthusiasm and style into it. And since I'm perfectly bilingual, I don't have an accent in either language, so I’m hired by French and English companies. Often I work with American companies that need things done in French for the Quebec market but don't necessarily know how to communicate in French.

One of my big clients is Evenko. They organize Osheaga and Heavy Montréal. I do many of their concert ads. I voice inside the Bell Centre, which is amazing! As a Montreal kid, I’m a big fan of the Montreal Canadiens, and to hear my ads during the hockey game, I can't believe this is me – that this little kid from Pointe-Saint-Charles, who had the odds stacked against her, is in the Bell Centre… and her voice is booming across to 23,000 people!

WXN: What about your role as School Commissioner – how did that come about?

Lori: I have five schools in the general area where I grew up. The former commissioner was leaving, and friends in city council and the area called me saying, “Would you be interested? You know this neighborhood, you know the people, you know the struggles they face.”

In the future, I would like to see some more services available to kids. I would really like to see the kids encouraged to go beyond grade 11, as well as more services in terms of food supplements, breakfast programs, things like that. I'm giving back to that community to help them thrive.

WXN: And what drew you to become the Vice President of the Montreal United Irish Society?

Lori: My ancestry is from Ireland, Scotland and England, with Ireland being predominant in my family. So when I was a kid, we'd always go to the St. Patrick's Day parade. I always thought, how cool would it be to be in this parade? I got involved there five or six years ago as a volunteer, and now I'm Vice President.

Before COVID, it was the longest consecutive-running St. Patrick's Day parade in North America. We're closing in on our 200th event – we just had our 197th this year. And it's one of the biggest in North America. We've had crowds of half a million lining the streets in downtown Montreal!

WXN: Among everything you’ve done personally and professionally, what would you say has been your biggest challenge?

Lori: The biggest would be where I came from. Maybe it was an unintentional bias, or maybe it was intentional, but it was just that blockade of, “You're from the wrong side of the tracks, and we're not sure you're going to fit in. We're not sure you’re what we’re looking for.”

I would try and be like people from the “other side of the tracks” as much as I could. Do I need a book on etiquette? How do you sit properly? I had to teach myself that because I had no idea. Even something as basic as how to introduce yourself, I had no clue.

WXN: And which accomplishments make you feel the proudest?

Lori: In 2019, I was given the Community Award for outstanding achievements by the St. Patrick's Society of Montreal. That was to recognize, amongst other things, the scholarships I’ve founded – I’ve started scholarships on my own, two that I give out and one that I support financially. I’m very proud of that and all the other work that I do with the community!

Beyond that, becoming the youngest female chair at the Forest & Stream Club is also a huge achievement. The club is this incredibly gorgeous mansion on the waterfront in Dorval. I remember going past there while taking the bus to go to my cosmetics job. I’d think, can you imagine how fabulous it must be in there? What must do you do for a living, to go to this place?

And four years after becoming a member, I’m running this club. In the one year I've been chair there, I have many telling me, “I’ve never seen so much work accomplished in such a short period of time. You have gotten years of work done in one year.” That’s a source of pride.

WXN: Since joining WXN, what has the “X” represented for you?

Lori: One of the first words that comes to mind is exuberant. It's this lively energy in everything from their posts to their events, to the people involved at WXN. Everyone is so excited about what they do and what they're going to do. That, to me, represents the X. It’s the exuberance and the desire to push things forward.

WXN: Before we go, we have to ask – what would kindergarten Lori, who drew that picture of a businesswoman, think of you today?

Lori: I wanted to run things. I wanted to make things happen. I wanted to move things forward. And I would be so happy!

Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your “X”? Join Lori and the rest of the WXN community!

WXN is offering an annual Individual Membership at a discounted rate of $99. That's a 30% savings!

Take advantage of this limited time offer, because there's never been a better time to invest in yourself.

Learn more and join us today!

About Lori:

Lori Morrison
President and Chief Executive Officer, TheVoxBox.com
Chair of the Board, Forest and Stream Club

From exceptionally humble beginnings growing up in one of Montreal’s poorest neighbourhoods to running a highly-successful voiceover and audio production company, Chair of the Board at a historical Montreal social club, school commissioner, philanthropist who created and supports three scholarships, to going back to school at 51, I wear a lot of hats and I wear them very well. I’ve also run for a seat in Parliament, and raised two incredible daughters; it’s always go time for me!

“I wanted my daughter to be free… and I wanted myself to be free.” – Meet WXN member Marsha Hebert

Behind Marsha Hebert’s desk, you’ll notice a shelf packed with books about food and nutrition. She’s even written one herself: Eat For Life By Marsha – Snackalicous Cookies, Cakes, Cupcakes And More. Sparked by her own struggles with undiagnosed celiac disease and her daughter’s special diet, Marsha is building her business along with a healthier lifestyle for her family and countless others.

But getting there wasn’t easy. You don’t want to miss Marsha’s story about starting a business, fighting for a better life after escaping abuse, and why her “X” means “exceptional.”

WXN: Let’s start by getting to know you better. Who is Marsha?

Marsha: Whenever I used to go for interviews, I always love to use the acronym MARSHA:

• M is for motivation. Motivation is the way to get further – whether you're down or whether you're up.
• A is for action. I’m a very action-oriented person. If you have a problem, immediately my brain goes into action.
• R stands for relentless. You have to tell me to stop before I stop!
• S is for solutions. As soon as somebody says, “I have an issue with this,” immediately several solutions have popped into my head and I have to give one of them a try!
• H is for happiness. I’m a big believer in being happy. There’s always something to be thankful for.
• A is accountability. If I say I’m going to do something, I immediately plan steps for what I need to do and how to get there.

WXN: Can you tell us about your mission for Eat For Life By Marsha?

Marsha: We create recipes that are gluten-free, dairy-free, nutritious and delicious. It's so important to me, being a gluten-free person myself, and I just want to make it accessible. We're here to make it easy to nourish your body. You shouldn't have to give up what you love for health. It can be what you love and it can be healthy at the same time!

When I came to Canada, I didn’t know that I was anemic and had the symptoms of being celiac. I suffered tremendously with IBS, almost becoming obese. I used to feel shame not knowing why I got acne, why I was depressed, why I felt like shouting and being angry. Inside, I didn’t want to be that way. I didn't have anyone to talk to or anyone to share with. When I found out, it felt like I was a new person! It was like a weight was lifted off of me. Now I could choose and eat the right foods and feel better inside and the outside.

WXN: What set you on that path?

Marsha: I didn't know I wanted to be an entrepreneur, but I think that was something that was naturally in me.

When I was 12, my twin sister and I left my mom in Jamaica to live with my dad in Canada. My dad wasn’t really taking good care of us when we came to Canada. One day, we came home and my dad said, we’re downgrading to a smaller home, and the next thing you know, he left our second mom. We were shocked – nobody warned us! And then, when I was 16, I left home and my sister followed.

I was street smart - school was a little bit boring for me. I was always ahead and waiting for the other students to catch up. So I said to my sister, you need to finish high school, and I’m going to support us. I saved my money and got an apartment, and then I quit school. I was working full-time at a buffet restaurant.

WXN: Where did you go from there?

Marsha: I met my daughter’s dad at 18. I wanted to have a child at 18 – I wanted to be a young grandma! The thing is, he was an abusive man, and I was new to this. I was shocked. I didn’t know what to do.

Domestic violence wasn’t so widely talked about back then. My pastor said, “We’ll pray about it and be done with it.” But nobody could approach the subject because they didn’t know what to do either. I spent 11 years with my daughter’s dad. I went to college, I would go to work and nobody knew a thing. And that took a toll on me. I wanted to have more kids, but I couldn't – I actually had a miscarriage because of the stress. But while I was doing this, I was just still being me: very happy, loving life and thanking God.

Eventually, I left because I had the confidence to leave. I was scared, but I was like, that’s it – I’m done. I cried and cried and cried, but I got up.

WXN: And amid all of that, you started your own business!

Marsha: Before I quit high school, one of my teachers said, if you want to make money, work for the government. Before I got out of college, we had to do a one-week practicum. I wanted to work for Manitoba Public Insurance. I got my own practicum there. Back then, women didn't have a lot of positions, but my supervisor understood me – she really got me. I got hired after a week.

I ended up being a single mother to a daughter who has special needs. I couldn’t leave her with family, and whatever kind of day I had at work, I still have to come and take care of her. But I’ve always loved business, and I always wanted my daughter to have the best!

When the pandemic hit, I was like, I'm gonna give it my all! I got out of debt, and I was going to fund my business. I saved my money, and then I started my book.

WXN: You’ve certainly faced your share of challenges – but what was your proudest accomplishment along the way?

Marsha: When I paid off my debt. I wanted my daughter to be free to be her. And I wanted myself to be free, not relying on a male counterpart. I've married people who have a lot of money, who then used financial abuse as control. I worked really hard, and I made my own money.

WXN: What does the X in WXN mean for you?

Marsha: Extraordinary. In order to have the success that I see and believe for myself, ordinary doesn't cut it. I have to be extraordinary. We only have 24 hours in a day. When I have a daughter with a special need, when I work full time at a job at the same time as I’m running my business, when I had a husband who's being abusive and family who don’t understand, I still have to stand up, be happy and be there for my daughter. Being a member of the WXN is the extraordinary support I needed to continue to create more joy for myself and others.

Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your “X”? Join Marsha and the rest of the WXN community!

WXN is offering an annual Individual Membership at a discounted rate of $99. That's a 30% savings!

Take advantage of this limited time offer, because there's never been a better time to invest in yourself.

Learn more and join us today!

About Marsha:

Marsha Hebert
Founder and Chief Recipe Developer
Eat For Life by Marsha Inc

Marsha was diagnosed with anemia at age 12 and suffered from IBS and Celiac symptoms. Marsha credits her daughter as her inspiration and commitment to starting her company and her dedication to helping others improve their health.

Eat For Life By Marsha Inc. make it easy to nourish your body. They create recipes and provide access to a wide range of gluten-free, dairy-free, and nutritious food. They deliver pantry items, magazines, and cookbooks to your home or work.

“We all have the power to be our authentic selves”

I’m grateful to Sherri Stevens and the WXN for creating this community of over 1300 accomplished, inspiring women in diverse professions and industries and honoured to be part of it. I also admire the inclusivity of the WXN as the only organization that supports the advancement of women in all sectors, at all levels and all ages. As many of us have been working remotely for much of the last two years, I particularly appreciated the efforts made by Ms. Stevens and her team to ensure that the virtual WXN Leadership Summit and Awards Gala were as personal and interactive as possible and provided many opportunities for participants to connect with one another as we would at in-person events. In fact, the chat function allowed participants to comment throughout panel discussions and presentations, making the events even more interactive than they might be in person. Sherri herself visited all the virtual tables for the opportunity to interact with all event participants directly. During her remarks she reminded all Top 100 honourees to pause and reflect on all we have achieved and how our hard work, radical authenticity, pursuit of our passions and support of others have led to this moment. She encouraged us to be in the moment and enjoy the experience of the Leadership Summit and the Awards Gala which she cautioned us would pass very quickly. 

And she was right! What became clear to me as I spoke with other honourees one on one or in groups or heard them present or speak on a panel, is that these women had always recognized their own power and used it to elevate others. As Nicolle Butcher expressed during the “Powering UP: The importance of having more women in executive leadership” panel discussion, you can mentor or sponsor others no matter what level you are at. The panelists on the “Sparking innovation: the realities and the future of women in STEM” panel also provided very helpful advice to the audience. As my colleague Lavanya Hariharan responded when asked how she had reacted to pushback during her career, she pushed back against the pushback. That elicited a very positive reaction from the crowd! 

I loved the theme of the 2021 Top 100 awards, Stand in RAW Courage, and saw it reflected in all the women I had the pleasure of meeting, women who had recognized the power of being their authentic selves and charting their own unique paths in life. Through its celebration of these unique, diverse paths, the WXN inspires others to “…step into their courage and see what’s possible,” as Sherri Stevens expressed during the Awards Gala.

I have reflected on my own career journey that has led to the Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 recognition and arrived at the following top 10 lessons I have learned in over two decades of work and volunteer experience:

1. Know yourself.
2. Trust yourself.
3. Be yourself.
4. Do what you love.
5. Work hard.
6. Take risks.
7. Don’t give up.
8. Be confident.
9. Be kind to yourself.
10. Be kind to others.

I consider these lessons to be in one’s own control and are possible areas of focus at any stage of one’s career. Of course, mentoring and networking are also critical components of anyone’s career journey and the WXN provides excellent opportunities for both. I’m very excited to participate as a mentor in the RAW Courage Coaching Program. In all my mentoring relationships I have always benefitted as much from the experience as my mentees (and perhaps more). 

Thank you to Sherri Stevens and the WXN team and the award sponsors for identifying the power in the women in the WXN community and for reminding us, through the theme of Standing in RAW courage, that we all have the power to be our authentic selves. A quote from John Wooden shared by Dr. Gillian Mandich during the Leadership Summit workshop entitled, “Happy Leaders: Leadership Skills and the Science of Success in The New Future of Work” emphasizes that we also have the power to inspire others to be their authentic selves as “The most powerful leadership tool you have is your own example.”

2022 Top 100 Nominations are open! Click here to learn more about Top 100 and nominate a powerful female or even yourself! Nominations deadline is May 31, 2022.

About Tanya:

Tanya Mushynski

Vice President, Customer Care

Enbridge Gas Inc. 

Tanya Mushynski is Vice President, Customer Care for Enbridge Gas. Previously, Tanya led the legal and regulatory affairs functions for Union Gas and Enbridge’s Western Canadian gas operations. She was Vice President, General Counsel – Canada for Spectra Energy until its 2017 merger with Enbridge. Tanya holds economics, political science, law, and MBA degrees from McGill University, and a master’s degree in adult education and counselling psychology from the University of Toronto. Tanya, her husband and two sons  live in Etobicoke.

“We do our work for far more than just a paycheck”

Women’s Executive Network (WXN) contains some of my biggest role models. They’ve worked so hard to deserve every bit of recognition they have, not only for their amazing accomplishments, but because these women unapologetically defended what they believed in when it wasn’t always easy to. 

I was intimidated by the rigid and in-depth application process to apply for a WXN award; I wasn’t sure if I could hold my ground under the scrutiny of a magnifying glass. It all felt so high caliber, like to be considered a winner you’d have to be in a whole different league. 

Naturally, when I found out I earned a spot among this league, I cried tears of happiness. With this acceptance came an overwhelming sense of joy that I had finally been recognized for staying true to what I believed all these years.

Ten years ago, when I first started in this industry, health was an afterthought — something you didn’t have to worry about until you were old. There was almost a stigma to being fit. You had to eat and drink like everyone else to be liked by them. If you’ve ever said ‘no’ to alcohol at a party, or stuck to ‘health food’ when everyone else was eating freely, you know what I mean. Members in my fitness studios were almost seen as housewives who had nothing better to do except fitness. We were alienated because people didn’t see health with the same sense of urgency we did. 

So a coach, I felt muted, like I was speaking a language nobody understood. People didn’t understand I was trying to save them from a painful future due to things they thought were out of their control. 

Being in the health and fitness industry ten years ago was vastly different from what it is today. Today, in a post-pandemic era, people have awakened to a sudden reality: their mental health, body, and happiness — all of it can deteriorate in what feels like a blink of an eye. And now more than ever, we understand that it is so important to make it a priority. 

It took almost a decade for this message to reach widespread recognition. It is in this era that I’m finally able to communicate the truth that, with a few exceptions, your health rapidly deteriorates when you age only if you spend most of your life ignoring it. It is possible to safeguard our health and even reverse symptoms of aging with a healthy long-term lifestyle.

And why’s it so important for me to speak this truth now?

So much of our confidence, self-esteem, and self-worth is derived from the way we look and feel on the inside. Especially with the rise of social media, our ‘diet culture’, and most of us feeling unworthy of being loved unless we look or act a certain way, it’s important for me to communicate that the root of our solution starts with proper nutrition and regular exercise. It’s not just about looking good in a little back dress anymore; it’s also about mental health and the way we feel in the long term. 

Winning the Top 100 award in the BMO Category feels like people are finally saying, “Sue, we hear you.”

I am so grateful for The Women’s Executive Network (WXN) for giving me the opportunity to share this truth and continue to reach people with it. 

To me, this award symbolizes that I’m among the top female change-makers of the world. We do our work for far more than just a paycheck. It is my life’s calling to help women, defend what I believe in, and Stand in RAW Courage. Winning is a personal validation that I can finally take a breath of fresh air because I found where I belong. 

2022 Top 100 Nominations are open! Click here to learn more about Top 100 and nominate a powerful female or even yourself! Nominations deadline is May 17, 2022.

About Suzan:

Suzan Galluzzo

CEO, Suzan Galluzzo Nutrition
2021 Top 100 Award Winner – BMO Entrepreneurs category

Suzan Galluzzo is a RHN Registered Holistic Nutritionist, fitness expert, and mother of two. She is the creator of the Best of You program — an online transformation pro­gram with over 1,000 active clients nationwide and 11,000+ client successes. What started as an early passion for fit­ness and health evolved into a life-long commitment to helping celebrities, politicians, working professionals, and stay-at home moms transform their lives by healing their bodies from the inside out.

Galluzzo got her start with an aerobics and weightlifting course as a freshman in high school. Although she grad­uated university with a degree in accounting and held numerous corporate positions, fitness and health was always close. In 2010, she entered her first bikini compe­tition. After becoming pregnant during her second compe­tition, she turned to fitness and nutrition to treat her post­partum depression. This was when Galluzzo discovered a calling to help other women too.

One after the next, Galluzzo taught new moms how to eat clean and train consistently until they felt better than they did pre-pregnancy. She cherished the deep friend­ships made and began to build a like-minded commu­nity. Through hard work, additional schooling, and com­passion, Best of You was born and she found worldwide success. For this, Galluzzo was nominated 2021 Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100™ Award Winner in the BMO Entrepreneurs category by the WXN Network.

Today, Suzan spends her time giving back to the commu­nity. She recently founded the Pantry Project, a two-hour workshop teaching parents how to eliminate processed foods from their kitchens to raise healthy children who are equally educated about nutrition. Galluzzo is using her growing platform to teach fitness and health to everyone — including children, parents, and strangers who stumble across her activities on social media.

“I was a little girl who dreamt about airplanes” – Meet WXN Member Ayesha Qureshi

Some of Ayesha Qureshi’s fondest memories involve her father taking her to air clubs, collecting information about airplanes for her and bringing her pictures of aircrafts. He nurtured her dreams even if there were few opportunities for women in the aeronautics field in Pakistan. But that didn’t stop that little girl from dreaming big – and today she’s Network Operations Manager with Canadian Pacific Railway.

Ayesha shares her story below, from falling in love with engineering to falling in love with her husband, and why the “X” is a symbol that says “no” to bias (but “yes” to being exemplary)!

WXN: What drew you to the world of engineering? 

Ayesha: My dad is a military officer in Pakistan and so was my granddad. Therefore, when I was growing up, I fell in love with the Air Force. At that time, there was no opportunity for women in the Air Force, so I decided that I would become an aeronautical engineer. I remember my dad advising me, “If you want to stay in Pakistan, the only places that offer aeronautical jobs do not employ women. But you can still be an electrical engineer or a telecom engineer and work on aircrafts.

I ended up earning an electrical engineering degree and joined a local telecom company. It was good to be making my own money – I got some independence, understood concepts like empowerment, what it means to be financially emancipated, what it means to make your own decisions. Actually, right after that experience, I made the biggest decision of my life: to find my husband and move across the world with him!

WXN: Can you tell us more about that big decision?

Ayesha: I have a wandering spirit, and I’m very adventurous. In Pakistan, there was a culture where girls are married very quickly. By the time I turned 26, most of my friends were already married and some had children. It was getting very lonely for me. There was also a culture where families would arrange marriages. I asked my dad if he had somebody in mind, and he said no. Neither did I. We went through a mathematical process, which is funny – I had an Excel spreadsheet of things that I would like in a future partner! 

I met my husband because our mutual friends, who thought that we are equally crazy and very much alike. They were right! We share the same sense of humor. I was looking for somebody who would not interfere with my career, the way I work or my independence, and he was exactly that person. Therefore, I thought, I am not flying any airplanes in Pakistan – I might as well get on the big airplane and go across to Canada!

WXN: And what brought you to your current role at CP?

Ayesha: When I started at CP as a financial analyst in a telecom team, I had no financial background, but my manager said, “You understand telecom. You understand circuits. You have demonstrated the ability to quickly learn on that job. I’m sure you can understand telecom billing as well!” I would sit there and look at other people – mainly men – doing technical things. I said to myself, billing is not the job I want. I want to do what those people are doing! A year later, I became an analyst on the network operations team.

For a few years, I held that position, until I moved up in the world and became a Network Designer. It was interesting to design the complex networks. When my husband got an incredible opportunity in London, ON, we decided to move from Calgary. My manager was able to retain me, and now I work out of the London office.

In May 2020, I travelled across Quebec and deployed network services at eleven locations. I was on the road for many days and loved everything about that experience!  

Last year, in February, I was promoted to manager of network operations, where I manage the US and Canadian data network operations!

WXN: So you’ve gone from planes to trains!

Ayesha: I am happy because I was a little girl who dreamt about airplanes, and today I am working for a train company!

WXN: Is there anything else that you’re passionate about?

Ayesha: I’m passionate about mentoring. For a very long time, men mentored men and women mentored women – and I used to do a lot of mentoring just for women. But in the line of work I’m in, it’s often not a woman but a young man who I’m mentoring. When we run teams, we need both genders to work. We want them to work together. There were very strong men in my life who shaped my career and I want to pay it forward by mentoring!

WXN: What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced?

Ayesha: There were several big challenges – adapting to a new country, getting my foot into the door, and moving up in the corporate world. But I always look at challenge as an opportunity. It was challenge that made me improve my skills, that made me try hard and work hard. As a result, I got this wonderful opportunity that I’m leveraging now.

The second biggest challenge was “adjusting to the new normal” when I had my son. In the Pakistani community, many women are homemakers. They give up work to raise families. In my support group, many women were putting their jobs on hold to raise families. I was fighting that mentality and standing out by saying, “No I’m not going to take a back seat in my career because this is the thing I’ve worked all my life for.” On my maternity leave, I acquired my PMP and ITIL certifications, started a book club, improved my skills, read tremendously and went back to work ready to perform!

I stand by every single decision that I made.

WXN: We love talking about successes, too – can you tell us about a moment that put a smile on your face?

Ayesha: I’m very passionate about Toastmasters International, and I do a lot of public speaking. I recently did a speech about my grandparents’ journey and the independence of Pakistan from British India in 1947. I talked about lessons that could be taken away and applied to how we live today. The first was that we are all in it together, and we have a responsibility toward each other's mental health. The second lesson was that we may not have control over every circumstance, but we have the power to choose our reactions. The final lesson is that moving on is the only way to heal the wounds of the past. 

With that speech, I placed first in my club contest, first in my area contest, and I went on to give the same speech in our divisional contest where I was placed second. I was incredibly happy about that!

WXN: What does the X in WXN signify for you?

Ayesha: We say “Break the Bias” – that was the motto for this year’s International Women’s Day. To me, the X is a big cross. It's a big sign, saying no to bias, saying no to social barriers, saying no to ceilings. Break through that ceiling. The X is also saying yes to being exceptional, being exemplary. And that’s what WXN is doing: providing exceptional examples of role models that we can all look to and learn from.

Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your “X”? Join Ayesha and the rest of the WXN community!

WXN is offering an annual Individual Membership at a discounted rate of $99. That's a 30% savings!

Take advantage of this limited time offer, because there's never been a better time to invest in yourself.

Learn more and join us today!

About Ayesha:

Ayesha Qureshi
Manager Network Operations
Canadian Pacific
I am a Network Operations Manager at Canadian Pacific. What that means is that I manage and lead a team of technical specialists who are responsible for providing, maintaining and operating the "internet" for the organization.  My team and I help connect the business users to the tools and technologies that they require to be successful.

I have been with CP since 2013. I started my journey as a work placement candidate in 2013 (YWCA of Calgary Canadian Employment Skills program helped me get my foot in the door). I have been with CP since then. I have held a few different roles at CP including being a Network Analyst and Network Designer. I am passionate about leading people and technologies. 

“If there’s a way to make work a better place, I’ll find a way!” – Meet WXN Member Dorina Vendramin

“Ambassador of Joy” – no three words better describe Dorina Vendramin. In her role as Corporate and Cultural Executive Support at Gay Lea Foods, and throughout her career path in supply chain management, she’s made a point to build relationships through trust and authenticity. And to her, everything comes down to your attitude in life.

Keep reading to discover how she earned her joyful reputation, why she believes in the power of positive relationships, and why the “X” in WXN really means vision.

WXN: We have to ask… how did you earn the title “Ambassador of Joy”?

Dorina: I was working at Cadbury when it was purchased by Kraft, and a few years later, our organization split into Kraft and Mondelez. They needed volunteers to build the Mondelez culture and engagement, and I raised my hand. I did a lot of work with the “It Starts With Me” Engagement Committee as well volunteering with the Supply Chain Women and then the Mondelez Women’s Network. I sent out encouraging “Happy Friday” notes – a topic, with a story, possibly some music, at times a TED talk. The mailing list grew from Canadian to US and some global colleagues as well. It felt really good when folks replied, “I really needed that today,” knowing I was making a difference!

Later, through Women in Food Industry Management, I joined a mentoring program where I connected with a gal named Donna Messer. I told her about my engagement work and my passion for it. She said, “You’re going to walk in and tell them you’re the Mondelez Ambassador of Joy.” I literally did that! Then people started introducing me as such. “This is Dorina. She’s our Ambassador of Joy!”

WXN: How did you get your start in supply chain management? 

Dorina: I was in the right place at the right time. When I was 14 years old, my sister was away in Italy when an employment agency called for her. My mom answered the call and said, “Oh no, she’s away… but I have another daughter!” That was my first taste of manufacturing on an assembly line at Mattel Toys.

I studied fashion at Humber College. I wanted to produce fashion shows, but out of school, I couldn’t find a job in fashion. One of the ladies my mother used to clean houses for (she was my accounting teacher!) said, “My niece has a job at a customs broker.” I thought it was going to be like Wall Street or the New York Stock Exchange! When I got there, I was a runner bringing documents to and from customs. So that’s how I started seeing the supply chains for all the different customers we had.

WXN: What was it about supply chain management that aligned with your values?

Dorina: I am definitely a relationship kind of person. The relationships I formed over the years with my suppliers were priceless. I’m still friends with many of them. I am of the belief that if you build relationships, they will sustain your well-being. You get more done when you have a relationship – I only had to email or call and they would move mountains when they could.

WXN: You’ve had quite a journey! What has been your biggest roadblock along the way?

Dorina: Nobody ever believes it, but for me, it's confidence. I doubt everything. I take things to heart and sadly, I live in “What If Land.” I wear my heart on my sleeve. I’m a “work in process.” Folks often remind me to look at things with positive intent, and I generally reply, “You know who I am – I take everything personally.” But as I get older, I try to take a step back and, with some mindfulness, take a deep breath and maybe call a friend to get a different view. Thank goodness for the great people in my life who love and appreciate me for who I am and find the “WAY” to help me see things differently.

WXN: And what about accomplishments – any proud moments to share? 

Dorina: Winning the North American Leadership Award at Mondelez. Most people received it because of their work. I was given that for my contributions to engagement, which was a supplement to my work. I was one of five people in Canada, and 13 people globally, who received the award. It was very important to me. I know how much I gave for the company culture, and it was nice to be nominated and recognized by a judging panel. 

Buying a house – that was big. I was trying to find something closer to my parents when my dad was sick with Alzheimer’s Disease. I remember being terrified on that Saturday. My friend and I saw my current home and she said to the agent… “We want to buy it.” I said, “Hold on, wait a minute!” The next day, I came back to the house with my parents, another friend and the agent. Everyone loved it. I was crying. What if, what if, what if? I was scared. They said, “Don’t worry – we are all here to help support you!” Monday night, I had the house.

I’m proud of following my passion to do more engagement work. After 20-plus wonderful years in supply chain, I made the leap and took my current role at Gay Lea Foods as Corporate and Cultural Executive Support. I have enjoyed every minute of my career, which helped me shape my ideas around engagement, and I’m loving the new path in culture and engagement.

WXN: Anything exciting on the horizon?

Dorina: Around the time when COVID started, I took a course called the Art of Mindful Storytelling. I was really pushing through that course to find my values and my vision. That’s when I drafted my vision script of Camp Joy. It was an idea I’d been thinking about for a long time, and I finally put it down on paper! 

My dream is for Camp Joy to be a place where women come and try different art mediums, talk about their vision and values, learn from each other and figure out what it is they're really meant to be doing in life. I want it to be a community of women supporting women. Everyone sharing and caring, while going outside their comfort zone and learning something creative and new. As Chase Jarvis says in his book Creative Calling… “Through small, daily actions we can supercharge our innate creativity and rediscover our personal power in life.” I can’t wait to welcome you all to Camp Joy!

WXN: Finally, what does the “X” in WXN represent to you?

Dorina: Honestly, I think the X simply marks the spot for where you are today. There are executives who likely don't feel like executives, and there are leaders without the executive title who are making a genuine difference in the world. While a title is a “nice-to-have,” I feel anyone can lead from whatever level they’re at. 

I enjoy working with women of all ages, helping them find their vision and often creating a mini vision board for them to get their dreams going. One friend wants to own a Flamenco dance school, and another wants to teach English literature abroad. I have two vision boards for myself: one for Camp Joy, and the other for my dream to write a New York Times Best Seller, “Ambassador of Joy.” When you write it down, you make it happen! “Executive” is anything you want it to be. Dream big!

Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your “X”? Join Dorina and the rest of the WXN community!

WXN is offering an annual Individual Membership at a discounted rate of $99. That's a 30% savings!

Take advantage of this limited time offer, because there's never been a better time to invest in yourself.

Learn more and join us today!

About Dorina:

Self-proclaimed “Ambassador of Joy”! A seasoned Supply Chain Professional, having worked in Consumer-Packaged Goods, Hospitality, Plastics, Entertainment. Currently the Corporate and Cultural Executive support for Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Ltd. Re-launching the Gay Lea Foods Women’s Network and serving as Secretary on the Gay Lea Foods Foundation. Culture and engagement bring her JOY!  Passionate about people and their growth, including her own, she Volunteers with external organizations, learning and connecting, mentoring, and being mentored. A past professor once said to me…  “Remember, a candle never loses light by lighting another candle.” I’ve never forgotten that! You gain more from helping others than not. Do good and leave a legacy to be proud of.

“I'm very proud when I succeed because it means others have succeeded, too” – Meet WXN Member Dr. Versha Banerji

Dr. Versha Banerji spent her life training for this: looking for effective and tolerable treatments for patients with blood cancers. She’s been published more than 50 times in peer-reviewed publications, and her ground-breaking research into chronic lymphocytic leukemia spans both the scientific and clinical worlds. But the associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Manitoba rose from rather humble beginnings.

What influenced her to pursue this path? What barriers did she overcome along the way? How is she making things easier for the next generation? And why does the “X” in WXN represent excitement? Read on to find out!

WXN: Let’s talk about how you got started.

Versha: I'm born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. My father is a PhD scientist who was recruited to the University of Manitoba and worked with the university for a few years. Then, once this contract ended, he wasn’t able to hold a stable job – I think a lot of it had to do with some of the challenges we're seeing in the media today. So we lived a very meager life.

As a child of Indian immigrant parents, I was expected to become a professional – and specifically, my parents wanted me to be a doctor. I had this goal that I was going to be a doctor who is financially independent, because those are the things that I didn't see in my household. But I didn't understand what that road meant. Medicine was not a culture where women fit in, especially with my aspirations to have children and also move up the ladder.

WXN: Can you tell us more about your experience in that kind of culture?

Versha: When I had my first baby, I didn't get maternity leave. I had to take a leave of absence. And if I took more than two months off, I would forfeit my exams for the year and not be able to graduate on time. There were a lot of similar decisions I had to make, but I have to say, it enabled me to stand up and be part of the movement for change in medicine.

I'm empathetic and compassionate with patients. I'm truly interested in their well-being. A lot of people think medicine is patriarchal – one of the barriers is the perception that the system takes a top-down approach. That's not how I practice. I really think of medicine as a partnership. I had to be a team with everybody; otherwise, I didn't get the same treatment from the other staff. I had to prove that I was an equal member. I also think it made me a better practitioner because I didn't see anyone in a hierarchy. I saw us as a team, with a mutual sense of respect.

WXN: How do those experiences influence you today?

Versha: I didn’t think of it as, “This is how it’s supposed to be.” I thought of it as, “How do we make it better for the next generation?” I think that was what made me stand out from a lot of my peers in medicine who thought everything was supposed to be a fight, and you were supposed to go through those trials and tribulations as a rite of passage in the field.

I don’t think you need to prove yourself in those ways to be valuable to the community. I didn't get the opportunity to experience that, but I have made sure that whoever is coming up behind me doesn't have to face the same challenges I did.

WXN: And here you are – you’ve accomplished so much in the face of those challenges!

Versha: At first, I was sensitive to the challenges that I faced, and I didn't know how to channel that disappointment into positive energy. It's very hard in my field to find female mentors that respect the family aspect and who don’t expect you to change who you are to succeed. I think it was the realization that I can be authentic, live the life I want to live and still progress in my career... that was a switching point.

Success to me didn't only mean success in my career. It meant having a strong family at the same time. That part of me is required, and understanding that helped me find the resources and the courage to be criticized by others for the benefit of moving forward, learning about who I am and how I can do things differently.

WXN: We’ve touched on some of the barriers you’ve faced already, but what would you say is the biggest hurdle you’ve encountered?

Versha: Horizontal leadership is not as valued or acknowledged as vertical leadership. Those who lead a team of successful people are not seen in the same way as those who are “a leader” in a more traditional, hierarchical sense.

I also want recognition and approval that we're moving in the right direction. I do have my own conviction, but I also think culturally, it's very difficult for me to stand up to people in positions of authority. Part of the challenge is understanding that I don’t need to seek approval from them before going forward, and that if I have an idea, it’s okay for me to run with it.

WXN: And what moment makes you feel the proudest?

Versha: My family has sacrificed a lot – just as much as I have – to help me get where I am. I have three kids (aged 16, 11 and 9), two dogs and a very loving husband who has the same job description I do. So it’s not easy for any one of us to succeed without the support of each other. I'm very proud when I succeed because it means others have succeeded, too. I was helped by every one of them to get there.

Things were extremely difficult in the first wave of the pandemic. It changed my trajectory because the grant money wasn't there. There were personal challenges during that time as well. But in the end, our ability to honestly communicate, understand each other without judgment and move forward was a huge game-changer for us. There’s still a lot to learn, but I think as a unit, we're becoming stronger!

WXN: And what’s on your radar for the future?

Versha: I'm currently in discussions to establish a centre of excellence focusing on the unique cancer I treat in Manitoba. The care of these patients is often fractured, in small areas across every jurisdiction. We’ve already created a centralized process that really sets us apart from everybody else. We're at the point now where we are trying to create this entity for the future!

WXN: We’ll keep our eyes peeled for news on that! Let’s wrap up with one final question: what does the “X” in WXN represent for you?

Versha: Excitement drives me more than anything! I've always thought of the X like that because I'm not an executive. I'm not even in a true “leadership role,” although I do believe I'm a leader in my field. What drives me is forward progress and excitement for a bright future. If I think of all the challenges I have faced and overcome, and know that someone else doesn't have to do the same, that person's future is brighter for that. I hope it breaks barriers.

Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your “X”? Join Versha and the rest of the WXN community!

WXN is offering an annual Individual Membership at a discounted rate of $99. That's a 30% savings!

Take advantage of this limited time offer, because there's never been a better time to invest in yourself.

Learn more and join us today!

About Versha:

Dr. Versha Banerji MD FRCPC obtained her MD and residency training in Internal Medicine and Hematology at the University of Manitoba. She then completed a post-doctoral fellowship in translational research at the Harvard Cancer Centre/ Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Broad Institute of MIT. She is a Senior Scientist at the CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute, Associate Professor at the University of Manitoba, and a Clinician-Scientist at CancerCare Manitoba. She Co-leads the CLL clinic and is involved in several clinical trials and population-based treatment studies. As Co-chair of the CLL Research Program she manages a multi-disciplinary research team in clinical, fundamental and translational research. Her own laboratory is evaluating mitochondrial bioenergetics and function as a measure of cancer cell metabolism.

“In becoming who you think you should be, you lose who you are” – Meet WXN Member Irina Scarlete

Irina Scarlete spent most of her career as a consultant. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that she wasn’t achieving her full potential – and that she wasn’t contributing to a better future in the right ways. Now the Chief Executive and Ethos Officer of AMNIe, she’s found a better path through ESG (that’s environmental, social and governance) and sustainability.

Here’s how Irina found ESG, the energy she brings to her work, letting go of an inauthentic identity and why the “X” in WXN brings us all together.

WXN: What drew you to ESG in the first place?

Irina: I worked in consulting for many years, and I think I brought a lot of female energy to that role. When I had children, I really started to ask myself: Am I doing the right things? Is this making me happy, sitting behind a desk putting PowerPoints together? Am I even touching my potential? And is this going to create something worth leaving to our children? I didn’t have the solutions, so I went back to school to pursue my MBA with the intention of finding them.

I realized in the process that education is structured in silos. On one side, there’s your marketing course, here’s your business strategy course. On the other, there’s political economy, globalization and philosophy. There’s no sense of integration. I stumbled on ESG through a project about changing the world through experts coming together, and new ways of understanding value based on what’s really relevant, tied to a company’s competitive advantage.

WXN: Where did that realization lead you?

Irina: I went back to my company, and even though I had spent a good six months showing how companies that manage their material ESG issues outperform the market, it wasn't enough to convince anyone. That really broke me down. That is a very scary place to be because I realized I went almost 40 years of my life not really knowing what I have to offer.

I spent a lot of time hiking in nature, listening to philosophy, and reading books about sustainability and the economy. And all of a sudden, it just came together. This is what you truly value. This is how you need to live your life. I ended up looking at sustainability through the lens of financial acumen – embedding ESG because it’s going to generate economic profit alongside other forms of profit – and doing it in a way that’s legitimate and authentic, because otherwise, you’ll experience cognitive dissonance, you won’t be at your potential, and you’re not going to reach that self-actualization that we all seek.

WXN: I want to go back to something you said earlier. Can you tell us a bit more about “female energy”?

Irina: I’ve often been told that I’m an A-type personality, I’m very masculine in my feelings, and I’m a driver – give it to Irina and she’ll get it done. For a long time, I hid behind that cover because it granted me “success.” But in becoming who you think you should be, you lose who you are. And I am somebody who genuinely, deeply cares about other people.

So when I talk about female energy, it's not a female or male thing. It’s the ability to feel compassion for fellow people, to think about the light there is, to see the positivity around you. I think about it as the other side of P&L – it’s profit and loss, and peace and love. And I see it creating results. It’s something that we need in order for an economy to thrive.

WXN: You’ve certainly led a fascinating journey in finding ESG. What has been your biggest challenge along the way?

Irina: Finding courage. I knew for a long time that I was not in a place that enabled me to be who I am, and I used to blame it on others. I used to tell myself stories about why I wasn’t happy. We often think that our obstacles are on the outside, but my obstacle was me. I didn’t know why I was here or how to reach my potential. I was stuck.

Another big challenge was letting go of a false identity. It’s a loss, mourning the fact that what you thought was real is actually an illusion you’ve created. But nobody else can affect your mind. You either crumble because you realize you’ve been living this lie, or you say, “I don’t have to live a lie anymore!” You go on this spiritual quest: what do I really have to offer? When am I at my best?

WXN: What was the answer – when are you at your best?

Irina: Finding out was a lot of trial and error! But in every error, I made something winning. For example, I have ADHD, and as a result, it's very hard to quiet the mind. I found that when I'm in nature, I'm able to do that. I also found I was at my best when I’m free to create from a place of inspiration. And that inspiration came through reading books about Buddhism, stoicism and religion, and listening to very different perspectives. At some point, that trial and error became intentional.

WXN: Can you share about your proudest moment?

Irina: It’s a bit of a story! A little while ago, Sophie Taysom – a brilliant AMNIe Expert Network Advisor from the UK who focuses on ESG, health and AI – posted about the climate crisis and how it took health crisis to scale up ESG. I had written an article a long time ago actually about something similar. So when I read Sophie’s post, I said, isn't it interesting that it took a health crisis to open up our eyes to the depths of all the crises that we face?

Not long after that, our team attended a sustainable finance webinar. The CEO of Vancity was there, and she posted something on LinkedIn about Bell’s Let’s Talk initiative. I went back to Sophie’s post and said, in terms of these different crises, let’s not forget that the one lurking beneath it all: our mental health.

The next thing I see is, in our group chat, my team shared the most moving post about mental health. They created this beautiful poem with artistic pictures about nature. I was like, this is so beautiful – just make sure whoever you quoted gets recognition (we are an ethos company)! And they told me, they wrote it themselves. It blew my mind! Here are people who understand what we’re trying to do, who care about net-zero by 2050. And they did it. I didn’t give them the marching orders.

WXN: Thank you for sharing that story! One more thing before we wrap up. Can you share what the “X” in WXN has come to mean for you?

Irina: X is connection. We talk about executives and experts, but X is the interconnectedness at the heart of what creates the value of bringing all of these people together. I always think about this in terms of the multiplier effect, the synergies of when people are working in unison toward something that makes sense and is coherent to them. Then, one plus one equals eleven. That’s the X to me.

Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your “X”? Join Irina and the rest of the WXN community!

WXN is offering an annual Individual Membership at a discounted rate of $99. That's a 30% savings!

Take advantage of this limited time offer, because there's never been a better time to invest in yourself.

Learn more and join us today!

About Irina:

Irina Scarlete is the Chief Executive and Ethos Officer at AMNIe.org, an advisory firm focused on holistic ESG integration and training. Irina works primarily with organizations looking to adopt the latest thinking as they develop and implement comprehensive strategies for growth, risk and performance management. Irina also manages a network of global experts to deploy niche skills for addressing sustainability issues ranging from climate risk exposure to supply chain decarbonization, Net Zero planning and offsets, ESG and climate disclosures, ESG strategy, and more. She holds the FSA Credential and the Global ESG Competent Boards Designation (GCB.D). 

“I can bring myself into the conversation” – Meet WXN Member Ginta Smith-Wright

The values you hold influence the results you achieve. The values that guide Ginta Smith-Wright? Community, authenticity, honesty and integrity. Today, they inform her community work at a youth helpline, and have even taken her from working behind the counter at a local McDonald’s as a student to her current role as National Operations Manager at McDonald's Restaurants of Canada.

Here’s how Ginta’s career took shape, why community matters in her life, how she found a strong voice as an introvert, and why the “X” in WXN means growth.

WXN: You’ve been with McDonald’s pretty much your whole career. How have you grown within the company?

Ginta: I started in the restaurants as a crew person working the front counter and the kitchen. I made my way through to what we call a swing manager, which is a very junior manager. I needed to finish my post-secondary education, so I left for about a year, and then came back on as an Assistant Manager and then restaurant manager.

Then, I was lucky enough to be promoted into what we call mid-management as a Human Resources Consultant. From that, I went into the field as an Operations Consultant, which meant that I oversaw six or seven company-owned restaurants. Then I had the privilege to work as a Business Consultant on the franchisee side with seven owner-operators and over 27 restaurants.

I got promoted into a department head position as the National Guest Experience Department Manager for McDonald's Canada. This was probably one of my best-loved positions, and where I feel I made the most impact. And from there, I've had a variety of cross-functional roles in the operations field and in the guest experience field.

WXN: What is it about guest experience that clicked with you?

Ginta: Everybody has their own burdens. You never know what someone's carrying. You never know why someone's acting a certain way. So regardless of how you're treated, you need to reciprocate with something that's more favourable.

I always put myself in the guest’s shoes. The level of service that I get always impacts me in terms of helping me make my decision to return to a location or a business of any kind. I've always been very forthcoming when somebody provides great service. I literally tell them, “That was fantastic. You made me feel really good.” On the flip side, if the experience wasn't so well, I have been able to tell the leadership, “Here are a couple things you might want to do differently because here's how I felt.”

WXN: Outside of guest experience, what are you passionate about?

Ginta: I support my community in any way and every opportunity that I get. It’s ingrained in me to make sure that we appreciate what we have, but also that we think of those who don't have the opportunities that we have.

Right now, I volunteer at a helpline, talking to youth who are going through some challenging times. The role is really to listen, to empathize and to direct them to the right resources to help support them. It’s a mixture of emotions – some days can be really rewarding, and some days I don't know if I made an impact. But I find a lot of satisfaction with it and really, really enjoy doing it. I wish I had time to do more!

I've also been doing a lot of sporadic community giving. I did a lot of work with Holiday Helpers, donating gifts, wrapping gifts and delivering gifts to less fortunate people over the holidays.

WXN: Along your journey, what’s been the biggest challenge for you personally or professionally?

Ginta: While I'm very grateful for being in a leadership position, I know I could have been a little further along in my career. The times when things just didn’t progress for me were the times when I doubted my own abilities.

I came from the little island of Dominica in the West Indies. Everybody knows each other, for the most part. Everybody calls each other Aunt or Uncle. And you didn't speak unless Mom said you could speak because grownups were speaking. When my family came to Canada and I made my way through school, I was still that Caribbean girl back home, where you didn’t speak when you were not spoken to. You go forward 15 or 20 years, and you bring that same kind of mindset into your workplace. You don’t speak unless someone brings you into the conversation. I wondered if I had a seat at the table. I wondered if my opinion mattered. I wondered if the comment I made would add value.

Well, I don’t need to be brought in. I can bring myself into the conversation. I’m a proud introvert, and I have come to acknowledge that I have a strong voice, I can add a ton of value and that my opinion matters. I’ve been learning to flex that muscle quite a bit over the years.

WXN: Thinking back over your progress, what’s been your proudest moment?

Ginta: When I got into mid-management, I had the opportunity to work in the Guest Experience Department – a strategic growth platform that was critical to evolving a culture of guest-centric behaviours from office to the restaurants. We brought that department to life nationally for McDonald's and put strong initiatives in place that really helped drive our guest-centric mindset.  As a result of incredible work by the entire department, I was pleased and humbled to be awarded the President's Award – an award that’s given globally to the top five percent of McDonald's employees.

I think I actually cried the day I got the award because very few people receive it. It further enabled my confidence and solidified for me that I am capable. It put a little bit of shine on my brand for people who might not have known about Ginta. You go into a meeting and you have a little bit more energy and confidence to speak up.

WXN: Finally, could you share what the “X” in WXN has come to mean for you?

Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your “X”? Join Ginta and the rest of the WXN community!

WXN is offering an annual Individual Membership at a discounted rate of $99. That's a 30% savings!

Take advantage of this limited time offer, because there's never been a better time to invest in yourself.

Learn more and join us today!

About Ginta:

Ginta Smith-Wright
National Operations Manager - Restaurant Communications, Strategy & Change
McDonald's Canada

I started my career 37 years ago after the completion of my business studies at centennially College. I went on to additional studies in the field of Psychology; however, a part-time job at McDonald’s helped to determine my long-term career path. 

My full-time career begun at McDonald’s in 1984.  Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to take on various positions including Crew Trainer, Swing Manager, Assistant Manager, Restaurant Manager and Consultant.  In the Consultant band I worked with varied levels of responsibilities, including working as an HR Consultant, Operations Consultant, and Business Consultant. 

In 2014 I received a promotion to national Guest Experience Manager.  Today as a national Operations Manager, I am privileged to lead the department that oversees restaurant communications focused on operational initiatives, Guest Experience Strategies and Change.

Throughout my time at McDonald’s, I have been recognized with several awards, including the Outstanding Manager, Circle of Excellence, Canadian Team Award, and a three-time Golden Maple Leaf Award winner.  In 2016 I received the prestigious Presidents award. An award that recognizes the top 1% of McDonald’s employees worldwide for having the greatest impact and contribution in both the company and their department.

Driven by a desire to do a great job in my work life, my personal life, and my community, I keep myself intentionally busy volunteering.    I previously held a Board seat on the Ajax Youth Centre, and I am currently working with and training diverse individuals on crisis hotline support for the youth in the community.

Coupled with my community work, I have chosen to have a strong strategic focus on continuing to build my business acumen.  Through some of my part-time studies at the University of Toronto coupled with a marketing campaign to promote part-time learning, I hope that I have inspired other business leaders to do the same.

I currently live in Ajax Ontario with my son Isiah and husband Devon.

9 courageous tips from our 2021 Top 100 winners

If this year’s Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 winners teach us anything, it’s this: that radically authentic courage is truly powerful. And when we all stand in our RAW courage together, we make amazing things happen.

“I believe many people think of courage as a big dramatic act: slaying a dragon, climbing a mountain. And we think about courage that way, it's hard to see ourselves in it,” said Sherri Stevens, Owner and CEO of WXN at our 19^th annual Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Leadership Summit and Gala on Nov. 24 and 25, 2021. “It’s my sincere hope that this year’s winners inspire you to look deep within yourselves and find what courage means to you, what it looks like in your life, and tap into it to make a difference in the lives of those around you.”

What tips can our winners share about stepping into your own RAW courage? We gathered nine incredible insights from this year’s events – and are ready to share them with you!

1. Find greatness through authenticity

Gone are the days of autocratic leaders, leaders who are “perfect” and leaders who have everything covered. “It just doesn’t work anymore,” shares the Honourable Rona Ambrose. She’s a big believer in being authentic as a leader, something that has allowed her to connect more closely with her work and the people she works with. “You have to be authentic. You have to be willing to show your vulnerability. I think that is the kind of leadership that people value and crave.”

2. Power up by paying it forward

The mentorship journey is never truly over. Mentors are instrumental in helping us rise to the top, share panelists Juggy Sihota, Nicolle Butcher, Ula Ubani and Anju Virmani. That’s why it’s important to mentor and sponsor other women, no matter where you are in the hierarchy in your company. But mentorship doesn’t stop when you’ve reached the highest levels – “I’m still on this journey. I’m still learning, still growing and still getting feedback,” Juggy says.

3. Build a strong network of support

When everything around you is subject to change (a reality for many entrepreneurs), nothing beats the stability of a support network that has your back and motivates you to move forward. Dr. Pooja Viswanathan, Anna Sinclair, Julia Zhang and Lise Lapointe call on their partners, families, friends, teams, mentors, advisors and professional networks to keep them on track and motivated as they work to create a better world.

Vulnerability in leadership is powerful.🚀I will continue to open up and be raw to humanize motherhood and work to disrupt industries to turn their focus back on mom. 💕 https://t.co/HCXKxzMsCE

— Anna Sinclair (@AnnaSinclairca) November 25, 2021

4. Work out your happiness muscles

Happiness is a valuable leadership tool, says Dr. Gillian Mandich. “Happiness actually spreads three degrees from us. So when we focus on our happiness and how we’re feeling, it affects the people we meet whether that be colleagues, coworkers, clients, family, friends, children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and then also the people that they see.” The best part? It’s a skill that can be learned and built over time by practicing habits like exercise, self-compassion and gratitude. 

5. Make organizational advocacy a must

“What can I do to make change happen?” That’s a question our panel of advocates hears often… but it’s important to recognize that organizations need to be advocates too. That can mean recognizing and correcting the biases within processes, policies and culture; fostering a collective sense of purpose; opening doors for uncomfortable conversations and removing barriers, say Lorin MacDonald, Lea Nicholas-Mackenzie, LCol Tania Maurice and Samra Zafar.

@WXN "instead of asking how individuals can act, lets ask how organizations can act"

— Ananya Mukherjee Reed (@AnanyaReed) November 25, 2021

6. Listen to and learn from the next generation

“Age is never a limiting factor,” says Hebah Hussaina. That’s clear when looking at our panel of future leaders, where she joined Habon Ali, Bhanvi Sachdeva, Alishba Imran and Dr. Claudel Pétrin-Desrosiers. After all, everyone has different lived experiences, and it’s important to bring those to the table if we’re going to act and mobilize on change. “Listening is one of the most important gifts that you can give us.”

7. Don't wait for permission to be included

Panelists Stephanie Thompson, Prof. Rita Orji, Dr. Nicole Woods and Lavanya Hariharan are all women in STEM fields, and they share similar experiences: they have been excluded, lacked role models, faced barriers… well, the list goes on. But they were determined to follow their passions, something they encourage others to do as well. As Lavanya says, “If you have any pushbacks, push it back.”

8. Make the path easier for those who follow

Leadership doesn’t just happen – ask panelists Kashmera Self, Lena Azzou, Sarah Son Hing and Clarice Ward, and they’ll tell you it’s a path with no beginning or end. They know because they’re on that path right now. And the biggest thing they can do to help themselves and other emerging leaders on the rise? Leave the door open so the next leader won’t encounter the same obstacles along the way.

@WXN amazing panels of incredible women "leave the door open" for those coming after you - Kashmera Self #WXNtop100 pic.twitter.com/XbYLmWsE3N

— Melanie (@melanieimorris) November 25, 2021

9. Replace windows with mirrors

We see others through windows; we see ourselves in mirrors. “We see what’s out there, and if we don’t see ourselves, are we ever going to feel like we fit in?” asks Jennifer Harper, founder of Cheekbone Beauty. Through her business and her own story, she hopes to hold up that mirror for Indigenous youth to show them what’s possible. “When we see it, we can be it.”

Jenn Harper from @cheekbonebeauty is an inspiring speaker. #WXNTop100

— Christine Cappadocia (@brookscappadoci) November 26, 2021

To our Top 100 winners: thank you for sharing this wisdom! You’ve shown us all what radically authentic women can achieve when we stand in RAW courage.

Have you met our 2021 Top 100 winners yet?

Click here to learn all about this amazing group of women!

“Bravery doesn't come without fear. We need to embrace that." - Meet WXN Member Mubarka Butt

Mubarka Butt learned throughout her career that organizational culture doesn’t change at the team level, the management level, the senior leadership level or even the CEO level. And there certainly isn’t a formula for success. That’s what drove the Founder of BoardBe and Principal at HireProfile to start coaching boards on bettering representation and accountability.

Find out why she never became a doctor, where she found her true passion, how she (finally!) ran a nine-minute mile and why the “X” in WXN represents many more nine-minute miles to come.

WXN: Take us back. Where did your journey begin?

Mubarka: I was born in the Middle East in Bahrain and grew up there for the first part of my childhood. In transition from Bahrain to Canada, I lived in Pakistan for two years.

My family moved to Canada when I was 11, and I grew up in Richmond Hill, Ontario. I was an immigrant kid in a school with almost no cultural diversity at the time. So I had to figure a lot of things out on my own. Like many other newcomers to Canada, I also faced both overt and covert racism and discrimination growing up in Greater Toronto and, unfortunately, I felt it more from adults than kids my age. It really shaped the way I was thinking and influenced the causes that are very meaningful to me today.

WXN: What did you want to do when you grew up?

Mubarka: I wanted to be a doctor. I started in Kinesiology at York University but changed my major one year in, because of how dull the sciences felt to me. They did nothing for my soul.

So I went into accounting and finance, and completed my BBA with intentions to get my CPA. However, the first job I landed out of university was Benefits and Compensation Manager. I oversaw a team of HR and payroll professionals. Through this, I was exposed to every other facet of HR, and truly I had found my passion. I have since attained my SPHRi (Senior Professional in HR, International) and GPC.D (Governance Professional of Canada) designations.

As a woman of colour, I overcame daunting barriers to earn my seat at the C-suite table as Chief Strategy and People Officer. My career has spanned several industries leading people strategies, strategic planning and corporate governance, and I have been recognized as a prominent voice advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in leadership positions. DEI is a cause that hits close to home for me, not only because of my own personal journey, but also because of the journey of countless incredibly talented women who are repeatedly overlooked for leadership opportunities.

WXN: And how did you end up becoming a board professional?

Mubarka: I was in my late 20s when I got on my first board and was eventually elected to be the Board Chair. My journey and understanding of governance had already begun, and I had started paying attention to boardroom dynamics. My professional experience leading HR and strategic planning, and supporting several municipal boards with governance audits, positioned me uniquely to adopt change leadership strategies at the board level.

Until then, I had spent many years trying to move the elephant called “culture” from within the organization. But for the first time, I was able to see the impact of change leadership at the board table and its profound effect on the direction of the organization.

This led me down the path to starting my own consulting practice (HireProfile) supporting boards on improving performance and enhancing good governance. One thing was clear: every board I worked with found it challenging to recruit new board members while attaining gender diversity, thought diversity, functional diversity and generational diversity. Yet, many of the talented professionals who bring an element of diversity to the table are either intimidated by the board recruitment process or don’t know how to get on a board. My background in talent management, coupled with my cause to help boards become more accessible, compelled me to find a solution for this problem. This gave birth to BoardBe. BoardBe connects boards to the most qualified professionals, enabling fair access to “board-ready” leaders. We connect the brightest talent to their causes and help them get a seat at the table.

WXN: Why boards?

Mubarka: Boards are the backbone of leadership in our society, not CEOs. Every organization, whether it's producing consumer goods, technology, services or serving a social cause, is led by a Board of Directors who have a fiduciary responsibility to the organization. Yet we have glamorized the title of CEO so much in our world today that everybody thinks the buck stops with the CEO.

But really, board members are the ultimate leaders to whom all great leaders must be accountable. That’s why board composition matters. When board composition is rich with life experience and representative of the diversity of stakeholders of that organization, we can expect better decisions and societal outcomes for all.

WXN: Let’s talk about obstacles. What’s been your biggest hurdle?

Mubarka: Speaking truth to power while staying true to my value structure has not been easy. Women in leadership positions are still expected to nurture and comfort… to keep everyone getting along. Yes – we can do that very effectively, but we also have to be unapologetic about our competence and not be reluctant to speak a little louder. I’ve had to step up and speak truths that I knew wouldn’t be well received. I never, for one second, doubted that I must speak up, but that didn't mean that it was easy. I was brave, but I was also afraid.

I've learned that bravery doesn’t come without fear. We need to embrace that when we're charging ahead, when we're driving change and when we're finding our own identity in leadership roles.

WXN: Along your path, what moments made you feel the proudest?

Mubarka: In Kinesiology, I took a mandatory track and field class. I had never done track before, and I was very unathletic. My attitude was, I hate this and I don't want to be here. To pass, the women had to run a nine-minute mile, and on exam day, I did not finish within that timeframe. I failed. Later that year, I switched majors and never had to worry about retaking that class.

But I never forgot that fail. So, after having two children and another 20 years of a mildly active lifestyle, I took up running and ran my nine-minute mile after six months of rigorous practice. This feat changed my mindset on dealing with goals that sit on the backburner because we lack the courage to attend to them. Now, when I see something in front of me that’s difficult and challenging, I call it my “nine-minute mile.” It's symbolic of the thing that appears impossible but requires a lot of courage to tackle.

WXN: What does the X in WXN mean to you?

Mubarka: The X is the “nine-minute mile” – the seemingly impossible – that demands getting over your self-imposed limitations. I think we all need to do that, and we need to empower each other to do that. Nothing brings me more joy than seeing my colleagues and friends overcome their “impossible” all because of a change of mindset. “If you can get through doing things that you hate to do, on the other side is greatness.” David Goggins

Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your “X”? Join Mubarka and the rest of the WXN community!

WXN is offering an annual Individual Membership at a discounted rate of $99. That's a 30% savings!

Take advantage of this limited time offer, because there's never been a better time to invest in yourself.

Learn more and join us today!

About Mubarka:

Mubarka Butt
Founder and CEO
BoardBe Talent Solutions and HirePeople Consulting

Mubarka Butt is an experienced people and corporate strategist, activist and founder recognized as one of the most prominent voices advocating for gender and racial diversity, equity and inclusion in leadership positions.  With a background in people strategies, strategic planning and corporate governance, her experience spans across several industries including, transportation & logistics, municipal government, events & entertainment and numerous non-profit causes. As a woman of colour Mubarka overcame daunting barriers to earn her seat at the C-Suite table as Chief Strategy and People Officer. She is passionate about helping boards adopt change leadership strategies to create a diverse and inclusive board of directors – one that is representative of its stakeholders. As Founder and CEO of BoardBe, Mubarka is connecting boards with diverse leaders while carving an accessible path to connect stellar professionals with their causes.

“I'm here. I have a voice. I now what I'm talking about." - Meet WXN Member Kiran Sidhu

Three things matter most to Kiran Sidhu. One: her family and her culture. Two: Her health and work-life balance. And three: Her career. But if you asked her what mattered most a couple of years ago, the Director Planning & Project Strategy at Loblaw Companies Ltd might have given you those answers in a very different order.

Join us as Kiran shares more about her values, finding her path to success, her own journey becoming a voice for equity, diversity and inclusion, and why the “X” in WXN means progress and sisterhood.

WXN: Let’s talk values. What matters most to you?

Kiran: Number one is my family and culture. I’m one of four kids, I have a plethora of cousins and I grew up with my grandparents. I am a daughter of immigrants; hence I've always straddled the line between my parents’ culture and the Western culture that I grew up in. Being close to my family allows me to enjoy parts of my Indian culture.

Number two is my work-life balance and, in general, my health. I’m a grinder – and unfortunately, it caused me to burn out early on in my career. So, the last couple of years have really been refocusing on my own work-life balance.

I used to rank my career as number two, but it has actually fallen to number three. My dad was a truck driver. My mom worked in factories on and off as I was growing up. She eventually became a stay-at-home mom when my brother was born because it was just easier with four kids to be home. I watched my dad work 12- or 16-hour days. For me, my career was important because I wanted to make my parents proud.

WXN: Can you tell us more about that grind… and finding your balance?

Kiran: Early on, I did a lot, I did it at high speed, and I hit my targets. But I gained weight, my mental health wasn't at the top of its game, I was very lethargic, I didn't want to hang out with people. I was giving too much of myself to everyone and everything… and I wasn't focusing on what Kiran needed.

When I began focusing on my own health, I became more creative, and my mind started to open up. I started looking at different ways of learning and different ways of doing work. I became better at my work, and better for the people that I interact with.

WXN: What did your career path look like?

Kiran: I graduated from York University where I got my business degree majoring in project management. At 23, I was like, what do I want to do? What do I do with my business degree?

I worked for Best Buy Canada at a subsidiary office in Ontario as a service coordinator. In spite of me doing a plethora of jobs, I felt I was not utilizing my potential to the fullest; however, I was happy to have a job right out of school, whilst still working part-time as a sales associate job at Bouclair.

I had gone back to school actually to do my minor in marketing because, why not? I was still trying to figure out what I wanted to do in life. Loblaw had just opened their head office in Brampton around that time span, so I started applying. Eventually, I got hired in a very low-level project management job.

I really got to shine because it gave me an avenue to put in practice all my learning and knowledge. It allowed me to really showcase my talents and work closely with the store planning team that I'm part of now.

WXN: And how did you end up where you are today?

Kiran: What I learned early on is, you can learn anything if you put your mind to it. My curiosity and thirst for knowledge made me want to learn more about construction, more about real estate, how to plan stores, how to lay them out, what our business was about, how customers shop our stores, what our competitors are doing. I was traveling all across Canada visiting stores, and I got to learn from some really ingenious people.

WXN: What’s been your biggest challenge so far, either personally or professionally?

Kiran: To find your place, to find your voice as not only a woman but also as a woman of colour is hard. You keep repeating yourself and it sometimes falls on deaf ears, or you are not heard, or you are overlooked. But you need to just keep speaking. You just need to keep talking and be like, I'm here. I have a voice. I know what I'm talking about.

As a society, and especially in the industry I work in, we need to advocate for women's voices. We need to advocate for people of colour, we need to advocate for the minority, we need to advocate for Indigenous rights. I think we've made a lot of strides in the last two to three years, but I need to continue to know that my voice is valued and not let myself or anyone clamp down on that. I think that’s definitely my challenge for probably the rest of my career, but I also want to ensure that I can be a voice or be an encouragement for the voices of my peers or colleagues.

WXN: Among your accomplishments, which stand out as your proudest moments?

Kiran: Graduating from university was very big. I am proud that I finished it, but I think it was really big for my parents, especially for my mom because she never got that opportunity.

Loblaw in general focuses on diversity, inclusion and equity. Our department has taken it on as their own challenge and put together a committee. I was actually asked to co-chair it before handing it off to someone who's even more amazing than me!

And I think my own personal journey has been an accomplishment. I wasn't perfect, and I've said things that were not appropriate. Over the last three years, I've realized saying those things was wrong. What scares me is someone coming back and going, you preach about equity, inclusion and diversity, but you've said these things. I think what people need to understand is, it's a journey. I am not who I was before. I have learned and I have grown, but moreso, I am still learning and growing. I will continue to do so through the rest of my life, and I hope during this time I can help and take people along with me on this journey so that we can all move towards a more equitable society.

WXN: What does the “X” in WXN represent to you?

Kiran: It means the progress of women. It’s really calling out that, first of all, we need to be a true sisterhood. And it's just not the gender you were born into. It's the gender you identify with. It doesn't matter what level you are – if you're a coordinator or if you're a sales associate at a store. It's really supporting all women, whatever choices they make, and making sure that we have the choice and a voice.

Feminism is about equity, advocating for it and making sure that you're not using your title or gender to diminish people – you’re helping them grow. It’s about ensuring that everyone has voice at that table, whether it's male, female or non-binary, that they are heard and that they feel valued.

Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your “X”? Join Kiran and the rest of the WXN community!

WXN is offering an annual Individual Membership at a discounted rate of $99. That's a 30% savings!

Take advantage of this limited time offer, because there's never been a better time to invest in yourself.

Learn more and join us today!

About Kiran:

Kiran Sidhu
Director Planning & Project Strategy
Loblaw Ltd.

I am a first generation Canadian, the oldest of four siblings. It was a challenge growing up in an Indo-Canadian upbringing, the pressure to perform at school and the many activities we participated in but –  a big BUT here – I wouldn’t change a thing, as this is what made the woman I am today- boisterous, domineering, outgoing and ambitious. Someone who is laid back, loves to travel, enjoys a good conversation and is a foodie. I started at Loblaws when I was 25 as an Analyst and 11 years later at 36 am now a Director. I’ve spent the last 11 years growing as a person both personally and professionally. I am the Director of Planning & Project Strategy, with a key focus on working with various parties to take projects from ideas to real time execution that can be seen across our stores.

The51's Judy Fairburn: Why women are an economic force for Canada

When The51 Co-founders and Co-CEOs Judy Fairburn and Shelley Kuipers talk about what Canada will look like in 2030, a vivid picture comes to mind.

It’s a world where women will control 65 percent of the nation’s wealth, where women and non-binary individuals will be financial equals, and where no one regards a women-led company as something fringe – rather, it’ll be the norm.

And Judy and Shelley are not sitting idly by watching it happen. They, along with Co-Founder Alice Reimer and an amazing team, are on a mission: to build the financial feminist economy in Canada.

“It’s an imperative to make sure women and men achieve equality in all matters financial,” Judy says.

That imperative starts, as Shelley would say, by investing in the world we want to see.

Support starts with community

Put simply, The51 is a Financial Feminist™ platform that brings together women and non-binary investors, entrepreneurs and those aspiring to become either.

Its investment funds – The51 Ventures Fund I, which focuses on high-potential, women-led, early-stage businesses; and the upcoming The51 Ventures Food & AgTech Fund, focused on consumer-driven innovation and sustainability in the food and agriculture sectors – are part of the equation when it comes to advancing the representation of women throughout the Canadian business landscape. “We're investing in the underestimated businesses that offer overperforming, underfunded opportunities,” says Judy.

Equally as important is The51’s community, which numbers over 15,500 globally, including founders from the 14 companies that are currently part of the The51 fund portfolio and 100-plus investors – 90 percent of whom are women, she adds.

“What we've been building is a community where the investors, entrepreneurs and those who aspire to be can come together for democratized, inclusive access, with capital and diverse businesses led by women and non-binary people,” she says. “It’s a flywheel. We're not just providing capital to the entrepreneurs. It's also the network, the coaching, the experience. Summing up, capital-plus-community is the differentiator.”

The platform began after the three co-founders began discussing their lived experiences. Shelley and Alice were both seasoned serial entrepreneurs with exits on their resumes, and also long-time early-stage investors with unicorn investment returns (in other words, they invested in Canadian companies that have achieved a market valuation of over $1 billion.) Yet they could both share stories of systemic discrimination and bias as founders and investors.

Judy, the first female Board Chair of Alberta Innovates, a seasoned corporate executive and a Co-founder of corporate venture funds holding well-performing investments, had encountered challenges of her own. “As an engineer, I often found myself as the only woman in the room,” she says. “Through a lot of resilience and some great mentorship, I made my way to the senior executive level and then decided to take a leap to focus on advancing the new economy.”

They knew the stats were stacked against women-led startups – at least in terms of funding. Just 2.3 percent of venture capital funding in 2020 went to these companies, despite having somewhere between 35 percent and 63 percent better performance than their male-founded counterparts.

And in agriculture – a sector near-and-dear to Judy’s heart where nearly one in three farm operators is a woman, and where women make up 37 percent of Indigenous agricultural operators – 95 percent of women report there were too many barriers to success, and 47 percent of racialized founders said they experienced bias.

Financial feminism in action

“There are lots of challenges,” Judy points out. “Certainly, the pandemic has been challenging in terms of all the roles that women juggle. And for entrepreneurs, confidence, boldness and resiliency are also essential.”

The51 is there for women-led startups and investors to power their journey to build successful businesses and generate strong returns with social impact, she says. “The51 founders and investors appreciate having a community that they can feel real and authentic with, admit when one doesn’t know things, ask questions and learn from others.”

The51’s programming includes monthly events for Financial Feminist^TM  members, focusing on practical topics related to money, leadership and more. They also host a weekly IGTV show where they shine the virtual spotlight on amazing women or non-binary people from different walks of life.

And for those interested in investing, The51’s Financial Feminism Investing Lab, launched with financial support from the Canadian Women’s Foundation and in partnership with the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary, is welcoming its second cohort at the end of October. “That's where you learn in an encouraging environment with others how to invest in early-stage companies, which are risky, in a smart, disciplined fashion,” Judy says.

You may also catch The51 hosting special events, like one they led last spring featuring Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, talking all things financial feminism and women as an economic force for Canada.

No matter the programming, though, The51 is dedicated to connecting authentically, through sharing lived experiences. Reverse-mentorship is an example of that, Judy explains. “I’ve learned just as much from people that aren't the big names with the big dollars. All of us have something to teach each other.”

No wonder diversity plays a strong role. Not only does The51 count companies in a diversity of sectors, ranging from agriculture to medicine and finance, but their investors come from a range of backgrounds, too – think bankers, venture capitalists, directors, board chairs, CEOs, doctors, lawyers, engineers and other serial entrepreneurs.

They also encourage greater diversity, particularly for underrepresented groups. “The world is finally catching up, by recognizing that intersecting the ideas and perspectives of those with very different backgrounds brings innovation and value,” Judy says.

What does that look like in practice? Judy points to Virtual Gurus founder Bobbie Racette.

“She is Cree, as well as LGBTQ2+. She was in the oil and gas sector, and could foresee her job was going away.” Bobbie became a freelance virtual assistant before deciding to start her own virtual assistant platform where today she provides employment opportunities for underrepresented communities and people who traditionally have a hard time finding full-time work.

Named as one of Canada’s 50 Business Changemakers by the Report on Business Magazine, Bobbie has also been accepted into the International Women’s Forum Harvard/INSEAD leadership program as Canada’s Fellow.

Seeing entrepreneurs like Bobbie succeed is what drives The51 forward, she adds. “It validates all the hard work and capital that it has taken to build The51, plus the critical role we play as investors and board members.” Shelley, for example, sits on Virtual Gurus’ board.

And awards like the Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Inclusion Vanguard Award, presented by KPMG, do something similar.

“Being a Vanguard is critical,” she says, “being a change-maker and shaping a better future.” Inclusion is fundamental to The51 as well. “If there's one thing that Shelley and I talk about often, it’s the power of diversity and collaboration.”

The award is validation and acknowledgment of the change they’re making – and the values they hold. “When things speak to your values – wow, does it propel even more to come! It's a real honour.”

We are joining forces with KPMG in Canada for the Inclusion Vanguard Award, a prestigious part of our annual Top 100 Awards! This year, we are honouring the outstanding achievements of our winners, including Judy Fairburn. Join us at our 2021 Top 100 Awards Program on November 24 and 25, where we will celebrate the new winners of the Inclusion Vanguard Award, recognizing leaders who have made a remarkable impact in driving real, lasting change. The Inclusion Vanguard Award symbolizes what we all strive to achieve: a stronger, more inclusive Canada!

As Co-CEO of The51, Judy is a change-maker with a track record of building collaborative, cutting-edge business ventures. Together with Shelley Kuipers (Co-CEO) and an amazing team, The51 has built a democratized Financial Feminist™ platform and venture fund with a global community of 15,500+ and 100+ investors (90% women). She is also a corporate board director, an award-winning Creative Destruction Lab mentor, Canadian Academy of Engineering Fellow, and recipient of the 2020 Calgary Influential Women in Business Lifetime Achievement Award.

To learn more about the Inclusion Vanguard Award, presented by KPMG and our Top 100 Awards, visit our Top 100 page.