Nominees for the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards 2025

YWCA Metro Vancouver has announced the 105 nominees, across 12 categories, for the 42nd Women of Distinction Awards, presented by Scotiabank. Tickets for the awards gala April 28th are now on sale.

Nominees | Connecting the Community

The YWCA Women of Distinction Awards celebrate individuals and organizations whose outstanding contributions foster the well-being, strength and future of our community. As a signature fundraising event, the Awards not only highlight the nominees’ achievements but also unite our diverse community in a shared mission to empower and uplift one another.

Since its inception in 1984, the awards have been a cornerstone for celebrating progress and advancing gender equity. Over the past 42 years, the event has honoured nearly 2,300 exceptional nominees who inspire change and drive meaningful impact.

Nominees for the YWCA
Women of Distinction Awards 2025

Arts, Culture & Design

• Ashlie Corcoran, Artistic Director, Arts Club of Vancouver Theatre Society
• Diane Espiritu, Designer and Founder, Espiritu Design Studio
• Harpo Mander, Executive Director, 5X
• Heather Lippold, Executive Board Member of Potters Guild of BC
• Nancy Bendtsen, Owner of Inform Interiors
• Preeti Dhillon, Owner and Manager of Neighbourhood Art Studios
• Serena Chu, Owner of Chu Chu

Business & the Professions

• Andrea McLean, Senior Vice President of Infrastructure Asset Management at Fengate
• Christine Bergeron, President and CEO of Concert Properties
• Jindy Bains, Vice President, Member Operations & Enablement for Vancity Credit Union
• Kristine Simpson, Partner, Assurance Services, BDO Canada LLP
• Leena Yousefi, Founder and CEO of YLaw
• Megan Buckley, Chief Operating Officer of Hy’s of Canada
• Natali Altshuler, Chief Operating Officer of EA SPORTS Studios
• Opreet Kang, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Core Firm
• Radha Curpen, Partner, Client Relationship Ambassador and Group Head, ESG and
• Sustainability for McMillan
• Ramandeep Randhawa, Community Branch Manager, Khalsa Credit Union
• Rena Dhir, Director of Radar Immigration Inc.
• Shannon MacDougall, Senior HR Business Partner, BC Region for RBC
• Winnie Shi, Director of Major Projects, Metro Vancouver

Community Champion

• Cindy Beedie, Executive Director of Beedie Foundation
• Cindy Morrison, Giving Manager at Big Sisters BC Lower Mainland
• Colleen O’Neil, Community Health Coordinator for Bowen Island Community Health Centre
• Gail Sparrow, Former Chief of Musqueam Indian Band
• Dr. Jillianne Code, Co-Founder and President of HeartLife Foundation
• Dr. Joy Masuhara, Regional Medical Director for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Vancouver Coastal Health
• Koyali Burman, Manager of the Vancouver Local Immigration Partnership
• Kristy Watson, Founder of You Only Live Once (YOLO) Baseball
• Mariat Imade Jibril, CEO of MIJ Consulting & ForbesBLK Canada Lead
• Mo Korchinski, Executive Director of Unlocking the Gates Non-Profit Society
• Monica Gärtner, Founder of the Canadian Assistive Travel Society
• Vicky Ryan, Founder and Executive Director of inGIRLS CLUB Association
• Zahra Hashemi, Community Support Worker at MOSAIC

Education, Training & Development

• Dr. Elicia Maine, Associate Vice President, Knowledge Mobilization and Innovation at SFU
• Julie Walchli, Executive Director of Work Integrated Education and Career Initiatives at UBC Faculty of Arts
• Kim van der Woerd, Founder and Lead for Strategy and Relations at Reciprocal Consulting Inc.
• Natalia Bussard, Program Manager, Science, Environment and Health Sciences Co-operative Education at SFU
• Prachi Jatania, Co-Founder and Chief Impact Officer of Immigrant Women Initiative
• Rohene Bouajram, Associate Director, Strategic IBPOC Initiatives at UBC
• Sydney Goodfellow, Director, Digital Learning Lab
• Tina Strehlke, CEO of Minerva BC

Entrepreneurship & Innovation

• Aisha Yang, Co-Founder and Director, Herbaland Naturals Inc.
• Brianne Gardner, Senior Wealth Manager, Velocity Investment Partners of Raymond James
• Diane Johnson, Founder, Descriptive Video Works
• Leigh Joseph/Styawat, Founder, Sḵwálwen Botanica
• Liza D, Founder and Dean, The Cut Design Academy
• Rory Richards, CEO of NUQO Modular
• Sandra Phillips, Shared Mobility Architect, Chairwoman movmi Shared Transportation Services Inc.
• Trish Kelly Chornyj, Managing Director, Untapped Accessibility
• Trixie Ling, Founder of Flavours of Hope

Environmental Sustainability

• Chantal Martin, Director of Education and Research, Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association
• Kerry Gibson, Founder of N-EAT at SFU’s Faculty of the Environment
• Sonia Strobel, CEO and Co-Founder, Skipper Otto Community Supported Fishery
• Sophia Yang, Founder and Executive Director, Threading Change
• Sue Roppel, President and Board Chair, Kimberley Foundation

Health & Wellness

• Denise Karkkainen, Board Chair, Looking Glass Foundation for Eating Disorders
• Dr. Jana-Lea Davidson, Chief Medical Officer, BC Children’s Hospital and BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre
• Dr. Sarah Finlayson, Co-Division Head, Dr. Chew Wei Memorial Chair in Gynaecologic
• Oncology and Clinical Professor Division of Gynaecologic Oncology at UBC
• Dr. Shahana Alibhai, Medical Director, Foundry Abbotsford

Non-Profit

• Bridgitte Anderson, President and CEO, Greater Vancouver Board of Trade
• Chantelle Krish, CEO, Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland
• Dalya Israel, Executive Director, Salal Sexual Violence Centre
• Doreen Macfarlane, Director, Indigenous Early Years
• Feezah Jaffer, Executive Director, Sanford Housing Society
• Katie Maslechko, CEO, Rental Protection Fund
• Kristy James, President and CEO, Burnaby Hospital Foundation
• Loveena Chera-Tsaparas, CEO, InspireHealth Supportive Cancer Care
• Mita Naidu, Director of Content Strategy, BC Housing
• Sarah Helene Beley Conteh, Executive Director, Working Gear Clothing Society
• Trina Plamondon, Executive Director, Home Sharing Support Society BC

Outstanding Workplace

• Blake, Cassels and Graydon LLP
• Concert Properties
• Herbaland Naturals Inc.
• Microserve
• National Bank Private Banking 1859
• Open Door Group
• Pacific Blue Cross
• Petcurean Pet Nutrition
• Scotiabank
• SkilledTradesBC
• Vancouver Fraser Port Authority

Reconciliation in Action

• Annita McPhee, Principal and Owner, Annita McPhee Strategies
• Faye Halls – Yeltsilewet, Founder of Paddle Journey and Eslha7an Learning Centre
• Shoyshqwelwhet Dr. Gwendolyn Point, Indigenous Education Consultant
• Elder Jean Wasegijig, Elder Counsellor, Family Medicine Indigenous Co-Director, Instructor and Elder in Residence
• Joanne Stone-Campbell, Iy’imelwit, Associate Director, ICBC
• Melanie Mark, Hli Haykwhl Ẃii Xsgaak, Founder and CEO of Hli Haykwhl Ẃii Xsgaak Consulting Ltd.
• Seli’xwelut Shannon Henderson, Chief Operating Officer, Orange Shirt Society

Research, the Sciences & Technology

• Dr. Cheryl Ho, Medical Oncologist at BC Cancer and Clinical Associate Professor at UBC
• Dr. Honglin Luo, Professor at UBC’s Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Department and Centre for Heart Lung Innovation
• Dr. Jessica McAlpine, Surgeon-Scientist at BC Cancer, Professor and Dr. Chew Wei Chair in Gynaecologic Oncology at UBC
• Dr. Kathryn Hayashi, President and CEO of TRIUMF Innovations
• Dr. Mariana Brussoni, Director of the Human Early Learning Partnership and Professor at UBC’s Department of Pediatrics
• Dr. Naomi Zimmerman, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering, and Canada Research Chair in Real-World Air Quality Sensing at UBC

Young Woman of Distinction

• Anmol Sandhu, Co-Founder and Co-President, The Red Badge Foundation
• Daria Dueck, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leader
• Glisha, Performing and Recording Artist
• Janaye Majer, Founder of Black Indigenous Coalition Club at Queen Elizabeth Secondary
• Ogechi Anumba, Co-Founder of UBC’s Black Mental Health Club, Intern with First Nations Health Authority
• Pari Goyal, Rhythmic Gymnast on Canada’s National Team
• Sophie Hansen, Student Journalist at BCIT and Co-Founder of Safety, Education Advocacy and Support
• Stephanie Slen, Co-Founder of Nurtured Youth Community
• Suhana Gill, Women’s Representative, Kwantlen Student Association
• Tabreek Somani, Founder of ClassSync
• Vedanshi Vala, Co-Founder and Executive Director, BOLT Safety Society

Vote – Connecting the Community

In addition to the award category in which they are nominated, all individual nominees are eligible to win the Connecting the Community Award – the only award category where the recipient is selected by public vote. Nominees will select a YWCA advocacy area that is important to them. From March 6th to April 1st, the public can vote online and the nominee with the most votes will receive the Connecting the Community Award. Scotiabank will donate $10,000 to the YWCA program area of the winner’s choice.

Get your tickets today and celebrate these women who have had a positive impact in our community.

Follow the YWCA of Vancouver on Facebook for more information.

Miss604 is a proud sponsor of the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards, since 2010.