Nominees for the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards 2026
YWCA Metro Vancouver has announced the 97 nominees, across 12 categories, for the 43rd Women of Distinction Awards, presented by Scotiabank. Tickets for the awards gala May 7th are now on sale.
Nominees | Connecting the Community | Awards Gala
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 43 years, the event has honoured nearly 2,400 exceptional nominees who inspire change and drive meaningful impact.
Nominees for the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards 2026
Arts, Culture & Design
- Barbara Lee, Founder and President, Vancouver Asian Film Festival
- Camilla Tibbs, Executive Director, Pacific Screenwriting Program
- Carly Steiman, Founder, Tradeswomen Exhibit
- Kate Armstrong, Artist, Writer, Curator and Cultural Leader
- Lynn Yingying Liu, Founder and President, Canada International Arts and Music Society
- Marta Kasha, Founder and Artistic Director, Mriya Ukrainian Dance Ensemble
- Neesha Hothi, Founder and CEO, Neesh Communications
- Rachel Bahika Matembe, Founder and Director of Celebrating our Ugandan Heritage Exhibit
- Steffanie Love, Co-Founder, Astro Club Artist Facility & Opal Projects Inc.
Business & the Professions
- Caterina Papadakos, Partner, Fort Capital
- Elva Kim, Chief Operating Officer, Anthem Properties Group and President, Anthem Realty
- Kam Raman, Regional Head, Retail Markets at RBC
- Lilian Kan, Senior Director, Housing Strategy at Canada Lands Company
- Mandy Bhullar, Director, External Advisory and Policy at Lululemon
- Parinaaz Udwadia, Director, HR Consulting at Seaspan ULC=
- Dr. Prabhjot Kahlon, Multicultural Media Lead, City of Surrey
- Selena Woo, Vice President, Private Wealth Associates at Nicola Wealth
- Shannon Salter, KC, Deputy Minister, Office of the Premier and King’s Counsel
Community Champion
- Amber Moon, Youth Advisory Member, Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society
- Candace Knoll, Founder and President, Junior Black Achievement Awards Society
- Carey Tśisxamia McBeth, Founder and CEO, HERO DAWGS Pet Therapy Society
- Christie Garofalo, Co-Chair, Smash Out Vancouver and Board Director, Arts Umbrella
- Crystal Hung, Founder and CEO, ICON Marketing
- Danielle Main, Co-Founder, Leash of Hope Assistance Dogs
- Friba Rezayee, Executive Director, Women Leaders of Tomorrow
- Queen Auntie Jacky, Founder and Executive Director, African Friendship Society
- Jenn Dawkins, President and Founder, Fire Service Women of BC
- Julia Kim, Former Chair, BC Children’s Hospital Foundation’s Board of Directors
- Kasondra Herrendorf Cohen, Founder and CEO, Face of Today Foundation
- Lana Marks Pulver, Board Chair, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver
- Liliia Ratushna, Co-organizer, UA Rally – Voice of Ukraine
- Paola Murillo, Founder and Executive Director, Latincouver Cultural and Business Society
- Vanessa Wideski, Founder, Low Entropy
Education, Training & Development
- Dr. Anita Palepu, Professor and Head, UBC Department of Medicine
- Gurminder Kaur Malik, Director of Education, Khalsa Schools of BC and Principal, Khalsa Secondary School
- Dr. Kathy Denton, President and CEO, Douglas College
- Dr. Paris-Ann Ingledew, Executive Vice-President, Provincial Health Services Authority and Chief Medical Officer, BC Cancer
- Dr. Reetinder Kaur, Project Director, UBC Kidney Transplant Research Program and Instructor at SFU
- Dr. Renisa Mawani, UBC Professor of Sociology and Canada Research Chair (Tier I), Colonial Legal Histories
- Sitora Azimova, Vice-President, Administration, University Canada West
- Stephanie Redivo, Employee Experience & Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Director, TransLink
- Tamara E. Pongracz, Department Head, Trades Access, BCIT
- Dr. Tricia Tang, Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of Experimental Medicine Program, UBC
Entrepreneurship & Innovation
- Carla Guerrera, Founder and CEO, Purpose Driven Development
- Jennifer Zhang, Founder and CEO, Concrete Cashmere
- Marissa Grootes, CEO, STIL Classics
- Sarah Bundy, Co-Founder and CEO, Athena Collective
- Simran Kang, Founder and CEO, MyFO
- Sumreen Kaur Rattan, Co-Founder and COO, Moment Energy
Environmental Sustainability
- Angie Lamarsh, Head of Sustainability, Personal and Commercial Banking, RBC
- Christine Rigby, Manager, Climate Action and Air Quality, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
- Marnie Wu, Director, Commercial Network Operations, HTEC
- Maura Brown, Department Head, Medical Imaging, BC Cancer
Health & Wellness
- Dr. Brenda Lau, Medical Director, Changepain Clinic
- Constance Lynn Hummel, Clinical Psychotherapist, Constance Lynn Consulting
- Jessica t’łisala Guss, Lead, Strategic Initiatives, Indigenous Health, Health Quality BC
- Dr. Lesa Dawson, Founder and Director, Gynecologic Cancer Prevention and Survivorship Program
- Sally-Anne Stelling, Co-Director, BC Brain Wellness Program and Senior Physiotherapist
- Dr. Shelina Babul, Director and Sports Injury Specialist, BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit
Non-Profit
- Amanda Burrows, Executive Director, First United Church Community Ministry Society
- Andrea Seale, CEO, Canadian Cancer Society
- Denise Praill, CEO, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice
- Hajar Masoud, Chief Strategy Officer, Atira Women’s Resource Society
- Kim Bartley, President of the Board, ALANO Club of Vancouver
- Kristina Corpin-Moser, Executive Director, Filipino BC
- Lenya Wilks, Director, Community Inclusion, Health and Equity, DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society
- Lilian Chau, CEO, Entre Nous Femmes Housing Society
- Martina Meckova, Executive Director, Beedie Luminaries
- Meena Amlani, Executive Director, ASK Friendship Society
Outstanding Workplace
- BC Infrastructure Benefits Inc.
- Concert Properties
- Greater Vancouver Food Bank
- Illuma Law Corporation
- Microserve
- Parq Casino
- White Canvas Design Agency
Reconciliation in Action
- Dr. Amy Parent, Sigidmnak Noxs Ts’aawit, Associate Professor, Simon Fraser University
- Denise Williams, Principal, Kinship Studio
- Jayme Gabriel-Chan, Process and Knowledge Mobilization Specialist, Law Foundation of BC
- Dr. Krista Stelkia, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University
- Tracy Ridler, Founder and CEO, The Centre for Native Nation Builders
- Anne Zhong, Manager, Indigenous Relations and Community Engagement, TELUS
- Paromita (Mita) Naidu, Director of Content Strategy, BC Housing
- Winnie Rufaro Chironga, Director of Equity, Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC
Research, the Sciences & Technology
- Dr. Honglin Luo, Professor at UBC’s Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Department and Centre for Heart Lung Innovation
- Kathryn Hayashi, Former President and CEO of TRIUMF Innovations
- Dr. Mariana Brussoni, Director of the Human Early Learning Partnership and Professor at UBC’s Department of Pediatrics
Young Woman of Distinction
- Chloe Goodison, Founder and Executive Director, NaloxHome Society
- Monika Jandu, Co-Founder, Young Minds Exploring Science
- Oluchi Adesuwa Flourish Aiwize, Former Acting Vice-President and Fundraising Coordinator, Junior Black Achievement Awards Youth Council
- Rachel Wei, Fundraising Concert Organizer, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice
- Shivani Jeet, Founder, Survivor Talks
- Suhana Gill, Social Media Deputy Director, Climate Cardinals
- Sukhman Kaur Dhillon, Co-Founder and Lead Instructor, Hands for Life Foundation
Vote – Connecting the Community
Each YWCA Women of Distinction nominee is eligible to win the Connecting the Community Award. The recipient is selected by public vote, and the winner chooses a YWCA cause that is important to her, donating $10,000, courtesy of Scotiabank, to the YWCA program of her choice. Voting opens March 5, 2026 and closes April 1, 2026. The recipient will be announced on May 7, 2026, during the Women of Distinction Awards.
Awards Gala
- Date: May 7, 2026 5:00pm – 9:00pm
- Location: The Westin Bayshore, (1601 Bayshore Dr, Vancouver)
- Tickets: 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.
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