HEALTH & WELLNESS NOMINEES
For helping others achieve and promote well-being in her career or through community involvement.
Award Presented by:
Ian McLean, President, Greater KW Chamber of Commerce
Jenna Gibbings
Jenna is a single mom who works as a life insurance specialist, a certified personal trainer, an entrepreneur in network marketing and has started her own fitness apparel brand (Foxfit) to make women and men feel comfortable and powerful in their own skin without breaking the bank. She puts everyone first whether it is her daughter Mylina, clients or customers. She works every day of the week with no rest, constantly trying to come up with new ways to improve her client’s health or create more designs with her brand as her customers request it. She does her very best to provide education and holistic advice on how to protect yourself and your family in a worst case scenario.
Vickie Murray
Vickie Murray is the Integrated Director of Pharmacy for Grand River Hospital and St. Mary’s General Hospital. After organizing the Grand River Hospital vaccine clinics, Vickie took over leadership for all of the Region of Waterloo’s vaccine roll out. Vickie took on her role with caring tenacity and positive outlook, while overseeing thousands of staff, physicians and volunteers to be able to make COVID vaccine accessible for our community. During the vaccine roll out, Vickie continued to give back to our community as Chair of Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region where rising incidents of domestic violence are also making headlines.
Rachel Radyk (WaabanoKwe)
Rachel Radyk (WaabanoKwe) is an AnishinaabeKwe, proud member of the Chippewas of Georgina Island. She is an award winning health care provider & Registered Nurse. Guided by her passion for Indigenous health, Rachel is committed to applying her education and lived experience as an Indigenous woman to her professional practice and local community advocacy for culturally sensitive healthcare. Rachel is an inspirational leader, striving to raise awareness and influence positive change within nursing education and all medical organizations.
Dr. Claudia Schubert
With over 20 years of experience teaching in the Pre-Health Sciences department at Conestoga College, Claudia’s dedication to teaching speaks for itself. As the Coordinator of the program, she not only coordinates the department, but also commits to teaching a number of classes each year in order to stay connected to the students. Claudia’s students note her ability to create engaging lectures as well as create a safe space for all learners as reasons that they’ve gravitated to the program. Her ability to inspire students and keep them motivated in a demanding field supports the overall advancement of the Health Sciences field in the region.
Melissa Melnychuk
Melissa is the absolute embodiment of Health and Wellness. She’s a passionate and inspiring Body Positive Mindset & Lifestyle Coach and outspoken proponent of anti-diet-culture with a degree in Communications, and certifications in Sports Marketing, Plant-Based Nutrition, Holistic Health Coaching, and Joga. Melissa spent the last two years developing a mobile APP (based on her successful Love-Move-Vibe wellness program) which recently launched in the Apple and GooglePlay stores - making her program accessible to everyone! From competitive fitness athlete, past Miss Oktoberfest, RogersTV show Host, former VP of Business Development for the KW Titans, Certified Life Coach to social media creator, Melissa's truly a local gem!
Rebecca Pister
Rebecca is a transformational woman in Waterloo Region. She went from finding out she was pregnant before graduating high school to earning a PhD while working and raising a child as a single parent. Using her personal experiences with wellness services, she has made mental health promotion a priority in our community for 15+ years through story sharing, research, education, and community partnerships in healthcare, elite-hockey, and more. Rebecca led WAYVE, a youth-adult partnership program focused on mental health advocacy and education, impacting countless youth during her 10 years in the role. Her work in youth engagement, mental health promotion, and suicide prevention bridges the academic and real worlds together to make mental health education accessible and actionable for all.
Lee-Ann Reuber
Lee-Anne has developed a health and wellness platform that is inclusive, accessible, and non-judgemental. Her business, Sekond Skin Society, began in a brick-and-mortar studio, where she made connections with the community. It is now a virtual movement membership, specializing in inclusivity, diversity, and body positivity. Lee-Anne is fearless and unwavering in her beliefs, and she inspires countless others to have the same unwavering belief in themselves and their abilities to change the world around them. Lee-Anne thinks big and encourages others to do the same.
Anita Venugopal
Anita Venugopal has dedicated her life to improving the health and wellness of the clients in her clinic, and extending this support to young women in our community as a volunteer. Anita is the owner of Embody Health Centre in Waterloo, a mother of two, and a volunteer in the community over many years with soccer, community based initiatives, and with Covid-19 vaccination clinics. Anita has collected items for a Better Tent City in Kitchener for their new facilities. She has also been supporting the Ukrainians coming to Waterloo Region by selling sunflower seeds. Anita has been on the board of directors for the Waterloo United Minor Soccer Club since 2018 and has assisted in creating the BIPOC and Equity scholarship providing financial support to those who would otherwise not be able to play.