2026 Recipients
Arts & Culture
Amanda Amaral
Amanda is a publisher and children’s author of her new book, “My Invisible Friend ADHD.” Her work focuses on helping children (and people of all ages!) understand neurodiversity, foster a sense of belonging, and build confidence and self-acceptance from an early age. She has donated copies of her book to every elementary school in the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, as well as to local children’s therapy offices. Amanda also regularly donates her time to participate in school author visits, book readings, read-a-thons, and literary events, reaching and inspiring more than 1,500+ children in the community to date! Amanda speaks openly about neurodiversity at events across Waterloo and Toronto and also volunteers as a facilitator with Junior Achievement, delivering critical financial literacy workshops to elementary school students throughout the Kitchener–Waterloo region. In her work, Amanda also volunteers for University of Waterloo and Laurier career and networking events, including Hack The North, to offer guidance to students in career conversations.
Sponsored by:
Community Service
Lucia Harrison
Lucia Harrison is a long-serving leader at the KW Multicultural Centre who has dedicated 36 years to community service advancing immigrant inclusion, settlement, and community belonging in Waterloo Region. Through her leadership, she has helped tens of thousands of newcomers successfully integrate, while building strong cross-sector partnerships that strengthen social cohesion, support the development of grassroots organizations and celebration of cultures. Lucia’s work has shaped local approaches to community and health services, multiculturalism, equity, and inclusion, leaving a legacy that will continue to influence how Waterloo Region welcomes, supports and celebrates diverse communities well into the future.
Sponsored by:
Educator
Mary Robinson
Mary Robinson is an Associate Professor, Teaching Stream in the department of Mechanical & Mechatronics Engineering and was the inaugural Associate Dean of Outreach, Equity and Diversity (2021-2025) in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Waterloo. A chemical engineer by education with nearly two decades at Waterloo, she has shaped the undergraduate student experience from first-year advising to convocation, created STEM outreach programs reaching over 30,000 youth annually, championed the decolonization of engineering, and built lasting traditions like the Waterloo Engineering Pin Ceremony. She is a Fellow of the Canadian Engineering Education Association (CEEA-ACEG), a licensed Professional Engineer, and a former University of Waterloo Senator.
Sponsored by:
Entrepreneur 40+
Kristy Miller
Kristy Miller, founder of The Scented Market, is an entrepreneur who has built a thriving, award winning Canadian home fragrance brand rooted in purpose, community, and education. What began in her kitchen has grown into a recognized business creating phthalate free scented soy candles that bring comfort into people’s homes. Beyond building her company, Kristy is deeply committed to giving back through community initiatives, mentorship, and sharing her entrepreneurial journey to help others succeed. She believes knowledge should be shared, not guarded, and is passionate about empowering fellow entrepreneurs, especially women, to believe in their ideas and build businesses that thrive.
Sponsored by:
Group Achievement
Shelter Movers Southwestern Ontario
Courtney and Ashley are the leadership team of Shelter Movers Southwestern Ontario and are dedicated to making the community a safer place. With diverse backgrounds and experiences, they lead a team of over 120 volunteers who have completed over 1,075 moves in Southwestern Ontario since December 2020, helping survivors of intimate partner and gender-based violence relocate to safety. Over the past year, they have also taken on leadership of the Greater Toronto team of 250 dedicated volunteers who have completed over 500 moves in the past year alone. Together, they coordinate logistics, provide support, and ensure each move is carried out with dignity and care. Their commitment to safety, empowerment, and community collaboration drives their mission to create a future free of violence, one move at a time.
Sponsored by:
Health & Wellness
Nadine Quehl
Nadine Quehl is a mindfulness and yoga practitioner, educator, and community volunteer based in Waterloo Region. Since 2018, she has used yoga, meditation, and mindful movement to support mental health and community well-being in diverse settings, including hospitals, correctional institutions, community centres, and the University of Waterloo. Nadine leads trauma-informed yoga and meditation sessions for youth in the Child and Adolescent Inpatient Program (CAIP) at Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN @Midtown) and volunteers regularly teaching yoga to incarcerated women at Grand Valley Institution for Women. Through her compassionate, inclusive approach, she creates accessible spaces for healing, connection, and resilience.
Sponsored by:
Lifetime Achievement
Judy Nairn
A lifelong resident of Waterloo Region, Judy Nairn has over 35 years experience in the non-profit and business sectors. Since 2012, she has served as Executive Director of Hospice Waterloo Region. Prior to this, she held the position of Director of Business at Mosaic Counselling and Family Services. Her earlier experience includes Owner of the Canadian Automotive & Trucking Institute and IT specialist. Judy also has served on several volunteer boards, including 16 years on the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, 9 years on the board of the United Way of Cambridge & North Dumfries and 6 years on the Board of Governors of St Jerome's University. She is also a longtime member of the Kitchener Westmount Rotary Club.
Sponsored by:
Professional 40+
Aislinn Clancy
Aislinn Clancy is Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Ontario and MPP for Kitchener Centre. Her commitment to public service began from her days as a settlement worker and school social worker, where she supported refugee youth and their families, and provided mental health support to vulnerable students. Motivated by the need for systemic change, Aislinn entered politics at the municipal level as a city councillor before being elected to Queen’s Park. As an MPP, she has introduced legislation focused on ending homelessness, improved support for people with disabilities, and policies that focus on democracy, environmental and economic justice.
Sponsored by:
Skilled Trades
Jessica Gemmell
Jessica Gemmell is a 309A Red Seal Electrician and a recognized leader in the unionized building trades. After earning an honour’s degree in Political Science, she transitioned into the trades in 2012, advancing into project supervision roles across major projects. Now a dedicated skills instructor and Executive Board member with IBEW Local 804, Jessica is a strong advocate for inclusion and equity. She also holds leadership roles with the Ontario Building & Construction Tradeswomen, IBEW Canada Women’s Committee and chairs IBEW 804’s Women’s Committee, advocating for women in the trades at every level. Through ongoing outreach, mentorship, and advocacy, she continues to inspire the next generation while helping shape a more inclusive and equitable future for the skilled trades.
Sponsored by:
STEM
Donna Strickland
Donna Strickland is a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Waterloo and is one of the recipients of the Nobel Prize in Physics 2018 for developing chirped pulse amplification with Gérard Mourou, her PhD supervisor at the time. They published this Nobel-winning research in 1985 when Strickland was a PhD student at the University of Rochester in New York state. In 1997, she joined the University of Waterloo, where her ultrafast laser group develops high-intensity laser systems for nonlinear optics investigations.
Sponsored by:
Vannguard
Sirisha Rambhatla
Before the age of 40, Dr. Sirisha Rambhatla has already transformed how hospitals in Waterloo Region adopt AI, pioneered research making AI greener and more accessible, and built a world-class research program at the University of Waterloo. An Assistant Professor, Val O'Donovan Endowed Chair, and 2025 Engineering Research Excellence Award recipient, she holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering and directs the Critical Machine Learning Lab, securing $3.6M+ in funding, including $2.1M as sole PI. Her research has sparked conversations coast to coast, from local hospitals to CBC Radio stations nationwide, and she has mentored 21 graduate students and 40+ undergraduates, championing women and diverse innovators across Waterloo Region and beyond.
Sponsored by:
Young Adult
Ayona Jaswal
Ayona Jaswal is a 15-year-old powerhouse and the founder of The Kindness and Smile Zone, a global youth-led organization. Turning her own journey as a pediatric patient into a platform for change, Ayona has built a movement that has reached 3,000+ views and impacted 400+ children across 10+ countries in less than one year. A Grade 10 high achieving, honors student and published author of Colors of Courage, she leads a global team of 25 international volunteers. Ayona is a CBC-featured visionary who proves that age is truly no barrier to creating and leading massive and measurable social impact worldwide.
Sponsored by:
