HEALTH & WELLNESS NOMINEES
For helping others achieve and promote well-being in her career or through community involvement.
Award Presented by:
Carolyn Marsh, Greater KW Chamber of Commerce
Bronwyn Addico
Bronwyn Addico is the owner and CEO of Balancing Birth to Baby, which she co-founded in 2016 and went on to run solo in 2021. She has mentored 20 staff members who have supported 600 birthing and postpartum families during their pregnancy, labour and delivery and post-partum and personally has supported more than 130 births. Balancing Birth to Baby has conducted over 4,200 hours of birth-related educational classes, serving thousands of families across Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph, Cambridge and surrounding areas. Her leadership has resulted in Balancing Birth to Baby winning the KW Record's Reader's Choice award in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Amy Ballantyne
Amy Ballantyne is an Executive Life Coach, TEDx Speaker, Workplace Wellness & Emotional Intelligence Trainer, best-selling author and host of the podcast: Power to the People Pleasers. She co-creates transformational change for her clients through empathy, compassion and accountability. She is a dynamic, engaging speaker and trainer having spoken to companies and organizations internationally. She has been sharing the vision of optimal wellness with her product partner USANA Health Sciences for 15 years. Her mission is to inspire 10,000 humans to embrace their worthiness and release the overwhelm, pressure and stress that is preventing them from living their desired life.
Deidre Hatton
Deidre “Dee” Hatton loves to help people step into their best self. As an athlete, she has coached and helped to change the lives of both men and women of all ages through one-on-one training, group fitness, nutrition coaching and contrast therapy. She coaches clients to transform both mindset and physicality to look and feel their best. She has a Bachelors in Kinesiology and is certified in Functional Range Conditioning as well as the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiologists. She specializes in Gut and Hormone Health, Clinical Weight Loss, PCOS, Fertility Nutrition, and Pre-/Post-Natal fitness. In 2022, she was the Waterloo Chronicle Readers’ Choice Award diamond winner.
Neha Juwale
Empathy and compassion, combined with her personal journey, were the drivers for Neha to create bookmytherapy.ca, a web-based platform facilitating connections between individuals seeking culturally appropriate care with mental health professionals who provide services in their patients’ language of choice. Seeking support for her mental health, Neha discovered that language, cultural non-verbal cues, and unwritten norms were barriers to receiving care and healing. Speaking with others revealed they too were facing similar challenges. Bookmytherapy.ca strives to “provide culturally relevant mental health resources…promoting mental wellness and reducing the stigma surrounding mental health within the community”.
Anita Krawiec
Anita epitomizes dedication in both her personal and professional life. A graduate of Conestoga College's Aesthetics & Business program, Anita embarked on her illustrious 11-year career as an aesthetician. Despite humble beginnings in a one-room unit, Anita's determination led to the establishment of a flourishing medical spa in Waterloo. Moving through challenges gracefully, including language barriers and personal loss, underscores her remarkable strength. Anita is deeply committed to community service, generously supporting initiatives ranging from educational sponsorships to fundraising campaigns. Her holistic approach to skincare embodies a profound commitment to her clients' well-being, transcending mere aesthetics to nurture the mind, body, and spirit.
Lisa Lankowski
Lisa has worked at St. Mary's Hospital for 15 years, as an ORA, providing support to nurses, surgeons, and anesthesiologists during surgical procedures.
Outside of the hospital, Lisa channels her physical fitness and is currently working on "Fitness in the Forest," a workout program along the Shantz trail, in collaboration with the city of Kitchener. Hoping that this will get the neighbourhood and the community out for their mental health and wellness, Lisa also holds a practitioner's diploma in Coldwater therapy and is currently studying to become a certified personal trainer. She prioritizes proper nutrition and incorporates Usana supplements to optimize cellular health.
Sumiko Lui
Our home grown girl born in Hamilton Ontario, raised in Galt and operating as Sumiko Lui, Owner of Permanent Aesthetics by Sumiko bows with honour to a decade-long tenure in the beauty industry operating in local partnership with Luxe Nail Bar. Graduating from Conestoga College, she champions a relentless work ethic akin to the daily 4-minute mile. Crafting her skills since adolescence, Sumiko empowers women through her transformative permanent makeup artistry. Passionate about influencing a brighter future for young women in skilled trades with big dreams that are VERY real.
Tanya Sablic
Tanya Sablic is a remarkable individual who has made significant strides in the world of fitness and bodybuilding. Born in Kitchener, Ontario, she is now an IFBB Pro Bodybuilder and owner of a fitness studio. Her involvement in the fitness industry spans over a decade.
Shawnna Siddall
Shawnna, 33, is the dedicated mother of three wonderful children – daughters Shainne (14) and Finnley (9), and son Bo (8) – with her supportive husband James by her side. As the proud owner and operator of Ascent Strength + Embodiment, a holistic health studio in Conestogo, Shawnna channels her lifelong passion for fitness into empowering others. With a background as a high-level athlete in hockey, she brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to her work. Since becoming a certified fitness coach in 2010, Shawnna has tirelessly pursued her goal of enhancing human movement and wellness, culminating in the establishment of Ascent in November 2022.
Morgan Story
Morgan is a resilient yoga practitioner, mental health advocate, and community leader. Her journey began with Yoga Teacher Training in 2012, followed by a 500-hour certification in 2015. Despite a diagnosis of Marfan syndrome, Morgan embraced yoga as both a physical and mental healer. Following the loss of her brother to suicide, she found solace in her practice, leading her to create a safe space for others to heal and belong. Through her studio, Karma Yoga, Morgan advocates for accessibility, ensuring everyone can benefit from yoga's transformative power. Her dedication and compassion inspire others to find strength.