PROFESSIONAL NOMINEES
40+
For women over 40, dedicating themselves to the pursuit of excellence in their chosen career.
Award Presented by:
Laura Hughes, Home Hardware
Allison Bourke
Allison’s a dedicated community advocate, involved in various initiatives. As owner of Oxford Learning Waterloo for 11 years, she’s made a significant impact. Her commitment to education shines through as a speaker for BEP, engaging students in their academic journey. Allison's diverse interests in modeling, acting, audiobook narration, and public speaking showcase her multifaceted talents. Her participation in initiatives like Liftoff WR and Food4kids highlights her dedication to addressing community needs, while her Chair role in committees like Women’s Leadership and Libro’s Council demonstrate her ability to drive positive change. Above all, Allison's unwavering dedication to helping students realize their potential serves as an inspiration.
Kirsty Bradley-McMurtrie
Kirsty Bradley-McMurtrie is a trailblazing executive security management professional with a remarkable career spanning over 25 years. Currently holding the position of Executive Director of Safety and Security at Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, Kirsty has been a transformative force in the physical security industry. Her dedication to campus safety, emergency management, and security has positioned her as a pioneer of change within a primarily male-dominated field.
Nicole Brown Faulknor
Nicole is both Founder & CEO of Wounds 2 Wings Trauma + Psychotherapy Services and TEAO Canada (Trauma and Embodiment Association of Ontario), a Yoga Instructor, Registered Psychotherapist, Child and Youth Counsellor, Trauma Consultant, Trauma Care Expert, Author and Trauma Survivor. Nicole has received two awards for her work at the People's Choice Awards, 2019 for ‘Best Youth and Family Services’ and ‘Best Counsellor. She is also a very active member of the community, integrating trauma and mental health care into communities, programs, services and institutions.
Nenone Donaldson
Nenone Donaldson, Vice President of Advancement at the University of Waterloo, brings over two decades of fundraising expertise to her pivotal role. Focused on advancing the university's mission, she leads a dynamic team of over 120 professionals, spearheading comprehensive alumni engagement initiatives. Nenone's strategic leadership fosters enduring partnerships crucial to the university's mission, driving a sustained fundraising strategy aligned with academic priorities. Through her focus on transformative gifts and collaboration, she empowers her team to exceed expectations. Nenone's dedication ensures Waterloo's continued leadership in education and innovation.
Melissa Durrell
As the CEO and Chief Strategist of Durrell Communication, Melissa is known for her distinctive storytelling techniques honed at her former career as an award-winning Canadian broadcast journalist. She now uses her unique skillset to amplify changemakers through brand storytelling, media training, crisis communications, executive communications, public relations and media outreach. Paying it forward from her own experiences, Melissa now advocates for more women’s voices in politics and business, organizing and speaking at various conferences.
Helen Fishburn
For over 25 years, Helen Fishburn has worked in numerous roles in the mental health and addictions field, including various leadership roles for the past 20 years with the CMHA Waterloo Wellington. Helen feels honoured to be the CEO of CMHA WW as it allows her to drive health care system change forward while overseeing care for people of all ages with complex needs. Helen has exemplary leadership, unwavering commitment to inclusivity, and tireless efforts in the non-for-profit sector.
Kimberly Fowler
Kimberly Fowler is the Executive Director of Fiddlesticks Community Centre in Cambridge. The community centre runs on the Community Development Model with a focus on recreational programs for children, youth, and families. Kimberly is being nominated for her exceptional leadership and community development. Anyone who has had the privilege of meeting Kimberly knows that her passion is contagious, and her enthusiasm for making our neighbourhood a better place is inspiring. Kimberly has spent the majority of her career building and expanding Fiddlesticks Community Centre. Building relationships, making connections, and empowering others to reach their full potential is what Kimberly does best.
Karen Gallant
Karen is the President & CEO of Junior Achievement (JA) of South Western Ontario. Born and raised in Kitchener, Karen spent 17 years at the University of Waterloo, then joined Communitech, leading a variety of talent attraction and retention initiatives. As a people leader, Karen is collaborative and supportive. She creates an environment where everyone feels safe sharing their ideas, encourages continued learning and supports staff pursuit of personal and professional goals. Karen is a cheerleader for her staff, the organizations she works for and Waterloo Region as a whole.
Michelle Grimes
Michelle Grimes, Executive Dean at Conestoga College's School of Business, is a trailblazer in higher education leadership. With 17 years of experience and a Ph.D. in leadership and policy, her strategic planning and enrollment management expertise support quality education and growth. Michelle champions diversity, fostering a women-led academic leadership team. Her
impactful research on work-home conflict reflects her commitment to advocating for women. Beyond academia, Michelle's media industry background enriches her leadership through her communication and creativity skills. Her dedication to excellence, family, and community exemplifies her remarkable professional achievements.
Jean M. Howitt
Jean Howitt has been the President, CEO and owner of Richardson Fire Systems Inc. since 1998. As a professional, she has strategically led and directed the company from a small proprietorship to a strong, dynamic corporate entity. Jean is a visionary, an entrepreneur, a competitor, a trailblazer, a communicator, a strategist, a community leader, dedicated volunteer and a collaborator. Jean provides the foundation of strong and dedicated leadership and fiscal perspicacity required for her goal to enable Richardson Fire Systems Inc. and its team to become the leader in fire protection and prevention in Ontario.
Christie Johnson
Christie Johnson has over 20 years of experience in private, public and social profit sectors combining consultative leadership, planning and facilitation skills with development and implementation of strategic initiatives along with innovative ideas and results orientation. Christie’s keen ability to build rapport and identify strengths of team members has led to successful teams in producing desired results and exceeding expectations. Since April 2022, Christie has been the Director of People and Culture for Little Mushroom Catering & Dining Lounge in Cambridge.
Suzanne Kearns
Dr. Kearns is an aviation academic with a focus on education and improving pilot performance. She is the Founding Director of the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics (WISA) and Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo. A dedicated student-focused professor within the Faculty of Environment, Dr. Kearns is internationally recognized within the aviation industry having taught thousands of aviation professionals worldwide. Dr. Kearns is a former airplane and helicopter pilot, having flown her first solo flight when she was 16 years old.
Young-Shin Lee
Young-Shin is dedicated to pursuing excellence in strategic healthcare sales across Canada, including the Waterloo region. She demonstrates a commitment to professional growth and pride in her career, bringing distinction to Swisslog Healthcare. Drawing from her experience as a nurse and attentive leadership skills, Young-Shin has been able to elevate the Swisslog Healthcare sales team, teaching team members her understanding of what really matters to hospitals and health professionals when it comes to improving patient care.
Linda Mark
Linda is a seasoned Development Manager with over 21 years of dedicated service at the Child Witness Centre. Throughout her tenure, she has been instrumental in supporting various initiatives, notably the Youth Symposium, which welcomes over 3,000 youth in our community each year.
Dr. Norah McRae
Dr. Norah McRae, PhD, brings over two decades of expertise to her role as associate provost of Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) at the University of Waterloo. Throughout her extensive career, Dr. McRae has pioneered advances in co-operative and work-integrated education. She’s responsible for driving strategic program development and leading ground-breaking research initiatives focused on student engagement, community-engaged learning, and intercultural competency development. Dr. Norah McRae's exceptional and innovative contributions to co-operative and experiential education, coupled with her exemplary leadership and dedication, make her an outstanding nominee for the Women of the Year award.
Janice McVey
Janice is a talented and passionate leader in the recruitment industry with over 30 years of global recruitment and business development experience. Born and raised in KW, Janice attended KCI, the University of Waterloo, and belongs to several local professional and community associations. Over the past three decades, she has managed hundreds of search assignments spanning all key functional areas in a wide range of industries. As Managing Partner at Dean Group, proudly owned and operated by women, she has in-depth knowledge of the recruitment business and invaluable experience in this marketplace.
Oluseun Olayinka
Oluseun Olayinka is a seasoned professional with nearly 20 years of experience in organizational and learning development. With a background in chemistry and a Master's in Managerial Psychology, she brings a wealth of expertise to her roles. Previously working in the UAE and Nigeria, she excelled in business development and human capital development. Currently serving as the Executive Director at Adventure4Change in Waterloo, Ontario, she leads strategic initiatives and community engagement efforts. She also holds positions on various boards and committees, including the Social Ventures Partner Waterloo Region and the Equity, Anti-Racism Advisory Committee of the City of Kitchener.
Nancy Priest
For close to 30 years, Nancy has been designing innovative learning strategies and solutions that assist organizations to achieve their business objectives. She is an award-winning program designer, published author, and speaker, who has researched, developed and facilitated learning solutions for a wide variety of organizations around the world. Her broad operational and managerial experience along with strong business acumen, allows her to bring practical and realistic insights to business challenges. She is considered a leader in the training and development field and has helped an array of clients surpass their goals.
Wendy Stahley
From growing up on a farm, to living in various places outside of Canada, and working multiple jobs Wendy has demonstrated a strong drive to constantly seek growth and seize opportunities. Her passion for travel, meeting new people, and experiencing other cultures played a significant role in shaping her career path.Understanding the challenges faced by relocating families Porchlite Relocations step by step assistance during the relocation process fills that important role for individuals and families moving to Kitchener-Waterloo and the surrounding region.Porchlite Relocations offers community tours and comprehensive relocation programs, helping newcomers settle into their new environment while showcasing the benefits of living in the KW area. Wendy’s enthusiasm for the area and commitment to assisting others in their relocation journey is inspiring.
Aimee Wagner
Aimee’s professional career spans over 25 years in an array of sectors within the banking and finance industry; Aimee exemplifies visionary leadership and empathetic guidance. From roles spanning Personal and Business Advisement to Investment Specialist, Commercial Manager, and Director of Business Services, to her current positions as Interim CEO and Chief Retail Excellence Officer with Your Neighbourhood Credit Union. Aimee is a dynamic leader and advocate for women's empowerment. With over two decades of experience in the banking industry which includes ten years within the Credit Union system, Aimee brings a wealth of expertise and passion to her leadership.