Rising Star under 40 Award
For demonstrating exceptional leadership potential and innovation while achieving significant professional and entrepreneurial accomplishments early in their career.
Award Presented By: Angela Korstanje, Piller's
Rising Star under 40 NOMINEES
Stephanie Banks
Stephanie has always had a passion for planning and executing events. Stephanie holds a Diploma in Public Relations from Conestoga College. In 2019 Steph started her business, New Berlin Events which has coordinated and planned 104 events to date. Her business is a preferred vendor at 5 local & surrounding area venues. New Berlin events has been
featured in many magazines and online articles. She is a 2021 Diamond and 2022 Platinum Readers Choice recipient. From 2020-2023 she also worked at Crieff Hills Retreat Centre, as their event planner. Steph has volunteered for many organizations such as: KWO, City of Kitchener, Lions Club, WR Food Bank.
Jessica Chalk
Jessica Chalk is a Canadian entrepreneur and fierce advocate for patient-led innovation in healthcare. After co-founding a successful digital marketing firm in her early twenties, she launched myStoria—born from her own six-year struggle with infertility. myStoria is a first-of-its-kind platform that combines personalized guidance, expert support, and community connection to help patients navigate care with clarity and confidence. Built by patients, for patients, myStoria is reshaping what support looks like between and beyond appointments. Jessica’s work reflects a commitment to leveraging technology to solve real-world challenges in patient-led healthcare, driving meaningful progress for women’s health and equity.
Christine Clark
Christine Clark started her career in news radio almost 12 years ago and quickly rose through the ranks. She has been a news reporter, traffic reporter, afternoon anchor - and now, the top of her field: a morning news anchor. She doesn’t just lead the morning news, she’s also a team leader and mentor to many young professionals. Christine is also a dedicated volunteer, girls’ hockey coach, Sunday school teacher, and a mom of three young kids. She works with an RTDNA-award winning team and has been personally recognized (repeatedly) for her work performance and talent.
Erin D'Alessandro
The movement to empower women in our community is being championed by a new generation of leaders, including Erin D'Alessandro. Driven by a passion for serving others, Erin has developed a powerful ability to reflect inwardly—a mindset that fuels her success and empowers those around her. As Vice President, Business Development at Waterloo EDC, she has driven over $2 billion in pipeline growth. Erin is the Co-Director of Mentorship Circles at WCTWR, she sits on
Connestoga College's Global Business PAC Committee and previously served as Vice Chair of the Waterloo Region
Manufacturing Innovation Network, where she champions mentorship, supports women entrepreneurs, fostering
innovation and economic development.
Elaine Decleir
Elaine Decleir is the founder of Joy Media, a creative marketing agency blending strategy, gamification, and play. Through @thelocaladvocate, she highlights local gems and fosters community experiences. Elaine’s work champions the spirit of Waterloo Region, from launching the Region of Waterloo Airport’s social channels to creating @otistheswan. Her impact resonates throughout the community, bringing a fresh perspective to engagement, making connections vibrant and exciting, while passionately creating experiences that help people live their lives to the fullest.
Afra Fatima
At just 21, Afra is redefining what it means to be a young leader. She launched Eterna Beauty at 17, offering high-quality, customized lash extensions and building a brand rooted in innovation, education, and empowerment. She has since certified over 500 lash artists across Canada. Beyond beauty, Afra founded the Think Pink Foundation to support women and children in Sri Lanka — raising over $15,000 in one year to build clean water wells and fund girls’ education. Her commitment to growth, service, and global impact makes her a true Rising Star and a role model for her generation.
Yessenia Guerrero
Yessenia is the epitome of a leader and rising star. She has worked within the refugee community as a Translator/Interpreter and supported many in their journey towards citizenship. Her desire to serve people encouraged
her to run for President of the University of Waterloo Staff Association. As President of the Staff Association her focus
was to amplify the voices of marginalized communities on campus, incorporate/encourage DEI initiatives into the
association and foster a better working environment for all staff. Today, she is Associate Director of Response for EDI-R
at UW where she continues to advocate for all campus members.
Shannon Hall
Shannon Hall is a dynamic professional in tourism and event management, playing a key role in shaping visitor
experiences at St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market. She develops hyper-local events that celebrate regional businesses, forge
community partnerships, and attract thousands of visitors to the market each year. Passionate about mentorship, she
established a co-op program with Conestoga College, creating hands-on learning opportunities for students. Previously, at Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory, she introduced micro-weddings during the pandemic, pioneering a creative solution to evolving restrictions. Through innovation, strategic thinking, and community engagement, Shannon is making a lasting impact on the region’s tourism landscape.
Emma Jennings
Emma is the senior manager of the Resettlement Assistance Program at Reception House Waterloo Region. She and
her team support refugees in their initial phase of settlement. She has fostered partnerships with health, mental health, government, and social service providers to support the complex needs of refugees. Emma has also been a vocal advocate for the client's needs, most notably during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Afghan Resettlement Initiative. Since 2018, her work has intersected with issues of housing affordability. She has been a longtime member of the Immigration Partnership Housing Committee, spearheaded campaigns promoting renting to newcomers, and is currently the chair of a national housing committee focused on government-assisted refugees.
Faune Lang
Faune has demonstrated remarkable leadership and commitment to making a lasting impact in Waterloo
Region. As Executive Director at Food4Kids Waterloo Region, she has been instrumental in driving positive change, particularly through her work with Food4Kids Waterloo Region. Her efforts have directly contributed to providing essential nutrition to children in need, ensuring that no child goes hungry due to financial barriers.
Mikaela Lewis
Mikaela Lewis is a visionary entrepreneur and event director, renowned for her transformative impact on social dance communities. As founder of Remix Swing, she has created a dynamic, inclusive space where dancers connect and grow unlike anything else in KW. Mikaela concurrently owns four thriving businesses, each reflecting her dedication to
innovation and excellence. She is also the founder and event director of the Waterloo Open West Coast Swing
Championships, a world-level event debuting in Kitchener in February 2026 that will feature workshops, competitions,
social dancing, and a vibrant community program.
Robin Lindner
Robin Lindner is the young entrepreneur behind KW Famous. She has been curating experiences in our region and working for years to provide to provide opportunities for artists, makers and entrepreneurs with creative and unique ideas. Her signature events, KW Famous Holiday Pop-Up Shop and Vintagefest have become important opportunities for small retailers and crafters in our community. They are incredibly grateful to her and some make the majority of their sales during her events. In addition, Robin and her team experiment with new events and are always welcoming new ideas.
Rebecca Lyons
Rebecca Lyons is a trailblazer in the tech and business communities, known for her leadership in digital transformation, sales enablement and AI-driven HR innovation. As the CEO and founder of Orgpath and Exera Solutions, Rebecca is redefining how businesses harness technology to optimize operations and empower their teams. Beyond her
entrepreneurial ventures, Rebecca is deeply committed to supporting women in technology and leadership. She founded a virtual Women in Tech networking group, fostering meaningful connections and mentorship opportunities.
Lauren Martin
Lauren Martin is the founder of Cool Aunt Creatives. Cool Aunt Creatives is a community-driven business dedicated to
bringing play, community, and connection to adults through workshops, markets, and events. From hands-on craft nights to handmade markets, Cool Aunt Creatives provides a welcoming space for people to learn new skills, support local entrepreneurs, and build meaningful connections.
Saba Oji
Saba is a trailblazing product leader, researcher, and entrepreneur under 40 who is transforming the landscape of mental health care through innovation and community-rooted design. She is the founder of HolisticMindAI, a startup blending AI and human connection to bridge critical gaps in accessible mental health services. With a background in health sciences, AI, and community development, Saba has led interdisciplinary teams, built impactful digital tools, and driven systemic change across sectors. Her leadership inspires others—especially youth and women of colour—to lead boldly, build ethically, and create technologies that prioritize equity, care, and collective well-being.
Alicia Stuart
Alicia D. Stuart is a 39 year old lawyer working in Waterloo Region. She is born and raised in Kitchener, graduated top of her class from the University of Waterloo in 2009, and obtained her law degree (J.D.) from the University of Ottawa in 2012. She has been working for Harris Law (and its predecessor) since 2010. She qualifies as a young professional for the category of "Rising Star under 40".
Rochelle Williams
Rochelle Williams is a skilled young pastry chef and the founder of The Dessert Artist. After completing a formal
education from Humber college and nearly a decade of experience working for places like the Shangri-La Hotel and Lady Glaze Doughnuts, it was time to start her own thing. Rochelle identified a gap in the industry for Black representation and began to incorporate her Black heritage whenever possible; starting with a line of Black Excellence Cookies that highlight kinky hairstyles and positive Black messaging to creating a line of sweet and savoury Jamaican patties called Petite Patties.
Sanum Yousaf
As a stay-at-home mom, Sanum began her journey with a vision to create something unique. Combining her love of food and creativity, she founded a charcuterie business that quickly gained traction and acclaim. Through hard work, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence, Sanum has transformed her small start-up into a remarkable success story that continues to grow. Sanum is a role model for aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women, showing that it's possible to balance family life and build a successful business. Sanum's business has caught the attention of major high profile clients such as Conestoga College and has been featured on CTV Kitchener twice in the past 18 months.