vanguard under 40 Award
For demonstrating exceptional leadership potential and innovation while achieving significant professional and entrepreneurial accomplishments early in their career.
Award Presented By: Melissa Chatten and Rachel Bronzovich, Piller's Fine Foods
Rising Star under 40 NOMINEES
Christine Clark
Christine Clark started her career in broadcasting over 13 years ago and quickly rose through the ranks. She has been a news reporter, traffic lead, web editor, afternoon anchor - and now, the top of her field: a morning show anchor. She doesn’t just run the morning show, she’s also a team leader and mentor to many young professionals. Furthermore, Christine is a dedicated volunteer in local refugee relief efforts, girls’ hockey coach, Sunday school teacher, and a mom of three young kids. She is passionate about supporting families and fellow-hard working parents in Waterloo Region. Christine works with an RTDNA-award winning team and has consistently stood out for her work performance and talent.
Leighanne Evans
Leighanne is a News Anchor at CTV Kitchener, where she hosts and produces the 5 o’clock news, bringing local stories to life for the community. A proud Maritimer, Leighanne hails from St. John’s, N.L., and was raised in Cole Harbour, N.S. She holds a degree in Human Kinetics from Saint Francis Xavier University, where her passion for health, fitness, and sports first took root. It was her love of storytelling, however, that ultimately guided her toward a career in media. To further pursue her dreams, Leighanne moved to Toronto, where she earned a degree in Radio & Television Sports Broadcasting from the College of Sports Media. Leighanne’s career began with the Toronto Blue Jays, where she served as the in-game and event host. From there, she moved to Thunder Bay, where she anchored the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. weekday newscasts before making her way to CTV Kitchener, where she continues to connect with viewers every evening. Outside of work, Leighanne enjoys spending time outdoors with her rescue pup, Ruby, walking and exploring trails in Waterloo Region. She also enjoys working out, traveling, cooking, and spending quality time with friends and family. Leighanne speaks English and has conversational proficiency in French. A proud animal advocate, Leighanne rescued Ruby from the Guelph Humane Society after meeting her during a news assignment nearly 7 years ago.
Afra Fatima
At just 22 years old, Afra Fatima is an entrepreneur, educator, and community leader who began her journey at 17. She is the founder of ETERNA Beauty, a thriving brand and academy that has empowered over 500 women across Ontario to build their own businesses. Driven by resilience and purpose, Afra has expanded into a collaborative commercial space supporting fellow professionals. Beyond business, she contributes to global initiatives through the Think Pink Foundation. Her leadership is rooted in impact, innovation, and uplifting others, making her a powerful example of early success and a catalyst for the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Kathryn Gilezan
Kathryn is a dedicated nurse, educator, leader, and community advocate with 18 years of experience nursing in the Kitchener‑Waterloo region. Her diverse background in acute, community, and hospice palliative care shapes her holistic approach to supporting individuals, families, and organizations across the region. She completed her BScN and holds Certification in Hospice Palliative Nursing (Canada). As a Palliative Pain and Symptom Management Consultant, Kathryn mentors and educates healthcare providers in delivering evidence‑informed, person‑centred care. Honoured with the Hospice Leadership Award and the Silver Lining Award, she is recognized for fostering collaboration, building clinical confidence, and elevating palliative care across settings.
Chantelle Moore
With a 17-year career spanning the charitable and insurance sectors, Chantelle leads Gore Mutual’s nationally recognized Social Impact strategy; driving community, provincial and national impact. She has mobilized multi-sector collaborations including co-founding Canada’s Collaborative Funding Initiative and representing Gore as part of the Climate and Equity Lab. Previously, as Director of Development for the YMCAs of Three Rivers, she led the organization into the top five Y’s nationally for fundraising revenue. Chantelle is redefining social impact through bold, influential and collaborative strategies that deliver measurable community-driven outcomes across our Region and Canada.
Saba Oji
Saba Oji is a PhD candidate in Public Health at the University of Waterloo and Founder & CEO of HolisticMindAI, a Canadian health-tech company advancing the safe and ethical use of generative AI in mental health care. Her work focuses on reducing administrative burden for providers and extending access to care through provider-supervised AI chatbots, ensuring technology supports, not replaces, clinicians. She integrates research, product development, and community leadership across Waterloo Region, contributing to governance, policy discussions, and innovation ecosystems. Saba is committed to building practical, trustworthy AI systems that improve care quality while protecting vulnerable populations.
Amanda Pinto
Amanda Pinto, P.Eng., MEL is a Project Manager at Crozier Consulting Engineers. She specializes in land development and water resources engineering, leading a range of residential, commercial and institutional projects across southern Ontario. Amanda recently completed her Master of Engineering Leadership at the University of British Columbia, strengthening her expertise in water management and business leadership. Recognized as the University of Guelph’s Young Alumna of Honour and featured in the Linamar Women in STEM Calendar, Amanda is an active advocate for women in engineering through leadership roles with Professional Engineers Ontario, Crozier Consulting Engineers, and the Grand Highlands Home Builders’ Association.
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.
Bree Rossiar
Bree Rossiar is the owner of Live Fit Training Collective and a dedicated leader in fitness coaching. She oversees all aspects of the business, from operations and program development to personalized coaching, while fostering a strong and supportive community. Rising from coach to owner, Brittney has played a key role in the gym’s growth and success, empowering women to build confidence and achieve their personal goals. Known for her strategic leadership and positive energy, she creates a culture of accountability, encouragement, and continuous improvement. Having experienced her own transformation journey, Brittney connects authentically with members and inspires lasting impact.