2012 Women of Distinction Nominees

YWCA Metro Vancouver is pleased to announce 71 extraordinary nominees for its 29th annual Women of Distinction Awards.

This year’s nominees are:

Arts, Culture & Design

Daina Augaitis - Chief Curator and Associate Director, Vancouver Art Gallery
Louise Cecil – Founder of Choreographer’s Circle, The Dance Centre Society
Violet Goosen - General Manager, Vancouver Chamber Choir
Allyson Grant - Founder & Artistic Director, Jest for Joy Clown-Doctoring Foundation
Chen Lizra - Founder, Latidos Productions

For more information on these nominees, click here.

Business & the Professions

Molly Mason-Boule - Senior Director of Content & Platform Development, Electronic Arts
Sandy Gerber - Founder & CEO, NEXT Marketing Agency Inc.
Patricia Graham - Vice-President of Digital, Pacific Newspaper Group
Sandra Hentzen - Executive Vice President, Human Resources, Translink
Glenda Ouellette - Vice President, Broker Distribution, ICBC

For more information on these nominees, click here.

Community Building

Ginny Dennehy - Co-Founder, The Kelty Patrick Dennehy Foundation
Cindy Dobbe, Dolores Elliott, Deborah Grimm - Founders, The Looking Glass Foundation
Katy Harandi - President & Chair of the Board, PALS Autism School Society
Ashnoor Nagji - Founder, BELIEF
Vicki Potter - Leader, Anglicans of West Point Grey Neighbourhood Ministry
Penny Priddy - Vice-President, Children of the Street Society
Jennifer Wade - Founding Member, Amnesty International (Vancouver Chapter)

For more information on these nominees, click here.

Education, Training & Development

Natacha Beim - Founder & CEO, Core Education & Fine Arts (cefa)
Melinda Giampietro - Owner, Options Solutions
Diane Nelson - District Principal, Premier Sports Academies
Valerie Overgaard - Associate Superintendent for Learning Services, Vancouver School District
Kimberly Schonert-Reichl - Professor of Education, UBC
Tracy Theemes - Principal, Sophia Financial Group (Raymond James)
Anna Tudela - Vice-President of Regulatory Affairs and Corporate Secretary, Goldcorp
France Vachon - Director of Studies, Collège Éducacentre
Catherine Vertesi - Vice President, International, External Relations and New Initiatives, Capilano University

For more information on these nominees, click here.

Entrepreneurship

Sandee Krause - Owner, Krause Berry Farms & Estate Winery
Amielle Lake - Founder and CEO, Tagga Media, Member of the board, Kids Upfront & Digi BC
Zahra Mamdani - President, Wear Else
Lisa Martin - Founder & CEO, Lisa Martin International
Evi Mustel - President, Mustel Group
Trish Sare – Founder & Director, BikeHike Adventures
Andrea Scott - Co-Founder, skoah
Nicole Stefenelli – Founder & CEO, Urban Impact Recycling Ltd.
Cathy Watters - Co-Owner and Editor, Entrepreneurial Woman Magazine

For more information on these nominees, click here.

Environmental Sustainability

Jude Grass - Naturalist
Jacqueline Koerner – Founding Chair, Ecotrust Canada
Janet Moore - Assistant Professor, Centre for Dialogue, Simon Fraser University
Louise Schwarz - Founder, Recycling Alternative
Lisa von Sturmer - Founder & CEO, Growing City
Elaine Willis – Environmental & Social Advocate

For more information on these nominees, click here.

Health, Wellness & Active Living

Kristine Chambers - Founder & Head Coach, Exceleration Multisport Club
Rainy Kent – Coordinator, Health & Wellness Programs
Karen Magnussen – 1973 World Champion & 1972 Olympic Silver Medalist
Ann Meraw - Professional Swimmer & Coach, Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation
Laura Patrick - Founder, Kids Physio Group

For more information on these nominees, click here.

Non-Profit & Public Service

Wendy Au - Assistant City Manager, City of Vancouver
Yael Cohen - Founder & CEO, F Cancer
Denise Coutts - Executive Director, Pacific Parklands Foundation
Joanne Curry - Founding Director, Simon Fraser University Surrey
Maninder Dhaliwal - Board Member, Big Sisters
Sue Griffin - President & CEO, BC Sports Hall of Fame
Debi Hewson - President & CEO, Odlum Brown Limited
Karin Kirkpatrick - Registrar & CEO, PCTIA (Private Career Training Institutions Agency of British Columbia)
Catherine Roome - President & CEO, BC Safety Authority
Rachel Tutte - Co-Chair, BC Health Coalition

For more information on these nominees, click here.

Science, Research, & Innovation

Brenda Bailey-Gershkovitch, Kirsten Forbes - Founders, Silicon Sisters Interactive Inc.
Iona Fisher - Senior Project Manager, MDA Systems Ltd.
Patricia Janssen - Professor, University of British Columbia School of Population and Public Health
Yvonne Lefebvre - Vice President Research & Academic Affairs at Providence Health Care
Dianne Miller – Head, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, VGH & UBC
Shannon Susko - President, DST Subserveo

For more information on these nominees, click here.

Young Woman of Distinction

Sunpreet Bains-Dahia - Student in Doctor of Dental Medicine Program, UBC
Michelle Chiu - Student, Sauder School of Business UBC
Salina Dharamsi – World Vision Youth Ambassador
Alison Lee – Medical Student, UBC
Tara Teng – Modern-day slavery abolitionist
Hope Wang – Aspiring Communication Specialist

For more information on these nominees, click here.

Innovative Workplace

BC Children's Hospital Foundation
SAP Canada
TELUS