About | WIL

black%20woman%20doors_edited.jpg

2021 Schedule Released

VIDEO BLOG

Pelin Kaya chats with Mercedes Speer, Chief Data Officer of International Banking at Scotiabank

VIDEO BLOG

Nadia Van talks with Miin Alikhan about taking on newly created "first-generation" roles with no roadmap.

THANK YOU!

COOKING FOR KIDS

Maya, Lorna and Susie from WIL all participated in the David Rocco's fundraiser cooking event, which raised over $45,000 for Sick Kids hospitals across Canada.

Video Blog

FEATURED CAREERS

CAREER POSTING

DIVISION DIRECTOR

Several Regions

Lead, coach and grow your practice in an entrepreneurial environment where you define your success.

CAREER POSTING

PROGRAM MANAGER

Pan-Canadian Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Bus Demonstration & Integration Trial with leading transit agencies across Canada.

CAREER POSTING

SR MANAGER USEP Alliance

This position leads and provides overall management and oversight to the specified corridor capital infrastructure projects from concept to completion, ensuring ...

EMPLOYER

At IBM, work is more than a job—it's a calling. To build. To design. To code. To consult. To think along with clients and sell. To make markets. To invent. To collaborate.

CAREER POSTING

Consultant - Incidence

Response & Proactive Services

The candidate will provide consulting services in an exciting and growing security delivery organization within IBM across several security domains.

EMPLOYER

Nature’s Path is a family-run, independent, privately owned company.

We believe in the idea that you can come to work, and help make the world a better place in the same day.

Over 50,000+ Women participants in our Programs

BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF LEADERSHIP

Founded in 2001, Women In Leadership Foundation (WIL) delivers inspirational programs that bring women together to collaborate in the development of their leadership skills & creates positive change in the future of women’s leadership.

VISION

Advancing women in leadership while celebrating the contributions women make in the private and publice sector.

VALUES

Celebration - We are a dynamic group of people passionate about inspiring women to be their best and celebrating their unique talents and successes.

Relevant - We are dedicated to showcasing authentic female role models in a wide variety of sectors.

Collaborative - We bring individuals, companies and organizations together to create positive change.

Mentorship - We believe that we all can learn from, inspire and encourage each other through all stages of our lives.

WIL TEAM

Susie has been instrumental in creating a sustainable Chapter that continues to surprise us with their achievements. Susie works as a Technical Advisor at Bruce Power. Email

MAYA KANIGAN

Founder & President

Maya Kanigan, a UVIC commerce grad following her life’s passion she founded WIL at the age of 28. For Maya, WIL was created because she saw more potential in the women around her then they saw in themselves. She believed that featuring female role models and women’s success stories would inspire others and make a difference in the lives of the next generation. Email

Susie has been instrumental in creating a sustainable Chapter that continues to surprise us with their achievements. Susie works as a Technical Advisor at Bruce Power. Email

david mossman.png

DAVID MOSSMAN

Program Director

David has volunteered and worked for WIL from the beginning. He is dedicated to the advancement of women and has run many of WIL's labor market projects. He has an extensive tech and philanthropic background. Email

Susie has been instrumental in creating a sustainable Chapter that continues to surprise us with their achievements. Susie works as a Technical Advisor at Bruce Power. Email

BINA KAMATH

Calgary Chapter

Executive Director

Bina is the Calgary Executive Director for Women in Leadership Foundation and a member of the Diversity Board for KNOW Tribe Corporate (a US based for-profit organization). She is passionate about empowering women to achieve personal and professional growth and is currently working on developing a mentorship program in an effort to reach remote rural communities. Email

Susie has been instrumental in creating a sustainable Chapter that continues to surprise us with their achievements. Susie works as a Technical Advisor at Bruce Power. Email

1302201116 Julie Potter 5x7@300dpi.jpg

JULIE POTTER

Victoria Chapter

Co-Chair

Julie specializes in public engagement and strategic communications. She has a passion for creating community and transformative change. Email

Susie has been instrumental in creating a sustainable Chapter that continues to surprise us with their achievements. Susie works as a Technical Advisor at Bruce Power. Email

Farhana 11x11.png

FARHANA MAHBUB

Toronto Chapter

Chapter Chair

Farhana Mahbub, Toronto Chapter Board Chair is a Director at RBC Capital Markets, is a delivery-oriented professional who is passionate about transformational change and developing world-class implementation capabilities. Email

Susie has been instrumental in creating a sustainable Chapter that continues to surprise us with their achievements. Susie works as a Technical Advisor at Bruce Power. Email

SUSIE HO.jpg

SUSIE HO

Ottawa Chapter

Chair

Susie has been instrumental in creating a sustainable Chapter that continues to surprise us with their achievements. Susie works as a Technical Advisor at Bruce Power. Email

Susie has been instrumental in creating a sustainable Chapter that continues to surprise us with their achievements. Susie works as a Technical Advisor at Bruce Power. Email

linda mota.jpg

LINDA MOTA

Montreal Chapter Chair

Linda Mota, Montreal Chapter Chair, is a Senior HR Consultant and Founder of Topanga HR who is passionate about helping clients implement HR strategies and structure to help grow their business successfully. Linda is also certified Leadership Coach, coaching women in leadership, executives and high-potential employees on achieving objectives, clarifying goals and overcoming challenges to unlock their potential.

Susie has been instrumental in creating a sustainable Chapter that continues to surprise us with their achievements. Susie works as a Technical Advisor at Bruce Power. Email

MAUREEN MCKINNON

Vancouver Chapter

Co-Chair

Maureen is delightful to work with and brings a great leadership background to the Vancouver Chapter. As a Career Strategist she helps people solve challenges at work to assist and empower talented executives and professionals to take charge of and successfully advance their careers. Email

Susie has been instrumental in creating a sustainable Chapter that continues to surprise us with their achievements. Susie works as a Technical Advisor at Bruce Power. Email

DIMAH KHALILI

Advisory Board

National Strategy

An MBA Strategic Planning and Integrated Communications leader with over 15 years of experience helping organizations to bring their brands and missions to life, through compelling stories and well-developed strategies using creativity, innovation, design thinking and project management skills. Profile

Susie has been instrumental in creating a sustainable Chapter that continues to surprise us with their achievements. Susie works as a Technical Advisor at Bruce Power. Email

Kelly Woida.jpg

KELLY WOIDA

Vancouver Chapter

Co-Chair

Kelly brings her positive leadership style to the Vancouver Chapter and as Co-Chair she has helped the team have success in all its programming. Kelly is a Project Manager at Sonepar Canada managing major projects. Email

Susie has been instrumental in creating a sustainable Chapter that continues to surprise us with their achievements. Susie works as a Technical Advisor at Bruce Power. Email

HEATHER van MUNSTER

Victoria Chapter

Co-Chair

Heather is a compassionate and empathetic leader with a passion for people, projects, and change.

She is a certified PMP with a proven track record for seamlessly orchestrating complex projects with a natural ability to facilitate, coordinate and synergize teams.. Email

Susie has been instrumental in creating a sustainable Chapter that continues to surprise us with their achievements. Susie works as a Technical Advisor at Bruce Power. Email

denise young.jpg

DENISE YOUNG

Okanagan Chapter Chair

Denise brings her strong leadership, marketing and facilitating background to help establish the first Kelowna Chapter. Her warm and inclusive personality makes her shine. Email

Susie has been instrumental in creating a sustainable Chapter that continues to surprise us with their achievements. Susie works as a Technical Advisor at Bruce Power. Email

liz williams.jpg

ELIZABETH WILLIAMS

Advisory Board

Recruitment & Employers

Liz is a long supporter of WIL and is a Senior Leader in Talent Acquisition. Champion of change, passionate in creating effective talent acquisition teams and dedicated to ensuring full utilization of human resources in a cost-effective manner. Profile

Susie has been instrumental in creating a sustainable Chapter that continues to surprise us with their achievements. Susie works as a Technical Advisor at Bruce Power. Email

LORNA HOWIESON

Advisory Board

Ambassador

Lorna is the Senior Director, Global Facilities and Administration at IMAX. She has a MBA with progressive experience in project management, administration, human resources, facilities, and finance. Email

Susie has been instrumental in creating a sustainable Chapter that continues to surprise us with their achievements. Susie works as a Technical Advisor at Bruce Power. Email

JANICE DETTA COTTI

Ambassador

Past Vice Chair - Board of Directors

Janice has been a key leader at WIL and on the Board of Directors since 2013. Janice provides valuable insight into managing the organization and a great sense of humour. Janice's company "Board Flight Paths" helps Executives and companies with board of director development. Email

HISTORY

WIL was formed in 2001, by Maya Kanigan in Victoria, BC. Maya was a recent UVIC Commerce Grad and was working on a BC Govt. Labor Market Project in Tech and noticed there were very few women speaking at major industry conferences. Doing some research she realizes the lack of women in leadership roles across most sectors.

Maya started the Foundation with a mandate to showcase role models and help more women become leaders. The first program was a University Train Tour sponsored by VIA Rail that visited 22 Universities from coast to coast. The program featured a career forum with women leaders speaking and employers recruiting women.

The next few years WIL ran Women Career Forums across Canada and started doing Labour Market Projects (LMP's) for all 3 levels of Govt. with emphasis on attraction/ retention of women in non-traditional sectors.

In the late 2000's WIL piloted a Mentorship program, ran several large Indigenous Women Leaders Forums, fund raising Galas (always great fun) and more LMP's.

In 2013 WIL created Chapters to help support programs in those major centres. Calgary was one of the first Chapters and they introduced the North American Women in Energy Forum. In 2016 we started holding Tech Forums at all the Chapters. Currently there are 6 Chapter cities and our mentorship program has seen nearly 2000 women graduates!

CONTACT US

Kelowna, BC

Tel: 1-250-764-0009