YWCA Women of Distinction Awards
2018 winners announced. Find story and photos
Leaders, builders, advocates and mentors: some of the community’s best and brightest were honoured Thursday night by the YWCA Hamilton at the 2018 Women of Distinction Awards.
The ceremony, on International Women’s Day, was held at a gala at the Hamilton Convention Centre by Carmen’s. Here are this year’s recipients:
Chelsea Mackinnon Young Woman of Distinction
A passionate, intelligent advocate for the role of music in health care, Mackinnon was honoured for her commitment to reducing isolation and loneliness in seniors through her research and volunteerism.
Marlaise Dawson Arts/Culture/Design
A vibrant community builder and artist advocate, Dawson was a trailblazer in the local art scene in 1995. She has collaborated, mentored and celebrated artists of visual art, literature, poetry, music, film, theatre and at local art schools.
Erin Dunham
Business Leadership/Entrepreneurship
The CEO of The Other Bird, Dunham is part of the team behind a group of restaurants designed to offer interesting culinary experiences. Dunham has published two novels and enjoys painting and sitting back with a glass of red wine and a cigar.
Grace Mater Community Leadership
Through her many years of public service, Mater’s influence was felt through her innovative approaches to child care expansion and modernization that reduced wait times for those needing financial assistance for child care, and leading the creation of the Children and Youth Charter of Rights.
Dr. Kimberley Dej Education
An associate professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Science at McMaster University, Dej, who is generous and genuine and humble, is the consummate teacher, innovator, leader and “science whisperer” to students and colleagues.
Alectra Utilities Outstanding Workplace
The company is shaping the future, equipped to discover the possibilities of energy conservation and new technologies to enhance the quality of life for customers and be a trusted ally in the rapidly changing world of energy.
Kathy Lerette Science/Technology/Trades
Senior vicepresident of business transformation at Alectra Utilities, Lerette has led engineering, operations and construction divisions and been a champion of continuous improvement.
Dr. Jill Wiwcharuk Health
A long history of working with marginalized populations in Canada and abroad, Wiwcharuk has worked with children of leprosy sufferers in India and the homeless in Holland. She works as an ER physician at Brantford General Hospital.
Anju Joshi Lifetime Achievement
A remarkable educator and mentor, Joshi has made contributions over 33 years to help make Hamilton a more caring and inclusive community. An associate professor at McMaster University in health, aging and society, she is also a founding member of the Hamilton Council on Aging.