WCT Annual Leadership Awards Recognize Canada's Rising Stars in Closing the Gender Gap
OTTAWA, March 7, 2019 /CNW/ - Women in Communications and Technology (WCT) announced today the recipients of their prestigious Leadership Excellence Awards, which recognize women, men and organizations committed to diversity and closing the gender gap in Canada's information, broadcast, communications, media and technology industries.
With less than 27 per cent of women represented in Canada's knowledge-based economy, celebrating the contributions and achievements of women is a critical element in closing the gender gap. Without role models, young women are up to 32 per cent less likely to aspire to leadership roles.
The theme for International Women's Day this year is #BalanceforBetter, calling for gender balance in the boardroom, government, media, and workforce. WCT is a national professional association which for 28 years has been working towards gender parity and the advancement of women in their careers in Canada's innovation economy.
"Every year, WCT recognizes the rising stars who inspire others to unite to close the gender gap," says Joanne Stanley, Executive Director of WCT. "Communications and technology are fiercely competitive and innovation-driven industries where women still comprise only nine per cent of leaders in the C-suite. It's time to change those numbers and propel women into leadership positions."
CGI is the presenting sponsor of the 2019 Annual Awards and Gala. "It is an honour to recognize these winners as leaders in Canada's digital industries," says Lisa Carroll, Senior Vice-President at CGI. "It takes champions and a network of support to truly effect change. CGI is proud to recognize women's achievements, as well as those of the organizations that inspire girls to go into STEM, the companies that demonstrate and promote inclusiveness, and the men who support the advancement of women."
The awards will be presented at WCT's Annual Awards Gala on May 1st, 2019 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. The must-attend event draws over 450 high-profile public and private sector leaders for a night of celebrating diversity in Canada.
The 2019 Annual Leadership Awards recipients are:
Woman of the Year: |
Rola Dagher, President, Cisco Systems Canada |
Company of the Year: |
Aboriginal People's Television Network |
Leadership Excellence Awards: |
|
Trailblazer |
Anuja Sheth, Vice President, Business Networks and Supply Chain, Bell Canada |
Innovator |
Johanne Hinse, Vice President, Programming and Community Relations, Cogeco Connexion Inc. |
Mentor |
Caroline Gayle, Managing Director of Technology for Financial Services, Accenture |
Rising Star |
Sarah Ryan, Program Director, Brilliant Labs |
Diversity Champions |
Rekha Rao-Mayya, Country Manager, GSI/SI Services Partners, Microsoft Canada |
Dr. Andrew Rau-Chaplin, Dean, Faculty of Computer Science, Dalhousie University |
|
Entrepreneur |
Zainab Muse, CEO & Founder, Wingd |
Empowerment |
Canadian Association for Girls in Science |
WCT Leaders |
National Capital Region, led by Sally Douglas, Principal, Earnscliffe and |
For more information, contact Mathea Stevens at [email protected] (French version is available)
To purchase your ticket to the WCT 2019 Annual Awards Gala or reserve a table for your organization, contact us at: [email protected]
About Women in Communications and Technology
Women in Communications and Technology (WCT) is a national association committed to advancing women in Canadian information, communications, media and technology. WCT inspires and engages women from coast to coast through professional development programs, networking and events, mentorship and opportunities to recognize achievements in Canada's digital economy.
SOURCE Canadian Women in Communications & Technology
Mathea Stevens, [email protected]
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