Thirteen women who live or work in Surrey and Delta are among 94 nominees for the 2026 Women of Distinction Awards, hosted by YWCA BC at Vancouver’s Westin Bayshore on May 7.
In 12 categories, the annual awards celebrate individuals and organizations “whose outstanding contributions foster the well-being, strength and future of the Lower Mainland.”
The announcement of award finalists is timed with International Women’s Day.
Since 1984, more than 2,400 nominees have been honoured at the YWCA’s signature fundraising event. Early-bird tickets are sold for $339 on ywcabc.org/wod, or $379 after March 31.
In several categories, there are 11 Surrey-area Women of Distinction nominees for 2026 including Dr. Shelina Babul, Rachel Bahika Matembe, Sarah Bundy, Suhana Gill, Shivani Jeet, Dr. Prabhjot Kahlon, Dr. Reetinder Kaur, Sukhman Kaur Dhillon, Gurminder Kaur Malik, Sumreen Kaur Rattan and Lenya Wilks.
Two Delta nominees are Meena Amlani and Monika Jandu.
In the Health and Wellness category, Dr. Shelina Babul, the Director and Sports Injury Specialist with the BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit at BC Children’s Hospital, developed the Concussion Awareness Training Tool.
In Arts, Culture and Design, Rachel Matembe is nominated as creator of Museum of Surrey’s Celebrating Our Ugandan Heritage exhibit, champions representation, cultural celebration and understanding of Canadian Black history.
In Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Sarah Bundy, co-founder and CEO of Athena Collective, is recognized for addressing systemic gaps for women building businesses through mentorship, funding pathways and operational support.
In Young Woman of Distinction, Suhana Gill, Social Media Deputy Director, Climate Cardinals, helped expand the global youth network to over 16,000 volunteers in 134 countries, with work being translated into 105 languages.
In Young Woman of Distinction, Shivani Jeet, founder of Survivor Talks, hosts a podcast that creates a safe space to talk about sexual violence and mental health.
In Business and the Professions, Dr. Prabhjot Kahlon, the City of Surrey’s first Multicultural Lead, played a key role in creating the City’s first Multilingual Policy and enabling the translation of critical communication materials.
In Education, Training and Development, Dr. Reetinder Kaur, project director at UBC’s Kidney Transplant Research Program and Punjabi instructor at SFU, strives to improve access to patient education materials for Punjabi women.
In Young Woman of Distinction, Sukhman Dhillon, co-founder and lead instructor at Hands for Life Foundation, aims to increase community and newcomer access to CPR, first aid, and heart health education.
In Education, Training and Development, Gurminder Kaur Malik, Director of Education, Khalsa Schools of BC and Principal of Khalsa Secondary School, expanded educational programming and student services including school-based clinical counselling.
In Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Sumreen Rattan is the co-founder and COO of Moment Energy, a cleantech company transforming retired electric vehicle batteries into sustainable energy solutions.
In Non-profit, Lenya Wilks, Director of Community Inclusion, Health and Equity at DIVERSEcity Community Resources, leads initiatives that strengthen newcomer integration, champion mental health and support gender-based violence survivors.
In Non-profit, Delta’s Meena Amlani, executive director of ASK Friendship Society, leads innovative programs supporting seniors and caregivers and advocates through provincial discussions on aging and accessibility.
In Young Woman of Distinction, Monika Jandu, co-founder of Young Minds Exploring Science, has reached more than 100 youth, engaging them in in science, technology and math programs without any financial barriers.
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Here’s the full list of 2026 WOD nominees:
Arts, Culture & Design
Kate Armstrong, Artist, Writer, Curator and Cultural Leader
Rachel Bahika Matembe, Founder and Director of Celebrating our Ugandan Heritage Exhibit
Neesha Hothi, Founder and CEO, Neesh Communications
Marta Kasha, Founder and Artistic Director, Mriya Ukrainian Dance Ensemble
Barbara Lee, Founder and President, Vancouver Asian Film Festival
Steffanie Love, Co-Founder, Astro Club Artist Facility & Opal Projects Inc.
Carly Steiman, Founder, Tradeswomen Exhibit
Camilla Tibbs, Executive Director, Pacific Screenwriting Program
Lynn Yingying Liu, Founder and President, Canada International Arts and Music Society
Business & the Professions
Mandy Bhullar, Director, External Advisory and Policy at Lululemon
Dr. Prabhjot Kahlon, Multicultural Media Lead, City of Surrey
Lilian Kan, Senior Director, Housing Strategy at Canada Lands Company
Elva Kim, Chief Operating Officer, Anthem Properties Group and President, Anthem Realty
Caterina Papadakos, Partner, Fort Capital
Kam Raman, Regional Head, Retail Markets at RBC
Shannon Salter, K.C., Deputy Minister, Office of the Premier and King’s Counsel
Parinaaz Udwadia, Director, HR Consulting at Seaspan ULC
Selena Woo, Vice President, Private Wealth at Nicola Wealth
Community Champion
Jenn Dawkins, President, Fire Service Women of BC
Christie Garofalo, Co-Chair, Smash Out Vancouver and Board Director, Arts Umbrella
Kasondra Herrendorf Cohen, Founder and CEO, Face of Today Foundation
Crystal Hung, Founder and CEO, Icon Marketing
Queen Auntie Jacky, Founder and Executive Director, African Friendship Society
Julia Kim, Former Chair, BC Children’s Hospital Foundation’s Board of Directors
Candace Knoll, Founder and President, Junior Black Achievement Awards Society
Danielle Main, Co-Founder, Leash of Hope Assistance Dogs
Lana Marks Pulver, Board Chair, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver
Amber Moon, Youth Advisory Member, Vancouver Aboriginal Child & Family Services Society
Paola Murillo, Founder and Executive Director, Latincouver Cultural and Business Society
Carey Tśisxamia McBeth, Founder and CEO, HERO DAWGS Pet Therapy Society
Liliia Ratushna, Co-organizer, UA Rally – Voice of Ukraine
Friba Rezayee, Executive Director, Women Leaders of Tomorrow
Vanessa Wideski, Founder, Low Entropy
Education, Training & Development
Sitora Azimova, Vice-President, Administration, University Canada West
Dr. Kathy Denton, President and CEO, Douglas College
Dr. Paris-Ann Ingledew, Executive Vice-President, Provincial Health Services Authority & Chief Medical Officer, BC Cancer
Dr. Reetinder Kaur, Project Director, UBC Kidney Transplant Research Program and Instructor at SFU
Gurminder Kaur Malik, Director of Education and Principal, Khalsa Secondary School
Dr. Renisa Mawani, UBC Professor of Sociology and Canada Research Chair (Tier I), Colonial Legal Histories
Dr. Anita Palepu, Professor and Head, UBC Department of Medicine
Tamara E. Pongracz, Department Head, Trades Access, BCIT
Stephanie Redivo, Employee Experience & Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Director, TransLink
Dr. Tricia Tang, Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of Experimental Medicine Program, UBC
Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Sarah Bundy, Co-Founder and CEO, Athena Collective
Marissa Grootes, CEO, STIL Classics
Carla Guerrera, Founder and CEO, Purpose Driven Development
Simran Kang, Founder and CEO, MyFO
Sumreen Kaur Rattan, Co-Founder and COO, Moment Energy
Jennifer Zhang, Founder and CEO, Concrete Cashmere
Environmental Sustainability
Maura Brown, Department Head, Medical Imaging, BC Cancer
Angie Lamarsh, Head of Sustainability, Personal and Commercial Banking, RBC
Christine Rigby, Manager, Climate Action and Air Quality, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
Marnie Wu, Director, Commercial Network Operations, HTEC
Health & Wellness
Dr. Shelina Babul, Director and Sports Injury Specialist, BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit
Dr. Lesa Dawson, Founder and Director, Gynecologic Cancer Prevention and Survivorship Program
Jessica t’łisala Guss, Lead, Strategic Initiatives, Indigenous Health, Health Quality BC Constance
Lynn Hummel, Clinical Psychotherapist, Constance Lynn Consulting
Dr. Brenda Lau, Medical Director, Changepain Clinic
Sally-Anne Stelling, Co-Director, BC Brain Wellness Program and Senior Physiotherapist
Non-Profit
Meena Amlani, Executive Director, ASK Friendship Society
Kim Bartley, President of the Board, ALANO Club of Vancouver
Amanda Burrows, Executive Director, First United Church Community Ministry Society
Lilian Chau, CEO, Entre Nous Femmes Housing Society
Kristina Corpin-Moser, Executive Director, Filipino BC
Hajar Masoud, Chief Strategy Officer, Atira Women’s Resource Society
Martina Meckova, Executive Director, Beedie Luminaries
Denise Praill, CEO, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice
Andrea Seale, CEO, Canadian Cancer Society
Lenya Wilks, Director, Community Inclusion, Health and Equity, DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society
Outstanding Workplace
BC Infrastructure Benefits Inc. Concert Properties
Greater Vancouver Food Bank Illuma Law Corporation Microserve
Parq Casino
White Canvas Design Agency
Reconciliation
Winnie Rufaro Chironga, Director of Equity, Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC
Jayme Gabriel-Chan, Process and Knowledge Mobilization Specialist, Law Foundation of BC
Paromita (Mita) Naidu, Director of Content Strategy, BC Housing
Dr. Amy Parent, Sigidmnak Noxs Ts’aawit, Associate Professor, Simon Fraser University
Tracy Ridler, Founder and CEO, The Centre for Native Nation Builders
Dr. Krista Stelkia, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University
Denise Williams, Principal, Kinship Studio
Anne Zhong, Manager, Indigenous Relations and Community Engagement, TELUS
Research, Sciences & Technology
Dr. Mariana Brussoni, Director of the Human Early Learning Partnership and Professor at UBC’s Department of Pediatrics
Kathryn Hayashi, Former President and CEO of TRIUMF Innovations
Dr. Honglin Luo, Professor at UBC’s Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Department and Centre for Heart Lung Innovation
Young Woman of Distinction
Oluchi Adesuwa Flourish Aiwize, Former Acting Vice-President and Fundraising Coordinator, Junior Black Achievement Awards Youth Council
Suhana Gill, Social Media Deputy Director, Climate Cardinals
Chloe Goodison, Founder and Executive Director, NaloxHome Society
Monika Jandu, Co-Founder, Young Minds Exploring Science
Shivani Jeet, Founder, Survivor Talks
Sukhman Kaur Dhillon, Co-Founder and Lead Instructor, Hands for Life Foundation
Rachel Wei, Fundraising Concert Organizer, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice