WCT Annual Leadership Awards Recognize Champions of Closing the Gender Gap

OTTAWA, March 8^th, 2018.

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 Canadian communications, media and technology industries.

“It is an honour to recognize these winners as leaders in Canada’s digital industries,” says Michelle Magwood, national chair of WCT and Senior Finance Director at Rogers. “They are champions of change who inspire others to unite to close the gender gap. Communications and technology are fiercely competitive and innovation-driven industries where women still represent less than 27% of the workforce and 9% of leaders in the C-suite.   It’s time to change those numbers.”

With women so under-represented in Canada’s digital industries, a key strategy of WCT is to highlight the achievements of those women who have made significant contributions in Canada’s digital economy. Research shows that without role models, young women and girls are up to 32% less likely to aspire to reach leadership roles themselves.

This year, WCT is proud to recognize truly incredible women – trailblazers in broadcasting, in telecommunications for rural communities, and in cybersecurity. But it is equally important to recognize the efforts of men, and also of organizations, who champion diversity in the workplace

“We cannot let the burden of equality fall solely on the shoulders of women,” says Joanne Stanley, executive director of WCT. “It takes champions and a network of support to truly effect change and close the gender gap. For this reason, it is important to recognize organizations that encourage girls to go into STEM, companies that demonstrate inclusiveness, and men who advance and promote women.”

The awards will be presented at WCT’s Annual Awards Gala on April 16^th at Ottawa’s Fairmont Chateau Laurier. The must-attend event draws over 400 high-profile public and private sector leaders for a night of celebrating diversity in Canada.

The 2017 Annual Leadership Awards recipients are:

Woman of the Year:Sylvie Courtemanche, Chair, Canadian Broadcast Standards Council,

Company of the Year: Cogeco Connexion

Leadership Excellence Awards:

Trailblazer: Zainul Mawji, Vice-President, Home Solutions and Complementary Channels, TELUS,

Innovator: Willa Black, Vice-president, Corporate Affairs, Cisco,

Mentor: Bonnie Brownlee, Executive Director, Communications, Marketing, Brand and Research, CBC,

WCT Leader: Laurie Hause, Chief Information Officer & Director of Marketing, McKenzie Lake Lawyers, LLP

Technology Innovator    Mina Chan, Director, Technology Development Video, Rogers,

Rising Star, Fatima Khalid, Developer, Digital Echidna

Diversity Champion, Geoff Poulton, President, Vista Radio

Public Sector Leadership, Brigadier-General Frances Allen, Department of National Defence

Empowerment: Techsploration

For more information, contact Mathea Stevens at mstevens [at] wct-fct.com
Purchase your ticket to the WCT 2018 Annual Awards Gala or reserve a table for your organization by emailing us at awards [at] wct-fct.com">awards [at] wct-fct.com

About Women in Communications and Technology
Women in Communications and Technology (WCT) is a national association committed to advancing women in Canadian communications, media and technology. WCT inspires and engages women from coast to coast through professional development programming, networking, mentorship and opportunities to recognize achievements in Canada’s digital economy.