mENTORS
Join our mentorship workshops with experienced mentors—entrepreneurs and leaders that are passionate about helping you grow your ideas to reality.
#shemeets mentorship workshops support the need for mentorship among women entrepreneurs by providing specialized mentors and group mentorship sessions.
Our mentors are female founders and creators who represent a variety of lived experiences, industries, backgrounds and business life stages with demonstrated success. Below are some of
#shemeets mentorship workshops support the need for mentorship among women entrepreneurs by providing specialized mentors and group mentorship sessions.
Our mentors are female founders and creators who represent a variety of lived experiences, industries, backgrounds and business life stages with demonstrated success. Below are some of
Elise Ahenkorah
Founder + ED for #shemeets Founder and Inclusion Strategist for inclusion FACTOR Marketing and Communication Specialist, UCalgary Works in: Higher education, D&I and social innovation industries Can advise in: Strategic planning, leadership, entrepreneurship, branding, sales and public speaking Elise also speaks: Twi (Ghana) and French Cool facts about Elise: Elise is the first Black Pride Executive in Alberta's history and has secured paid speaking gigs in Canada and the US. Her work as an inclusion strategist has been recognized by the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion as the 2019 Community Contributor Award recipient. Also, she founded #shemeets. |
Diella Ocran
Founder + ED for Empowered Movement YYC Founder and Lead Designer for Designs by Diella Founder of Kr8tive Management Works in: Arts, entertainment and fashion industries Can advise in: Leadership, creative thinking, fashion design, social enterprises and entrepreneurship Diella also speaks: Twi (Ghana) Cool fact about Diella: Diella leads an international social enterprise (Kr8tive Management) that supports equitable payment and entrepreneurial skills training for artists in Canada and Ghana. She also leads a local health conscious enterprise — Empowered Movement. |
Salima Stanley-Bhanji
CEO of Humainologie /Calgary Centre for Global Community Works in: Law, non-profit and retail. Can advise in: Non-profit leadership, entrepreneurship, law and filmaking. Cool facts about Salima: Salima is a lawyer, filmmaker and owns a local retail store. She has also ran several half marathons (including two barefoot) and a full marathon. |
Anila Umar Lee Yuen
CEO of Centre for Newcomers Works in: Non profit sector Can advise in: Non-profit leadership, strategic planning and public speaking. Cool facts about Anila: Anila was recognized as an Avenue Calgary Top 40 under 40 recipient. Also, at 23 she received a Governor General’s award for her work with the Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth and the Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association. |
Ifeoma Ngwudike
Accounting and Student Affairs Professional, Bow Valley College Works in: Education Can advise in: Budgeting, strategic planning, public speaking, leadership and project management. Ifeoma also speaks: Ibo (Nigeria) Cool facts about Ifeoma: She has contributed to the community as a board treasurer for Calgary Fireworks Society (GlobalFest), board treasurer for LinkAges Society Calgary, community income tax preparer, Calgary Immigrant Women Association — and now as a #shemeets mentor. |
Heidi J. T. Exner, JD/MBA Candidate
Research Associate, UCalgary and Executive Director, Exner Foundation for Academic Excellence in Law and Business Works in: Academic research/education and non-profit Can advise in: Entrepreneurship, community leadership and strategic planning. Cool facts about Heidi: She is the Founder & Executive Director for the Exner Foundation, which promotes research in the understudied areas of white-collar crime, elite deviance, and business ethics. She has previously served as: Co-Founder & Director (Operations) for Finesse Wealth Management Society; and Director (Development) for the Instrumental Society of Calgary. |
Vishu Mahajan
Creative Director, University of Calgary (professional portfolio) Works in: Education Can advise in: Leadership, creativity, branding Vishu also speaks: Hindi Cool facts about Vishu: Vishu aka the "Pantone Princess" leads the University of Calgary's creative team in designing an international brand for one of Canada's top educational institutions. Her work has been featured in Swerve Magazine. |
Sue-Shane Tsomondo
Community Engagement Professional, University of Calgary Works in: Education Can advise in: Community building, art and diversity and inclusion Sue-Shane also speaks: Shona, Ndebele and Intermediate French Cool facts about Sue-Shane: During her time as a student at the UCalgary, Sue-Shane volunteered with the Women’s Resource Centre. She was the Co-Team Lead for the Events and Education Volunteer Team. At the end of her term, she was awarded the Sheila O’Brien Excellence in Leadership Award, becoming the first black student to receive this award. |
Su Ying Strang
(Photo credit: Nicole Kelly Westman) Director, The New Gallery Works in: Creative economy and the arts Can advise in: Leadership, creativity, art entrepreneurship Cool facts about Su: Her recent accomplishments and awards include Strang’s participation in the Banff Centre’s Cultural Leadership Program, where she was selected as part of the program’s inaugural cohort in 2017; her appointment to Avenue magazine's Top 40 Under 40 Class of 2018 in Calgary; and receiving a 2018 AUArts Alumni Horizon Award. |
Lourdes Juan
Director, Hive Developments Founder, Leftovers Foundation Works in: Urban planning and social entrepreneurship Can advise in: Leadership, social entrepreneurship, urban planning, strategic planning Cool facts about Lordes: Her work and career accomplishments have received multiple accolades, including being part of Avenue’s Top 40 Under 40 Class of 2013, entrepreneur feature in Business in Calgary and Alberta Venture magazines, CBC's Top 10 Changemakers, L’Oreal Paris’ Women of Worth award, Culbert Philanthropy Award, Western Livings’s Foodie of the Year Award, a Celebrated Almuni Award from the University of Calgary Faculty of Arts, and as a Distinguished Graduate from the University of Calgary. |