Photo caption:  (L to R) Gina Ogilvie, Bonnie Foley-Wong, Vanessa Timmer, Andrea Thomas Hill, Teri Nicholas, Christine Loock, Kirsten Sutton, The Right Honourable Kim Campbell, Zulie Sachedina, Dawn Demery, Miranda Andersen, Leila Rahemtulla, Mary-Jo Dionne./ Photo: Wendy D Photography

YWCA recognized former Prime Minister Kim Campbell’s lifetime achievements by awarding her the Icon Award at the 35th annual awards hosted at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver.

Mary-Jo Dionne took home two prizes. She won the Arts, Culture & Design award as well as the Connecting the Community award. She is an award-winning writer, performer and podcaster.

In the Business & the Professions category, Kirsten Sutton, Vice President and Managing Director, SAP Labs Canada, took home this prize. Sutton facilitated SAP’s adoption of the Autism@Work initiative and advocates for girls in tech.

In the Community Champion area, Andrea Thomas Hill won this honour. Hill founded Cause We Care Foundation to support single mothers and their children.

Leila Rahemtulla won the Education, Training & Development award. She has championed accessible education through online learning at both schools and excellence in workplace and community training through her consulting and volunteering.

As for the Entrepreneurship & Innovation category, Bonnie Foley-Wong took home the prize. Her organization challenges the status quo and creates an investment environment that promotes gender equality, diversity and inclusion.

In the Environmental Sustainability category, Vanessa Timmer, Executive Director, One Earth, came out on top. She co-developed “Disruptive Imaginings,” a global learning community of futurists, designers and storytellers who create powerful images of life in sustainable futures.

In Health & Wellness, Christine Loock won the honour. She is an internationally recognized clinician and researcher in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

In the Non-Profit area, Teri Nicholas won the honour for raising $200M campaign while establishing the first safe house for homeless youth.

In public service, Zulie Sachedina was recognized for advancing a constitutional challenge for the right to prescribe medical-grade heroin to drug users, thus supporting patients.

In the Research & Sciences category, Gina Ogilvie was recognized for her research which has focused on how to use HPV screening and the HPV vaccine to help eliminate cervical cancer. The WHO adopted her recommended protocol.

In the Young Woman of Distinction category, Miranda Andersen, a filmmaker, won the award. Her educational website, Enufsaid.ca, features her own films and lesson plans to inspire youth to engage and connect with the natural world.

In the Outstanding Workplace category, BCAA won the prize. Its Best Doctors program gives employees access to expert medical advice from 53,000 physicians worldwide. BCAA was recognized as a 2018 Aon Best Employer.

Since 1984, YWCA Metro Vancouver has paid tribute to more than 300 award recipients and more than 1,800 nominees.