Eleven alumni and a student have been named to this year’s Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women list. For the past 21 years, the Top 100 list has highlighted professional women who have made a positive impact on their companies, industries, and communities as leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs.
The annual list is compiled by the Women’s Executive Network and this year’s theme – be bold – celebrates women who embody courage and resilience.
This year’s Queen’s connections are:
Dr. Rebecca Auer, Meds’00, is CEO and scientific director, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and executive vice-president, research and innovation, at the Ottawa Hospital. The internationally renowned perioperative cancer immunotherapies researcher is currently leading six clinical trials based on discoveries from her lab.
Alanna Fonseca, Com’13, is the vice-president, marketing and innovation, North America at Cronos Group, where she brings innovative products to the Canadian cannabis market.
Sara Gelgor, Law’90, Senior Director, Reconciliation and Human Rights, RBC Origins, Royal Bank of Canada, is an accomplished governance, sustainability, risk and legal professional with extensive board experience.
Jaimie Lickers, Artsci’03, Law’07, is the senior vice-president, Indigenous markets, commercial banking at CIBC, and oversees business and retail banking for Indigenous clients while co-chairing the bank’s Reconciliation Committee.
Dr. Rachel Ollivier, DPHNP’23, is a nurse practitioner and clinician scientist at the BC Women's Hospital Health Centre and an adjunct professor at the School of Nursing, University of British Columbia. Dr. Ollivier is a women’s and maternal health advocate and community leader.
Dr. Heidi Ploeg, Sc’88, MASc’91, PhD’00, is a professor of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Smith Engineering and chair, Women in Engineering at Queen’s.
Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ Rhind, Com’13, is the co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) at Ovry. Rhind is pioneering more sustainable, more affordable, and more discrete reproductive health products.
Dr. Aditi Sivakumar, Artsci’17, is the founder of My Empowerment Platform, which aims to improve health outcomes for underserved populations and end gender-based violence.
Pamela Snively, Artsci’90, VP-Chief Data & Trust Officer, TELUS Communications, leads the organization’s award-winning and globally recognized responsible AI program.
Ampai Thammachack, Artsci’20, MA’22, is the founder and co-executive director of Step Above Stigma, a mental-health charity, which aims to empower more than 100,000 people by 2030. She is also the co-founder of The Glass Slipper Organization, which donates prom attire to students in financial need.
Meena Waseem, Com’25, is a fourth-year student and trustee with the Waterloo Region District School Board. Waseem helped raise $105 million for education and health initiatives in the Waterloo Region and received the 2024 Agnes Benidickson Tricolour Award, the highest honour a Queen’s student can receive.
Dr. Fareen Zaver, Artsci’06, is the associate dean, Office of Faculty Development and associate professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary and is changing medical education through collaboration and innovation.
Many Queen’s alumni have appeared on Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women’s lists in previous years. Former recipients include Habitat for Humanity Canada CEO Julia Deans, Artsci’85; now-retired Lt. Gen. Christine Whitecross, Sc’84, who was once the Canadian military's highest-ranking woman; CBC TV Dragons’ Den star and tech entrepreneur Michele Romanow, Sc’07, MBA’08; and former National Football League Chief Operating Officer Mary Ann Turcke, Sc’88, MBA’97.
The recipients will be celebrated Nov. 27 during a ceremony in Toronto.
