Women of Distinction Awards 2010
Monday October 4th, 2010
YWCA Montreal 135th Anniversary Edition
Who is a Woman of Distinction?
She is a woman who by her daily actions, her strength of character and her professional path, enriches the community and contributes to the advancement of all women. She is an exceptional woman who serves as a role model for young people, inspiring others to excel.
In 1994, the YWCA Montreal joined with the national YWCA movement to honour these women by presenting its first Women of Distinction Awards.
The annual ceremony, held in the Fall in Montreal, publicly recognizes and honours eleven exceptional women in different sectors of activity.
The popularity of the Women of Distinction Awards makes this event one of the principal sources of fundraising for the Women’s Y Foundation. The money raised at this event will help finance programs offered to the 16,000 women who use the services of the YWCA Montreal each year.
2010 Women of Distinction 
Awards
Laureates
The Women’s Y Foundation has announced the names of the laureates of the 2010 Women of Distinction Awards which will be presented during a benefit evening on October 4th.
To read the press release...
Categories
Women of Distinction Awards are bestowed to women who distinguished themselves in the following categories:
- Young Woman of Distinction
- Arts and Culture
- Business and Professions
- Communications
- Community Service
- Education
- Entrepreneurship
- Health and Science
- Sports and Wellness
- Advancement of Women
- Pioneer
Evaluation Criteria
The Women of Distinction evaluation criteria are the influence, the impact, the achievement and the actions. For more information, please read the nomination booklet.
- Call for nominations by the Foundation and the members of the Nomination Committee
- Reception and validation of dossiers
- The Nomination Committee examines the dossiers and recommends 3 nominees per category
- The Jury meets to select the Women of Distinction in each category
- The Foundation announces the results to all the candidates and then publicly announces the 2010 Women of Distinction
- The 2009 Women of Distinction are honoured at the October 4, 2010 Evening.
2009 Edition : 16e anniversary
On September 21st, with some 800 guests in attendance, the YWCA Montreal held the 16th edition of the Women of Distinction Awards Ceremony celebrating 11 exceptional women. Ms. Lynn Jeanniot, senior vice president - human resources and corporate affairs - National Bank Financial Group, served as honorary president of this prestigious ceremony which paid tribute to Montreal women on remarkable journeys who by their commitment, courage and determination are advancing the cause of women, and society as a whole. Presented by Groupe St-Hubert, the evening also raised $300,000 for YWCA programs and services which include housing, literacy, leadership, employability and entrepreneurship.
Presenting Partner
Partner Categories
Platinum Partners
Women of Distinction since 1994
The YWCA is proud to present the Women of Distinction honoured since 1994.
| 2009 | |
| Business and Professions | Christiane Bergevin |
| Arts and culture | Marquise Lepage |
| Advancement of Women | Louise Vandelac |
| Communications | Michèle Boisvert |
| Education | Arpi Hamalian |
| Entrepreneurship | Johanne Boivin |
| Young Woman of Distinction | Mae Jane Nam |
| Pioneer | Lise Payette |
| Science and Health | Rima Rozen |
| Community Service | Iris Almeida-Côté |
| Sports and Wellness | Thérèse Cadrin Petit |
| 2008 | |
| Business and Professions | Karen Radford |
| Arts and culture | Marisa Orsini |
| Advancement of Women | Dorothy Reitman |
| Communications | Janet Bagnall |
| Education | Marjorie Villefranche |
| Entrepreneurship | Mariouche Gagné |
| Young Woman of Distinction | AnaÏs Barbeau-Lavalette |
| Pioneer | Louise Arbour |
| Science and Health | Isabelle Brabant |
| Community Service | Wanda Bedard |
| Sports and Wellness | Céline Darveau |
| 2007 | |
| Business and Professions | Andrea Martin |
| Arts and culture | Lorraine Pintal |
| Advancement of Women | Diane Matte |
| Communications | Pascale Navarro |
| Education | Mireille Mathieu |
| Entrepreneurship | Andrea Courey |
| Young Woman of Distinction | Ariane Moffatt |
| Pioneer | Laurette Champigny-Robillard |
| Science and Health | Bilkis Vissandjée |
| Community Service | Evelyne Beker-Brook |
| 2006 | |
| Business and Professions | Jacynthe Côté |
| Arts and culture | Léa Pool |
| Advancement of Women | Louise Roy |
| Communications | Anne-Marie Dussault |
| Education | Susan Campbell |
| Education | Sharon Hudson |
| Entrepreneurship | Marie Saint Pierre |
| Young Woman of Distinction | Karine Vanasse |
| Pioneer | Gretta Chambers |
| Science and Health | Janine O'Leary Cobb |
| Community Service | Pearl Eliadis |
| Sports and Wellness | Sarah Ali-Khan |
| 2005 | |
| Business and Professions | Monette Malewski |
| Arts and culture | Lorraine Desmarais |
| Advancement of Women | Denise Filiatrault |
| Communications | Sophie Thibault |
| Education | Danielle Morin |
| Entrepreneurship | Elisabeth Koczi |
| Young Woman of Distinction | Aleksandra Leligdowicz |
| Pioneer | Aline Desjardins |
| Science and Health | Margaret R. Becklake |
| Community Service | Claudette Carbonneau |
| Sports and Wellness | Penny Vilagos |
| Sports and Wellness | Vicky Vilagos |
| 2004 | |
| Business and Professions | Francine Décary |
| Arts and culture | Paule Baillargeon |
| Advancement of Women | Anne Leahy |
| Communications | Céline Galipeau |
| Education | Mariella Pandolfi |
| Entrepreneurship | Hazel Mah> |
| Young Woman of Distinction | Anila Madiraju |
| Pioneer | Léa Cousineau |
| Health | Diane M. Provencher |
| Science and Technology | Mona Nemer |
| Community Service | Michèle Audette |
| Public Service | Peta Tancred |
| Sports and Wellness | Jocelyne Bourassa |
| 2003 | |
| Business and Professions | Lili de Grandpré |
| Arts and culture | Ranee Lee |
| Advancement of Women | Alanis Obomsawin |
| Communications | Marie-José Turcotte |
| Education | Lorna Roth |
| Entrepreneurship | Ruth Flicker |
| Young Woman of Distinction | Claudine M. Desjardins |
| Pioneer | Jeannette Bertrand |
| Pioneer | L’honorable Lucie Pépin |
| Health | Louise Lévesque |
| Science and Technology | Rhoda Blostein |
| Community Service | Marion Lowe-Mclean |
| Public Service | Isabelle Narayana |
| Sports and Wellness | Geraldine Dubrule |
| 2002 | |
| Business and Professions | Carol A. Fitzwilliam |
| Arts and culture | Ginette Noiseux |
| Advancement of Women | Anne-Marie Trahan, j.c.s. |
| Communications | Marie-France Bazzo |
| Education | Francine Descarries |
| Entrepreneurship | Sara McKenna |
| Young Woman of Distinction | Naomi Lear |
| Pioneer | Claire Kirkland |
| Health | Vania Jimenez |
| Science and Technology | Annnmarie Adams |
| Community Service | Catherine Hooper C.M. |
| Public Services | Jennifer Stoddart |
| Sports and Wellness | Guylaine Bernier |
| 2001 | |
| Business and Professions | Nicole Beaudoin |
| Arts and culture | Michèle Fortin |
| Advancement of Women | Françoise David |
| Communications | Gertrude Joch Robinson |
| Education | Nadia Fahmy-Eid |
| Entrepreneurship | Marie-Anne Raulet |
| Young Woman of Distinction | Sarah-Jeanne Salvy |
| Health | Edith Duterville |
| Science and Technology | Brenda Milner |
| Community and Public Service | Maria Trudel-Day |
| 2000 | |
| Business and Professions | Louise Maihot |
| Arts and culture | Micheline Lachance |
| Advancement of Women | Jeanne Maranda |
| Communications | Thérèse Paquet-Sévigny |
| Education | Marie Bernard |
| Entrepreneurship | Louise Daoust |
| Young Woman of Distinction | Astrid Christoffersen-Deb |
| Pioneer | Madeleine Parent |
| Pioneer | Léa Roback |
| Health | Gloria Shaffer Tannenbaum |
| Science and Technology | Julie Payette |
| Community and Public Service | Aoua Bocar Ly-Tall |
| Sports and Wellness | Danièle Sauvageau |
| 1999 | |
| Business and Professions | Johanne Daly |
| Arts and culture | Wanda Kaluzny |
| Advancement of Women | Louise Fleishmann |
| Communications | Kate Williams |
| Education | Lynn McAlpine |
| Entrepreneurship | Louise Guay |
| Young Woman of Distinction | Mochéda Alexandre |
| Health | Huguette Bélanger |
| Science and Technology | Martha Crago |
| Community and Public Service | Denise Caron |
| Sports and Wellness | Robin Marlene Hornstein |
| 1998 | |
| Business, Professions and Entrepreneurship | Agathe Plamondon |
| Arts and culture | Yvette Pauzé |
| Advancement of Women | Shree Mulay |
| Communications | Michaëlle Jean |
| Education | Dina Lavoie |
| Young Woman of Distinction | Joya Balfour |
| Health | Hélène Denoncourt |
| Science and Technology | Abby Lippman |
| Community and Public Service | Aoura Bizzarri |
| Sports and Fitness | Nathalie Lambert |
| 1997 | |
| Business, Professions and Entrepreneurship | Sonia D. Raikes |
| Arts and culture | Claudine Bertrand |
| Advancement of Women | Maîr Verthuy |
| Communications | Lily Tasso |
| Education | Lynn Butler-Kisber |
| Young Woman of Distinction | Erin Duchesneau |
| Health | Nicole Saint-Jean |
| Science and Technology | Margaret A. Somerville |
| Community and Public Service | Gemma Raeburn-Baynes |
| Sports and Fitness | Chantal Petitclerc |
| 1996 | |
| Business, Professions and Entrepreneurship | Johanne Berry |
| Arts and culture | Louisette Dussault |
| Advancement of Women | Nancy J. Adler |
| Communications | Denise Bombardier |
| Education | Ratna Ghosh |
| Young Woman of Distinction | Lisa Grushcow |
| Health | Yvette Bonny |
| Science and Technology | Maryse Lassonde |
| Community and Public Service | Sophia Demetelin |
| Sports and Fitness | Susan Ballmer |
| 1995 | |
| Business, Professions and Entrepreneurship | Sylvaine Borenstein |
| Arts and culture | Lorraine Vaillancourt |
| Advancement of Women | Johanne Totta |
| Communications | Lise Bissonnette |
| Education | Corinne Mount Pleasent-Jetté |
| Young Woman of Distinction | Anne-Louise Crago |
| Health | Louise Lambert-Lagacé |
| Science and Technology | Madeleine Barrette |
| Science and Technology | Renée-Paule Caron |
| Science and Technology | Hélène Kayler |
| Science and Technology | Louise Lafortune |
| Science and Technology | Claudie Solar |
| Community and Public Service | Heidi Rathjen |
| Sports and Wellness | Diane Vandy |
| 1994 | |
| Business, Professions and Entrepreneurship | Lise Thibault |
| Arts and culture | Maryvonne Kendergi |
| Arts and culture | Mercedes Palomino |
| Advancement of Women | Micheline Bouchard |
| Education | Margaret Gillet |
| Health | Catherine Hankins |
| Science and Technology | Donna Mergler |
| Science and Technology | Karen Messing |
| Community and Public Service | Célyne Muloin |
| Sports and Fitness | Judith Gill |
Contacts
Johane Fortier
Fundraising and Events Coordinator
Women's Y Foundation
Tel.: 514.866.9941, ext.239
jfortier@ydesfemmesmtl.org