April 20, 2026Announcements At Ascend Canada, we proudly celebrate and uplift Pan-Asian leaders who are shaping the future of corporate Canada and their communities through purpose, passion, and perseverance.Our 2025 Leadership Awards honour six extraordinary individuals who exemplify leadership, service, and impact across industries, disciplines, and generations. From trailblazing executives to student changemakers, each recipient reflects the spirit of inclusion, innovation, and excellence that drives our mission forward.Please join us in celebrating this year’s remarkable honourees: Student of the Year AwardStephanie QuonMD Student University of British Columbia, Founder and Executive Director of The Sprouts InitiativeStephanie’s leadership is defined by vision, inclusivity, and execution. She identifies critical gaps, from food insecurity to healthcare accessibility and mobilizes diverse teams to deliver scalable solutions. Her ability to “walk the talk” is demonstrated through initiatives like Engineering Stories (amplifying marginalized voices) and RESTORE (advancing trauma-informed care).As a mentor, she empowers peers to launch their own projects, while her engineering background enables innovative tools like the caregiver resource platform.Her collaborative approach, such as co-designing UBC’s sensory room with neurodiverse students, ensures solutions are both equitable and effective. Mentor of the YearSalima MeheraliAssociate Professor and Associate Dean International, Faculty of Nursing, University of AlbertaSalima is described as having an authenticity and strategic approach to mentorship. In leadership, she provides ongoing career guidance that helps mentees build confidence and take initiative. Notably, four of her early scholars, are now tenure-track faculty at reputable universities.In sponsorship, she actively promotes her mentees by connecting them to research opportunities, nominating them for awards, and ensuring they are included in publications and conferences. Her unwavering sponsorship has opened doors for her mentees.Her community involvement further exemplifies her commitment to diversity and inclusion. She leads multiple youth-centered initiatives that uplift immigrant adolescents, ensuring their voices shape programs, tools, and policies intended to support them. Social impact AwardLauren CastelinoFounder of Green Career CentreLauren is described as the kind of changemaker “whose work strengthens both people and the planet.” Across everything she does, Lauren leads with creativity, courage, and a strong sense of responsibility to her community.Green Career Centre (GCC) is a non-profit organization founded in 2022 with a mission to prepare underrepresented youth for green careers with a focus on supporting BIPOC, newcomers and women in their path towards finding employment opportunities in the social and environmental space. Since GCC’s inception, Lauren has launched programs that have supported over 5,000 youth through career fairs, workshops, and training sessions, and connected more than 3,000 international members through the Youth Green Jobs Network, a tailored, community-centric job board designed for those historically excluded from the sustainability sector. Inclusion Champion of the YearSema BurneyPresident and Founder, Burney ConsultingSema’s 20+ years of relentless advocacy, combined with her unique bilingual and cultural perspective, make her an unparalleled Inclusion Champion. Her work doesn’t just check boxes, it rebuilds cultures where belonging thrives.Sema’s leadership is rooted in authenticity, emotional intelligence, and courage. She transforms abstract DEI concepts into tangible strategies through storytelling, humor, and interactive sessions that challenge leaders while fostering psychological safety. Notably, she models allyship in real time, addressing discriminatory remarks with composure and curiosity.Her upcoming book and global speaking engagements position her as a thought leader, while her advocacy for Pan-Asian representation in bilingual Canada ensures her mission remains intersectional and inclusive. Woman of Distinction AwardSneha JainRegional Director, Clinical Innovation and System Optimization, Fraser Health AuthoritySneha exemplifies leadership through influence rather than formal authority, uniting people, motivating teams, and driving results by inspiring trust in her vision. She actively builds opportunities for others, particularly women and immigrants, by creating platforms, mentorship pathways, and networks that foster confidence, visibility, and access to leadership roles.Central to her approach is the belief that excellence and equity are inseparable, as she consistently ensures diverse voices are not only included but empowered to lead, embodying a purposeful and inclusive leadership style.Her impact is both measurable and scalable, demonstrated through national recognition as one of only 30 women selected for the Mastercard Emerging Leaders in Cybersecurity Initiatives fellowship. Executive of the yearManjit MinhasMinhas Breweries & DistilleriesManjit Minhas is known across Canada as a star of Dragons’ Den, the hit CBC series she joined 11 years and 11 seasons ago after establishing herself as the formidable entrepreneur behind Minhas Breweries & Distilleries, a privately-owned global empire with annual revenues in excess of $300 million.Manjit started her companies as a 19-year-old petroleum engineering student by selling her Toyota RAV4 to enter the alcohol industry with the $10,000 return and her brother, Ravinder. Despite competition from the multinational corporations controlling the beer industry, Minhas managed to establish itself in the marketplace by offering higher quality products at a better value than the competition and, within a decade, Manjit and Ravinder’s parttime job had become a $100 million operation.Today, Manjit has over 90 brands of beers, spirits, liqueurs and wines. Her products are sold in five provinces, 47 American states and 16 other countries. Minhas companies have sold over 12 billion pints of Boxer Lager, Mountain Crest and other beers. She’s also created unique and successful distilled spirit products in numerous categories form vodka to whisky to Irish cream. These leaders remind us of what’s possible when inclusion meets excellence. We look forward to honouring them in person at the Ascend Canada Leadership Awards Gala on Wednesday, April 23, 2026 at the Ritz-Carlton Toronto.Together, we rise. FacebookTweetPinLinkedIn
