Emerging Leaders Award Program

Advancing the careers of female leaders.

Applications open May 23rd, 2023

Professional development designed for mid-senior professionals

The Emerging Leaders Award Program provides highly talented women with a unique and valuable professional development opportunity; positioning them for success in their careers by equipping them to compete for progressively senior roles. This eight-month program offers women with five to ten years of finance experience, and personal and group professional coaching sessions with our esteemed coaching partner.

This program is a hybrid program and candidates from across North America are encouraged to apply. The Welcome Reception, Networking Lunch with Lara Zink President & CEO of WCM, and Closing Reception will be held in person, in Toronto. All recipients are encouraged to attend. The skill-build sessions and group coaching will be held virtually.

The program includes:

A personal and professional assessment through the globally recognized Facet5™ test;
Group coaching sessions;
Skill-building sessions, including a panel led by senior leaders in the industry;
Networking opportunities with other mid to senior-level female finance professionals, and;
Two individual coaching sessions.

Program Eligibility

To be considered for the Emerging Leaders Award Program, candidates must fulfill the following eligibility criteria:

Candidates must be currently employed in the finance industry and have a minimum of five to a maximum of ten years of experience in the industry;
Candidates must be employed at a mid-level position in their firm;
Candidates must be a member of WCM, and;
Candidates need to apply with the support of their firm (fee of $3,800 CAD for those accepted into the program);

Candidates must be able to commit to completing the pre-work and be available to attend monthly group sessions over the program's eight-month timeline. Upon selection of program recipients, you will be provided with timelines, requirements, and expectations for participation in the program.

Criteria for Selection *Applications will be measured against these criteria*

Demonstrates a commitment to career development as exemplified by the attainment of more advanced roles;
Demonstrates an ability to take leadership roles and overcome obstacles;
Exemplifies the characteristics of business leadership;
Emulates the vision and objectives of WCM.

Application Process

1. Completed Application

2. Resume: should outline a minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 10 years in the finance industry (1 point)

3. Letter of Recommendation
Include a signed reference letter from a senior-level executive at your firm, endorsing your potential for leadership and advancement within the firm and/or industry. The letter of recommendation should be submitted in the application survey when prompted or sent to [email protected]. (5 points)

3. Your response to the following questions (found in application link):

Provide measurable examples that outline your commitment to your career development (may included; professional development opportunities, further education, training or credentials, commitment to learning and development etc.) (3 points)
Share examples in your career of when you have assumed leaderships roles and/or exhibited characteristics of leadership (3 points)
Share any examples of obstacles you have overcome in your career journey (3 points)
Share how you have championed Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. (could include ways that you have given back through volunteering with WCM or the greater community) (3 points)
Briefly outline your career aspirations over the next 3-5 years. (Be as specific as possible) (2 points)

Key Dates

May 23, 2023: Applications open

August 21, 2023: Applications close

October 2023 Successful candidates are notified

November 2, 2023: Program kick-off (in-person event in Toronto)

Other dates TBD

CANDIDATE RESPONSIBILITIES
Candidates must be able to commit to completing the pre-work and be available to attend group sessions over an eight-month period. Once the winners are selected, a program guide will be provided to outline time-frame and expectations. This program is open to candidates across North America; we encourage applications from candidates nationwide. Participants outside of Toronto are invited to attend any in-person event at their own travel cost.

Past Emerging Leaders Award Recipients

To date, 228 women have completed the Emerging Leaders Award Program and moved on to great successes in their careers.

2022

Agnes Chang, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
Aigul Narzhanova, TD Securities
Akmaral (Mara) Yermagambetova, MUFG
Alley Dunlop, BMO Capital Markets
Amanda Helen Collinge, Raymond James Ltd.
Amy Zhong, KPMG
Andrea Iljkic, CIBC Capital Markets
Ashley Small, BMO Capital Markets
Aynour Salama, ATB Financial
Camille Matute, PwC
Carolyn Tait, Global Banking and Markets, Scotiabank
Chelsea Stellick, iA Financial
Chioma Ilekuba, ATB Financial
Courtney Davenport, CIBC Capital Markets
Cristina Cismaru, National Bank Financial Markets
Emily Phair, Manulife Investment Management
Emma MacKay, CPP Investments
Emma Querengesser, Raymond James Ltd.
Eva Luk, RBC Capital Markets
Evelyn Yung, Nicola Wealth
Genevieve Eccleston, Canaccord Genuity
Helen He, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
Janice Hong, Manulife Investment Management
Jenica Kostynuik, RBC Capital Markets
Jenna Young, TD Securities
Jennifer Granatstein, RBC Capital Markets
Jessica Caruso, TMX Group
Jetty Zhang, Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO)
Julia Leonardelli, Global Banking and Markets, Scotiabank
Juliana Faircloth, TD Asset Management
Lana Difrancescomarino, RBC Capital Markets
Jessica Chen, Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO)
Lara Liebovitz, OPTrust
Laura Baker, CIBC Capital Markets
Laura Sofia Garzon Franco, CIBC Capital Markets
Laura Young, BMO Capital Markets
Lauren McDaid, Global Banking and Markets, Scotiabank
Madison Winger, Global Banking and Markets, Scotiabank
Marie-Pier Gosselin, iA Investment Management
Meghan Cheung, Manulife
Meghan McAlister, BMO Private Wealth
Melissa Mielkie, Manulife
Nicole Choy, Private Pension Partners Investments Inc
Pooja Reddy Gurrala, Dixon Mitchell Investment Counsel Inc.
Priyanka Chandran, BMO Capital Markets
Rebecca Yao, TD Securities
Sabrina Basile, Manulife Investment Management
Salima Neek Gilani, Manulife Investment Management
Samantha Nagaratnam, PwC
Sandrine Léonie Siewe
Shelley Warren, Manulife
Shu Wai Chu, HSBC
Simina Giurcovici, ATB Financial
Stacey Ferraro, Global Banking and Markets, Scotiabank
Sydney LeGrow, RBC Capital Markets
Talisa Kean-Newland, Onex
Tania Rae Armstrong-Whitworth, Canaccord Genuity
Yi Ran Zhang, National Bank Financial Markets
Yiyang Xu, Raymond James Ltd.
Yurisleidy Zoreda Vazquez, Canaccord Genuity
Zarqaa Shaikh, OPTrust

2021

Ishita Abbott, Manulife Investment Management
Catherine Bell, CPP Investments
Maurissa Bell, George Weston Limited
Kristina Brand, BMO Capital Markets
Kezia Burke, CIBC Capital Markets
Gursahiba Chandhoke, Citi
Abigail Denyer, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets
Erica Docherty, RBC Capital Markets
Kelly Downie, RBC Capital Markets
Jessica Fu, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets
Emma Herron, Imperial Capital
Cynthia Huang, RBC Capital Markets
Jacquie Hughes, Manulife
Judy Hui, IMCO
Amanda Irwin, Manulife Investment Management
Jenna Jouppi, BMO Capital Markets
Sally Kan, OMERS
Kelsey Keane, National Bank Financial
Shaguna Khazanchi, TD Securities
Lilyana Khona, CIBC Capital Markets
Carmen Lam, TD Securities
Michelle Lam, TD Securities
Genevieve LeGresley, CIBC Capital Markets
Peggy Loa, TD Securities
Sucharita Mishra, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
Diana Najjar, BMO Capital Markets
Monica Nettleton, OMERS
Avery Opie, RBC Capital Markets
Genevieve Payette, HSBC Securities
Lindsay Saldanha, OPTrust
Bailey Schepikoff, Manulife Investment Management
Shankeetha Selvarajah, Manulife
Mary Shannon, Manulife Investment Management
Leah Stuart, RBC Capital Markets
Alexandra Szatan, CIBC Capital Markets
Andrea Topić, National Bank Financial
Lindsay Wakelin, BCI
Lily Wong, IMCO
Cathy Xue, Instar Asset Management
Liqiao Zhang, CPP Investments

2020

Sophia Bendaoud, CIBC Capital Markets
Allie Bradford, CPP Investments
Charlotte Cassels, TD Securities
Kathryn Deveau, TD Securities
Diana Di Luca, RBC Capital Markets
Jenna Dicks, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets
Kathleen Dixon, BMO Capital Markets
Asya Farberov, BMO Capital Markets
Oksanna Fill, CPP Investments
Anjali Fonseca, Manulife
Sarah Gauthier, National Bank Financial
Rosa Han, TD Securities
Fiona (Yichun) Hu, RBC Capital Markets
Shannon Jones, BMO Capital Markets
Elena Kazina, CIBC Capital Markets
Purnima Kohli, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan
Alina Kouklinskaia, TD Securities
Stephanie Krohn, National Bank Financial
Stephanie Langlais, Manulife
Angie Macedo, CIBC Capital Markets
Lina Nouraly, BMO Capital Markets
Brittany Owens, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets
Christiane (Tia) Peric, CIBC Capital Markets
Alex Prowse, Manulife
Lauren Reid, National Bank Financial
Alexandra Schroder, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets
Flora Sexton, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan
Farnaz Shahed, RBC Capital Markets
Hannah Smerek, National Bank Financial
Elizabeth Steele, HSBC Bank Canada
Elena Stolovitsky, Manulife
Anne-Sophie Thene, National Bank Financial
Cindy Veilleux, National Bank Financial
Bessie Wat, CIBC Capital Markets
Meadow Wu, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets
Janice Yoon, RBC Capital Markets

2019

Kaylee Arnold, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets
Lauren Bellai, TD Asset Management
Anna Brighton, RBC Capital Markets
Cheryl Cheung, Manulife
Brittany Clarke, CIBC Capital Markets
Emily Coolican, RBC Capital Markets
Lisa Deakin, HSBC Bank Canada
Ghenima Djellout, National Bank Financial
Erin Garner, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets
Lynne Gleave, CIBC Capital Markets
Josie Ho, TD Securities
Rebecca Hogan, BMO Capital Markets
Martina Irinkov, CIBC Capital Markets
Lauren Looi, CIBC Capital Markets
Sandra Malcolm, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Tarah Masniuk, CIBC Capital Markets
Stacy McBurney, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets
Elizabeth McCord, BMO Capital Markets
Kelly McKenna, CPP Investment Board
Shirley Miller, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan
Kristina Miner, TD Securities
Sara Ng, Manulife
Nicole Persad, CIBC Capital Markets
Kuleen Raj Kathuria, BMO Capital Markets
Janet Richardson, Manulife
Elizabeth Saati, Manulife
Kay Schonberger, RBC Capital Markets
Karina Simone, CIBC Capital Markets
Kowshika Thiruparanathan, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan
Erin Urquhart, RBC Capital Markets
Meng Ye, RBC Capital Markets

2018

Katie Baglole, TD
Tamara Bonn, TD
Elizabeth Bouthillier, Franklin Templeton Investments
Tamy Chen, Bank of Montreal
Fernanda Rios Cruz, Scotiabank
Meaghan Einav, Manulife
Ashley Engbloom, CIBC
Sanaa Khatri, Scotiabank
Laura McElwain, HSBC
Poornima Muralidhar, RBC Capital Markets
Danielle Murphy, RBC Capital Markets
Stephanie Nguyen, Bank of Montreal
Claire Oberhofer, CIBC
Anna Pal, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
Kait Pavletich, CIBC
Bhiravi Ravichandran, Scotiabank
Ciara Sawicki, Scotiabank
Ashraf Shariff, TD
Alexandra Syrnyk, CIBC
Carol Tam, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board
Selina Wang, RBC Capital Markets
Lindsay Sinclair, RBC Capital Markets
Sabrina Wu, MUFG Securities
Christina Yang, National Bank Financial

2017

Adriana O. Gibbon, CPP Investment Board
Arezou Bahari, CIBC Capital Markets
Carmen Firmani, BCI
Christina Alexander, Citibank
Christine McNerney, Periscope Capital
Fatoumata Binta Barry, BCI
Helen Zhang, CIBC Capital Markets
Jamie See, TD Securities
Melanie Dussarrat, CIBC Capital Markets
Melissa Mooney, Scotiabank
Nicole Dason, CIBC Capital Markets
Vanessa Parrack, Scotiabank
Veleyny Saavedra, Scotiabank
Wen Tian, RBC Capital Markets
Ashley Pulkys, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
Catherine Chu, RBC Capital Markets
Claire Vranic, CIBC Capital Markets
Evise Kopliku, Manulife
Jashneet Duffy, TD Securities
Nina Fiorentino, BMO Nesbitt Burns
Patricia Cernes-Banner, Scotiabank

2016

Amy Baryshnik, Alignvest Capital Management
Christina Brennan, Scotiabank GBM
Anca Bucataru, TD Securities
Bridget Campbell, BlackRock
Krati Chhajer, CIBC Capital Markets
Kristen Dickson, NATIONAL Equicom
Laura Emmerton, RBC Capital Markets
Deborah Grosdanis, Scotiabank GBM
Andrea Hucal, BMO Capital Markets
Georgeta Iacobelli, TD Securities
Candice Jay, Pembroke Private Wealth Management
Charissa Lai, CPP Investment Board
Geneviève Madore, Manulife
Aleksandra Nedialkova, CIBC Capital Markets
Katie Perdue, Scotiabank GBM
Katie Tabesh, National Bank Financial
Jennifer Tkachuk-Tremblay, TD Securities

2015

Maria Amilcar, BlackRock
Jessica Haystead, BMO Capital Markets
Heather Killian, CIBC World Markets
Emma Johnson, CIBC World Markets
Acushla Vestby, CIBC World Markets
Lisa Cho, CIBC
Bronwyn Ward, CPP Investment Board
Mimi Majumder, Manulife Asset Management
Joegina Philip, National Bank Financial
Susan Calder, RBC Capital Markets
Carla Deeks, Scotiabank GBM
Maida Dalmacio, TD Securities
Nicole Scott, TD Securities

2014

Kim Brand, Scotiabank
Priya Arora, CIBC
Subashini Chandran, Scotiabank
Po Chu Fong, ITG Canada Corp
Alicia Mair, Scotiabank
Ly Nguyen, Scotiabank
Jane Segal, Ontario Teachers Pension Plan
Sophia Soofi, CIBC
Amanda Tang, National Bank Financial
Alina Weaver, CIBC

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Thank you to our coaching partner, Felix Global.

Felix Global is a North American leader in providing superior talent solutions to organizations that value strong leaders, strong talent and strong cultures. Felix was founded on a commitment Strength in People™. We live that commitment every day by delivering a responsive, cost-effective, customer-centric approach to talent solutions, aimed at exceeding goals and results for our valued customers and their organizations.

With over 25 years of experience, our solutions have benefited best-in-class organizations from a wide range of industries, including Financial Services, Technology, Life Sciences, Telecommunications, Energy, Retail, Manufacturing, Not-for-Profit and Government. As a provider of professional and Executive coaching services, we focus on enhancing leadership effectiveness and impact, increasing leaders’ ability to lead during times of external and internal change and incorporate the needs of each individual leader, ensuring an experience based on coach-client fit. More information available at www.felixglobal.com.

The program was excellent, I only wish it was the full year and had more sessions, I thoroughly enjoyed it! Thank you so much

Emerging Leaders Participant

The group sessions were incredible.