Our Speakers
JILLIAN SCHECHER
Joy Educator & Mentor
The Joy Method
Jillian Schecher is a Joy Educator, Mentor, and the creator of The Joy Method™—a proven framework that helps individuals and businesses align with purpose, authenticity, and ease. As the founder of The Academy of Joyful Living and author of The Daily Joy Journal, Jillian empowers heart-led leaders to build brands and businesses rooted in who they truly are. With a background in branding, marketing, and photography since 2009, Jillian brings a unique lens to brand-building—one that blends soul and strategy and a certain level of realness ie: lots of f-bombs;) Her work has supported renowned companies like Lululemon, Saje Wellness, ATB Financial, Fairmont Hotels, and Google. On this panel, she’ll speak to the power of Joy as a foundation for sustainable success and why authenticity is your brand’s greatest asset.
SELINA GRAY
Wealth & Business Coach
As a globally respected business mentor, Selina Gray has empowered tens of thousands of people to take control & transform their financial destinies. Selina helps entrepreneurs transform their relationship with money, earn more, keep more, & welcome more joy and peace into lives & businesses. Her infectious energy will reignite a fire in your soul.
TANYA PUKA
Brand Strategist
Marrow Studio
Tanya helps brands see clearly: not just what they do, but what they stand for. With fifteen years in brand, strategy, and communications, Tanya works with subject matter experts and growing businesses at key stages of growth, uncovering the ideas that guide them. For Tanya, at the core of every strong brand is purpose: the force that shapes direction, identity, and evolution.
Marrow grew from this same belief. What began as a solo practice is now a collective of women and multidisciplinary creatives working together, on their own terms. At Marrow, Tanya and the team believe branding can do better, through stories told with care and a willingness to question inherited norms.
Ultimately, Tanya builds brands the way she lives: with curiosity, intention, and a belief in what’s made to endure. Because when a brand knows what it stands for, the path ahead becomes clear.
LIANNE CAWLEY
Brand Designer
Chapter 35
Lianne is the founder and creative director of Chapter 35 (formerly Lianne Charlene Creative), a branding and graphic design studio based in Edmonton, Alberta. With a focus on branding, packaging, illustration, and web, the studio is dedicated to creating meaningful design for small businesses (75% of clients) and women-owned or led businesses (85%).
Lianne holds a Bachelor of Design from OCAD University and began her career in 2009 as an in-house designer. Over the years, she has worked as a designer at boutique agencies, an art director for lifestyle publications, and a creative director for large corporations. In 2015, driven by a passion for supporting local businesses, she launched her own studio, where she now leads a small team of women designers.
Lianne’s journey began with a deep curiosity about what makes a brand truly resonate. She discovered that the most impactful design isn’t just seen—it’s felt. It tells a story that stirs something bold, familiar, or beautifully unexpected. At Chapter 35, this philosophy guides everything we do. We believe stories shape the world, and we are not just designers—we are narrators of identity, architects of meaning, and strategic partners in transformation. To us, branding is more than aesthetics. Every project begins by listening—to the founder’s vision, the company’s mission, and the values that set them apart. Through intentional strategy, thoughtful design, and genuine collaboration, Lianne and her team craft identities that are not only beautiful but deeply meaningful.
EMILIE IGGIOTTI
Brand Photographer
Emilie Iggiotti is a lifestyle and portrait photographer originally from Réunion Island, a small French island in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar. With a lifelong spirit of adventure and a deep love for travel, Emilie’s path has taken her from studying in Versailles to living in Normandy, Paris, Montreal, and now, Edmonton, Alberta.
Though she began her academic journey in literature and law, Emilie found the legal world lacked the creativity and human connection she craved. It was through photography that she discovered her true calling—a place where her voice, vision, and purpose aligned. Photography not only gave her a career, but a profound sense of belonging and a way to contribute meaningfully to others.
Today, Emilie’s work empowers her clients to see themselves with greater confidence and clarity. Through her lens, she helps people reconnect with their authenticity, capturing not just what they look like, but who they are. Her mission is simple yet powerful: to create imagery that inspires purpose, confidence, and transformation.
SHEETAL STORY
Human Design Expert
Psychic Medium & Professional Astrologer
Sheetal Story is a Psychic Medium, Spiritual Grief Support Counsellor, Astrologer, and Human Design Coach with a Master’s in Coaching and a Business Degree from the University of Alberta. She is the host of the growing Story of Spirit Podcast. She helps professional women trust their intuition, move through grief, and turn life’s hardest moments into powerful catalysts for aligned, soul-led success.
Meet our Panelists
NIFEMI ASHANI
Found & Creative Director
Styled by Nif
Nifemi Ashani is a multidisciplinary fashion brand consultant known for her innovative fusion of branding, culture, and community. With a deep commitment to diversity and inclusion, she is the founder of Styled by Nif, where she spearheads bold creative projects and partners with brands to deliver compelling visual storytelling and productions that elevate underrepresented voices in the fashion industry.
Beyond her consultancy, Nifemi serves as the Community Specialist at Lululemon Southgate Centre, where she leads the store’s community engagement strategy and supports product seeding initiatives.
Currently pursuing an Executive MBA in Arts Innovation at the Global Leaders Institute, she is expanding her expertise in cross-cultural collaboration and sustainable business models within the creative and cultural sectors. Nifemi’s journey—rooted in resilience and guided by unwavering faith—continues to empower and inspire a dynamic community of fashion professionals and enthusiasts.
AMANDA BENIUK
Brand Materials and Promotion
Engravables Design
Amanda Beniuk is the creative visionary and proud owner of Engravables Design.
With a passion for artistic expression and an unwavering commitment to quality, Amanda brings personalized designs to life through her studio. As a strong advocate for supporting local women in business, Amanda actively collaborates with female entrepreneurs and strives to source materials and expertise from within her community. Amanda believes in building meaningful relationships with her clients. She takes the time to understand their unique stories and preferences, ensuring that every design is infused with personal significance.
Beyond her creative endeavors, Amanda embraces the rewarding roles of being a sports mom and wife. Juggling the responsibilities of raising her boys, and supporting her spouse in his career & coaching, Amanda finds inspiration and fulfillment in the world of sports. Whether cheering from the stands or providing guidance and encouragement as a coach's wife, she embraces the teamwork, dedication, and camaraderie that sports bring to her family life.
With her unmatched creativity, dedication to empowering women in business, and her unique perspective as a busy mom, Amanda has established Engravables Design as a trusted destination for distinctive, customized pieces that leave a lasting impression.
NICKY PEDDLE
Social Media Strategist
Stellar Logic Virtual Solutions
With over 15 years of experience supporting C-level executives in high-paced environments, Nicky Peddle is a digital marketing strategist, content creator, and founder of Stellarlogic Virtual Solutions. Her background spans industries like hospitality, entertainment, event planning, and nonprofit fundraising, giving her the ability to create content that’s not only strategic, but deeply human and relatable. The heart behind Nicky’s business? Becoming a hockey mom and wanting to be fully present for her children. She built her home-based business to create the freedom and flexibility to support her busy family schedule—on her terms. Since launching her company in 2020, Nicky has helped female entrepreneurs and creatives build powerful, consistent online brands through strategic social media, content planning, and Instagram Reels. Following a Myasthenia Gravis Crisis and diagnosis in 2021, Nicky returned to her work with even more clarity and passion—to help other women simplify their marketing, ditch the overwhelm, and show up confidently while creating a business and life they love.
ELIZABETH MYWAART
Entrepreneur
Owner of the Pendennis
Elizabeth Mywaart is an accomplished entrepreneur and creative director, celebrated for her refined eye, impeccable taste, and ability to transform moments into lasting memories. As the founder of Blushed Beaute and The Pendennis Weddings & Events, she has built a reputation for delivering extraordinary experiences that blend artistry, precision, and a signature touch of luxury.
With a background spanning photography, makeup artistry, and high-end event production, Elizabeth has become a trusted collaborator for discerning clients seeking both beauty and substance. Her work reflects a deep understanding of aesthetics, hospitality, and the subtle details that elevate an occasion from memorable to unforgettable.
In 2024, Elizabeth faced a personal battle with cancer—a challenge that tested her resilience but never diminished her passion. Throughout treatment, she continued to create, inspire, and serve her clients and team with the same dedication and grace she is known for, proving that true artistry comes from both talent and tenacity.
Driven by a belief that every milestone deserves to be celebrated with intention and elegance, Elizabeth approaches each project with warmth, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to excellence—crafting experiences that feel effortless, yet are meticulously designed.
www.instagram.com/pendennisbuilding
TEELA TOMASSETTI
Registered Provisional Psychologist
Founder-Reproductive and Perinatal Trauma Centre
Dr. Teela Tomassetti is a Registered Provisional Psychologist and perinatal researcher specializing in birth trauma. After suffering her own through midwifery violence and an excessive hemorrhage almost taking her life in 2021, Teela decided to start the Instagram account @theteaonbirthtrauma, where she breaks the norms and supports thousands of survivors in finding their voices. Her doctoral research was on the activation of the fawn trauma response during birth trauma and its connection to provider mistreatment. Dr. Teela opened the Reproductive and Perinatal Trauma Centre, an innovative practice that amplifies silenced experiences. She is also the Co-Founder of the Global Birth and Perinatal Trauma Research Collaborative, where the goal is to bring the world together for discussions and preventative care.
SINA ZERE
Founder & Brand Architect
Owner of Buff Wax Spot & Buff Experts
Sina Zere is a dynamic entrepreneur, brand builder, and the founder of Buff Wax Spot- Edmonton’s original chain of modern wax bars- and Buff Experts, a bold line of body care products featured in Nordstrom, Target, and Urban Outfitters.
With an MBA from Western University and a background in biotech and pharmaceuticals, Sina blends analytical thinking with creative instinct to build million-dollar brands rooted in integrity, excellence, and an unshakable commitment to the customer experience. Under her leadership, Buff Wax Spot has become the most highly-rated wax bar in Edmonton, known for its meticulous service and empowering, women-led culture.
Recognized by Fashion Magazine, Elle, CBC, and Forbes, Sina is passionate about cultivating strong brand identities that resonate with purpose and originality. Whether through her viral body care products or inclusive beauty spaces, she continues to shape how brands connect meaningfully with their audiences.
She is also a proud community advocate, supporting local organizations like the Pride Centre of Edmonton and No Woman Without.