By Courtney Almeida

Women of Influence Awards Presented in Grande Prairie

Mar 11, 2019 | 3:00 PM

To celebrate International Women’s Day, the City hosted the annual Women of Influence Awards reception. Awards were presented on Friday to local women who have made a significant impact within the community as leaders, innovators and change-makers.

Three awards were presented which include the Young Woman of Influence award, the Trailblazing Woman of Influence award and the Distinguished Woman of Influence award.

“We are so pleased to celebrate these women today, and to recognize all of the notable and diverse women who were nominated for the awards,” said Angela Sutherland, Community Social Development Manager for the City of Grande Prairie.

“These awards are designed to recognize the leadership, innovation and strength of all of the diverse women we have in our community. As the event continues to grow, we realize more and more how fortunate we are to have such amazing women leading across every sector in Grande Prairie.”

The Young Woman of Influence award was received by Jamie Tissington who has acted as a leader in the community through her volunteer work from a young age.

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Tissington is the Charter President of the Grande Prairie Interact Club, current Executive Director at Grande Prairie Grief Support Association and the Positive Choices Project Co-Chair at the Grande Prairie Youth Emergency Shelter. She is also an organizer for several events at her high school.

Ejibola Adetokunbo-Taiwo took home the Trailblazing Woman of Influence award. Her work focuses on entrepreneurial and philanthropic efforts.

She is the founder of the e-commerce platform Made by Africans and the community group W. E. Hustle in Heels, which helps immigrant women in Grande Prairie. Adetokunbo-Taiwo is also the acting Co-ordinator for the Grande Prairie Regional Innovation Network.

The recipient of the Distinguished Women of Influence Award was Kelly Benning.

Benning is the Vice-President of the National Association of Friendship Centres, Co-Chair and Co-Founder of the Grande Prairie Aboriginal Circle of Services and Indigenous Initiatives Coordinator at Grande Prairie Regional College. She has proven experience as a change-maker locally, provincially and nationally.

The ceremony was presented in partnership with The Community Foundation of Northwestern Alberta, Grande Prairie and District Chamber of Commerce, Odyssey House, PACE Centre and Curry’s Jewellers.

“We want to thank all of our community sponsors, nominators and attendees for continuing to make the Women of Influence Awards a growing success,” said Sutherland.