Alison Kirkland, CEO

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A leader in the women’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, Alison was named WEOC’s inaugural CEO in 2019. Since then, she has guided WEOC’s growth from Board-run initiative to integral resource within the women’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. A longtime advocate for increased access to capital for women entrepreneurs, Alison oversees the $30 million WEOC National Loan Program, which was announced by the Government of Canada in 2022. Working closely with national loan fund partners, the program supports entrepreneurs as they start and grow their businesses, offering funding alongside crucial wrap-around services.

A sought-after speaker and collaborator for both government and industry, Alison leads from experience, with 20-plus years in communications management and a decade as a certified small business counsellor. A respected member of the business community, Alison recently sat on the Province of Manitoba Economic Competitiveness Committee and is Past Chair of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce Board of Directors.

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Bruno Berto

Project Manager
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An experienced operations and project management professional, Bruno brings an innate sense of curiosity and keen problem-solving abilities to his work, which has included managing projects for multinational organizations in 14 countries. He has worked with corporate clients like Microsoft, Henkel, ArcelorMittal, L’Oréal, Vale and Embraer to improve employee efficiency, and develop cross-cultural training and change management programs. Before joining WEOC’s team in 2020, Bruno lived in Brazil, Italy and Germany. He holds an MBA from Polytechnic University of Milan and a bachelor’s in communication and marketing from UMESP. Passionate about gender equality, he currently volunteers supporting women impacted by domestic abuse.

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Obashola Dele-Oni

Loans Assessor
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Obashola is an accomplished SME Investment executive with over 16 years’ experience in the Financial Services and SME Industry. Her experience in the Industry spans Relationship Management, SME Financing, Financial Advisory and Business Support Services. She has successfully delivered on multi-industry transactions leveraging on her Leadership & People Management skills. Obashola is also a Gender Lens expert which involves educating and supporting female entrepreneurs on financial products. She is also an ardent public speaker.

Prior to arriving Canada, Obashola worked as an Investment Manager with GroFin Nigeria – a  specialist impact-driven financial institution that helps entrepreneurs succeed by providing them expert advice, continuous guidance, and financing to grow their businesses. She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the prestigious Business School of Netherlands, a Masters in Public and International Affairs from the University of Lagos and bachelors degree from the University Of Ibadan, Nigeria. She is also an accredited Small Business Consultant (ASMEC). Obashola was also a volunteer mentor in the Women In Africa (WIA) 2022 mentorship program.

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Isabel Jadotte

Loans Assessor
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Isabel Jadotte is passionate about entrepreneurship and management. With more than 8 years of consulting experience, she has helped numerous entrepreneurs launch their businesses in Canada and abroad. An MBA graduate of the University of Sherbrooke in Canada, and a bachelor in marketing from University of Quebec in Montreal, Isabel has worked in many fields such as telecommunications, non-for profit and the federal government. She wears many hats: strategic consultant, freelancer and  employee in a women’s organization.

Before joining WEOC, Isabel worked in as a business developer and coach for various organization in Ontario. Always passionate about the success of businesses, especially women owned businesses in Canada.

Berlyne Michel

Loan Advising Specialist
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Berlyne has been working in the financial industry for more than 15 years. She studied in Financial Management. She is strongly organized, analytical, detail oriented and fluently bilingual in French and in English. She brings those skills to her role at WEOC as a Loan Advising Specialist. Her passion is to assist entrepreneurs in reaching their full potential. She likes to provide support, advice and guidance to clients by helping them to find a solution related to financing and banking challenges. She would like to help women
entrepreneurs to become successful. Her pronoun are she/her.

Dawn O’Dwyer

Relationships Manager
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Dawn O’Dwyer brings passion and drive to her role at WEOC as Relationship Manager. With over 15 years of dedicated relationship management experience, Dawn is an advocate for community impact and collaboration. She thrives on forging connections and believes in the power of maintaining strong, cohesive relationships.

Throughout her career, Dawn has been an agent for positive change, consistently working to increase community capacity and empower marginalized demographics. Her commitment to social impact led her to lead inclusion and women’s leadership groups in previous roles and spearhead transformative initiatives within organizations.

Dawn’s dedication to making a difference doesn’t stop at the workplace. She volunteers with The Mustard Seed Edmonton, demonstrating her genuine desire to create a better world. Her passion also shines through in her work, where she has implemented training programs for marginalized communities, equipping them with vital and basic work skills.

Dawn O’Dwyer is not just a relationship manager; she’s a community builder, a connector, and a force for positive change.

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Natalie Robertson

Loans Assessor
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Natalie brings business lending experience from both customer-facing and head office roles. Prior to joining WEOC, Natalie worked for over 10 years at TD Bank, building expertise in commercial lending as well as product and risk management.  A strong communicator and collaborative team member, Natalie can build consensus with a keen attention to detail, sound analysis, and clear recommendations. Natalie is an advocate for gender equality, and is enthusiastic about supporting women-owned businesses. She is a graduate of the Bachelor of Business Administration program at Wilfrid Laurier University.

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Heather Sadowy

Loans Manager
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Heather Sadowy is the manager of the WEOC National Loan Program, launched in late 2022. Heather and her team have purposefully designed the loan program to be accessible to women that may have a harder time accessing traditional financing, and the program ensures that women are supported not just in applying for a loan, but throughout the loan term and beyond. Prior to working with WEOC, Heather spent 18 years with a MB Credit Union, working mostly with small businesses and non-profit organizations which has given her a strong foundation in business financing and an understanding of the unique challenges faced by women in entrepreneurship.  

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Lindsay Stewart Glor

Communications and Engagement Manager
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An organized daydreamer, Lindsay brings both creativity and project management skills to her work at WEOC, recently leading the development of a new brand, a reimagined website, and the first WEOC national conference. Her past accomplishments include editing multiple magazines and award-winning books, supporting Manitoba’s largest fundraising initiative, and leading a large strategic communications team. She is a graduate of the Ryerson School of Journalism and the University of Manitoba, and currently sits on the Manitoba Council of the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE). A longtime community volunteer, she most recently served as a board member with Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers and the Women’s Health Clinic.

Media inquiries: [email protected]

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Deborah Umukadjo

Administrative Assistant
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Deborah has held diverse roles in the corporate world. During her tenure as unit/Agency Manager, she successfully oversaw the administrative activities of the branch, ensuring smooth operations and effective processes.

Currently, she holds the position of a bilingual Administrative Assistance and her language skills allow her to effectively communicate with diverse clients. She loves to participate in corporate events and seek opportunity for learning and development. She is committed to contributing to the success of the team.

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Laura Vasquez

Loans Administator
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Laura is a banking professional, holding a postgraduate degree in Financial Services – Investigation and Compliance and extensive experience in financial services. She is committed to upholding the highest standards of Compliance and client service. 

Before joining WEOC, Laura worked for Banco de Bogota, one of Colombia’s leading financial institutions, Laura excelled in roles within Corporate and Commercial Banking, demonstrating a strong dedication to client satisfaction and a meticulous attention to detail.

Laura is a native Spanish speaker with a bachelor’s degree in finance and international Relations. She is committed to ongoing professional development and is passionate about contributing to the success of women-owned businesses.

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