Meet the 2025 Catalyst Honours Champions

8 min read

| Published On
Video thumbnail

Catalyst is proud to announce the 2025 Catalyst Honours Champions — extraordinary business leaders who are breaking barriers and building belonging across Canadian workplaces. These Champions don’t just support inclusion; they embed it into the very architecture of how their organizations operate.

To be recognized at Catalyst Honours in Toronto and online on 9 October 2025, these nine Champions exemplify this year’s convening theme: Inclusion by design: Breaking barriers, building belonging. From the C-suite to the front line, these individuals are creating workplaces where everyone — across all identities — can thrive.

“These leaders come from across industries, roles, and regions. They’re sparking lasting change — mentoring, advocating, and lifting others as they rise.” - Julie Cafley, Executive Director, Catalyst Canada.

Join us this fall to learn from these changemakers and other leading Canadian companies as we explore actionable strategies for embedding inclusion into the DNA of your workplace. The 2025 Catalyst Honours Champions are:

Company / Firm Leader

Sonja Volpe, CEO, BNP Paribas in Canada

Sonja Volpe is a transformative leader who combines strategic innovation with a deep personal commitment to inclusion. As the longest-serving woman CEO in BNP Paribas in Canada’s history, Sonja’s journey from refugee to executive fuels her passion for building workplaces where all talent can thrive. Over her more than a decade of experience with BNP Paribas she has led initiatives that resulted in significant gains in diversity across leadership and management levels. Sonja’s approach is grounded in resilience, purpose, and the belief that education, mentorship, and diversity are essential to driving change in financial services.

Sonja’s leadership influences every part of BNP Paribas in Canada’s inclusion efforts. From mentoring women leaders and advancing neurodiversity hiring to reforming parental benefits, sponsoring the bank’s Indigenous Employee Resource Group, and embedding inclusive leadership, she combines clear strategy with personal advocacy. The numbers show progress, but the greater impact is the inclusive culture she has helped create where employees across all their intersecting identities feel valued, supported, and empowered.

Business Leaders

Christina Boim, Director, Commercial & Joint Ventures, ConocoPhillips Canada

Christina Boim is a respected leader and long-time advocate for workplace inclusion, flexibility, and culture. Christina has consistently challenged traditional norms to make space for more inclusive, supportive ways of working for all employees, especially for working parents and underrepresented voices. From founding the Canada Women’s Network to shaping the structure and strategy of the Canada DEI Council, Christina has led with empathy, persistence, and influence. Her work has helped create a stronger sense of belonging across the organization and made a lasting impact on policies, leadership behaviour, and employee experience.

Christina has led key efforts to shift workplace culture toward greater inclusion. She advocated for flexible work long before it became standard practice and continues to challenge assumptions around how, when, and where work gets done, ensuring business needs are met while creating space for employees’ diverse circumstances. Her leadership style blends quiet determination with influence, helping others across the organization find their voice and become inclusion advocates themselves.

Janice Farrell Jones, SVP, Everyday Savings & Investing, Canadian Personal Banking, TD Bank

Janice Farrell Jones has long been a force for inclusive leadership and equitable business practices, leading transformative change from the front lines to the executive table. Throughout her career, Janice has developed and scaled initiatives directly addressing barriers to women’s advancement. She helped define TD’s Social Framework and Climate Action Plan, shaping the bank’s role in both environmental and social progress. In her current mandate, as head of Everyday Savings and Investing, Janice is also driving TD's New-to-Canada segment strategy, and is committed to making TD both an employer of choice and the bank of choice for the many new Canadians who come to Canada to start a new life. Her people-first leadership style has strengthened inclusion across the bank, from top talent conversations to everyday team culture.

Janice is a long-standing advocate and business leader who believes a culture of inclusion is core to business strategy. She combines sharp business insight with the courage to challenge norms, creating space for others and building more inclusive workplaces.

Angeline Pleunis, VP, Workplace Experience & Social Impact, PointClickCare

Angeline Pleunis has shaped PointClickCare’s approach to equity and inclusion from the ground up. She’s helped embed inclusion into the organization’s strategy, culture, and values by building momentum at both the executive and grassroots levels. From launching the company’s first sustainability strategy to influencing culture across 14+ functions, Angeline leads with purpose and persistence. Her efforts have driven measurable progress, including sustained gender parity, and a workforce that’s more engaged, informed, and inclusive.

Angeline oversees DEI, workplace experience, corporate giving, sustainability, and corporate administration. Today, her leadership has helped turn DEI into a shared responsibility, from C-suite accountability plans to a 500+ member allyship network. By combining empathy, data, and strategic action, she’s changed how people at every level engage with inclusion.

HR / D&I Leaders

Molara Awosedo, Director, Inclusion and Workplace Culture, Toronto Pearson

Molara Awosedo brings deep personal conviction and strategic leadership to her role as Director, Inclusion and Workplace Culture at Toronto Pearson. She’s led initiatives that not only changed culture but also removed structural inequities across operations, talent systems, and customer experience. Molara pairs empathy with precision, helping one of Canada’s busiest airports lead with inclusion.

Molara has driven high-impact programs that center on inclusion, equity and accessibility. Her leadership helped Pearson earn the prestigious Airport Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award from International Airport Review, and she successfully removed systemic and physical barriers through an org-wide Employment Systems Review initiative, both clear signs of lasting, measurable progress.

Jay Brewster, Senior Manager, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, Rogers Communications

Jay Brewster is a dynamic leader who brings authenticity, strategy, and heart to every initiative. With more than 25 years of experience in learning and development, Jay has consistently advanced inclusion across Rogers. His personal experiences as a queer man with an invisible disability have shaped his deep understanding of belonging. Jay is known for bridging divides, amplifying underrepresented voices, and making sure that DEIB isn’t just a value at Rogers—it’s an embedded part of how the company operates.

Jay’s leadership has transformed both the digital and human sides of engagement. Jay brings together storytelling, education, and advocacy in ways that resonate across teams and geographies. His impact is seen in the numbers, but more importantly, in the culture.

Marie-Huguette Cormier, Senior Vice-President, Human Resources, Desjardins

Marie-Huguette Cormier is a bold and inspiring leader who has shaped Desjardins’ commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion for many years. As the first woman to join Desjardins’ executive team, and a former Olympian, she brings purpose, drive, and vision to everything she does. Her leadership has advanced gender equity across Canada’s financial sector and positioned Desjardins as a workplace where diverse talent can thrive.

Marie-Huguette is widely recognized for her influence and continues to raise the bar on what inclusive leadership looks like in action. She has built a culture of belonging rooted in development, representation, and accountability.

Vanessa Lewerentz, Chief Inclusion Officer, BMO Financial Group

Vanessa Lewerentz is an established inclusion leader whose work combines clear strategy and a deep commitment to inclusion. She understands firsthand the importance of belonging and made it her mission to build a workplace where everyone can thrive. Her impact reaches across borders and the employee experience, from talent development to leadership accountability and accessibility.

As the Chief Inclusion Officer at BMO, Vanessa is the steward of the enterprise-wide inclusion strategy, driving a culture of belonging aligned with BMO’s Purpose to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life.

Next Generation Leader

Naz Zehra, Learning & Development Business Partner, Dell Technologies Canada

Naz Zehra is a passionate leader who is celebrated for her enthusiasm for elevating others and disrupting the status quo. She is relentless in her commitment to advancing diverse talent, cultivating an inclusive culture, and empowering individuals to realize their full potential. As the Learning & Development Business Partner for Dell Technologies Canada, she brings innovation, creativity, and a growth mindset to the organization, helping individuals to do their best work. She also leads the Diversity & Inclusion Council for Dell Technologies Canada and has worked tirelessly to put the right framework and initiatives in place to accelerate employee engagement, collaboration, and allyship.

Naz is a champion for women within her community, creating a support system for them to network, grow, and thrive. She is also dedicated to creating space for women in tech and supporting local STEM programs for girls. She is a high-impact mentor and leverages the power of mentoring, volunteerism, and community engagement to drive change.

Join us at Catalyst Honours on 9 October