Who inspired you? We asked the 2025 Forty Under 40 recipients who they admire most

November 18, 2025

While the journey toward success is a long one, this year’s Forty Under 40 recipients have found inspiration along the way from a variety of leaders in all corners of the city.

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While the journey toward success is a long one, this year’s Forty Under 40 recipients have found inspiration along the way from a variety of leaders in all corners of the city. To better understand how they got to where they are now, we asked the 2025 recipients to tell us about the Ottawa businesspeople, past and present, whom they most admire. From former mentors to local business owners and industry titans, here are the people who drove this crop of future leaders to pursue their dreams.

Mary Anne Carter

Principal and Partner, Earnscliffe Strategies The Ottawa businessperson I deeply admire is Velma McColl. As a principal at Earnscliffe Strategies, she has masterfully bridged the worlds of business, government and policy, working on issues ranging from innovation and energy transition to Indigenous reconciliation and emerging technologies. She is also my colleague and has been a mentor to me — her strategic mind, collaborative approach and deep commitment to public good have shaped how I think about leadership and impact.

Tori Waugh

Founder and CEO, Conservation Ag Rachel Weldon, founder of Debaser (2013) and Pique (2021), has led the development of Debaser from a volunteer-run, ad-hoc collective producing DIY events into a leading non-profit music presenter with five employees. Throughout this growth, Rachel steered Debaser to remain true to its core values of supporting underrepresented and experimental artists, offering thoughtfully curated event experiences and promoting diversity, accessibility and inclusivity.

Tessa Kampman

Senior Project Director, bbb architects ottawa inc. I most admire my boss and mentor, architect Ritchard Brisbin. He has left a legacy of beautiful, functional public buildings within the city of Ottawa, including the Ottawa/Macdonald-Cartier International Airport and Ottawa Convention Centre, that create a memorable public realm and have been embraced and celebrated by the citizens of Ottawa.

Patrick Vice

VP Engineering, Fullscript I admire Jenna Ladd, founder of Iron North Studio, for her resilience, kindness and leadership in building not just a gym, but a truly great community space. Her fierce advocacy for supporting others — especially through the pandemic — and in serving those in need make her a standout force in Ottawa’s fitness and business landscape.

Erin Hennessy

Director of Operations, CVE Inc. Amber Stratton, co-owner of the Pure Yoga brand (among others), is a powerful and brilliant businesswoman who has paved the way for other women — all without seeming to skip a beat.

Diana Birsan

Co-founder and CEO, Downpay Sonya Shorey has been a driving force behind Ottawa’s tech and innovation ecosystem, championing founders through her strategic leadership at Invest Ottawa. Her quiet determination to elevate others — especially women and under-represented entrepreneurs — makes her one of the most respected and impactful voices in the community.

Sarah Vandenbelt

Broker and founder, Paradigm Commercial Real Estate & Brokerage Shirley Westeinde is a trailblazer whose leadership in construction and commercial real estate has opened doors for women in traditionally male-dominated industries. I admire how she combined business success with advocacy, paving the way for more inclusive opportunities in the trades and beyond.

Alexander Caudarella

CEO, Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction Dave Smith. An Ottawa legend who used his business and influence to bring addiction treatment to young people and improve his home community.

Idan Scher

Rabbi, Congregation Machzikei Hadas Rabbi Reuven Bulka may not have been a conventional business figure, but he was the most impactful community-builder I’ve ever encountered. His relentless drive and authentic connections across Ottawa transformed our city, uniting diverse individuals to create something magnificent.

Maximillian Bailey

CEO, Spoonity I admire Tracey Clark. She took a chance on us when Bridgehead became our first customer. It's people like her that make a startup possible.

Varsha Chaugai

Co-founder and CEO, Evoke Health I love that we have world-class children’s health care in our city. Back in the late 1960s, Roger Guindon and Bruce MacDonald were pioneers in bringing CHEO to Ottawa. As a mother of small children, I appreciate them every time one of my children gets sick.

Ryma Nasrallah

Partner, BLG Gordon Reid, the founder of Giant Tiger, who established the first Giant Tiger store in Ottawa in 1961. Under his leadership, this family-owned business became the leading Canadian-owned discount store company it is today.

Andrew Montague-Reinholdt

Partner and Practice Group Leader of the Employment and Labour Law Group, Nelligan Law I have had the fortune of working with and being mentored by Janice Payne, the GOAT of employment law in Ottawa. Beyond being a fierce advocate, she is incredibly loyal to and caring toward everyone who works on her team.

Pamela Lai

Medical Director, ExecHealth Liz Mok, owner of Moo Shu Ice Cream, for running an incredible business that is living-wage certified, sustainability-focused, community-oriented and, of course, sells the tastiest ice cream.

Emma Pollon-MacLeod

CEO, NutriChem Glen Luckman, co-founder of Dymon. He offered mentorship at a critical time and the business books he recommended became game-changers for my business knowledge and passion for leadership.

Sébastien Lavoie

Founder and President, La Vie en Bois Benoit Desforges of Benam Construction is someone I truly admire for his passion for business and growth. He left a stable job to build his company from the ground up and has since grown it significantly, expanding into multiple branches through hard work and vision.

Kyle Crawford

Vice President of Sales & Rentals, Hansler Industries & Venturis Capital Corp. Korey Kealey of the Kealey Group at RE/MAX stands out for her ability to blend entrepreneurial drive with a deep commitment to community-building, all while remaining warm, generous and genuinely kind. She proves that success and meaningful local impact can go hand-in-hand.