HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE YOUR CAREER PATH? WHAT WAS A PIVOTAL MOMENT?

When my nearly 10-year television career came to an abrupt ending, I knew I needed to dedicate myself 100% to my blog and brand that I was pursuing as a hobby before that point. The day I lost my job in broadcasting I hit the ground running to work full-time on hot for food. There was no other option and it’s where I knew I needed to focus my energy.

WHAT ARE YOUR SUCCESS HABITS?

Don’t force yourself to do something you aren’t motivated or inspired to do. You can’t create when you’re not feeling creative or inspired so go do something else! Visualize the outcome you want. Surround yourself with people you admire and respect and who are pursuing life and career in a way you want to, as you are a direct reflection of those you surround yourself with. For the most part, don’t do things for free. There should always be some type of energetic exchange – doesn’t always mean monetary exchange, but ensure you are getting something valuable from the projects you contribute to.

WHAT WAS YOUR GREATEST CAREER CHALLENGE AND WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM IT?

I think the greatest challenge was when I lost my television job in 2008. It was sudden, unexpected, and certainly not how I had planned or visualized my career going. I didn’t handle it well. I hadn’t built any resiliency at that point. It took a while to really learn from it and humble myself, but it did help me and prepare me for it to happen again. And it was that second challenge of losing my dream job that allowed me to see clearly and see the big picture. I made the most of the situation—I had a better attitude. I had come out of this challenge before and rose from the ashes so I could do it again. My mentality was so much different and that actually made a huge difference for what happened next.

WHAT IS ONE IMPORTANT THING CANADIAN WOMEN NEED, BUT WHICH THEY RARELY TALK ABOUT—AT LEAST IN PUBLIC?

Time to rest. I think there is a general sense that you aren’t supposed to rest or stop or take breaks or ask for help. It’s a chronic problem and I myself am habitually wired this way too. We need to find and make space to rest.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

Ease up, you’re doing everything right. There’s really nothing to worry about.

WHAT IS YOUR POWER WORD?

Resilience.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON YOUR CAREER PATH?

I guess you could say my career path chose me. My entire life I have struggled with auto-immune issues. In the 1990s, my health came crashing down on me. I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and wound up bedridden for a year, collecting disability checks. I could no longer look at myself in the mirror; I could hardly get out of bed. I became a shell of the woman that I used to be.

One day after staring at the ceiling, I turned on the tv to watch Oprah. She had a special guest called Billy Blanks, who created a fitness craze, Tae Bo. Immediately I was drawn to him. His light ignited something within me. I was determined to regain my life.

I researched everything I would find on CFS from a natural “holistic” perspective. I raised my spiritual game, my awareness, by working with a mentor. I created my own plan. Within one year, I was out of bed and practicing Tae Bo! A holistic lifestyle changed my life. Now, I want to make it clear; this isn’t a hardcore definition of holistic. For me, it is about moderation, movement, awareness, and a whole lot of self-work.

WHAT ARE YOUR SUCCESS HABITS?

I feel my passion for what I do fuels my success. Nothing gives me more joy than when a client achieves progress and personal transformation of body, business, mind, and spirit.

I also believe my continuous “self-work” impacts my career. I have two mentors what I work with regularly, and I am always taking courses to further develop my interests and skillset.

Most recently, during COVID, I completed a well-being course at Yale. Presently, I am back in school to obtain another specialist designation in Behavior Change and taking a mental health course at the University of Toronto.

WHAT WAS YOUR GREATEST CAREER CHALLENGE AND WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM IT?

My greatest career challenge was during a time I lost my inner circle friends/colleagues. They were my chosen family. My intuition kept telling me there was something wrong; they kept saying things were “fine.”

On one of the biggest days of my red carpet career, this group decided not to support the work I retained them to do. To make matters worse, one person kept feeding the others spiteful text messages that I wanted them ALL to fail. I wanted to be the star. This was ALL going down in front of the client in real-time—a total train wreck.

Thankfully, I had other friends and colleagues who witnessed this occurring and stepped in to complete the job. The bottom line, money, friendship, and a change in leadership roles can impact relationships.

This lesson made me grieve; then I learned the process of releasing with love. I had to take on more responsibilities, learn new skills, but I did it, and I also created a new beautiful community to work alongside.

WHAT IS ONE BIG MISTAKE WOMEN TEND TO MAKE AND HOW COULD THEY AVOID IT?

I feel the most significant mistake women make is the “compare syndrome.” Women can avoid this by honouring their own self-worth, accolades, and celebrations. Spoiler alert, what we “see” on social most of the time isn’t real!

Get in touch with yourself by going inward vs. trying to keep with others’ outward appearances. Self-work takes work! We are all works of progress, but there is something beautiful about a woman who recognizes her truth and flaws. Perfectly imperfect, I like to say.

HOW DO YOU STAY FRESH AND FOCUSED IN THIS BUSY WORLD?

I like to change the word “busy” to productive; it is different energy altogether. Productivity takes a goal, a dream, and breaks it into a plan. I use my planner, a daily to-do list, an outlook calendar, and a dry board as my organization sources. I also believe in the power of letting others lead. I don’t micromanage my fantastic team. They lead with their skillsets and gifts; I trust their abilities.

As for staying “fresh,” I hit the trails daily to ground myself, practice meditation and mindful movement.

WHAT IS YOUR POWER WORD?

Light.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE YOUR CAREER PATH? WHAT WAS A PIVOTAL MOMENT?

Ever since I can remember fashion has been my constitution. It is for certain a part of my soul. I don’t believe that some choices belong to us, sometimes we belong to them. The runway and haute fashion have been a calling since I was a girl. It was a sequence of beautiful events that brought me to my home New York fashion week. I will show my collections biannually on the runways and continue to create fashion for as long as I am blessed with the grace to do so.

WHAT ARE YOUR SUCCESS HABITS?

I truly believe that success is derived from consistency combined with a deep-rooted passion. Every little step counts towards the bigger picture, one stitch at a time. It is an interesting journey to be in a career that has no direct route of success. Success comes from implementing your instinct, knowhow combined with respect for the process.

WHAT WAS YOUR GREATEST CAREER CHALLENGE AND WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM IT?

Taking my runway production to the virtual audience was very challenging It was learning an entirely new industry inside my own. That said, there are so many new rewards in expanding these limits. Since going virtual I have been able to build a global audience. My New York fashion week runway productions walk the internet all day every day, that is a truly brilliant thought.

WHAT IS ONE BIG MISTAKE WOMEN TEND TO MAKE AND HOW COULD THEY AVOID IT?

The “psych-out” can be the biggest downfall for a woman entrepreneur. I feel that we often think markets are oversaturated, when in fact there is room for all of us. We fail to see space for our ideas and creations. This is simply said the worst kind of mind frame. Always keep faith in your own abilities and that you can do something unlike anyone else. Know that we always have something unique to offer. Success truly starts in the mind.

WHAT IMPORTANT LEGACIES—GOOD OR BAD—DID YOU RECEIVE FROM YOUR MOTHER, YOUR GRANDMOTHER?

My mother taught me to always keep going no matter what stood before or behind me. That my calling as a woman is to be strong, no matter what. That my perseverance is valuable and to never forget to bend a knee in gratitude. I choose what defines me—no one else. Kindness to others is more rewarding to yourself than you could ever imagine. Choosing is just as important as the choice. To not choose is choosing, so make up your mind!

WHAT IS YOUR POWER WORD?

Perseverance.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE THIS PATH (MENTAL HEALTH)? WHAT WAS A PIVOTAL MOMENT?

I spent more of my childhood staring at hospital walls than school hallways due to struggling with mental illness and brain injuries. Some may consider this to be a misfortune, but it was a pivotal moment that changed the lens through which I viewed and navigated life forever. I truly believe there is power in reclamation and I am proud of surviving and clawing my way through adversity in a world where it often felt like the cards may be stacked against me as a Punjabi-Sikh and neurodivergent woman. I’ve accomplished things that my 14-year-old self could not have fathomed in her wildest dreams during a time in which I couldn’t see a future for myself beyond the present day. Because of my experiences, I garnered a passion for mental health advocacy and awareness.

WHO IS A KEY MENTOR AND WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THEM?

I didn’t grow up seeing a lot of women in positions of power, particularly women of colour, so the few that I did see and know all served as mentors and inspirations to me in their own ways through their respective fields, whether that be medicine, the arts, or politics. The commonality between all these women who inspired me was that no matter what they were pursuing, they all did so unapologetically despite many adversities along the way and were barrier-breakers.

WHAT IS ONE IMPORTANT THING CANADIAN WOMEN NEED, BUT WHICH THEY RARELY TALK ABOUT—AT LEAST IN PUBLIC?

The pandemic has had a gendered impact. There’s been an increase in gender-based violence in Canada and depression and anxiety is about twice as likely to present in women as compared to men. There is a lack of safe spaces for women to express their experiences and mental health needs. Going forward, in a post-pandemic world, there needs to be women-centered mental healthcare in Canada, particularly care that is both culturally sensitive and informed towards the unique experiences of BlWOC (Black, Indigenous, and Women of Colour), trans women, and non-binary women. Canada is a diverse country, and it’s time that our healthcare system reflects this.

WHAT IS ONE BIG MISTAKE WOMEN TEND TO MAKE AND HOW COULD THEY AVOID IT?

Realizing their power and that their inherent worth is not connected to being somebody else’s version of acceptable. This is something I have struggled with personally, and it’s difficult to find personal fault in this, because it is society that often dictates that all women must fit a certain mold and live up to a certain standard in order to be deemed worthy. It is truly a life-long journey of unlearning this and relearning to step into your power and owning your truth.

WHAT IMPORTANT LEGACIES—GOOD OR BAD—DID YOU RECEIVE FROM YOUR MOTHER, YOUR GRANDMOTHER?

My grandmother and mother are both immigrants who came to Canada and sacrificed their own dreams in hope of a better life for their children. Today, because of them, I have the immense privilege and freedom of choosing my own path because of the groundwork they laid before me. Through their perseverance and sacrifice, I learned how to become the best version of myself.

WHAT IS YOUR POWER WORD?

My power words are “purpose” and “community.”

Lately, I’ve been struggling with finding a sense of purpose and have been asking myself, what am I fighting for? And I came to realize that I’m not just fighting for myself, but I’m here to be a mirror for those who look like me, I am carrying my whole community with me. These two words serve as a daily reminder as to why I became a mental health activist for my community in the first place. Learning the stories of young women who say my story and advocacy efforts gave them courage to speak on their own experiences, gives me the strength and motivation to continue my work. The power of community is a sacred one to me, and it is my driving force.

WHAT ARE YOUR SUCCESS HABITS?

Many of my success habits come from what I learned as an athlete. Being focused, determined (never give up) and goal-oriented, all which have helped me throughout my life, especially when faced with challenges. My values have always been my compass. It comes down to integrity in all you do and respect—for yourself and for others. It’s also so important that you make sure there is time for fun in what you are doing. A sense of humour is key!

WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT TRAITS IN SUCCESSFUL LEADERS TODAY?

Respect and integrity are integral to credibility in leadership. Successful leaders ensure that decision making is rooted in those values. Also, vision and creativity, great communication and listening skills, positivity, encouraging and allowing those around you to shine, and an understanding of the critical importance of good governance.

WHAT IS ONE BIG MISTAKE WOMEN TEND TO MAKE AND HOW COULD THEY AVOID IT?

I would put it this way: Do not hesitate to get involved and to be confident in presenting your ideas.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

There’s so much I would tell my younger self, many of which I was fortunate to have been told:

• Education is never wasted
• You can achieve anything if you put your mind to it—it’s just one small step at a time
• Don’t waste, that includes everything from the physical (think about the environment) to the mental (don’t waste energy on the negative)
• Include and bring others along with you—it’s not work if you do it together
• Take every opportunity to master both official languages—at least!
• Stretch/do yoga/stay flexible
• Wear sunscreen
• Learn to dance/golf/ski/try things
• Have fun; laughter and hugs are also important
• Get a comfortable bike
• Always leave the place better than you found it.

WHAT IS YOUR POWER WORD?

Excellent!

How did you decide to pursue your career path? What was a pivotal moment?

I started my career as a photographer. One thing I always loved about working as a photographer was the sense of advocacy I felt as a person with a disability carving out a space for myself in an industry where disability is rarely seen. That sense of advocacy led me to search for other opportunities to create awareness about disability in general. Accessibility is one of the most important tools for me as an advocate to communicate empowerment on my own behalf and for others. In my masters program at Ryerson University I quickly began drilling deeper on the topic. I never set out to be an entrepreneur but I realized I had a huge opportunity to solve a problem—the lack of accessibility I was experiencing in the world around me.

What is the biggest factor that has helped you to be successful?

I’ve always been a very driven person and a storyteller. I believe my ability to communicate passionately and raise my voice has been one of the biggest factors that has helped me gain success. Being an effective and authentic communicator has been monumental in building community, creating allies, and nurturing a movement around the importance of accessibility.

What mistakes have you made along the way?

The biggest mistakes I’ve made were often made in times when I was second guessing myself or ignoring that feeling in my gut that tells me when something is wrong. Intuition is incredibly powerful.

What questions are you asking yourself lately?

How can I make sure to empower as many people around me as possible to be their best selves? What can I do to remove barriers for others, whether they be physical, mental or emotional barriers?

How do you stay fresh and focused in this busy world?

When I feel like I can’t hear myself think or get information overload I know burnout is not far away. I’ve made a much more intentional effort lately to schedule time for myself for quiet. This could mean going for a walk, sitting in my favourite spot in the sun, listening to music, drinking a cup of tea or anything else that allows for some reflection. It’s just time to sit with my thoughts and not engage in consuming more information. It’s usually when I take this time that I gain some clarity and come back to my work refreshed.

WHAT IS YOUR POWER WORD?

Resilience.

WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT TRAITS IN SUCCESSFUL LEADERS TODAY?

Empathy, kindness; being a multiplier. Being a multiplier is helping the people around you be great – bringing out the
best in others and amplifying their capabilities.

WHAT ARE YOUR SUCCESS HABITS?

Family time. Finding humour.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

Failure is a good thing.

WHAT WAS YOUR GREATEST CAREER CHALLENGE AND WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM IT?

An exciting new career challenge for me has been establishing Sandpiper Ventures, a women-led investment fund that was formed with the intention of getting more women funders and investors involved in venture capital. Through the experience I’ve learned that we have a tremendous opportunity to get women participating in this space and seeing themselves on both sides of the table.

HOW DO YOU STAY FRESH AND FOCUSED IN THIS BUSY WORLD?

Reading, running and travel.

WHAT IS YOUR POWER WORD?

Joy.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE YOUR CAREER PATH? WHAT WAS A PIVOTAL MOMENT?

Like many women, most of my youth was spent on the “hamster wheel” of weight loss. I wasn’t born particularly skinny, but I did learn early on that if I made myself suffer enough, I too could fit myself into a size 0. Sometimes I dieted. Sometimes I exercised. But most of the time, I dieted and exercised, which doesn’t sound all that bad. But I’m not talking about scaling back on takeout and eating more leafy greens. I’m talking about extreme deprivation. The cycle continued for years until my mid-twenties, which is when I officially hit my breaking point.

l got to the point where I couldn’t stand the constant yo-yo dieting, negative self-talk, and feelings of failure. I didn’t care what I looked like anymore; I just wanted to be healthy. I wanted to be happy. I didn’t want to have a panic attack every time I ate a carb!

I decided enough was enough. I started from the beginning and re-taught myself the fundamentals of fitness and nutrition. For the first time in my life, I abandoned the idea of dieting. I began eating better—and more—than ever before, and focused on small wins at the gym that focused on my strength and not my size.

It wasn’t until I decided to focus on my health and wellbeing, instead of my size, that I ultimately achieved my ideal body and subsequently my ideal life.  Somewhere along the way, I had also uncovered a very deep-seeded passion for health and wellness. I wanted so badly to share what I had learned with every single person I met. More than anything, I wanted to help people avoid making the same mistakes that I had made.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST FACTOR THAT HAS HELPED YOU TO BE SUCCESSFUL?

I believe my ability to connect with people has played a significant role in my success. I mean real “connection”—the magic that happens every time I interact with a client or speak to an audience or share my journey online. my ability to articulate, in extreme detail, the struggle that so many of us face when it comes to health and wellness is what enables people to feel like they can actually trust what I have to say. That I’m not just some genetically gifted health and wellness professional who doesn’t “get” what the struggle is really like. I get it, and I’m deeply honest about it, and I think that’s what continues to make all the difference. I value my ability to be authentic more than anything because I spent the first 23 years of my life being anything but.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

I would tell little Sonia to stop worrying so much about “making it” and start focusing more on really getting to know the “real her”. Being raised by high-performing South Asian parents, I spent so much of my youth trying to play the part of the “perfect Indian girl.” I was desperate to become a doctor, even though I hated science. I was desperate to be considered pretty, even though what I needed was to feel good in my own skin. And I was desperate to get married and have kids, even though I needed to find myself as an individual first. It was a perpetual race to feel like I had made it, and in the process, the real Sonia got left behind.

It was only once I had achieved all of the “ticky marks” that my parents had laid out for me that I finally sat back and realized I had no idea who I was or what I really wanted out of life. While I’m so grateful for the way the journey has unfolded, because it’s made me who I am today, I know so many of my struggles could have been prevented if I had been more in tune with who I really am.

Nothing is more important than cultivating your true, authentic self, and I believe my younger self could have used a lot more of that messaging while growing up.

WHO IS A KEY MENTOR AND WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THEM?

I’ve been so lucky to cultivate close relationships with many inspiring women who have pursued their passions, triumphed over every hurdle, and built successful businesses. I see some common themes: authenticity, drive, work ethic, courage and resilience. These characteristics have been instrumental in their success and I continue to learn so much from them when it comes to getting clear on what you really want, building a personal brand, showing up in the world without fear and self-judgement, and bouncing back every time you hit a wall.

Often, as women, we feel like there isn’t room for all of us at the top. We fear the success of other women, because deep down exists this narrative: “if she makes it, then maybe that means I won’t.” However, as someone who has been truly blessed to have a network of strong, powerful women who have achieved so much both personally and professionally, I can honestly say that women supporting one another is a truly beautiful thing.

WHAT IS ONE IMPORTANT THING CANADIAN WOMEN NEED, BUT WHICH THEY RARELY TALK ABOUT—AT LEAST IN PUBLIC?

I think Canadian women, like all women, want so desperately to feel less alone in their struggles—whether we’re talking about motherhood, entrepreneurship, the corporate world, or navigating infertility (to name just a few). In this world of social media, it’s so easy to feel like you’re the only one who’s struggling. Everyone seems to have mastered their lives, and you feel like you’re the only one coming up against roadblocks and pitfalls. However, when you break past the online façades and focus on real connection, you see that everyone has the same longing: to feel seen, heard, and understood.

WHAT IS YOUR POWER WORD?

Courage.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE YOUR CAREER PATH? WHAT WAS A PIVOTAL MOMENT?

My career path was a bit unexpected. I consider myself a “recovering academic” because, at one time, I was pursuing a career in academia. After completing my Masters’ degree in English literature, I decided to take a break because I was feeling burnt out and starting to doubt whether I wanted to continue along that path.

I had been experiencing a lot of success, but there was this nagging feeling something was missing. During my time off, I was asked to translate a Pirandello play into contemporary English for a local theatre troupe. I speak and write Italian, but I’m not an expert translator by any means so the process was slow and arduous. I found my literary background helped me mine the nuances of the words and phrases, and, as I got deeper into it, I discovered I could get a little creative.

I will never forget the moment I sat in on a rehearsal and watched the actors say those words. It was like magic to me, and I knew I could never turn back.

Working on the Pirandello play was definitely the seminal moment for me, although it took quite some time after that to “un-learn” the academic mindset that had been blocking my creativity.

WHAT ARE YOUR SUCCESS HABITS?

My most important habit has always been to schedule three hours of writing time first thing in the morning. After that, I would deal with business matters. The important thing was always to carve out a sacred space for that writing time.

Since the pandemic started, however, life has had to become more fluid. We all work from home and my son is learning virtually, so keeping to a strict daily schedule has become more challenging.

Now my biggest success habit is carving out 30 minutes to an hour each day for yoga and meditation. Taking that time for myself every day enables me to stay grounded, have a positive outlook and have more clarity so that I can make effective decisions throughout the day.

I’ve also learned to embrace fluidity. Before the pandemic, everything had its place and time. Now, if business meetings happen in the kitchen, they happen in the kitchen. Strangely, this pandemic time also been an extremely productive period for my writing projects, so perhaps in some ways a more fluid approach to life can be more conducive to success.

WHAT WAS YOUR GREATEST CAREER CHALLENGE AND WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM IT?

I have found through the years that it has become imperative to surround myself with good people. The film business can attract people who are in it for the wrong reasons—like power, fame and glamour. These individuals are always focused on what they can get and dealing with them can be discouraging or even destructive.

At the same time, film is a creative business, so unlike many other industries it also attracts wonderful creative minds, people who are passionate about telling stories and about doing good work. I have learned from experience to seek out those creative minds and to surround myself with the people who do this work for the right reasons.

Now, when I come across someone who does not meet my values, I will minimize my dealings with that person or, if possible, walk away.

WHAT IS ONE IMPORTANT THING CANADIAN WOMEN NEED, BUT WHICH THEY RARELY TALK ABOUT—AT LEAST IN PUBLIC?

I strongly believe Canadian women need to know they don’t have to be perfect, and that it’s ok to make mistakes. We live in a society that tells women they can have it all—a fabulous career, great life partner, kids, a fit body, a perfect home and home life, etc.

Culturally, there’s a lot of pressure on North American women in general to handle it all with a smile and to appear perfect. But the reality of juggling it all is simply exhausting. There are a lot of women in the spotlight who make it look easy, but I don’t think that’s helpful.

I have great admiration for someone like Shonda Rhimes, the creator and showrunner of Grey’s Anatomy and so many other fantastic TV shows. When Rhimes was asked how she manages to juggle her career and being a mom, she admitted it was a struggle, because the truth is in order to be successful some part of your life is likely to suffer.

As women we should absolutely strive to reach our goals—just as men do—but I wish more women would talk openly about the never-ending search for balance. There is great value in genuinely sharing our experiences and in supporting one another. My wish for all Canadian women would be to abandon the fear of not being perfect and to replace it with a greater appreciation for all the joyful moments we experience along the way.

HOW DO YOU STAY FRESH AND FOCUSED IN THIS BUSY WORLD?

The best way I know is to practice yoga and meditation. This daily practice is necessary for me to function at my best. I also like to take walks when I can and to carve out some time with my son every day. Also, coffee is wonderful thing!

CREATIVE WORK CAN BE LONELY. HOW DO YOU STAY CONNECTED?

Get out there and meet people, find your tribe. Filmmakers tend to get to know each other.

WHAT IS YOUR LONG-TERM CAREER GOAL?

To keep working on projects I love. It’s important to enjoy whatever you are doing.

WHAT IS YOUR POWER WORD?

My power word is “Perseverance.”

HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE YOUR CAREER PATH? WHAT WAS A PIVOTAL MOMENT?

I call myself an accidental journalist! I had just graduated from university as the former Soviet Union was beginning to disintegrate. I was planning to go to graduate school in the fall, but I graduated in January, so I had a few months free. My mother was Ukrainian-Canadian and I speak Ukrainian so I decided to travel to what was then the Ukrainian SSR and see if I could do some writing.

What struck me very powerfully, and which I have never forgotten, was how quickly a political system could collapse. Ernest Hemingway described going broke as‎ happening gradually, then all of a sudden. The collapse of the Soviet Union was like that. An important life lesson in the possibility of dramatic, discontinuous change.

WHAT ARE YOUR SUCCESS HABITS?

I am a big believer in talking to primary sources. I like to hear from the experts directly, and talk directly to the people affected by the issues we are dealing with as a government. That is a reporter’s instinct, and I think it helps me not to get trapped in the Ottawa bubble.

I try to run four times a week and get a good night’s sleep if I can. My husband and I run together every Saturday morning while the kids are in Ukrainian school. We call it our “brain cleaning” time. And spending time with my children is really important—I call them my “battery rechargers.”

WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT TRAITS IN SUCCESSFUL LEADERS TODAY?

I think the most important trait for a leader is humility. And I don’t mean the “aw-shucks, why-are-you-nice-people-saying-nice-things-about-me” kind of humility. I mean deep humility, which means understanding that every decision you make is based on imperfect information. It means being willing to course-correct when you get new information; above all, it means a deep sense of duty to the people you serve.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

Work hard, be sincere and take risks. Don’t require yourself to be perfect. You will make mistakes, and that is okay. What is important is to learn from your mistakes and keep going.

WHAT IS ONE IMPORTANT THING CANADIAN WOMEN NEED, BUT WHICH THEY RARELY TALK ABOUT—AT LEAST IN PUBLIC?

For privileged women like me—we need more help with the housework! The men in my generation do so much more than their fathers did, but they could still do a little more. To all the men out there—you will be surprised at how happy your partner will be if you load the dishwasher tonight and put a load of clothes in the washing machine!

For women working in low wage jobs, or without a job at all—financial security. Poverty and precarious incomes are a daily tragedy and a daily struggle. We all need to recognize that both are a reality for too many women in Canada.

WHAT IS YOUR POWER WORD?

My power word is two words: Team Canada.