Vancouver, BC, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Forum for Women Entrepreneurs (FWE) is delighted to announce the appointment of Paulina Cameron as their new CEO to continue educating, mentoring, and accelerating the growth of women entrepreneurs across Canada.
Cameron is an entrepreneurial and impact-driven leader. In 2008, she co-founded Young Women in Business, which she led until 2015. Young Women in Business is a now national non-profit organization that provides personal and professional development for young female leaders. In 2017, Cameron published the bestselling Canada 150 Women: Conversations with Champions, Leaders and Luminaries. This led to being recognized in the community for her contributions with the Vancouver Board of Trade’s inaugural Wendy McDonald Award, The International Alliance for Women Top 100 Award in Washington DC, the KPMG National Leadership Award, and YWCA’s Women of Distinction Nomination, along with extensive media coverage.
“I am thrilled to be joining FWE at this critical time of growth. A long time admirer, partner and volunteer mentor, I have seen the value of its programs and the impact they create,” says Cameron. “The energy around supporting women entrepreneurs is both palpable and critical right now, and FWE is well positioned as it executes its strategy of supporting 5,000 entrepreneurs a year across Canada. This is an area I am deeply passionate about and I am delighted to get to work with our community of champions.”
Most recently Cameron was the Regional Director for Western Canada at Futurpreneur Canada, overseeing the leadership and development of Western Canada operations and strategic partnerships. Through her role and as a mentor and advisor, she has supported hundreds of entrepreneurs in launching their businesses and is a sought-after speaker. She gained her business expertise working at KPMG in audit and management consulting, obtaining the CPA, CA designation.
“From the creation and leadership of Young Women in Business, to publishing the bestseller Canada 150 Women, Paulina has demonstrated a deep passion for the support of women,” says Judy Brooks, FWE Board Chair. “Paulina’s fresh, creative thinking, strong focus on community and collaboration, and strategic leadership will propel FWE’s vision forward.” Christina Anthony, founder and Chair Emeritus of FWE adds “We are honoured to welcome Paulina to the FWE family.”
Paulina currently serves on the Board of Directors for YWCA Metro Vancouver, Immigrant Employment Council of BC, and the Government of British Columbia’s Small Business Roundtable. Cameron is a Visiting Professor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Simon Fraser University, and has advised the federal government and the Prime Minister on Canada’s Youth Employment strategy.
We welcome Paulina and on behalf of The FWE Board of Directors, team and community would like to extend heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Larkin MacKenzie-Ast, the former Executive Director, whose last two years of leadership have positioned us perfectly to execute on our national vision.
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About FWE
The Forum for Women Entrepreneurs (FWE) is a Vancouver-based charity that educates, mentors and connects women entrepreneurs to be wildly successful, promoting strong economies and thriving communities. With the goal of building the economy, one woman-owned business at a time, FWE supports women who are venturing into new business opportunities or ready to ramp up and grow their existing business. From start-up advice to specific tips and tricks, FWE leaders, advisors, and business professionals are ready to share their expertise through game-changing and impactful programs. Since its inception, FWE has curated over 2000 Mentor pairings, counts 570+ E-Series Alumnae, and has educated and mentored 350+ women with Pitch for the Purse. More importantly, when you help a woman entrepreneur through FWE, she will go on to create 10 more jobs and grow her revenue by over 30% each year. Although 50% of new businesses fail after the first 5 years, women who are educated and mentored by FWE are beating the odds stacked against them and are 3 times more likely to still be in business than the Canadian average. Learn more at www.fwe.ca.