Five women with affiliations to York have been honoured with the 2025 Top Women of Influence award for their exceptional achievements, contributions and innovations that are shaping industries and redefining leadership in Canada.
Every year, the Top 25 Women of Influence Awards celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of self-identified women and gender-diverse role models. This year's recipients are recognized for redefining what influence means and driving meaningful change in their communities and beyond.
"As we celebrate International Women's Day, we are proud to acknowledge the remarkable achievements of our outstanding alumnae. Their transformative leadership and dedication to creating an inclusive world exemplify our commitment to achieving gender equality and empowering the next generation of leaders," says Julie Lafford, assistant vice-president, alumni engagement.
Among the list of recipients are five York alumnae and one honorary degree recipient.
Michelle Acorn (BA '95, BScN '99)
Acorn is the CEO of Nurse Practitioners' Association of Ontario, whose leadership and expertise have been influential in advancing nursing and health care in Canada. With over 35 years of experience in nursing, health systems and leadership, she is recognized for her diverse clinical expertise. Acorn's influence also extends to her role in developing nurse practitioner primary care models in corrections, innovating the Geriatric Assessment and Intervention Networks (GAIN), and pioneering the impact of the Most Responsible Provider in a nurse practitioner-led model of inpatient hospital care.
Katherine Henderson (MBA '90)
Henderson is the president and CEO of Hockey Canada, and her impact and leadership in hockey has fostered equity and inclusion and influenced positive change within the sport. As CEO of Curling Canada, she spearheaded pay equity for Canada's men's and women's curling teams. Her influence in sports has also included roles as the senior vice-president of marketing and revenue for the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games Organizing Committee, as well as progressive marketing and branding roles with Whirlpool Corporation, Colgate Palmolive Canada, Campbell Soup Canada and General Mills Canada.
Katherine Homuth (BBA '11)
Homuth is a prominent Canadian entrepreneur and author recognized for her transformative innovations in the textile industry and dedication to empowering female entrepreneurs. She is the CEO of SRTX, best known for Sheertex, its patented knit made from one of the world's strongest polymers and a technology that is disrupting apparel durability and longevity. She is also the founder of ShopLocket, a pre-order platform for hardware and Female Funders, an online education program for female investors.
Annie Kidder (LL.D [Hon.] '18)
Kidder is the executive director and a founding member of People for Education, an independent charitable organization dedicated to supporting and advancing public education through research, policy development and public engagement. Her dedication and advocacy for accessible public education was shaped by her personal experiences as a child. A leading voice in education, Kidder is recognized for her ability to communicate complex issues in an accessible way and for ensuring all voices are heard in shaping the future of education.
Weyni Mengesha (BFA '05)
Mangesha is the artistic director of Soulpepper Theatre, where she has directed numerous critically acclaimed productions nationally and internationally, including da kink in my hair, Kim's Convenience, A Streetcar Named Desire, Queen Goneril and Power of Sail. She is recognized for transforming Canadian theatre, amplifying underrepresented voices and for her commitment to community engagement. In addition to her roles as a stage and screen director, she is also an educator, mentor and producer of youth arts initiatives. In 2021, Weyni was recognized with a York University Alumni Award for her impact in the arts community.
Click here to view the full list of 2025 recipients.
This story was originally featured in YFile, York University's community newsletter.
