CANADIAN LIVING OCTOBER 2019 | 63WHO Sana Virji, 27, co-founder, Ribitt
MY HQ Toronto
MY BUSINESS Ribitt rewards people for shop-
ping local (think PC points or Air Miles for inde-
pendent stores). Users download the app and
get points on every purchase at neighbourhood
shops. All points add up to cash value and can
be redeemed at any shop on the platform.
MY BIGGEST ASSET Riding the highs and the
lows. I've finally figured out how to celebrate the
value of both wins and failures.
ON BEING A LEADER IN STEM When my co-
founder and I walk into a room, the first assump-
tion is that Ribat is the CEO and I’m working with
him. I think if people stop assuming roles based
on gender, it would save everyone embarrassment.
At the same time, there's so much support for
being a female founder, more people are making
a conscious effort to have real conversations and
providing resources for women to succeed.
WHO Jill Green, 48, co-founder and CEO, Green Imaging Technologies Inc.
MY HQ Fredericton
MY BUSINESS Green Imaging Technologies is the global leader in magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) for oil and gas exploration. We write software that
allows MRI instruments to perform measurements in the laboratory on rock
cores extracted from the ground during the oil and gas exploration process.
The software provides information that helps oil companies know how much
oil and gas is in the ground and the best way to get it out.
MY BIGGEST ASSET Incredible optimism; it’s my superpower.
ON BEING A WOMAN IN STEM AND A LEADER IN BUSINESS You
often hear people express negativity about women in male-dominated indus-
tries but I’ve had the exact opposite experience. I’ve been warmly accepted
as a leader in my field. I remember working on one job site where an older
pipe layer said, “You’re just like one of the guys, but you smell really good.”
It was the best compliment.
CANADIAN LIVING OCTOBER 2019 | 63WHO Serese Selanders, founder and
CEO, ORA and SolusGuard
MY HQ Saskatoon
MY BUSINESS At ORA, we make personal
wearable safety alert devices. When help is
needed, the wearer presses the button and
an emergency notification and GPS loca-
tion is instantly sent to contacts. If there’s
no response from the wearer, our system
instructs the wearer’s phone to call 911.
SolusGuard provides safety solutions for
employers to keep employees safe.
MY BIGGEST ASSET Perseverance.
ON BEING A LEADER IN STEM
Although being a woman in STEM may seem
daunting at times, there's momentum from
people and organizations who genuinely
want to see us succeed in this space.
There's still a lot of work to be done,
but we're heading in the right direction.