The PowHERhouse Team

We Build Strong Women Who Lead

PowHERhouse is a national women’s leadership accelerator platform founded in 2013 after more than a decade of solid market research, network building and proof of concept. 

PowHERhouse founder, Charlene SanJenko was called to meet an obvious need she evidenced countless times while working closely with women, and foundational work began in 2000. From the outset, PowHERHouse was built to last and has grown into a national brand with a solid reputation offering live events, publications and partnerships to help build strong women who lead. 

One woman became two in 2008; two women became four; and PowHERhouse is now managed by a core team of six women who represent hundreds of clients and thousands of colleagues, mentors and advisers who have provided input, insights, mentoring, connections and expertise.

Hillary headshot

HILLARY SAMSON
With an MBA entrepreneurship, Hillary is a business management consultant focusing on operations and business planning for social ventures. She works with entrepreneurs and leaders—with a focus on women leaders—to improve operations and strengthen systems to support growth. Hillary has spent the past nine years supporting organizations that are committed to both financial viability and positive social impact.

 systems + infrastructure management 

Charlene SanJenko, Founder + CEO, PowHERhouse Media Group
CHARLENE SANJENKO
Charlene SanJenko, a revolutionary leader who is READY TO RISE. Publisher, Producer, Purpose-Driven Publicist + PowHERtalker, Charlene is the Founder and CEO of PowHERhouse and deeply committed to significantly increasing the number of Canadian women in key leadership positions by 2025. Charlene is a proud Indigenous Canadian woman, social impact entrepreneur, tireless women’s advocate, speaker, community leader, and former second-term councillor for the rural Town of Gibsons, Sunshine Coast, BC.
Learn more about Charlene here.

founder + CEO

HEATHER WHITE
Heather is a sought-after authenticity advocate, speaker and high-performance coach, Heather holds a black belt in sport Jujitsu and a silver medal from the world championships. Add her psychology degree and her business development background, and Heather is an optimal strategic planning and growth execution strategist for PowHERhouse with a focus on fundamentals, metrics, accountability and performance.

growth execution strategist

WENDI ROTTLUFF
Wendi has a background in process engineering and enjoys solving technological and systems challenges of all shapes and sizes. Wendi is responsible for the digital infrastructure of PowHERhouse, including the powherhouse.com website and production of the online PowHERhouse magazine.

digital operations manager

MERIBETH DEEN
Meribeth is a writer and storyteller committed to shaping stories and conversations that build a better world. In this context, she believes in deep listening, clear thinking, research and striking a balance between our personal hard-truths and respectful dialogue. Sometimes, it really is okay to say "mother-fucker" in the public forum.

freelance writer + editor

DENNYSE HARRIS
Dennyse is an events specialist. She loves planning, logistics and orchestrating events of all sizes. Her background is travel management and running her own retreat business. Dennyse is passionate about event experiences that bring women together for leadership, connection, inspiration, shared vision and community partnerships.

events + experiences orchestrator

ZOE GRAY
Zoe is a master at facilitating social media growth and presence by coordinating activities and strategies to build powerful connections, inspire engagement, and shape a strong tribe. Zoe has a business operations background and a passion for supporting and empowering others.

social media architect

JULIA MCELGUNN
Julia McElgunn is a professional petroleum geologist living in Calgary, currently working for Canadian companies and has worked international oil fields in Texas. Julia is extremely passionate about science, education and human behavior. She believes in environmental sustainability and integration of, inclusion, environmental, health and economics. She strongly believes these can be achieved if we think and lead from our most creative, innovative and engaged selves. A mother of 4, she feels it’s important to focus on a strong future for geologists and women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

women leaders in mining advisor

BETTY-ANN HEGGIE
Betty-Ann Heggie, a Senior Vice-President with PotashCorp (now Nutrien) retired in 2007 and now serves as a corporate director, philanthropist, professional speaker and author of “Gender Physics, Unlock the Energy You Never Knew You Had to Get the Results You Want”. Betty-Ann was selected as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network (2006) and was subsequently inducted into their Hall of Fame. In 2015 she was given the Trailblazer Award from Women in Mining Canada and named one of the 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining.

women leaders in mining advisor

KAREN CHOVAN
Karen Chovan is the Principal of Enviro Integration Strategies, and Shift2Lean Inc. She is a strategic, life-cycle thinker, an engineer and project manager, a sustainability expert, and board member of Women in Mining and Women in Nuclear Saskatchewan Inc. (WIM/WiN-SK) Karen is a change agent who believes the greatest value can only be derived through common goals, healthy engagement, and collaboration to reduce wasteful practices, and recently became Vice-Chair for the Environmental and Social Responsibility Society (ESRS), Canadian Institute of Mining (CIM). With 20 years in the mining sector, Karen engages teams for the purposes of improving project and operational performance by facilitating trust and alignment, thinking differently, and working collaboratively amongst multiple stakeholders.

women leaders in mining advisor

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Liza + (Large)
VIP 6 (Large)
CHAR - BOARDROOM
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Director of client engagement, Sauder Exec Ed, Jackie Howard (R), engages a client. Photo courtesy of Sauder.