CHAMPIONING EXCELLENCE: Meet the 2025 Star Women in Convenience
The 2025 Star Women in Convenience exemplify the word “accomplishment.” Individually, they have been pivotal in refreshing and reshaping the companies they own, operate and work in. Collectively, they are redefining and reinvigorating the convenience retail and gas sector. In these pages, you will meet women who have transformed worn-down centres into newly renovated retail sites, increased market share in an increasingly disruptive environment and launched a brand-new category within the convenience channel.
There is another term that defines the 56 women honoured this year: team leaders. Their success does not stand alone—and they work diligently to build their staff, engage them and thank them. One of the goals they have as trailblazers in this sector is to foster excellence in the next generation of leaders following in their path.
For many of this year’s Star Women in Convenience, there have also been personal challenges. Starting out in a new industry. Starting over in a new country. Striving to find the balance between work and family. These are challenges they have embraced, successfully.
SENIOR-LEVEL STARS
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Melanie Durham-Robert
General Manager Mobility Network Delivery and PortfolioShell CanadaRead the Q&A with Melanie -
Sara MacIntyre
Vice-President, Western CanadaConvenience Industry Council of CanadaRead the Q&A with MacIntyre
SHINING STARS
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Leen Alsaffarini
Marketing and Social Media ManagerBig Chief Meat Snacks Inc.Read the Q&A with Leen -
Marie-Claude Boyer
Ice Cream Canada - National OOH KAMThe Magnum Ice Cream CompanyRead the Q&A with Boyer -
Barb Christensen
Manager, Leasing & Properties - North AmericaParkland CorporationRead the Q&A with Christensen -
Denisse Cieza Guillen
National Key Account ManagerImperial Tobacco Canada | BATRead the Q&A with Guillen -
Stéphanie Coursol
Foodservice Merchandising Manager, ProxiHarnois ÉnergiesRead the Q&A with Coursol -
Kelly Guss
Director, Facilities and TechnologyCanadian Mobility Services | Shell CanadaRead the Q&A with Guss -
Stéphanie Hallée
Duty Free & Exportation Customer Service AssociateJTI-Macdonald Corp.Read the Q&A with Hallée -
Cynthia Hishon
Marketing Manager, Advertising & PromotionsGas+, Essence+ | Canadian Tire CorporationRead the Q&A with Hishon -
Jackie Lacroix
Regional Business Manager, Southwestern OntarioGas+, Essence+ | Canadian Tire CorporationRead the Q&A with Lacroix -
Holly Morin
Key Account Manager - Convenience & GasMolson Coors Beverage CompanyRead the Q&A with Morin -
Katarina Popovic
Senior Marketing Advisor - Car WashPetro-Canada, a Suncor businessRead the Q&A with Popovic -
Linette Priebe
Regional Finance Director - Canada, 3PL, RedistributionCore-MarkRead the Q&A with Priebe -
Genevieve Robillard
Customer Sales Executive - Quebec WholesaleHershey CanadaRead the Q&A with Robillard -
Cherry Shepherd
Team Lead, Associate Support & Site Operations - Retail Back Office DownstreamPetro-Canada, a Suncor businessRead the Q&A with Shepherd -
Emily Sparrow
National Category Manager, AlcoholPetro-Canada, a Suncor businessRead the Q&A with Sparrow -
Denika Weir-Cotnoir
Market Director, Atlantic CanadaPepsiCo Beverages CanadaRead the Q&A with Weir-Cotnoir -
Sarah Wilcox
Category Manager - Alcohol, Central CanadaCircle K | Alimentation Couche-TardRead the Q&A with Wilcox -
Samantha York
Operations Manager - ABN/Man/SK, Western Canada DivisionCircle K | Alimentation Couche-TardRead the Q&A with York -
Anna Yushkova
Merchandise Analytics Manager, Central CanadaCircle K | Alimentation Couche-TardRead the Q&A with Yushkova
STORE-LEVEL STARS
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Iris Sermeno
Area Retail Licensee | Owner2771562 Ontario Inc. A/O Petro-Canada, a Suncor businessRead the Q&A with Iris