Meet Our Members
The BPW North Toronto Directory is your ultimate resource for connecting with professional women in North Toronto and beyond. As part of the Business and Professional Women international organization, we are committed to empowering women and promoting gender equality in the workplace. Our directory offers a comprehensive platform to discover talented individuals, businesses, and organizations within the vibrant BPW community. Whether you’re seeking career opportunities, professional services, mentorship, or expanding your network, our directory connects you with like-minded women who share your goals.
Explore our extensive range of industries and professions, from entrepreneurs to educators, and gain access to their background, skills, and contact information for meaningful connections. By leveraging this directory, you can tap into a wealth of resources, knowledge, and opportunities to fuel your professional growth, whether you’re just starting your career or a seasoned professional. Join our community of strong, accomplished women driving change, leading businesses, and making an impact in their fields. Together, we can uplift and support each other on the path to success and a more equitable world.
Shahina Suleman
President
Employability Expert | Workplace Skills Trainer | Workforce Development Manager
Making sustainable employment a reality for job seekers by equipping them with long-term workplace essential and social-emotional skills
I work directly with job seekers to develop and teach curriculum highlighting essential workplace skills that make them successful long-term employees. I provide job coaching and strategies to help them become self-reflective and self-aware, focusing on problem solving, critical thinking, and adaptability.
As vice president of the North Toronto chapter of Business Professional Women (BPW), I pursue another passion of mine: Women’s Empowerment. I am Co-lead of Women Strengthening Women, a mentoring program that will make it easier for women to connect with and learn from female experts on a one-to-one basis.
Pauline Platt
Treasurer
Hi there, thank you for visiting our website. We are a group of like-minded professional women that are members of a non-sectarian, non-profit, non-partisan feminist organization which promotes the interests of working women.
We operate within the Canadian Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW Canada) and work towards the improvement of the status of women in all phases of society, especially in business, the professions and industry.
Members have a wide range of work and educational experience. I personally have 32 years of Civil Engineering experience working for a municipality where I banged my head on the glass ceiling and watched less capable juniors get promotions ahead of me. It is still very much a ‘boy’s club’ in 2026 and there is still much work to do.
Every year our club writes Resolutions to the Government concerning issues that effect women.
For example, in previous years North Toronto submitted an Ontario Resolution on adding some penalties to the Long Term Care Act and a Federal Resolution raising the Age of Child Marriage up to 18.
We also do Fundraising to support women’s charities, for the past two years we have been supporting Thunder Women’s Healing Lodge with our fundraising efforts.
If this type of important work is of interest to you, please reach out and contact us, we’d love to meet you.
Valerie Clarke
First Vice President
Valerie is an insurance specialist that has belonged to Business Professional Women for almost 55 years.
Valerie has held the important position as Parliamentarian for BPW Canada and BPW Ontario as well as being a past President for North Toronto.
Maide Yazar
International Liason
Along with her career in Medical Sciences, Maide has held positions with Business Professional Women as BPW International Secretary, BPW Ontario President, as well as Resolutions Chairwoman with North Toronto.
Hatice Yazar
Resolution Chairwoman
Hatice is a Professional Architect responsible for many projects around the world that you have heard about and possibly visited.
We are lucky to have her as our resolution chairwomen keeping her eye on important issues and creating resolutions holding the government accountable.
Ethel Clarke
Ethel has been a member of BPW for almost 55 years!
Upon retirement from Cibc, Ethel volunteered at Scarborough General Hospital in the cancer care unit.
Doris Chan
Senior Portfolio Manager @ TD Wealth
As Senior Portfolio Manager at TD Wealth, Doris provides discretionary investment management to high net worth individuals, families, corporations, trusts, and charitable foundations. She has over 25 years of investment management experience, initially beginning her career on Wall St. in New York.
Doris is a CFA charter holder and a member of the CFA Institute and the Toronto CFA Society. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and the YWCA Toronto.
She served on the Board of Directors of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection Foundation from 2011 to 2020.
Dr. Dormer Ellis
Our inspiring longest standing member turned 100 in 2025!
First woman to receive a gold medal from University of Toronto engineering alumni for career achievement, 1991.
First woman to win the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario Citizenship Award, 1984.
First woman to be made Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada, 1987.
First Canadian woman to be made a life member of the Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers, 1991.
Sharon Nicholls
45 year member of Bpw, past President, past Treasurer.
Rianna Ramesar
Vice President Young BPW Canada
Sobheyyeh Al Rahmoun
Secretary North Toronto BPW
Cecilia Omole
Cecilia has a career as a Policy specialist and holds a position with BPW Ontario as Vice President of Public Affairs.