Newmarket's 2021 Women of Excellence Award finalists announced

NewRoads Automotive Group and Newmarket Chamber of Commerce host the annual award to celebrate the achievements of local women and strides toward gender equality on International Women's Day

2021-03-03 women of exellence finalists ASH-1

This year's four finalists are Debora Kelly (from bottom left), Maria Ciarlandini, Ann Watson and Juliane Goyette.Alan S. Hale/NewmarketToday

This year's four finalists for the 11th-annual Women of Excellence Award have been announced, and tickets are available for the lived-streamed award show on March 9, as well as delivery of wine and cheese to recapture the feel of an in-person gala.

The award is given out by the NewRoads Automotive Group and Newmarket Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the achievements of local women and strides toward gender equality on International Women's Day every year. Ticket proceeds support the Women's Centre of York Region, based in Newmarket.

Nominations for the award come from the public, and a chamber awards committee, which includes former recipients of the award, selects the four finalists. And this year's finalists are:

Debora Kelly

NewmarketToday's own community editor Debora Kelly has been an award-winning journalist working in the York Region for decades.

Kelly works tirelessly to benefit the community, not just by building NewmarketToday.ca into a trusted daily news source for Newmarket in just over two years, but also through her volunteer and leadership roles at several non-profit organizations such as the Belinda's Place Foundation and the United Way.

Ann Watson

The executive director of Inn From the Cold has 30 years of experience working and volunteering for non-profit groups that help those struggling with poverty and other marginalized people.

Watson strives to find creative solutions to complex social issues and believes in giving people the opportunities they need to re-establish themselves and start getting ahead.

Maria Ciarlandini

Ciarlandini is the financial administrator and community ambassador for Vince's Market. Under her watch, Vince’s community support team sponsors events such as the Cedar Centre Gala, the S.O.S. Campaign, NewRoads Girls Night Out, Random Acts of Vince’s, and Big Bike for Heart & Stroke.

Over the past five years, she has danced to support Easter Seals, built a playground with Million Dollar Smiles, curled to raise money for the Newmarket Pantry, and prepared meals for the Inn from the Cold homeless shelter.

Juliane Goyette

The advisor at HollisWealth has worked to help her clients and her community. She has been involved in several local charitable, school and athletic organizations. She is treasurer of the Newmarket Food Pantry, a trustee of the Awesome Foundation board, and has run her own initiatives such as a "sock drive."

Last year's Women of Excellence Awards were held just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, so this will be the first event to be held under public health measures.

The awards show will be livedstreamed from NewRoads Performing Arts Centre.

"We are going to provide a very safe atmosphere with only 10 people in the theatre," said Kelly Broome, community relations manager for NewRoads.

The show will also feature keynote speeches by the founder of Clean My Space, Melissa Maker, and local MPP and Minister of Health Christine Elliott.

Tickets are available online for $50, and includes a wine and cheese package delivered to your home if you reserve by March 4.

The full list of nominees:

Avneet Parmar - Skintology Health and Wellness Centre

Ashley Eldridge - Needham Promotions Inc.

Christine Moran - Harmony House Wellness

Dawn Gallagher Murphy - MPP Christine Elliott's office

Emily Watson - Dayln Local & Global Healing

Fora Rahmati - Optimum Pharmacy

Janet Teunschel - Country Cut Flowers