The Vancouver Island Conference Centre is filled with ruffles, sparkles, capes, and eye-catching colours. Women of all shapes and colours occupy the ballroom, showcasing their unique personalities through makeup, attire, and attitudes. On February 11, 2026, Blaise Hunter and her team organized the third annual Women of Influence (WIN) Awards; another successful event that quite literally breathed fire, honouring and celebrating women, non-binary, Two-Spirited, and gender diverse peoples for all that they do.

Hunter is an author, reproductive health rights advocate, fertility expert, mother, wife, entrepreneur, and founder of a non-profit for infertility and pregnancy loss support called Footprints. Hunter led this event with care and passion, celebrating not only her own successes, but the accomplishments of all the people surrounding her in that room.

“I have had three miscarriages,” Hunter says. “Me and my husband, after our daughter was born, very quickly realized there was a gap in systems and a lack of support.” Through her own mental health struggles, she experienced loneliness, shame, and self-blame. There were no resources for herself—or her husband—to cope with the losses they had endured.

Hunter saw what was missing for women and families during infertility or miscarriages, and created Footprints to bridge that gap. “It gave me an idea for my own healing, to work with my [General Practitioner] and the nursing staff in Alberta to create a support system for families,” she says. This non-profit organization not only helped her heal, but to give that resource to others in need. Because of this work, she was chosen to represent Canada and attend the Global Youth Summit in Istanbul, Turkey, to speak on human rights and the importance of reproductive health.

“Initially we raised $7,000 to inject into the support banks and do a standing memorial in Royal, Alberta,” Hunter says. The 2025 WIN Awards Nanaimo raised $30k, but this year, they raised $50k. “There is medical support if you’re having physical problems, but then what about the emotional support for you and your partners—for your family? The days, weeks, and months after?”

Hunter has also written two books, Heroine: Embrace Your Flaws and Own Your Awesome, and Captain Communicator: How To Turn Signals Into Superpowers. “Through that book [Heroine], it created permission for other people and families to come out and say their own version. [To say] ‘I’ve gone through that, my family’s gone through that,’” Hunter says.

The WIN Awards is used as a two-part mission. It helps fundraise for Footprints as well as celebrate women on the island. “That was how that lightbulb idea came about. How do I integrate in the community? How do we celebrate women and gender diverse people? How do we really celebrate reproductive health?” Hunter asks. She won the Woman of Influence Award in Alberta and saw that opportunity to bring it to Nanaimo.

There are 11 different categories at this event which represent and celebrate women from all different backgrounds and educations. The categories include: Breathe Fire, Matriarch, Arts & Culture, Business Impact, Health & Wellness, Fan the Flame, STEM, Youth Resiliency, Creative Innovator, Trades, and Community & Social Responsibility. Within these 11 categories, there were a total of 133 nominees.

“I pulled from different models of awards programs, including the ones I’ve won. I wanted to make it my own and celebrate not one individual, but us as a whole and give permission for women and gender diverse people to own that,” Hunter says. Often, women are forced to be humble and underestimate their abilities, to downplay their accomplishments.

Hunter wanted to do the opposite and push others to say, “What I’m doing is great, it is big, and it is impactful.”

The Fan the Flame Award was created by Hunter to honour her husband and is the one award that men can be nominated for. “It was paying homage to my husband and encourag[ing] that this wasn’t just women power,” she states. She emphasizes the power it gave her to have her partner stand in her corner, telling her that he supported and believed in her. “It’s my own tribute to my husband by naming an award after what he’s done for me, which is fan my flame.”

The Matriarch and Youth Resiliency Award both hold an important place in this event. For youth, it’s important that you’re put in a category of like individuals in the same place, not filled with generations of experience. “To be in a room where you’re getting that inspiration, empowerment and seeing possibility in those roles,” Hunter explains, is the goal of the Youth Resiliency Award. On the other hand, the Matriarch Award honours individuals who have lived a life full of experiences, accomplishments, and strength. “When you’re retired, you’re not done,” Hunter says.

Cheryl Lien, nominee for the Creative Innovator Award, collaborated with Hunter’s team to create a space for individuals who are more sensitive to light and noise. Lien’s business, Sensory Balance Space Inc., provided a separate room from the function with a live feed of the event for those that were overwhelmed or simply needed a quiet space.

Hunter explained that her relationship with the nominees doesn’t end when the lights turn off. Throughout the years, nominees and winners have volunteered their time to help Hunter continue to create such a welcoming environment. She shows them all that it’s okay to show vulnerability, passion, and to own that. “I love seeing winners and nominees bask in that and honour [themselves]. We downplay what we do because we’re workers. We’re doers, we’re creators, and nurturers,” she says.

Barbara Dobbyn, of Barbara Anne Photography, was one of the photographers for the event, prancing around the ballroom making sure every moment was captured. She provided complimentary portraits for all 133 nominees, allowing them to individually express themselves and feel confident in who they were looking back at.

Hunter says that “they’re also seeing their own beauty reflected back to them.”

Another powerful Canadian female influence was the keynote speaker, Catriona Le May Doan, who was once claimed to be the fastest woman on ice. Le May Doan is a four-time Olympic Speed Skating athlete who has won two gold and one bronze medal. Her first Olympic Games were in Albertsville 1992, then Lillehammer 1994, Nagano 1998, and Salt Lake City 2002.

Le May Doan is the first Canadian athlete to defend a gold medal at back-to-back Olympics. “No Canadian individual had won gold, man, woman, winter, summer. They’d never won gold, then four years later, defended it, in the history of Canada sending a team to the Olympics,” Le May Doan explains.

Le May Doan displayed her Olympic medals at the event. At the 1998 games, she won a bronze medal in 1000m Speed Skating Long Track, and a gold medal in 500m Speed Skating Long Track. She won her second gold medal at the 2002 games for 500m Speed Skating Long Track. “The three medals that are on this table, they equal two and a half minutes of 23 years. Success is not defined by those moments,” she says.

Five years ago, Le May Doan was a guest on Hunter’s podcast, Blaise the Trail. In this episode, Beyond the Podium, Le May Doan dived into her own struggles and insecurities. “She didn’t just give me the sound bites. She really stepped into the invitation and had a beautiful, vulnerable conversation with me,” Hunter explains.

Le May Doan talked about what it means to be an Olympic athlete and how you still have to work and reinvent yourself throughout life’s biggest challenges. “Not only has [she] been a hero, watching [her] compete for our country, now [she’s] become a deeper hero because of the realness and the honesty,” Blaise remarks.

“Thank you to each one of you, not just what you have done and what we’ve seen briefly, but the impact that you make on this community,” Le May Doan says at the event.

The Nanaimo Clippers, Nanaimo’s Junior A Hockey Team, came to volunteer, helping guests to their seats and making sure everybody was comfortable. The Clippers have been an active component of the WIN Awards for the past three years. “It started because I had Connor DeTurris for two years as a billet. I came from Alberta and that was a big thing that hockey players did for different galas,” she explained.

In 2024, previous Clippers player Brett Merner and DeTurris spoke; DeTurris spoke again in 2025, and current captain Will Subject spoke this year. Subject delivered a passionate speech on inclusivity and how honoured the team is to be involved in such an event.

“The kind of leadership we’re honouring tonight goes far beyond the hockey rink. It strengthens our community and inspires others to lead with a purpose,” Subject speaks.

For every winner that was honoured this evening, each individual spoke with humility and grace, allowing their vulnerability to show. “That’s why we do this, because you’re having a physical reaction being in the spotlight for what you think is normal,” Hunter says, on the emotion displayed by the winners for each category.

“It’s such a gift back to me to see them answer the call, rise to the occasion, and stand up there, proud of who [they are]. Why not give this moment in time to be celebratory of what we’re proud of,” Hunter exclaims.

Throughout the night, Hunter had three outfit changes, all with vibrant colours, a long flowy cape, and an eccentric headpiece. Her first ensemble was a gold dress draped in a blue cape and a peacock-feather-styled headpiece. Shortly after, Hunter switches to a bright pink dress and orange cape, with the equivalent colours in a flower headpiece. Her final outfit was a sparkly blue dress with a matching cape and an orange flower adorned on her head.

“It allows me the ability to play, and let that be an extension of my personality and show it. It’s not just about fashion. It’s about my personality and what makes me feel good and empowered,” Hunter explains.

Although this event was glitz and glamour, it was also empowerment and inspiration. Hunter, along with every other person in that room, embraced their achievements as more than just the bare minimum. This room became a space to yell to the rooftops, ‘Yes, I did that and I am proud!’ I am honoured that I was able to attend such an event, alongside my friends and the many astonishing women who filled the seats.