About Us

One day a women had an idea about how important it was to continue to honour women who do extraordinary things. The women who set the tone of the community, who bring dedication and leadership and shape the future. This woman told one more woman, who shared her passion about how important this was. These two women gathered more women around them and suddenly there was a team of women all aligned and focused on getting this done. “Voila” – this group evolved to Women 4 Women – aka W4W.

Since that idea sparked in the first woman, this group W4W has created an event built upon the foundations of the “Women of Today Awards”. W4W have revitalized this work and are proud to host the Southeast Saskatchewan Women of Distinction Awards.

It was in fact a women who said “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world, Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead

Here are the members of W4W

Becky Cassidy

Event Chair

Becky Cassidy resides in Estevan, Saskatchewan. In her professional life, she is the Strategic Partnerships Lead for Women Building Futures, a non profit organization that helps women who are un and underemployed gain training and employment in trades that are traditionally unrepresented by Women. Becky and her husband Keith also own a local industrial business called “Steam-Est Industries.”

Becky and her husband have three children, Boston, Jack and Isla and one fur baby, Jake. They spend as much time camping and outdoors as possible, although most of her spare time in the winter is taken up by her role as a “hockey mom with a cowbell” at the rink. In her spare time, she can be found volunteering in the community for her children’s activities, updating her vision board, reading Brene Brown books, vlogging about her cancer journey, attempting inflexible person yoga, playing and coaching volleyball and working on her personal development journey (and all of those hippie-dippie things that elder-millennials are into these days).Becky is on the Estevan Minor Hockey board, the “Mom’s for Mom’s” committee, and is a past board member of the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, the Saskatchewan Volleyball Association, the Rotary Club of Estevan and the City of Estevan Leisure Services Advisory Commitee.

Becky was drawn to being a part of the awards committee because of the values and mission of the event. She feels strongly about equity, diversity and inclusion or folks from all walks of life. As a past winner of the Women of Today “Outstanding Contribution to the Workplace” Award, Becky feels passionate about helping to raise women up and allowing them to be celebrated for their triumphs and accomplishments.

Tania Andrist

Nominations & Awards Chair

Tania is “new” to Estevan, recently counting 20 years in the community. Prior to moving to Estevan, Tania had a successful career in journalism, reporting for TV outlets in Regina, Saskatoon, and Winnipeg. Her work has also been published in Chatelaine, Wired magazine, and various Canadian newspapers, including the Estevan Mercury.

Tania worked in the non-profit sector for 10 years, where she helped with grants and fundraising, securing funds to start several innovative programs improving the lives of families in Southeast Saskatchewan. In 2022, Tania changed careers, taking on the role of Business Development Consultant at Southeast College.

From her non-traditional role as a sports reporter doing interviews in the locker rooms, to working with the Canadian Women’s Foundation to advocate for women and girls, Tania strongly believes in the feminist values of equality and inclusion of women, supporting and empowering them in whatever they decide to do.

Tania is married to Rob, and they are very proud parents of four children, Charlotte, Josie, Alexandra, and Blake. She has supported the family activities through her volunteerism with the Estevan Golden Eels, Estevan Sharks Water Polo, Sacred Heart SCC, Estevan Basketball Club, and everything else that falls under the title of Mom.

She is a director for the New Estevan Regional Nursing Home committee in Estevan and is a past winner of a Women of Today award, which inspires her to volunteer to reengage the community with these prestigious awards in Southeast Saskatchewan, for the next generation to gather together to celebrate Women of Distinction.

Breanne Van De Woestyne

Public Relations Chair

Breanne Van De Woestyne resides in her hometown of Estevan, Saskatchewan. In her professional career, she is the co-owner of a digital marketing agency – Impact Creative SK. She started up Impact with her sister, Kaitlyn and helps clients throughout Saskatchewan tell the stories of their businesses or organizations.

Breanne is very honoured to be a part of the event committee and is excited to work with some incredible women that are also passionate about celebrating women in Southeast Saskatchewan. She grew up hearing about the Women of Today Awards and remembers reading through the nominee bios to learn more about the successful and passionate women that have been featured throughout the years. Having an opportunity to be a part of this event and seeing the event live on is very special.

Mary-Anne Veroba

Awards Banquet, Entertainment & Program Chair

Balancing family, work and fun; Mary Anne has been an active volunteer in several areas over the years with roles ranging from Hockey Canada Director, Provincial Heart and Stroke Committee chair, Hockey Saskatchewan President, and continues as a Trustee for Southeast Regional Library.

As a grandmother of now 8 children, Mary Anne and husband Doug continue to live in their family home. Mary Anne loves spending time with grandkids, writes children’s books and dapples in pottery.

Mary Anne speaks of hope for the future as she recognizes there are unique skills common in all who identify as women and girls. They generally have a good memory for what happened, both the experience and emotion of it all. Women also seem to pay attention to the details and can, if they chose to, really listen to others and let them know they are heard. The future looks for women leaders being younger, our daughters and granddaughter will not get to say – “I’m the first girl, the first women to do this as all will belong to girls and women and proof of being overqualified will not be required. What a wonderful world.

Brittany Zahn

Nominee Announcement Celebration Chair

Brittany Zahn resides in Estevan, Saskatchewan. In her professional life, she is the Liquor Manger for Southern Plains Co-op- managing locations in Estevan, Oxbow and Carlyle.

Brittany is a 14UW coach for the Estevan Extreme Volleyball Club, and the Estevan Bears U18 AAA Billet Coordinator. She has previously spent time on many non-profit boards including the Estevan Family Centre, Daycare Co-operative and Estevan Public Youth Centre. Brittany, her husband Cole and their 2 daughters can usually be found at the rink cheering on their billets, or at the lake in the summer!

Brittany was very excited to join the awards committee and be a part of celebrating women and all the amazing contributions they have made and continue to make in the Southeast.

Michelle Erdman

Finance Chair

Michelle Erdman was born and raise in Regina, Saskatchewan and moved to Estevan in 2013 where she met her husband Evan. Michelle graduated from the University of Regina in 2013 and obtained her Charted Professional Accounting designation in 2017. Today, Michelle is a partner at a local accounting firm Siever, Fonstad and Erdman. Michelle and her husband have two young boys who currently love hockey and a small puppy. Michelle presently sits on a number of boards in the community and billets a U18 AAA Estevan Bear player during the hockey season. In the summer, Michelle and her family enjoy camping with their friends.

When Michelle is not spending time with her family and friends, you can find her playing ball, running, cycling, doing yoga, reading a book or planning her next adventure.

Michelle finds her inspiration to ‘do more’ from other women who courageously attain great achievements and has a passion for empowering women in all walks of life; which is why being a part of this committee was a definite ‘YES’. She believes that this world is filled with women with unwavering strength that often goes unrecognized and is honored to be a part of a committee that recognizes female achievements.

Tara Daoust

Guest Experience Co- Chair

Tara Daoust resides on an acreage West of Estevan, off of Highway 18. Tara has been a Registered Nurse for 30 years with 23 of them being in our community. She has taken care of many amazing people from Estevan and surrounding area. You may have seen her smiling face working anywhere from the Medical Ward, ICU, Emergency Department or while providing Chemotherapy. Tara currently works for Saskatchewan Health Authority ensuring that the front line staff are educated with the most current and best standards of care. Tara married Kevin whom is a lineman for SaskPower, they have raised 3 lovely sons Carter (Jade), Ryland (Nikita) and Jarrett (Jessie) who have also inserted their lives, with their significant others, into living and working in Estevan.

Tara along with her large extended family helped to build Boundary Dam Campground followed by her and Kevin managing the park for the first 5 years of its infancy stages. Tara has volunteered, since the inception of the Festival of Trees, as Chair/Decorator of the Christmas Trees. All of her sons have played hockey in the community from the age of 5 to 17 which she had always put her name forward as team trainer to ensure that her sons along with yours were the safest they could be. She loves to spend her time with her husband, sons and significant others, working on their acreage, spending time with her large extended family and camping.

When Tara was approached to be part of the committee she embraced the shared values and mission. Tara believes that all woman have many amazing strengths and should be recognized and celebrated for these extraordinary accomplishments.

Lori Gervais

Guest Experience Co-Chair

Lori Gervais is the Executive Director at the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation and lives on an acreage north of Estevan, Saskatchewan.

Lori, her husband Tim and their 4 children, take great pride in their acreage and spend countless hours maintaining and decorating it with Tim’s creative “yard art”. They host a long time community event – T&T Rods Annual Show & Shine every year. When Lori isn’t cutting endless acres of grass, you will find her floating in the pool (her true happy place) with a good book or around the bonfire with family and friends in the backyard gazebo.

Lori also spends much time at the softball diamonds as a member of the Estevan Softball Association and can often be found volunteering school with her kids or at various community events.

When approached about joining this committee, she instantly felt it was an important and fantastic group to be a part of. Women celebrating other women’s strengths and accomplishments will be an inspiration to our daughters.