Kanata Central is home to many inspiring entrepreneurs, and today we are proud to shine a spotlight on some incredible women who help make our business community so vibrant.
In honour of International Women’s Day 2026, we are celebrating the achievements, dedication, and leadership of women who own and work in businesses across Kanata Central. Their passion, creativity, and resilience continue to shape our local economy and strengthen the sense of community that makes Kanata Central such a special place.
Take a moment to learn more about these remarkable women, their stories, and the businesses they lead or contribute to every day. (Click a name for details)
Phoebe Phuong Ha | Banh Mi Yes
Phoebe Phuong Ha
Founder & Owner of Banh Mi Yes
📍471 Terry Fox Dr, Ottawa, ON K2T 0A3
I’m Phoebe Phuong Ha, Founder and Owner of Banh Mi Yes, a made-from-scratch Vietnamese sandwich franchise.
Angie White | Paul Rushforth
Angie White
Broker/Manager at Paul Rushforth Real Estate
100 Didsbury Rd, Kanata, ON K2T 0C2
Angie White is the organizational force that keeps Paul Rushforth Real Estate running smoothly across both locations. She manages the office and Sales teams, ensuring everyone has what they need to serve clients at the highest level.
Real estate is in Angie’s blood; her father worked in the industry, and she’s been licensed since 2003. With over two decades of experience, she brings a teaching background that serves her well in her current role.
Helping agents is what she enjoys most, and her superpower is organization. It’s a skill she’s mastered to the point where she can coordinate operations at both locations without missing a beat.
Beyond her management duties, Angie also works with a new home builder for Paul Rushforth Real Estate. Her diverse responsibilities demonstrate her versatility and commitment to the team’s success.
Angie is a proud mom to two adult children and Jax, her Cocker Spaniel who keeps the household lively. When she’s not managing the office or helping agents succeed, you’ll find her on the golf course or playing pool.
Tanya Farlinger | Ehālō Spa
Tanya Farlinger
Owner of Exhālō767 Silver Seven Rd #24, Ottawa, ON K2V 0H1
Tanya Farlinger is the the driving force behind exhālō spa a women-owned and women-led wellness haven in Kanata Central and Barrhaven.
With a passion for holistic wellness and creating meaningful client experiences, Tanya vision has helped grow a team of skilled professionals who are dedicated to helping clients feel their best, inside and out.
From salt therapy and organic facials to massages, pedicures, and hair services, Exhālō offers a full range of treatments designed to support both physical and mental well-being. Under Tanya’s leadership, the spa has become a place where women empower women, fostering a welcoming and supportive environment for both clients and staff.
Through her commitment to wellness and community, Tanya and her women-led team continues to make a positive impact in Ottawa!
Alana Haining | Holiday Inn & suites Ottawa - Kanata
Alana Haining
General Manager at Holiday Inn & Suites Ottawa – Kanata101 Kanata Ave., Kanata, ON K2T 0C1
I began my career with Holiday Inn as a server in the hotel restaurant and, through dedication and hard work, progressed through a variety of roles before becoming General Manager. Throughout my journey in hospitality, I was fortunate to have strong female leaders who helped me see my potential and provided opportunities to continue expanding my skills.
As a leader, I’m passionate about mentoring and developing my team, with a strong focus on empowering women in hospitality. I strive to foster a supportive environment where team members collaborate, support one another through operational challenges, and continue delivering exceptional guest experiences.
Most recently, our hotel earned the prestigious IHG Torchbearer Award, recognizing excellence in guest satisfaction and overall performance. Winning this award confirms what I’ve always believed: we are an exceptional team operating an exceptional hotel. I’m incredibly grateful for the strong, smart, and supportive women I’m surrounded by every day—our success truly belongs to all of us.
Natasha Landry | Gutsies
Natasha Landry
Co-Owner of Gutsies471 Terry Fox Dr, Ottawa, ON K2T 0A3
Before becoming one of the proud owners of Gutsies, most people knew me as Mrs. Natasha. I began teaching in 1994 and spent many years in elementary schools until 2021, teaching in Louisiana, New Brunswick, and Ontario. Alongside my love for working with children, I’ve always had a soft spot for creating with my hands. Whether it was building furniture, decorating a birthday cake with fondant, or trying out any little project that sparked my creativity, I’ve always loved bringing ideas to life. A serious medical event encouraged me to pause and take a closer look at other passions I might want to explore. With a daughter living with Celiac disease and my deep love for baking and good food, the idea for Gutsies slowly started to take shape.
Debbie Schinzel | Pure Heart Essentials
Debbie Schinzel
Owner of Pure Heart Essentials150 Katimavik Rd Unit 134, Kanata, ON K2L 2N2
Debbie Schinzel, founder of Pure Heart Essentials, a clean and sustainable skincare company rooted in wellness and purpose.
Starting as a Shiatsu practitioner, Debbie was on a mission to provide safer skincare options for her family specially her daughter who faced endocrine issues from a young age, her mission grew into a brand that is now award-winning, cruelty-free, and eco-conscious, proving that beauty can be natural, responsible, and empowering.
Debbie’s work demonstrates how passion and purpose can drive impactful, community-focused entrepreneurship.
Rebecca Swedlove | Aqua-Tots Swim School Kanata
Rebecca Swedlove
Owner and Operator of Aqua-Tots Swim School Kanata and Orléans145 Roland Michener Dr, Kanata, ON K2T 1G7
Rebecca Swedlove is an entrepreneur, former competitive swimmer, and passionate advocate for water safety. As the owner and operator of Aqua-Tots Swim School in Kanata, she opened her business during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by a deep belief that swimming is a life-saving skill every child deserves to learn.
A lifelong athlete and mother of two, Rebecca has turned her passion for the water into a mission to help families build confidence and safety around it. Through her leadership and dedication to drowning prevention, she is proud to make a lasting impact in her community by empowering the next generation with skills that can save lives.
Tegan Kirkpatrick | Splitsville Kanata and Kingston
Tegan Kirkpatrick
Event Sales Manager for Splitsville Kanata & Kingston255 Kanata Ave. Unit DD, Ottawa, ON K2T 1K5
Tegan is the Event Sales Manager for Splitsville Kanata and Kingston. Since joining Splitsville Bowl in November 2024, Tegan has played a key role in driving large-scale event sales, building strategic partnerships, and strengthening community connections — all while consistently exceeding her monthly sales targets. In July 2025, she expanded her leadership to oversee events in Kingston, further broadening her impact.
As Splitsville Kanata celebrated its one-year anniversary on March 1, 2026, Tegan is especially proud to have helped position the centre as a vibrant destination for corporate events, community gatherings, and birthdays for everyone.
A graduate of Algonquin College’s Hospitality Management and Event Management programs, Tegan brings a diverse and dynamic background in events. She began her career working with a catering company, coordinating weddings, government functions, galas, and large corporate meetings and conferences. She later worked at Ontario’s largest exhibition centre and contributed to major tradeshows such as the Home & Garden Show, Comic-Con, CANSEC and The Wedding Show. Expanding into the corporate technology space, Tegan also worked for an enterprise video surveillance company, supporting major industry trade shows and security conventions. She worked with the sales and marketing teams to align event strategy with business goals and maximize ROI, coordinated vendors and inventory, and managed booth logistics.
Having lived in Kanata her whole life, Tegan loves being part of the community she grew up in. Her favourite part of working at Splitsville is the energy, teamwork and how everyday is fun. She is proud to work alongside an incredible team that supports one another, celebrates success together, and proves that strong leadership and collaboration are at the heart of meaningful impact. Through her work, Tegan continues to build connections, elevate experiences, and hopes to inspire confidence in women pursuing careers in sales, hospitality, and events.
Mishel | Mishel's Natural Beauty Clinic
Mishel
Owner of Mishel’s Natural Beauty Clinic308 Palladium Dr, Stittsville, ON K2V 1A1
Mishel’s Natural Beauty Clinic is a trusted skincare destination in Kanata since 2020.
Mishel’s mission is to provide personalized, results-driven skincare treatments in a welcoming and inclusive environment, including private spaces for hijabi women. Her clinic offers a wide range of services, from facials, microneedling, and chemical peels to LED therapy, laser hair removal, and advanced treatments like the Lutronic Ultra Laser, suitable for all skin types and designed to address melasma, hyperpigmentation, acne scars, and fine lines.
What sets Mishel apart is her integrity-driven approach to beauty and wellness, combined with a highly skilled team and a dedication to creating a space where clients feel valued, understood, and rejuvenated from the inside out.
Parni Tayebi | Trapped Kanata
Parni Tayebi
Owner of Trapped Escape Room and infinity Board Game Lounge655 Kanata Ave. Unit J5, Kanata, ON K2T 1H6
I’m Parni Tayebi, an educator, creator, and entrepreneur in the entertainment and recreation industry, and the founder behind Trapped Kanata, one of Ottawa’s immersive escape room destinations.
With a background in engineering and education, I enjoy designing experiences that bring people together through creativity, storytelling, and problem-solving. Through Trapped Kanata, I focus on creating high-quality escape room adventures that challenge teams and create memorable moments for friends, families, and corporate groups.
Beyond escape rooms, I’m passionate about developing broader entertainment and recreation concepts such as board game cafés, interactive social spaces, and future sustainable entertainment and ecotourism projects across Canada that celebrate Indigenous culture and heritage.
Fun fact about running an escape room: Watching how people behave under time pressure is a fascinating psychological experience. In the room you see leaders emerge, quiet thinkers solve the hardest clues, some people panic, and occasionally someone in the group just starts wandering around doing absolutely nothing. Seeing teams transform and celebrate when they solve the final puzzle makes it all worth it.
Ling Tian | The Peace Tree Learning Centre
Ling Tian
Founder of The Peace tree Learning Centre150 Katimavik Rd Unit #147, Ottawa, ON K2L 2N2
Ling is the Founder, Director, and Lead Teacher of The Peace Tree Learning Centre in Kanata. Originally from China and a University of Toronto graduate, she is a certified Montessori teacher with eight years of experience. Passionate about nurturing young minds, supporting youth development, and bridging Eastern and Western cultures, Ling lives in Kanata with her husband and three children, and enjoys nature and dancing.
The Story Behind The Peace Tree name:
We chose the name The Peace Tree because we wanted our learning centre to be a calm, rooted place where children can grow at their own pace. Our community is wonderfully diverse, and through Montessori education we encourage children to learn about and appreciate each other’s cultures and backgrounds. In doing so, we hope to plant a small seed of peace in their early years—one child at a time.
Joanne Mutter | Jojo Coco Chocolate
Joanne Mutter
Owner of Jojo Coco499 Terry Fox Dr unit 56, Ottawa, ON K2T 1H7
Joanne Mutter is the owner of JoJo CoCo Chocolate, a locally‑owned chocolate shop in Kanata since 2011, and celebrated for its curated selection of high-quality bean-to-bar chocolates from Canada and around the world. Since opening the shop, Joanne has turned her passion for chocolate into a delightful destination where customers can explore unique flavours, enjoy handcrafted treats, and discover the art of fine chocolate at her chocolate tasting events, featuring pairings with cheese, wine, and whisky.
Beyond her business, Joanne serves as Chair of the Kanata Central BIA Board of Directors, where she plays a key role in supporting the growth and vibrancy of the local business community. Her leadership, expertise, and commitment to fostering collaboration make her a driving force in strengthening Kanata Central’s network of entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Patti Perry | Kanata Central BIA
Patti Perry
Executive Director of Kanata Central BIA260 Hearts Way #509, Kanata, ON K2L 4G6
With decades of experience in leadership and community support, Patti works closely with business owners, city stakeholders, and the Kanata Central BIA Board of Directors to strengthen economic development, improve the business district, and create meaningful opportunities for collaboration and growth.
Patti efforts and commitment to support local, help make Kanata Central a vibrant, welcoming destination for shoppers, diners, visitors, and entrepreneurs alike.
Fun fact about her:
A one‑person community‑building whirlwind with a clipboard for a cape.
The women featured here represent just a small portion of the talented and driven individuals who make Kanata Central thrive. Their stories remind us of the impact that passion, hard work, and community spirit can have on a local business district.
Together, we can continue building a community where women entrepreneurs are supported, celebrated, and inspired to keep growing.
