From championing women in hockey to promoting diversity in gaming, local business women in Squamish are shattering traditionally held notions of gender norms and gender roles and inspiring inclusion by becoming leaders in industries historically dominated by men, such as sports and automotive services.
In honour of International Women's Day and Women’s History Month, The Squamish Chief is celebrating a few of the visionary women behind the locally owned and operated businesses that are not only helping the Squamish economy grow, but are expanding the community’s perspective on what’s possible for women in leadership.
Evelyn Schellenberg
As the daughter of Dr. Ken Schellenberg, one of Squamish’s first doctors, Evelyn Schellenberg has deep roots in the local community. She has translated her extensive local knowledge and 25 years of marketing expertise into a career as a realtor for RE/MAX Sea to Sky Real Estate. With that, she was BORN to sell Squamish.
Outside of her real estate profession, Schellenberg is a trailblazer for making opportunities in sport accessible to local girls and women as the founder and owner of the Squamish Women's Hockey Academy. The academy is a non-judgemental, welcoming, and supportive environment for girls and women of all experience levels who want to learn the sport of hockey, improve on their skills, and play in a safe and fun space.
Schellenberg hopes to empower women to step out of their comfort zone and gain the confidence to jump on the ice. In fact, many of the local women who have joined the academy started with never having worn skates before and are now competing in games against other Lower Mainland teams.
Having faced initial pushback against the notion of establishing the hockey academy in Squamish, Schellenberg was determined to make the program happen. This year marks six years since the start of the Squamish Women’s Hockey Academy, which continues to see growing interest and demand. Building off of the success of the Squamish chapter, Schellenerg will soon be launching a women’s hockey academy in Whistler, which has already sold out within 48 hours.
Whether you're interested in joining the Squamish Women's Hockey Academy or are seeking guidance in the local real estate market, visit evelynschellenberg.com to learn more or reach out to Evelyn at [email protected] or on Instagram.
Euphoria Natural Health Clinic + Supplements Store
Established in 2017, Euphoria Natural Health Clinic + Supplements Store is an award-winning, female-led naturopathic clinic. They are a pioneer in the field of local integrative medicine by bringing unique and rare natural healing modalities, including science-based and holistic therapies, to the Squamish community and beyond.
Euphoria is now run by Roxana Dees, who assumed ownership of the clinic in 2020 and was first introduced to the clinic two years prior as a patient. With a Bachelor of Science in biology, with a focus on epigenetics, Dees’ academic background makes her a natural leader to take Euphoria to the next level.
The clinic’s medical team has grown from two medical practitioners to six, and with that, the team’s clinical focus has expanded to include services in women’s and men’s health, gut health, pain management, and most recently, medical aesthetics.
Self-driven and self-motivated, Dees finds much fulfillment from being a business owner. “Having the power of decision and the ability to follow [her] intuition when it comes to innovation, future direction and leadership” are what she loves the most.
Dees finds encouragement from the people around her, including her supportive husband and the clinic’s patients “Everyone that I have met and talked to on a daily basis asking for help, has inspired me to become curious and seek solutions to their individual cases. People’s needs drive me every day and knowing that I can provide our community with treatments, therapies and practitioners that otherwise we would not have access to unless we leave Squamish.
“We love what we do and love doing it for our community,” says Dees.
For more information on Euphoria Natural Health Clinic + Supplements Store, visit www.euphorianaturalhealth.com.
Kal Tire
Since running her first small business at the young age of 21, Diane Gilbert has accumulated over 30 years of experience in retail and service management. After spending eight years as a training and development manager with a large inventory company, Gilbert started her career at Kal Tire, Canada’s largest independent tire dealer, in 2015. Three years later in 2018, she assumed the role of store manager at Kal Tire in Squamish.
Kal Tire is known throughout the Squamish community for providing professional, transparent, and exceptional customer service. In particular, Gilbert is motivated by creating a space where women in the community can feel at ease when they come in for automotive services. “I know that taking a vehicle in for maintenance can be stressful for some women, and I am very humbled that I am in a position to create a safe and stress-free environment for them.”
Kal Tire Squamish offers highly competitive pricing to help ease the financial burden to customers who are struggling in the current economic climate. Further to this, they are constantly looking for ways to give back to the local community. Kal Tire Squamish is a proud sponsor of the Spud Valley Nordic Skiers, Britannia Mine Museum, and Squamish Days Loggers Sports Festival. The Kal Tire team can also be seen participating in the Squamish Days Parade and the Squamish Holiday Parade every year.
Gilbert carries her leadership title with a great sense of responsibility and honour. “To be a woman in a leadership role, especially in a male dominated industry, takes courage and strength,” says Gilbert. “I am inspired by every woman I see out there taking these challenges on to move the needle and pave the way for future generations of female leaders in business.”
For more information on Kal Tire, visit www.kaltire.com and follow Kal Tire on Facebook and Instagram.
Firetail Pets
After travelling the world for 15 years through her work onboard eight cruise lines and 34 different ships, Cindy Smith moved to the island of Cozumel, Mexico to follow her lifelong passion for working with animals. She founded a wildlife rescue centre with a local veterinarian, where they rehabilitated injured and orphaned animals, including pygmy raccoons, crocodiles, opossum, kinkajous, coatimundis, and spider monkeys, as well as many birds species such as parrots, hawks, nightjars, owls, and osprey. Through her involvement with Cozumel Humane Society, Smith cared for orphaned kittens and started a fundraising store and adoption program. She raised over $150,000 for the shelter and homed more than 150 dogs and cats.
13 years later, Smith moved back to B.C. to return to the Vancouver area where she grew up. Settling in Squamish, she worked at pet retailer Bosley’s and completed Animal Nutrition courses through the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
In 2021, she launched Firetail Pets, a one-stop-shop in Garibaldi Village with everything pet owners need, from high quality food and accessories to toys and games, to keep their furry loved ones happy and healthy. Smith continues to follow her passion of animal rescue by creating several food drives and fundraising events for Whistler WAG and the Sea to Sky SPCA. She also hosts adoption events with Squamish’s Pawsitive Animal Rescue to help dogs and puppies find their forever homes.
For more information, visit www.firetailpets.com and follow Firetail Pets on Facebook and Instagram.
Atwell Dental Centre
As a curious child, Dr. Nancy Clayton was fascinated with how the human body functioned. She devoured the myriad of medical books and health and wellness magazines that her mother, who would help heal her children from their various childhood bumps, scrapes, and illnesses, had stored around the house.
Her passion for dentistry also began in her childhood after she underwent extensive dental surgery and orthodontics to fix her teeth. “I am so grateful to my own family dentist and orthodontist who not only restored my broken smile but sensed my interest in dentistry from a young age and encouraged me to pursue dentistry,” recalls Dr. Clayton.
She decided to pursue sciences and a career in dentistry at a time when women were not yet fully supported in these programs. With the support and encouragement of her mentors, Dr. Clayton graduated with honours from the University of Toronto, Faculty of Dentistry, and later completed advanced surgical training through the Dental Residency Program at VGH.
Today, Dr. Nancy Clayton leads her team at Atwell Dental Centre, her clinic in Squamish that offers dentistry for the whole family. She is incredibly fortunate to be able to help patients achieve healthy, beautiful, and confident smiles, and hopes to encourage kids and teens who are curious about the field of dentistry to pursue their passions.
“When I see young people at my office who are curious and intrigued by what we are doing,” says Dr. Clayton. “I encourage them to ask questions and share as much knowledge as possible to hopefully inspire the next generation of dentists.”
For more information on Atwell Dental Centre, visit www.atwelldental.com
Arrow Wood Games
Picture this: the warm glow of lamplight, the laughter of friends, and the sound of dice hitting the table. Now, imagine two women behind the scenes, curating the next adventure.
Co-founded by Kim Snowfire and Jen Reilly, along with business partner Aaron Ogden, Arrow Wood Games is a new local business in downtown Squamish selling board games, card games, role-playing games, puzzles, and more.
Upon hearing that the only game store in town was closing, Snowfire and Reilly dove into crafting and executing their business vision – to create an immersive, inclusive gaming experience in an industry traditionally dominated by men.
Drawing upon their diverse backgrounds in business ownership, operations, university administration, post-secondary teaching, and running kids’ programs, they went from in-depth business planning to an incredibly well-received grand opening in only eight months.
With Arrow Wood Games, Snowfire and Reilly see an opportunity to be true game changers by cultivating a welcoming community where people of all ages, genders, and races can come together to play games and connect. They are actively forming partnerships with local organizations like Pride Squamish, as well as seeking out products with diverse design teams, to ensure diversity and inclusivity remain at the forefront of their business.
No matter your background, the next time you're looking for a break from the ordinary, gather your friends, grab some dice, and visit Arrow Wood Games for some laughter around the table.
For more information, visit www.arrowwoodgames.com and follow Arrow Wood Games on Instagram and Facebook.
