I usually stand on stage with a violin under my chin, not a microphone in my hand. But some events matter enough that I’ll trade the bow for a mic, and this was one of them: I had the honour of emceeing the Women of Inspiration™ Awards in Calgary.

The Women of Inspiration Awards were launched right here in Calgary on September 26, 2015, by the Universal Women’s Network, founded by Monica Kretschmer. From that inaugural event, the awards have grown into a platform recognizing female leaders, change-makers, and role models across every industry imaginable — entrepreneurs, executives, community builders, and advocates who lead by example.

This event holds a personal significance for me. As the founder of Every Woman Foundation, I’ve spent years building programs and cultural events dedicated to advancing equality and inclusion for women. So stepping up to host this inaugural night wasn’t just a favour or a gig — it was a chance to support a community and a mission that aligns so closely with my own work.

Hosting instead of performing gave me a different vantage point. Instead of watching an audience from behind an instrument, I got to watch the honourees themselves: the pride on their faces, the nerves before their names were called, the quiet strength in the stories that got them there. Every industry was represented, and every story reminded me why recognition like this matters. Change-makers rarely get a spotlight built for them — they’re usually too busy doing the work. Nights like this exist to make sure they’re seen anyway.

It’s easy to think of an awards night as just a nice evening out. But rooms like this one do something real: they connect women across industries who might never otherwise cross paths, and they put a name and a face to the kind of leadership that too often goes unnoticed. That’s exactly the kind of work Every Woman Foundation was built around, and it’s why I said yes the moment I was asked to host.

Music will always be my first stage. But every so often, the mic is the better instrument for the moment — and this was one of those events!