Our Story
Welcome!
The She Summits Forum is a hybrid community uniting ambitious women of all ages who want to beat burnout and be inspired in work and life.
We offer memberships for individuals and organizations. Our technology platform reduces female burnout in the workplace and helps organizations increase retention and profitability.
Our members find inspiration through: group coaching, live panel discussions, monthly
meetups in nature, powerful female-centric short films, and support from a community of like-minded women reaching incredible life summits.
We're on a mission to ignite the untapped potential within 1 million self-identifying women by 2025.
Ready to connect with your passions and reach more summits than you thought possible?
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Join the movement today.
Our mission is to elevate and empower 1 million women by 2025 and ignite the untapped potential within themselves.
Our vision is for all self-identifying women to feel supported, confident, and empowered within themselves, their communities, and their workplaces so they can reach their own life summits.
Our story
2020
In 2020, we grew our impact, hosting 11 community events and 3 film events, reaching over 2300 participants, and showcasing more than 30 inspiring short films. During this year, Laura van der Veer came on board and Carla passed the torch to her.
2019
She Summits was originally founded by Dr. Carla Cupido in 2019 with the first festival in collaboration with Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival (VIMFF). It began as a multi-generational community film festival and events celebrating the female spirit and supported by major brands like Arc’teryx, SPUD.ca, Nature’s Path, Rip Curl, and more.
2021
In 2021, we rebranded as the She Summits Forum and Danielle Leroux joined the team as co-founder. We took the contagious energy of our events and wrapped it up in a gorgeous new membership platform available to Individuals and Organizations. Join our hybrid community uniting ambitious women of all ages who want to beat burnout and be inspired in work and life. Our technology platform reduces female burnout in the workplace and helps organizations increase retention and profitability.
Hi
We’re Laura and Danielle,
Co-Founders of the She Summits Forum: a hybrid community uniting ambitious women of all ages who want to beat burnout and be inspired in work and life. Reignite your energy to reach extraordinary life summits.
LAURA
van der Veer
Laura has 20+ years of experience as a community builder, small business mentor, and business development specialist.
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An expert in community engagement, special events, public relations, and strategic partnerships, she’s also a long-time volunteer mentor for The Forum’s Mentor Program for women entrepreneurs.
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Her work has empowered women leaders across dozens of companies and industries, including consumer goods, travel, outdoors, and female-founded start-ups.
DANIELLE
Leroux
Danielle is a community builder, communications and membership specialist, and life and leadership coach.
Her expertise in communications and membership engagement, content creation, and personal development has propelled She Summits to become the #1 platform to reduce female burnout and help you thrive in work and life.
Passionate about empowering and connecting women, she also created Renew Retreats - the top hiking retreats for women in B.C. - to build women’s confidence, create community, provide education, and support more women in getting outdoors.
Igniting the untapped potential within women
to create conscious change in the world.
Shannon Lorenz
Community Builder and Consultant
The Locals Board
Shannon Lorenz is a Community Builder and Consultant who helps small business owners gain clarity, build confidence, and create communities for sustainable growth. She’s the creator of the Level Up Mastermind for women entrepreneurs, co-founder of Refresh Market, and owner of The Locals Board
Tess Sloane
Co-Founder
ElevenElevenTalent
Tess is a certified Meditation teacher, co-founder of ElevenEleven Talent, a regular speaker at Universities, Women Events and HR Conferences. Tess is committed to the conversation of remaining deeply connected to your purpose and the continued development of your whole self.
Susan Flynn
Director of Social Media
Plastic Oceans International
Susan is a content creator and social media manager. Formerly trained as an audiologist, Susan pivoted to content creation after experiencing success with her own personal Instagram account. Susan is the Director of social media for Plastic Oceans International, a non-profit organization whose goal is to end plastic pollution, with over 300,000 followers worldwide. Susan also manages several LinkedIn social media accounts and considers this platform her specialty.
A few partners who share our vision and values
See how She Summits Forum inspires women every day
Volunteer Advisory Board
Meet
Andrea Helleman
Owner and Founder
Maven Business & Brand Development
Andrea Helleman is a self-taught storyteller, designer, photographer, podcast, brander, and content creator. She lives in Squamish, BC with her sister Adele. Adele has Down syndrome and has helped Andrea look at the world with more compassion, patience, and awe.
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Andrea loves people, stories, ideas, connection, and pushing herself further in all creative avenues she comes upon. She works with small businesses and entrepreneurs as a designer, consultant, and teacher. Andrea seeks to empower and inspire in every interaction.
Rebecca Vigelius
Copywriter and Marketing Consultant
Conversion Copywriting and Strategy
Rebecca Vigelius is a copywriter and marketing consultant for wellness practitioners and women leaders. She combines her 20+ years of experience in TV news, public relations, corporate communications, and marketing to help her clients capture their own magic. The result: messaging and sales copy that convert the right people into long-term paying customers and clients. Her mission is to empower 1000+ clients to elevate 1000+ people each.
Tami Schweber
Online Course
Launch Strategist
Tami Schweber is a Online Course & Launch Strategist for women entrepreneurs who want to take their one-to-one services to one-to-many, so they can finally stop trading time for money. Tami’s experience in a variety of industries allows her to bring a diverse set of skills and problem solving solutions for her clients. She is her clients’ biggest cheerleader.
Shannon Lorenz
Community Builder and Consultant
The Locals Board
Shannon Lorenz is a Community Builder and Consultant who helps small business owners gain clarity, build confidence, and create communities for sustainable growth. She’s the creator of the Level Up Mastermind for women entrepreneurs, co-founder of Refresh Market, and owner of The Locals Board
Tess Sloane
Co-Founder
ElevenElevenTalent
Tess Sloane is the Co-Founder of Eleven Eleven Talent Collective, and the Founder of Chapter Two Meditation. Tess is a firm believer in the philosophy of transformation, with concrete examples throughout her 16+ years in the HR industry. She has catalyzed purpose-led paths for people and worked for global brands renown for their transformative People Practices. Using her technical background and instinct as a true north star, her approach blends eastern and western philosophies, finding harmony between tried and true tactics and progressive, forward thinking innovation.
Susan Flynn
Director of Social Media
Plastic Oceans International
Susan is a content creator and social media manager. Formerly trained as an audiologist, Susan pivoted to content creation after experiencing success with her own personal Instagram account. Susan is the Director of social media for Plastic Oceans International, a non-profit organization whose goal is to end plastic pollution, with over 300,000 followers worldwide. Susan also manages several LinkedIn social media accounts and considers this platform her specialty.
Amy Saunders
Founder of
​AlphaPR
Director of Communications
and Marketing at
Diva
Amy Saunders is the Founder of AlphaPR and Director of Communications and Marketing at Diva, maker of the Original DivaCup. A believer in the power of storytelling, and the power of women, Amy has forged a career path coloured with innovative thinking and DIY grit. She has been a champion for historically underserved communities, elevating and empowering deserving narratives, artists, and collaborators. With a Masters in Strategic Business Design and Innovation, Amy's work centers on purpose, intention and making the world a better place.
Here's what is possible with She Summits
“Working with Laura has truly been one of the best decisions I’ve made as an entrepreneur. She approaches mentorship as if she had a vested interest in your success, and each month dedicates time to truly supporting your development. I look forward to leaving every session with new ideas and inspiration.”
-Kate Bouchard, CEO & Founder, Armature Collective