Order of Ottawa 2024

Alexandra Badzak has been the driving force behind the Ottawa Art Gallery for over 14 years. She’s been a champion for artists and a key figure in downtown revitalization, shaping OAG as a true downtown hub. 

Devinder Chaudhary is a true community leader. His restaurant Aiāna is much more than a place to dine, it's become a space to raise funds and awareness for many important causes in our city. Devinder brings the same commitment to his employees as he does to advancing equity through his advocacy for Indigenous rights and reconciliation. 
 

Ken Craig, has been a force in Ottawa’s entertainment industry, bringing some of the most popular performers in the world to our city for four decades. From The Rolling Stones to Sir Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Celine Dion, the Tragically Hip, Ken has been a powerhouse behind over 800 events, creating a huge impact on our economy over the years.

Franklin Epape is an entrepreneur and community champion, especially for our city's African and immigrant communities. As the founder and CEO of a healthcare company, Franklin ensures health care services are available to many marginalized and vulnerable populations across Ottawa. 

Josephine Etowa is a nursing professor at uOttawa and a true trailblazer who has inspired change across the health care system. Her work to increase diversity in healthcare has created so many pathways for Black and Indigenous nurses. 

Tina Fedeski has been changing lives through music for many years as a founder of OrKidstra, one of the most remarkable and impactful organizations in our city. She has brought music into the lives of children from marginalized communities, impacting so many future leaders across Ottawa.

Paul Fournier is a legend in the LGBTQIA+ community, best known as “Peaches Latour”, Ottawa’s first drag queen. Paul is a survivor of the “LBGT Purge” of the 50s and 60s. For all the challenges he’s faced, Paul has built a legacy of bringing people together and proving that love and community can overcome almost anything.

Catherine Mensour puts Ottawa in the spotlight in the entertainment sector, whether in film, television or theatre. She opened Canada’s first bilingual talent agency nearly 40 years ago in the ByWard Market and has worked with so many great performers in the Ottawa community, promoting local talent to the world.

Len Potechin is a legendary figure in our community, shaping our city in so many ways. From restaurants to real estate, he’s played a huge role in the growth of Ottawa. Through his work in our hospitals, highways, homes, and infrastructure, he has done so much to build our city. 

Louisa Taylor has been making Ottawa a more welcoming place for refugees for 10 years. She is the founding director of Refugee 613, which has been creating pathways for newcomers and working with partners across the city to support integration. Louisa's deep kindness, devotion, and respect for the humanity of vulnerable people arriving in our city has made Ottawa an even more welcoming and inclusive city. 

Christina Tessier is raising the profile of some of our key museums and bringing the sciences to life for so many Ottawa families. As the President and Chief Executive Officer of Ingenium, Christina has enhanced our museums and attractions into sources of learning and inspiration for all ages.

Andrew Waitman has been a powerful, driving force in Ottawa’s technology community for decades and is currently the CEO of Assent. Under Andrew’s leadership, Assent has surpassed $100 million US in annual revenue. Andrew has been involved in so many startups and high-tech ventures throughout his career that his fingerprints are all over Ottawa’s technology community.

Lisa Weagle is an athlete, a champion, an Olympian, and a role model. She is a two-time Olympian, three-time Scotties Tournament of Hearts champion and has won gold, silver, and bronze at the World Women's Curling Championships. But beyond Lisa's athletic achievements, she’s known for her hard work and dedication to sport, particularly women’s sport. 

Jeffrey York has been the driving force behind several of Ottawa’s most iconic retail success stories. As the former CEO of both Farm Boy and Giant Tiger, Jeff helped scale up these two enterprises into the household names they are today. He is continuing to contribute to the economic growth of our city as CEO of Altea Active, a premier fitness and wellness brand with a new flagship location opening soon, on Carling Avenue. 

The recipient of this year’s Brian Kilrea award is Jean-Pierre Saab. For over 20 years, Jean-Pierre has coached girls and boys volleyball, hockey, football, curling, ringette, and soccer, building confidence in every player. At École Secondaire Catholique Garneau, he founded an annual Sports Gala to celebrate students’ excellence, positive attitude, and sportsmanship. He has created a supportive environment in our city where athletes of all abilities feel valued.