Meet your first 10 Saskatchewan Future 40 winners of 2018

CBC Saskatchewan received many amazing nominations, sharing the accomplishments of outstanding people, under age 40, from across the province.

Now, our judges have made the final cut.

From Monday, Nov. 12 to Thursday, Nov. 15, CBC Saskatchewan is announcing 10 winners each day.

Meet some of this year's winners at the 2018 CBC Saskatchewan Future 40 Gala:

For more on the winners, check out CBC Saskatchewan and CBC Saskatoon online and on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to read more about each winner. Then, tune in to The Afternoon Edition at 4 p.m. CST and CBC Saskatchewan News each evening at 6 p.m. CST.

The submissions below are written by the nominators. 

Darian Lonechild ​

Darian Landray Lonechild is 21 years old and is a leading Indigenous leader and force in Saskatchewan, as well as powerful advocate for young people.

She was elected this year as the youth representative of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations in a Youth Legislative Assembly, representing First Nations youth in Saskatchewan. It was not long after that Darian was elected as the co-chair of the Assembly of First Nations National Youth Council, representing the collective of 10 provinces and territories across Canada.

Since then, Darian's heart has been in communities and with youth, offering empowerment and motivational workshops at local levels both on and off First Nations reserves. Her latest work has been strategizing with the Saskatoon Police Service to develop partnerships with Indigenous youth targeting systemic racism.

Darian is a leader for young people by trailblazing new approaches to working with Indigenous youth at the community, provincial and national levels of government. She is passionate about her culture, and physical well-being by consistently participating in Plains Cree and Dakota ceremonies, and showcasing healthy ways of living with exercise and a balanced diet for Indigenous communities.

Finally, she is currently in the third year of pursuing an Indigenous studies degree at the University of Saskatchewan and is dedicated to continuing to pursue law school and a masters of business administration. Darian envisions a province where treaties are the foundation of a relationship with Indigenous Peoples and invests her time in young people to lead on a path of reconciliation.

Miguel Catellier

Miguel Catellier is the 29-year-old founder and CEO of two companies — TruGreen Metal Recycling and TruGreen Energy — based out of Emerald Park, Sask.

At 25, Miguel founded TruGreen Metal Recycling, a mobile metal recycling company primarily focusing on cleaning up obsolete farm equipment from farms and acreages across the Prairies, as well as industrial metal recycling projects. Since 2015, TruGreen Metal Recycling has recycled over 200 million pounds of steel products, primarily in Saskatchewan, but recently in Alberta as well.

Miguel believes strongly that renewable energy is the future of energy in this province and around the world and put his money where his mouth was by founding TruGreen Energy — a full-service solar energy EPC serving Saskatchewan. TruGreen Energy is a new company and has already carved a spot as one of the largest and most professional solar energy companies in the province.

These two companies generate eight figures of revenue per year, create around 40 full-time jobs in the province and put back millions of dollars each year into Saskatchewan's economy.

Stephanie Yong 

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A well-known and much-beloved Saskatonian, Stephanie Yong is a design-thinking specialist, community leader and champion of local startups.

She is the principal at Stephanie Yong Consulting, where she utilizes human-centred design thinking to help generate ideas and solve strategic problems for community and social impact projects. She is currently collaborating with the City of Saskatoon Mayor's Office on a project to reduce youth incarceration rates. Their initial proposal won $250,000 and garnered a place on the Smart Cities Challenge short list, beating out hundreds of other cities and putting Saskatoon in the running to win $10 million dollars.

Stephanie has also worked with a variety of other organizations such as Lyft, Kreos Aviation, the Downtown BID and SaskInteractive. Stephanie served as the director of the W. Brett Wilson Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence for six years. Stephanie is also a lecturer at the University of Saskatchewan's Edwards School of Business, with a strong focus on entrepreneurship and innovation and teaching design thinking principles.

A leader in her community, Stephanie currently sits on the boards of Creative Saskatchewan, Saskatoon Public School Foundation and the Saskatchewan Opportunities Corporation. Along with six other women, Stephanie created Seeds for Dreams, a program that provides financial support to new female-led businesses. She previously served on the boards of The Accelerator, Startup Saskatoon and Start-Up Canada Campaign, Saskatchewan Region.

She is a dedicated friend and daughter, and a fitness junkie — having somehow completed over 1,000 classes at her local gym, Freedom Fitness.

Edel Perez Lopez 

Edel Perez Lopez came to Saskatoon for the first time in 2015 to do part of his PhD, but besides that he got involved in research related to aster yellows affecting canola in Saskatchewan. This collaboration generated two book chapters and the sequencing of the aster yellows genome.

In 2016, along with researchers from AAFC, he contributed to the development of a diagnostic method for plant pathogens that has generated employment in Saskatoon.

Currently he is part of a research group funded by the government of Saskatchewan and Sask Canola to identify proteins that are key to understanding clubroot disease affecting canola, with some promising early results. 

Kim Camboia 

Kim is a successful entrepreneur, avid fundraiser, selfless mother and proud Saskatchewan resident. Since Kim's daughter Aleina was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis in 2009, Kim has held various roles with the Saskatchewan CF Chapter, including president, and she works tirelessly to raise funds in the hopes of finding a cure.

From golf tournaments to a family-operated butter tart sale that has raised almost $100,000 to date, Kim has been instrumental in supporting CF research in Saskatchewan. Kim's realization that many adults with CF are unable to maintain jobs due to the physical strain of the disease and the time-consuming care it requires led her to envision creating her own business. This would not only ensure she had the freedom to support Aleina's care, but that Aleina would always have a place to work when she was older.

In 2014, Kim opened W Bridal in Saskatoon, a unique store where plus-size brides can feel comfortable and confident in their shopping experience. Today, the business is thriving, with nearly $1 million in sales in 2017 and over 400 brides getting married in W gowns in 2018. Her modern take on the industry is putting Saskatchewan on the map, drawing customers from Whitehorse to Toronto to Idaho, and earning the store several awards.

Whether she is helping all women feel beautiful and confident or refusing to settle for a world without a cure for cystic fibrosis, Kim embodies a future Saskatchewan that we can all be proud of.

Jim Demeray 

Update: 15 former employees alleged to CBC News that Jim Demeray verbally sexually harassed, objectified or acted inappropriately toward teens and young women while he was their boss at Earls restaurants in Regina between 2000 and 2016. 

Jim Demeray founded UnderstandUs, the mental health initiative, seven years ago. Over the past seven years, I have watched him volunteer endless hours creating a mental health conversation in Saskatchewan. He has spoken in front of thousands of students in Saskatchewan, teaching them about mental health — a topic that would not be where it is in this province without Jim leading this charge.

He has organized several campaigns that have broken down the barrier of conversation about mental health, while engaging students across the province. He deserves recognition for his selfless work with UnderstandUs.

I believe Jim will put Saskatchewan on the map for mental health progress and starting a movement of openness.

Michelle Keene 

Michelle Keene is a dedicated professional, athlete, community volunteer and all-around great person.

Michelle completed the first three years of her undergraduate degree in kinesiology at Medicine Hat College, where she played on the college soccer and basketball teams and earned academic and athletic awards each year. She graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 2014 with a masters in physical therapy.

During her time at the University of Saskatchewan, she volunteered with the PAAL program as well as with the Huskie student trainer program from 2009 to 2014. She was a part of the Huskie Athletics All-Academic First Team each year and was awarded the Huskie Trainer of the Year award in 2012.

After graduation, Michelle landed a job at Craven SPORT services where she quickly rose the ranks to become director of sport physiotherapy in just a few short years. A life-long learner, she has taken post-graduate education in running injury prevention and is certified in concussion management, and has received her certification in KinetaCore functional dry needling.

She regularly participates and volunteers her valuable time in event coverage for a variety of sports including football, soccer, hockey, fastball, wrestling, rugby, and track and field. Her unwavering passion for sports has kept her involved in the community, coaching multiple youth soccer and basketball teams and sport camps. She also continues to volunteer as a trainer for the Saskatoon Valkyries football team.

Tyson Liske

Having been GM of the Trademark Group of Companies, including Trademark Homes and Lumberjax Axe Throwing, Tyson is a young leader in business in Regina.

Whether it is partnering with the YMCA to help end homelessness in Regina, volunteering with Campbell Collegiate Business Club to help inspire new entrepreneurs, championing the city with Tourism Regina, cheering others on in business or coaching local sports team, Tyson is always on the go.

Kayla Brien 

Kayla Brien is a champion for the community through every commitment she holds, and through every action in her everyday life. She is an advocate for marginalized people when it comes to job opportunity and education, she is a valued volunteer in varied capacities, and she is a living example of compassion.

Kayla is a valued volunteer member of The Princess Shop board, and provides ongoing mentorship to a Princess Graduate through the Fairy Godmother Program. Prior to this, she volunteered over 1,000 hours to co-ordinate the mentorship program.

Kayla volunteers as a shelter manager with the Canadian Red Cross for disaster response and beyond co-ordinating the logistics, due to her compassionate nature, she is a great comfort to people who have been displaced. In September 2018, she was one of three volunteers chosen to speak as the "local hero" to share her experiences over the past eight years as a relief aid for disasters in the province.

Through her daily work at the non-profit Quint Development, Kayla is an advocate for marginalized job seekers in Saskatoon's core, and is a representative on the Reconciliation Saskatoon Committee.

Kayla is passionate about creating equal opportunities for all to succeed. In her daily life, she is always ready to provide a helping hand to anyone who would benefit. From giving rides home to women she encounters on the street, to paying for groceries or simply offering a word of encouragement, Kayla never hesitates when it comes to helping others.

Jade Koch 

Jade Koch is an ambitious 22-year-old with a passion for empowering others and promoting change within themselves and within the community.

Jade has worked at Street Culture Project, a non-profit organization that works with at-risk and homeless youth, for over four years and has created strong life-long relationships with those involved.

Jade is consistently attending community events and initiatives; she participated in 5 Days for the Homeless at the University of Regina, is an advocate for additional mental health support and is a trainer for Your Time, a women's empowerment foundation that supports women who cannot afford personal hygiene products.

The drive to empower women is what kicked-started Jade's most recent entrepreneurial journey of co-founding the local women's empowerment initiative, She is We. She is We focuses on connecting women through collaboration and genuine interactions. This group was designed to not only be a social and business resource but to also provide the necessary personal and professional support to inspire others to become leaders and change-makers.

Jade truly cares about strengthening the local community and her actions prove this beyond a doubt.