MEET THE WOMEN IN MUSIC CANADA STAFF
Robyn Stewart (she/her)
Executive Director
Robyn Stewart is an 21-year veteran accomplished organization and event director. Previous to coming to Women in Music Canada, she was Executive director and CEO of the Western Canadian Music Alliance. Having started her career as a theatre Stage Manager, among other roles in the cultural industries she is passionate about the creative process and the role culture plays in communities. Her experience reaches all areas of event management and talent buying, with her strongest skills lying in financial management, complex logistics, government relations and fund development, and partner relationship building.
Among the projects she is most proud of; Celebration Sites Coordinator; Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2010, Entertainment Buyer; PanAmerican Games 2015, and her roles above, which has allowed her to support developing artists and engage in passion projects including working towards gender parity in the music industry on an international level. A travel enthusiast herself, Robyn is incredibly driven by her work supporting artists to showcase and develop business in international markets. Robyn holds board positions as Vice-Chair of Polaris Music Prize Canadian live Music Association and Chair of the Heart and Stroke Foundation Advisory Board of Manitoba.
Robyn is an extreme supporter of the music industry and emerging talent in Canada and brings this passion to every project.
On a personal note Robyn is mother to two incredible humans, Jasper (12) and Ty (4).
Rebecca Szymkow (she/her)
Programming and Operations Manager
Rebecca Szymkow is a dedicated music industry professional with over a decade of experience in event programming, artist development, and operations. Her career has taken her through key roles at Paquin Artists Agency, Birthday Cake Records, the Winnipeg Art Gallery and Good People Records.
A passionate advocate for gender equity in the music industry, Rebecca was selected as an Innovator for the Keychange initiative in 2020, recognizing her commitment to creating opportunities for women and gender-diverse individuals. Her work goes beyond management and logistics; she is dedicated to fostering a more inclusive industry, mentoring emerging talent and continuously pushing for positive change.
Rebecca is based in Winnipeg with her Beagle pup, Rigby.
MEET THE WOMEN IN MUSIC CANADA CONTACTOR TEAM
The Why Not Agency
Social Marketing Coordinators
Maya and Megan are the co-founders of The Why Not Agency – a service-based marketing agency that provides clients with social media marketing, events services, and more. With an emphasis on diverse storytelling and equity in Canada, they strive to connect with organizations and individuals rooted in uplifting racialized groups and empowering women overall.
Jen Ochej
Membership Coordinator
Jen Ochej has spent the last decade-plus on the road throughout North America and Europe with Lights, Jessie Reyez, Rupi Kaur, Amanda Rheaume, The Dears, The Summer Set, Ria Mae, and many others. In 2023 she was named Road Warrior (Tour Manager) of the Year at the Canadian Live Music Industry Awards, and now she’s on a mission to share everything she’s learned in her years on the road with aspiring and early-career TM’s, DIY artists, and everyone in between.
You can find Jen on Instagram @jenochej, and on her website at jenochej.com. Born and raised in Canada, Jen currently lives outside Amsterdam.
Photo credit: Lindsey Blane
Tiya Patel
Student Membership Coordinator
Tiya Patel is the Student Membership Coordinator at Women in Music Canada and an incoming third-year student at Western University, with a strong interest in the intersection of business, music, and community-building.
She has experience across the music, arts, and hospitality sectors, including leadership roles as a Head Food & Beverage Attendant and Shift Supervisor. She has also supported arts programming and concert production during a previous summer position with the Huntsville Festival of the Arts.
In addition, she manages social media content for an industry professional and brings extensive experience in student leadership and volunteer roles. Most notably, she is the founder and director of the Women in Music Canada Student Ambassador Program, which now spans 26 ambassadors across 13 schools in 4 provinces.
