WNORTH

WNORTH is an award-winning membership of leading Women, redefining success, and scaling new summits. WNORTH brings together professional women at a high level to share their systems, networks, knowledge, and experience and to collectively code leadership and management environments to women’s experiences through boutique in person and virtual events and programs. 

WNORTH connects top business leaders in corporations, public and entrepreneurial sectors through an annual Conference (returning for the 10th Anniversary Spring 2025) and through a membership community which provides online Community, virtual leadership Forums and Chapters in Canada, US and the UK hosting in person events. To date, WNORTH has hosted over 20k past event attendees, 350+ events, 500+ speakers and has over 1,700 members worldwide. Corporate Members include PwC, Indeed.com, Astra Zeneca, Aritzia, VailResorts, SAP and Accor Hotels.

WNORTH's mission is to develop more women to leading positions in business, and in doing so we will elevate the teams they work in, the families they lead and the communities in which they live.

Join us in our mission, apply to become a member at wnorthconnect.com.

Founder, CEO

Bluebird | Hotel Sourcing & Destination Management Company

Bluebird is one of Canada's most trusted event planning, hotel sourcing and destination management companies. Established in 2010, we create impactful events, unforgettable meetings and innovative brand experiences and have received multiple accolades for their events and conferences including the BizBash Top 10 Meetings of 2021. Bluebird is deeply passionate about the Sea to Sky region and their local-to-Whistler team provides full-service support for destination conferences, events and retreats in the scenic mountain town of Whistler, British Columbia, Canada

As Whistler's only local Destination Management Company, we are a one-stop-shop for events, conferences and retreats looking to source the best hotel/accommodations, venue, transportation, event production and other vendors to make any event a success!

Bluebird is an IATAN-accredited agency specializing in site selection and sourcing. We have proud of our strong, long term relationships with top hotel brands and independent hotels and want to ensure you are set up for success with finding and contracting your upcoming meeting or conference.

Founder, Chief Events Officer

Forbes Business Council

Sharing insights on Inclusive Work Culture for Women with Forbes Business Council, an invitation-only organization for successful small and mid-sized business owners.

Official Member

At YPO, I am part of the Flagship Events team (a part of the Global Events Team) working on contract-based events.

Contract Event Manager

YPO is a global leadership community of more than 32,000 chief executives in 140 countries who are driven by the belief that the world needs better leaders. YPO members have achieved significant leadership success at a young age. YPO members inspire and support each other through peer learning and exceptional experiences in an inclusive community of open sharing and trust.

At YPO, I am part of the Flagship Events team (a part of the Global Events Team) and led the planning and execution the Global Leadership Conference in 2023 in Singapore and supported the GLC Vegas as onsite Event Manager. Together with a member-led events committee, we brought together over 2500 members from around the world through these two events to fulfill one of the organization’s key missions, better leaders through lifelong learning and idea exchange. The GLC Singapore 2023 received the second highest member rating of any GLC before it.

Las Vegas - 1,500 Attendees at Bellagio, April 2023
Singapore - 900 Attendees at Marina Bay Sands, May 2023

Contract Event Manager, Global Leadership Conferences

Abaxx Technologies

At Abaxx Technologies, we are a network of entrepreneurs, technologists and adventurers changing the way the world does business.

Through our ecosystem of projects, we're building tools to solve an array of challenges; from removing roadblocks to decarbonizing global energy markets to introducing new incentive structures in sustainability and carbon offset markets.

We see a world where digital identities and data are owned by their creators, no one else, and have built ID++ to make this world a reality. At Abaxx Exchange, we are developing better benchmarks for price discovery and faster trade settlements to manage risk in global energy markets. We are building better systems that incentivize these markets to accelerate COP21 and COP26 goals to create a sustainable future for all.

In my role at Abaxx Technologies, I provided expertise to support the growth of this organization in the areas of human resources and public relations with a lens of achieving gender parity. I also supported the organizations Podcast "Smarter Markets" with guest invitation and research.

Corporate Communications Consultant

Constellation Brands

Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ and STZ.B, Fortune 500) is a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits with operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and Italy.  Brands include Robert Mondavi, Ravenswood, Kim Crawford, Ruffino and Jackson-Triggs.

Account Executive, Premium Wines

Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

ICS is the primary liaison, facility and service provider for the International Olympic Committee (IOC), international dignitaries, as well as Presidents and Secretary Generals of International Sport Federations and many other hosted organizations including TOP and National Sponsors at the Olympic Games.

International Client Services - Canada Hockey Place

Molson Coors

In the Events and Promotions department for Molson, my role was responsible for executing special events in British Columbia for brands such as Coors Light, Heineken, Miller Genuine Draft and Molson Canadian Olympic activations as part of the official beer partnership for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

Event Planning & Execution

Whistler Film Festival + Summit

(Contract) Referred to as Canada's "Sundance", the Whistler Film Festival attracts over 10,000 visitors (consumer and industry alike) to Whistler. I held a lead role on the team responsible for Sponsorship Sales & Client Service of over 70 sponsors and the execution of the festival's Marketing strategy.

Marketing and Sponsorship Manager

Whistler Blackcomb

Account Management of key Corporate Partnerships at Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort, named #1 Ski Resort in North America by SKI Magazine. Responsible for Sponsorship Account Management, new Sponsorship Sales, Event Client Service at internal events including the FIS Snowboarding World Championships, Crankworx Freeride Mountain Bike Festival, TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival and overseeing the third party event strategy for the mountain.  Clients included TELUS, General Motors, Labatt, Gore-Tex, Globe and Mail and SAP.

Account Manager - Strategic Alliances & Event Marketing

Heather is an accomplished Canadian entrepreneur, brand builder, and event producer whose experience in corporate environments inspired her to found WNORTH in 2015, an award-winning membership network (1,700+ members and growing) dedicated to bridging the gender power gap by elevating women in the leadership pipeline. WNORTH has Chapter Cities throughout North America and the U.K., where members can network and uplift each other through Roundtables, Dinners, Forum Groups, City Summits and annual Conference in Whistler returning for it's 10 year anniversary April 30-May 2, 2025. 

Heather is also the Founder & CEO of Bluebird, one of Western Canada's most trusted event planning and destination management company. Heather has previously held senior events roles at YPO, Abaxx Technologies, Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort and the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

Odendaal was included in BizBash's 2021 and 2020 roundup of Canada's Most Influential Event Pros, and was named by The Globe and Mail’s Report on Business as one of the Top 50 Changemakers of 2022 and a Top Female Founder of 2024 by FoundersBeta.

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