Women in Business
Lead As You Are Panel
Join the panel to hear about the journey that comes with starting and running your own business!
Meet the Speakers
Bobbi Rose Koe
Dinjii Zhuh Adventures
Bobbi Rose Koe vilzhii, Teetl’it Gwich’in ihtii, Shitsuu Kat Rosemary chan ts’at Dorothy Alexie giinlii, Shitsii kat Abraham Koe chan ts’at Robert Alexie Sr giinlii.
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Bobbi Rose Koe is Teetl'it Gwich'in (meaning People of the headwaters) raised in Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories. Now residing on the land & home of the Kwanlin Dun and Ta'an Kwäch'än Territory in Whitehorse, Yukon.
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She was raised by her grandparents Rosemary & Abraham Koe, and Dorothy & Robert Alexie Sr, and community. Starting at a young age, she travelled all throughout the Gwich'in Country. She fell in love with the Gwich'in way of life; the culture, traditions, values, stories, history & people by spending time out on the land with her family & friends- Where she feels at home and living the life.
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Bobbi Rose is always learning & loves to teach with anyone who wants to learn. This is the way she was raised. To continue to share what we have when we can, where we can.
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Once, while attending a meeting about the Peel Watershed with her grandfathers, Robert & Abraham. Bobbi Rose was encouraged by them to speak up, esp. for the people who lives out on the land, the land, animals, fish, water, air, & the future generations. Since then, she’s been advocating for environmental issues, especially concerning the Peel River Watershed & Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
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In 2015, She paddled the Wind River with CPAWS Yukon and four other youth. Inspired by the journey, Bobbi Rose and her fellow paddlers created Youth of the Peel Society. It is an organization committed to hosting canoe trips in the Peel Watershed and sharing on-the-land experiences with other youth. Bobbi Rose believes every youth should experience being out on the land, spending time with their elders and learning as much as they can.
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Bobbi Rose is known for her stories, her laughter, her passion and care for each & every person she meets, esp. making sure her clients are well taken off. She is more than happy to teach you paddling techniques & really encouraging of you taking the reins & stern the canoe! & to top it all off, she's a fantastic bush cook!
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In May of 2021, Bobbi Rose launched Dinjii Zhuh Adventures with the respect, love & permission of her elders. One of the 1st Gwich’in women to launch an outdoor adventure company, She is very proud & dedicated to make every trip unique and customized for DZA’s guest.
Megan Banks
Megan Banks Virtual Assistant
Megan started a Virtual Assistant Business in the summer of 2021. It started out as a side hustle where she worked exclusively with clients on the backend work of their businesses. It has since grown into her full time work and she has hired 3 employees who work under her. Her and the team offer a variety of services to businesses to help them grow and expand. She has taken the entrepreneur lifestyle in hand and continues to grow and expand.
Katie Young
Klondike Kettle Corn
We started popping small batches of our sweet and salty kettle corn at the Fireweed Community Market in 2010. Our two sons, Jack and Cody, were born back in the early years of Klondike Kettle Corn. With our children crawling around in the grass and watching kettle corn being made from their playpen, this business has grown with our family by our side.
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Quickly becoming Yukon’s favourite snack, we have grown from a market tent to being carried in grocery stores, coffee shops, and tasting rooms across the territory. We cater weddings and community events, participate in local fundraisers, and have sent our kettle corn across the country as an unforgettable promotional giveaway.
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Our classic flavour is still a big hit with taste buds and snack lovers. But we also love to be creative and experiment with new flavour combinations and ingredients. We’ve even partnered with other Yukon businesses to create unique blends with their products – from gourmet artisan olive oils to locally sourced birch syrup to cranberry bitters.
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No matter how big we grow, we continue to stay true to our beginnings as a community-minded business that prides itself on creating a high quality product from wholesome ingredients that brings people together.
Kate Fitzgerald
Velvet Antler Productions
Affectionately known as “Miss Kate,” she moved to Yukon in 2012 to experience life outside the big city and lend her dance teaching expertise to the community of Whitehorse. While a job opportunity brought Kate to the North, its people and lifestyle are what have kept her in the territory. She truly loves to entertain. For Kate, the magic of performing is in being able to tell the audience a story and help them forget everything else, even if just for a moment. She hopes Velvet Antler Productions can bring a little of that magic to each event they have the privilege of being part of.