The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce is once again launching its ‘Top 40 Over 40 presented by BDO’, to celebrate individuals in the community over the age of 40.
These are people who showcase as mentors, champions and role models and who encourage and foster the future leaders of the community.
The Kelowna Chamber is highlighting new honourees between February and July 2021. Each year the program alternates between Over 40 and Under 40 Honourees. This is the sixth year of the program as 2021 marks an “Over 40” year.
After achieving her first Master’s degree, Tessa Russell worked in financial services recruiting as a consultant for many years in New York City.
She then decided to return to grad school and earned a Master’s of Divinity studies degree.
She worked as a chaplain in a hospital part-time and was licensed as an EMT and an emergency medical dispatcher. The diversity of the work that she has done combined with her studies, gave her the courage and foresight to invest in her own dreams as an entrepreneur. She currently owns two businesses here in Kelowna—Your Laundry Fairy, which is a laundry pick-up and delivery service, and Your Food Fairy, a new venture not yet opened which will offer curated produce boxes for individuals and families at an affordable price point in the Kelowna area. She is always thinking of the best way to innovate and improve the way people do the essential things in life.
Tessa describes herself as an outspoken advocate for BIPOC persons and an unapologetic LGBTQ2s+ advocate. She has been an active part of the Truth and Reconciliation work of the United Church of Canada in Brandon, MB, and also helped lead her church to become an Affirming Congregation. She has continued that work in Kelowna with First United Church downtown.
In past years, Tessa was an active PAC volunteer (less so this year with three children doing E-School).
This year, she was the COVID safety officer for the Kelowna Ringette Association, helping get the season running safely in coordination with BC Ringette, and serves as the safety officer and web administrator for the Thomson Okanagan Ringette League (TORL).
She’s also a certified “Train the Trainer” graduate for anti-racism training sessions.
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