Enterprise Canada and Women Who Lead Launch 6th Year of Women in Media Fellowship
Applications are now open for the sixth Women in Media cohort!
The Women in Media Fellowship continues to build momentum and is opening applications for the 2026 cohort. What began as a shared commitment by Enterprise Canada and Women Who Lead (WWL), to strengthen women’s presence and influence in the media, has grown into a national platform for health care leaders. As the program enters its sixth year, the Fellowship continues to support women with the practical training, strategic insight, and confidence needed to engage the media effectively and shape important conversations across Canada’s health system.
The Fellowship has built a network of over 150+ women across Canada, providing media training, professional development, and guidance on elevating their professional brand. Delivered by women with expertise in health care, strategic communications, and leadership development, the Fellowship includes skill-building workshops, interview coaching, strategies for high-pressure media engagements, and support in developing a strong personal brand.
While women make up more than 70% of the global health care workforce, their voices as experts, leaders, and frontline workers are often underrepresented in public discourse, media, and leadership spaces. The Fellowship was born from a shared vision between Enterprise Canada and Women Who Lead to bridge this gap, providing targeted training to empower women leaders in health care to take a greater space in media and shape the conversations that matter.
More than a training program, the Women in Media Fellowship creates a community and a powerful network of leaders across the country, pushing for change and representation in newsrooms, thought leadership, boardrooms and beyond.
Women interested in joining this free program can apply here by April 10, 2026. The Fellowship welcomes applicants with lived experience or deep topic expertise.
The program is limited to 30 participants, with dedicated spots for early- to mid-career women, racialized individuals, and those who identify as having a disability. The Fellowship uses the term “women” inclusively and welcomes all who identify as such, including non-binary individuals.
Quotes:
“I am thrilled to be entering the sixth year of the Women in Media Fellowship! Every year, I am so inspired by the women who join and the insights they bring. It’s incredibly rewarding to watch participants grow their confidence and step into new media opportunities. Their voices are increasingly shaping stories, influencing conversations, and bringing important perspectives to the forefront. This community gains strength every year, and I’m genuinely excited to see what the next group will accomplish.”
Alexandra Hilkene, Managing Director for EnterpriseHealth
“Progress happens when talent is recognized, supported, and given the opportunity to be heard. While we’ve seen encouraging shifts in representation, women in health care still face barriers to visibility in public discourse. This Fellowship helps remove those barriers. With every cohort, we watch accomplished leaders refine their message, claim their space, and influence the national conversation in powerful and lasting ways.”
Barbara Fox, CEO of Enterprise Canada
“Health systems evolve when diverse leaders don’t just participate in dialogue but shape it. The Women in Media Fellowship catalyzes women’s expertise into public influence, connects leaders across sectors, and creates new pathways for ideas to travel into policy and practice. In our sixth year, Women Who Lead is doubling down on what matters most: bringing women together to drive change in Canada’s health system.”
Laura Desveaux, Founder and Executive Director of Women Who Lead