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HANNA CHOI
VICE PRESIDENT, MARKET DEVELOPMENT, WINSPEAR CENTRE AND EDMONTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AGE 39
Hanna Choi’s deep apprecia- tion for music started when she took piano lessons for over 10 years growing up in South Korea. So when she
had an opportunity to join the Winspear Centre and Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, she was thrilled to be able to pursue her passion for music
“I firmly believe that a society that is rich in art fosters stronger communities and individual well-being,” Choi says. “Music, arts and cultural experiences should be accessible to everyone.”
Choi likes making quality music accessible to all. And she likes promoting living composers — specifically female and Indigenous creators — who are often under- represented in arts programming, through the Winspear’s membership program, which she created. “I remember a survey respon- dent said that [the membership] made them take a chance on a concert they wouldn’t have otherwise considered, and they were pleasantly surprised. It was especially mean- ingful to me because they went to a concert for new music from emerging composers.”
Choi is also actively involved in the revival of the Arts District around Churchill Square, to raise awareness of the arts and cultural offerings downtown. “Not every city has an Arts District, so I think for Edmon- ton to commit to making it a distinct brand really makes a statement and shows what the city values. It’s all about enhancing the quality of life for everyone in the city.”
— BREANNA MROCZEK
SOPHIE GRAY
CEO AND FOUNDER, DIVETHRU
AGE 30
In high school, Sophie Gray was voted most likely to be a trophy wife. It was silly high school
her peers had even considered a career path.
But behind the glitz and Insta- gram glamour, Gray battled her own inner demons. Depression, eating disorders, and eventually an OCD diagnosis had her tapping out. “I was so desperate. I read every arti- cle about mental health I could,” she says. Her personal struggles lit the fuse for DiveThru, a mental-health platform making therapy more accessible.
“Accessing support is really hard,” says Gray, “and I want to make sure people don’t have to hit rock bottom to get help.”
Now, when she’s not throwing punches in her Muay Thai sessions, she’s taking swings at mental-health stigma, one session at a time. As
she steps into the ring of life, it’s clear that Gray’s greatest match isn’t against an opponent, but in the daily dance of self-discovery and healing. — HIBA ZAIDI
stuff, not a formal vote, but “I thought I was stupid,” she recalls, reflecting on her teenage years, where she felt out of place in traditional academic settings.
Little did anyone know she’d soon be the one taking home the trophy.
Gray’s entrepreneurial spirit sparked early on, and propelled
her well past the notion of being anyone’s person but her own. In Grade 9 she dived deep into a proj- ect on local business tycoon Evelyn Charles. “I didn’t want to cut hair; I wanted to own the chain,” she says, remembering her teenage research into the salon mogul. This drive led her to launch a successful fitness company, WayofGray, straight out of high school, flexing her entrepre- neurial muscles before many of
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CT + C&O shot at bloom and brews