With close to 30 years’ experience as a hair stylist, salon owner, educator and past private hairstyling school owner Tanya Hill has accomplished a great deal. Known for her determination and strong relationship-building skills, she has played an active role in the growth of the beauty industry — in Ottawa and beyond.

Passionate about professional development, for herself and others, Tanya has made education a key priority throughout her career. In addition to participating in countless programs, workshops, associations and tradeshows, she went so far as to purchase a struggling hairdressing school and revive it in under one year, ultimately selling it for 3X the initial investment. And as a fervent supporter of the Red Seal program and the trade of hairstyling, she has worked on numerous sub-committees, including; past chair of MTCU Provincial Advisory Committee for Hairstyling, past chair of OCOT hairstyling Trade Board, as well as current chair of the Algonquin College Industry Advisory committee and played a vital part in the continuous evolution and optimization of these programs and committees.

Tanya is also a ministry approved Third Party Assessor for Hairstyling curriculums in Ontario

Tanya is also a strong believer in giving back to the community. Among the many causes close to her and her team’s heart are the Canadian Cancer Society, Heart and Stroke Foundation, Children At-Risk, Ronald McDonald House and CHEO (Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario).

In August, 2020, Tanya aligned her salon with Beauty For Good — an online social enterprise and e-commerce initiative designed to challenge and reimagine women’s beauty standards, as well as support the retail component of the beauty industry.

One might think that with such deep involvement in the industry, Tanya may not have time for the chair, but her loyal clients and love for the craft keep her there. And she’s quick to credit them for her personal and professional growth — “My chair is my university. It’s amazing what my clients teach me every day!”

John Nguyen is the Founder and CEO of Hair Republic Group. He has founded multiple companies in the past 15 years in the salon & spa, architectural and engineering design, commercial real estate, information technology and digital marketing space. He brings extensive experience in brand building, visioning, leadership, project management, process implementation & optimization, sales, marketing & business development. He is also the owner of a commercial real estate property for which he self-manages under J.Q. Properties, J.Q. Nguyen + Associates Design Group Inc., a design and engineering firm and co-owner of Swaaap.com Enterprise Software Solution Incorporated, an online training & professional services marketplace for small businesses looking to increase their sales.

Nelly was the Chair of the Hairstylists Board for the Ontario College of Trades (OCOT). She is a licenced hairstylist for over 33 years and has her Red Seal Licence. Nelly is also an examiner for the Red Seal course. Her passion for the industry shows in everything she does. With the winding down and restructuring of OCOT, Nelly and several of her Board member colleagues started the Ontario Professional Hairstylist Association (OPHA) in order to be a voice and an advocate for the profession in the Province of Ontario.

With 30 years of industry experience as a Red Seal Certified Stylist, Marcy McIntosh has an undeniable passion for teaching and the Hairstyling industry and all aspects of the trade. As a Professor/Coordinator at St Clair College inspiring students first and foremost to ignite their own hairstyling passion, while continuing to service her loyal clients and staying current with the everchanging trends of this industry.
As the current chair of the Curriculum Advisory Committee for Hairstyling, working with other colleges to ensure program delivery meets the Ministry standards. As an active member of the Professional Advisory Committee at St Clair College, she accepts feedback from local industry professionals in regards to program content, and how it applies to everyday industry. Throughout her years in industry, she has been called upon by the MTCU & OCOT, as a subject matter expert to work on curriculum development as well as working together with a committee to compile pertinent questions for the Red Seal written Exam for Ontario. Marcy has also provided feedback and input for the provincial Red Seal Practical Exam, as she feels very passionate about Hairstyling becoming a Red Seal Trade in Ontario.

Deanna Douglas is a Red Seal Inter-Provincially licensed Hairstylist originating from British Columbia with 26 years’ experience. During the last 10 years Deanna has been an advisor to Ottawa Public Health, MTCU and OCOT. She has also chaired the Hairstyling Curriculum Development Advisory Committee for all college Hairstyling programs across Ontario. Currently she’s a Professor and Program Coordinator of the apprenticeship and diploma programs in the School of Hospitality and Tourism at Algonquin College.

Tony is the co-owner of 2 salons in London where he believes developing strong relationships is the foundation of everything he does, both professionally and personally. He has been a licenced Hairstylist for 34 years. He is a former Trade Board member at OCOT and brings with him over 5 years of experience in managing Hairstylist concerns, certification requirements and assisting with developing the NOA. He is also a former platform artist for several major manufacturers, an award-winning stylist, and a gold medal master judge.
He hopes to now use all his past experiences to grow OPHA and the hairstylist trade.