On October 17th, we had an incredible experience at our recent Women in Entrepreneurship event! Our panelists, Afsaneh and Gillian, shared their unique journeys across two industries—Afsaneh in tech and Gillian as the inventor of an innovative shower cap. They openly discussed the challenges they’ve faced as women entrepreneurs, from attracting investment to balancing family and professional commitments.
Both panelists emphasized the value of networking and mentorship, aligning perfectly with WiSER’s mission to support and uplift early-career professionals. Although we missed having Hilal with us due to a medical emergency, we hope to welcome her at future events.
Thank you to everyone who joined for an inspiring session of honesty, knowledge, and connection-building!
Meet our Panelists
Gillian Thomson
Inventor and Founder of Skipper
Member of Advisory Board on WISEST
When Gillian Thomson couldn’t find a shower cap that worked, she invented a new one. Gillian dreamed of making hair products since she was young, so she earned her chemistry degree and hairstyling license. After graduating, she developed salon and spa products, but felt the beauty industry wasn’t her cup of tea anymore and turned her career towards marketing and design. Gillian has lent her storytelling skills to a variety of city building industries such as advertising, tourism, architecture, engineering, and commercial real estate. She also co-founded a non-profit called High Level Line, advocating for a linear park throughout the heart of Edmonton. When the idea for a better shower cap came along, she combined her unique background and reignited her dream to make products. Skipper’s patented shower caps are now selling across Canada and USA.
Dr. Afsaneh Lavasanifar
Co-Founder and Scientific Chief Officer of Meros Polymers Inc. and Synchomix Plus Inc.
Professor of Pharmaceutics in the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Dr Afsaneh Lavasanifar is a Professor of Pharmaceutics in the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences with a joint appointment at the Department of Chemical and Material Engineering at the University of Alberta. She is the co-founder and Scientific Chief Officer of Meros Polymers Inc and Synchomix Plus Inc. Her research is focused on the development of delivery systems that can increase solubility, modify the pharmacokinetics, reduce toxicity and increase the activity of different therapeutics with a focus on the development of nano-medicine for cancer chemo and immunotherapy as well as inflammatory disorders. She is also the associate editor of Molecular Pharmaceutics, and ACS Bio & Med Chem Au, the Associate Scientific director of Nanomedicine Innovation Network (NIMIN), and a member of the board of directors at the Canadian Society of Pharmaceutical Scientists (CSPS).
WiSER 