About Us
Dress for Success Montreal empowers women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire, and development tools to help women thrive. Since opening our doors in September 2014, Dress for Success Montreal has supported several hundreds of women in the community and empowered them to realize they are valuable members of our community with a lot to offer potential employers.
Check out Dress for Success Montreal’s Impact Reports in FR and EN:
Who We Are
A network of tremendously dedicated, energetic and generous people make it possible for Dress for Success Montreal to fulfill its mission.
From the staff and board who build the infrastructure, raise the funds needed to operate and implement our programs to the volunteers who make it possible for us to serve hundreds of women annually, our success is truly a team effort.
We are grateful that we have so many devoted supporters and look forward to introducing them to each of you.
Our Mission
Since 2014, we’ve been dedicated to our mission of empowering women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and development tools to help women thrive in work and life.
Our Vision
Our vision is a Greater Montreal where women are financially independent and treated with dignity and respect. We strive for women in our communities to be self-confident and have a positive approach to life that directly impacts their lives and those of their families. We aspire to a world that fully harnesses the power of women and recognizes their role in economic sustainability and growth.
Our Values
Respect for our clients and volunteers
Excellence in everything we do, especially client service
Compassion for each client and volunteer – believe in what we do
Our Purpose
With help from its volunteers, Dress for Success Montreal provides each client with professional attire to secure employment and a network of support to help them achieve their goals. In tangible terms, it is a team that accompanies women throughout their journey, from the moment they secure a job interview all the way to achieving professional success. When they are referred to Dress for Success Montreal, not only do our clients work with a volunteer stylist to select their professional outfit, but they also receive coaching and advice as they prepare for their interview. As they take their first steps into the workplace, our clients will have access to a network of support, career development tools and training to help them retain their employment and thrive in their career.
Dress for Success Montreal enters the scene once a woman has secured a job interview. We act as the bridge between the organization that helped our client set up her interview and the beginning of her career by providing appropriate work attire and coaching on how to prepare for the working world. Ultimately, our services are specialized and complementary to those already offered by other organizations. Besides physically equipping the client with apparel and accessories, our programs furnish her with a confidence that she carries forever and the knowledge that she can actively define her life, the direction she takes and what success means to her.
Our Beliefs
Every woman has the right to realize her full potential and achieve economic independence in a more egalitarian world. We believe that with the proper education, tools and action this world is possible.
Poverty often affects women the most, and its effects on them and their families can be long-lasting. Therefore, addressing women’s needs is central to improving the quality of life for not only that woman but also her family, future generations and her community. In fact, recognizing the significant role of women in economic development is the smart thing to do, as well as being socially and morally right.
We believe that achieving gender equality is imperative to developing a sustainable and just world for all, which is possible by acknowledging the crucial role that women play in the world economy.
We believe that by building up a woman’s agency and knowledge, better synergies between gender equality and economic sustainability are realized, enabling her to generate a long-term impact in both her private and public life.
Our Team
Sophie Katz-Milo
Executive Director
Kelly Castiel
Operations and Programs Manager
Myriam Laflamme
Boutique and Community Relations Coordinator
Célia Ibala
Special Projects
Clodie Durand
Marketing Assistant
Board of Directors
Marie-Christine St-Yves
President
Wealth Advisor,
Scotia McLeod, Scotia Bank
Véronique Beaulieu-Fowler
Vice President
Director, Infrastructure program,
Food Banks of Québec
Meredith Boucher Bélanger
Treasurer
Associate, Corporate Finance Division BMO Bank of Montreal
Laura Belloni
Secretary General,
Canadian Securities Administrator
Josée Dansereau
Secretary/Paralegal
Davies, Ward, Phillips & Vineberg
Nesrine Siguerdidjane
Director, Performance Measure
BDC
Christina Maselli
Public Relations and
Social Media Manager
Laura Canada
Mary-Katherine Bouchard
Partner, Odgers Berndston Executive Search Practice
Quyn Pham
Director of Marketing and Communications,
Jarislowsky Fraser Limited
Sonia Czarski
General Manager of Aftermarket Programs & Growth at CAE
"I came to Montreal from Romania at the age of 8, after being separated from my parents for about two years. My family instilled in me fundamental values such as education, hard work and perseverance, which forged my desire to help other women reach their full potential. The Dress for Success Montréal 10th Anniversary Gala is an ideal opportunity to get together and celebrate the successes of the people supported by this organization. I look forward to seeing many of you there on October 10."
- Ana Marinescu, Honourary Chair of La soirée étincELLE
"I'll always be a client here."
- Jéanne Victorine, Montréal, Canada
I am in my 40’s and I am a tax auditor. I am going to go back to school to do a DEES in taxation so that I can to learn the laws and articles of law that will help me in my work, so yes, so that’s my ambition, and I’ll always be a client here to come and look for beautiful outfits so that I’m always presentable! I so appreciate Dress for Success Montréal to help women be and feel well in their own skin, and being well dressed really helps with that. And, I really love the sales!!!
