Stephanie Smith, Champion of Change award recipient

The GroYourBiz Champion of Change Award recognizes women who challenge convention, lead with evidence, and create lasting impact in complex environments. This year’s recipients exemplify that spirit.

In 2026, Champion of Change Award was given to three exceptional clinical leaders whose innovation and determination are transforming patient care in Canadian hospitals and influencing health-care practices internationally. These accomplished health-care leaders were nominated by Ondine Biomedical Inc. in recognition of their courage and leadership in advancing innovative infection-prevention protocols within their institutions. Their work contributed meaningful clinical data and helped shape best practices beyond their own hospitals that has generated significant improvements in patient care.

Dr. Stephanie Smith

At the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, Dr. Smith championed the replacement of a traditional five-day pre-surgical antibiotic treatment with a novel five-minute light-based nasal treatment (Steriwave®) designed to eliminate infection-causing germs from the nose before surgery. The change resulted in a 32% reduction in infections following cardiac surgery. Her leadership has helped reduce reliance on antibiotics while improving patient safety and lowering costs.

GroYourBiz (GYB) is a leading organization supporting female senior leaders and women-owned businesses. Read more about the other recipients.