OUR TEAM
We're a diverse team that has a lot of fun, and we're all connected by our desire to serve others and our commitment to Aveda's mission.
Roberto Sinopoli
PRESIDENT
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(she/her)
A first-generation Canadian, Roberto was exposed to the hair industry from an early age by his mother who owned her own salon. As Roberto got older, his love for hair continued to shape his career as he opened two of his own salons and was a major player in bringing the Aveda Institute to Winnipeg. His love for hair manifests in his desire to help students grow as highly-skilled hairstylists and accomplished professionals.
Aveda’s mission matches his own – to give back to the community, maintain relationships with suppliers around the world, and remain committed to ethical product testing without the use of animals. With students and community as the heartbeat behind everything they do, Aveda Institute Winnipeg makes service and unique culture part of the entire experience.
Roberto’s love for hair is second only to his love for his wife and two daughters. He can’t wait to meet you, give you a tour around the school and help you achieve your potential.
Email: roberto@avedainstitutewinnipeg.ca
Connect: Roberto Sinopoli
Karyn Sinopoli
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
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(she/her)
Karyn's career has grown and evolved into the hair industry. Previously, she was the Director of Membership and Marketing at the Reh-Fit Centre and oversaw the Reh-Fit Foundation for 13 years. Karyn has a passion for people and for making a difference in their lives, and she is an active volunteer on the Advisory Committee for the GROW IN Gimli program. Aveda's mission speaks to her because she likes to give back to the community while leaving a healthy footprint.
When she's not at the Institute, Karyn is spending time with her two beautiful daughters, traveling, and keeping physically active.
Jodi Ohama
Organizational Development
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With over 30 years of leadership experience in the beauty industry, Jodi is passionate about helping industry professionals and businesses become their 'best selves.' As a certified leadership coach and business consultant, she works with various organizations to foster growth through clarity, reflexivity, and effective communication.
At the Aveda Institute Winnipeg, Jodi leverages her expertise with a focus on leadership and organizational development, and she is known for her compassionate and creative approach. A long-time lover of Aveda, Jodi is passionate about Aveda’s environmental mission and caring for the world we live in.
In her free time, Jodi enjoys reading and writing, seeking out the best foods wherever she travels, and camping with her husband.
Jill Tan
ADMISSIONS MANAGER
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Jill is always warm and welcoming, and there’s nothing she loves more than helping students create the career and the life they’ve always dreamed of.
Deeply connected to Aveda’s mission, she is inspired by the company's dedication to caring for the world and its commitment to fighting animal testing since 1978. Jill thrives in the Institute's vibrant culture, which fosters personal growth and development for both team members and students.
In her free time, Jill enjoys walking her dog Bugs, camping, and practicing wellness with activities like yoga.
Cali Beaudet
ADMISSIONS REPRESENTATIVE
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Cali brings a strong customer service background to the Aveda team, built during years of experience in restaurant and retail environments. With an unfailingly friendly and positive demeanour, Cali is always ready with a helping hand. She wholeheartedly appreciates the uplifting atmosphere that Aveda fosters for both guests and students. In her free time, you can find Cali spending quality time with her family and friends.
Kalina Villamar
DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION
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Kalina loves to establish long-lasting relationships with everyone that comes to AIW, whether they are staff, students or guests. She is passionate about her students' education, and dedicated to their well-being and success. Aveda presents an opportunity for her to inspire others and create a positive environment, experience and atmosphere for everyone who walks through the Aveda Institute's doors.
When she's not at the Institute, you can find Kalina cooking, baking and spending time with family and friends.
Natasha Urban
Education MANAGER
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National Aveda Pure-fessional Educator
A Canadian Aveda Educator with over 15 years of experience specializing in colouring, Natasha loves sharing her knowledge with the next generation of hairstylists. She spends her time innovating our curriculum, training new educators, and supporting all students. Natasha is passionate about Aveda's mission and loves that she can be part of preserving the environment and helping communities around the world.
When she’s not finding artistic ways to transform hair with colour, she’s spending time with her family and friends as well as attending hot yoga classes.
Kat Orbanski
EDUCATOR
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(she/her)
Katherine loves the beauty industry because there’s always something new to learn and to teach. New trends, techniques and styles keep her evolving and curating looks that involve both technical precision and creativity. Aveda is a second home to Katherine because she can be her whole self, grow in her craft and support important environmental initiatives.
When she's not at AIW you can find Katherine cooking, watching documentaries, or taking her cat out for a walk.
Amilia Mulchand
EDUCATOR
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With twelve years of experience under her belt from high-end salon/spas, to smaller, boutique salons, Amilia is excited to share her knowledge with the next generation of stylists. She makes class fun and exciting, while still challenging her students to push themselves to their full potential. She values every moment of time with her students and loves supporting them and seeing them succeed as they launch their new career. Amilia believes in using the highest quality products on her guests, which is why she loves Aveda. They’re safe for our environment and our skin — a double win!
When she’s not teaching, you can find Amilia adventuring around our lovely city, being crafty, playing with her dog, or shopping!
IG: @mane_ladyy
Nicole Diamond
Educator
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(she/her)
After graduating from the Aveda Institute Winnipeg in 2017 and pursuing a successful career behind the chair, Nicole is ready and excited to share her expertise with new Aveda students! She offers a positive, supportive and uplifting environment, which results in building students' confidence and pushing them to their full potential. Nicole loves how Aveda gives back to local communities and wants to share that community love with her students.
You can catch Nicole spending most of her free time outside, whether it be skating with friends, going for hikes with her two dogs, or taking trips to the cabin.
IG: @stylesby_nicole
Keira Shersty
Educator in training
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(she/her)
Keira’s care and attention to detail is the first thing you’ll notice when sitting in her chair. Your satisfaction is her greatest priority, and she loves to have fun while she’s giving you the hair of your dreams. As an educator, students can expect Keria to be supportive, attentive and uplifting. She takes inspiration from all the educators she had when attending the Aveda Institute many years ago, and all the mentors she worked with in-salon. Keira is excited to give back by sharing her knowledge and providing a fun, safe and positive learning environment.
Keira appreciates how Aveda aims to protect the planet, as well as its inhabitants by having plant-derived ingredients that are ethically sourced. She views Aveda as a positive role model for the beauty industry.
In her free time, Keira enjoys doing all types of art - drawing, sculpting, and more recently, customizing dolls. She is also a music aficionado, and goes to see live shows whenever she can.
Jullie Sturby
EDUCATOR IN TRAINING
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Jullie has high attention to detail, so she specializes in doing cuts that require technical skill and high precision. She loves finding the right cut that suits your style. If you're in Jullie's chair, you'll experience excellent customer service and you're sure to have a great time with her infectious positive attitude! For Jullie, Aveda is a fresh start that fuels her outlook on life and connects her to her passions, her community and to nature.
When she's not at the Academy Salon, Jullie enjoys staying active, playing sports and doing makeup.
IG: @beautyby.jullie
Jessica Beaugrand
Student SERVICES COORDINATOR
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A life-long student herself working towards an honours degree in Fine Arts, Jessica understands the dedication, courage and passion that it takes to achieve your educational goals. She brings this love of learning and passion to her position at AIW, dedicating herself to the success of all students, and she is proud to support creative education that is rooted in care. In her free time, Jessica can be found in her art studio late at night, painting pet portraits, eating good food and watching a lot of scary movies!
Anastasiia Borodiuk
Student Registrar
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Anastasiia brings a wealth of experience with 12 years as a Hairstylist and 3 years as an Educator, working at fashion weeks, on photoshoots and with clothing designers across Europe. She deeply resonates with Aveda's holistic approach to well-being, excellence, and environmental stewardship. This shared mindset fuels a dedication to elevate the standards of beauty and nurture a sustainable connection with the world around us. Anastasiia is excited to provide unwavering support and care drawn from her extensive experience as an Educator and Stylist. She understands the challenges of entering a new profession and is dedicated to providing the necessary encouragement for students to flourish.
Beyond her career, Anastasiia spends her time enjoying moments with family and continuously learning.
Susan Lamirande
Finance
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Susan is always ready to lend a hand and put a smile on your face. After years of working in accounting and finance for various organizations in B.C., she’s brought her skills to Winnipeg. A true animal lover, Aveda’s cruelty-free practices and focus on caring for the planet are part of why she loves the brand. She also feels the supportive, team-oriented culture of the space is something truly special and a rare find in the industry.
When she’s not enjoying the company of the team, Susan enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
Pat Paskaruk
RETAIL MANAGER
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With more than 12 years of retail management experience, Pat is an expert at providing exceptional service to every guest, every time. She loves building relationships and connecting with others, ensuring she meets the needs of every guest who walks through our doors. Her love of Aveda products and dedication to providing high-quality service makes her an asset to our team.
When she's not in the Experience Centre, you can find Pat entertaining, gardening, or reading a good book.
Kyle Borbely
AVEDA ADVISOR
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With ten years of experience in guest services and retail, Kyle is an expert in providing an exceptional and memorable experience to everyone he interacts with. Guests can expect a warm greeting and a relaxing check-in, while experiencing all that Aveda has to offer. To Kyle, Aveda represents being the best version of himself while also doing his best to care for the world around us.
Outside of the Institute, Kyle is passionate about interior design and textile arts, such as embellishing and needle felting.
Daniela Gerdom
AVEDA ADVISOR
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she/her
Languages: English, German
Daniela brings years of experience in both retail environments and hair salons to the Institute, and is excited to support the next generation of stylists. She is known for her friendly demeanor, always greeting guests with a big smile and a warm welcome.
Daniela is passionate about Aveda’s mission to make a difference in the world, as she values contributing to a better future. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, weightlifting, hiking with her dog, and reading.
Komalpreet Kaur
AVEDA ADVISOR
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she/her
Languages: English, Hindi, Punjabi
Komal is known for her warm, welcoming greetings and her detailed, patient approach when assisting guests and students. With a deep interest in beauty, she aligns her passion with Aveda’s unique mission and values its exceptional products.
In her free time, Komal enjoys drawing sketches, painting, and indulging in self-care.
Naomi Brien
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
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Naomi is a dynamic force in the beauty industry, driven by a deep passion for its transformative power. As a marketing educator and the host of Hairblazers podcast, she leverages her expertise to inspire and educate others on marketing and social media strategies specifically tailored for beauty businesses and service providers. She is particularly drawn to Aveda’s unwavering commitment to social and environmental responsibility, aligning perfectly with her own principles.
Outside of her professional endeavours at Verde, Naomi enjoys sustainable fashion, reading a good book and continuing to explore our city.
Alyssa Duchnycz
Social Media Coordinator
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Alyssa grew up using Aveda products, and loves the brand's passion for protecting the planet and its inhabitants. She wants to share their mission with the world, and express it through visual and creative mediums. As a certified makeup artist and social media enthusiast, she is excited to represent Aveda.
In her free time, Alyssa loves to do anything creative, whether it's makeup, drawing, digital media or dancing. You can find her performing around Winnipeg with her dance team.
Merylle Santiago
MULTIMEDIA Designer
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Merylle started her career in the Philippines, where she developed her skills in graphic designing, content creation, branding, and video editing. She later moved to Canada with her family, and learned more about different cultures and the importance of diversity. Merylle is drawn to Aveda because of its mission to make a difference beyond the beauty and hair industry. As a nature lover, Aveda’s stance on environmental responsibility is part of why she loves the brand.
In her free time, Merylle loves making art, journaling, reading, lettering, and everything in between.
Anastasiia Afonina
CAFE MANAGER
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Anastasiia is all about delivering delicious coffee and top-notch service. She thrives in an environment where she can apply her passion for coffee and customer service, while also growing and evolving with the business. In her free time, Anastasiia enjoys outdoor activities like biking and hiking, and she loves experimenting with coffee and matcha at home, perfecting her latte art.