Former Board Member: Lorna Phillips
Lorna has resigned from the Board in order to pursue other opportunities in the grooming industry. We thank her for her endless work on the Board.
Lorna has owned and operated It’s A Dogs Life Pet Spa in Saskatoon since 2001. It has become the leading grooming salon in the province, boasting People’s Choice Awards, and a team of award winning stylists.
She started competing in 2007, and has placed and won at multiple grooming shows throughout Canada and the United States and Europe with a broad range of breeds including Poodles, Wheaton Terriers, Cocker Spaniels, and more. She competed at the World Competition with Team Canada in Belgium 2017.
Lorna created Saskatchewan’s Finest Grooming Show, and has had three extremely successful events. Sask Finest still continues hosting seminars to help educate groomers. As a board member on Groom Team Canada, she is at the forefront to share her ideas for the future of our industry, something she is extremely passionate about. She takes great pride in being a leader in the grooming industry, and loves meeting and helping groomers worldwide.
Lorna spends her free time on her farm west of Saskatoon, riding her horses, and tending to all of the little creatures in her care. She couldn’t do it without the support of her two daughters and grandchildren.
Chair: Jovi Wagner
Jovi is a second generation Groomer and has been professionally grooming for almost 20 years. She is the proud owner of one of the top grooming salons in Saskatchewan called Churchill Dog Groomers. She is also an integral part of Saskatchewan's Finest. Which hosts seminars to encourage further education for groomers.
Jovi has been competing for almost six years now. She has always said that every time she competes, she learns something new. And that is the most important part of competing for her. She also loves her grooming family, and all the wonderful people she has met in this industry. Jovi hopes to be able continue educating groomers by eventually speaking at more events.
When she isn't grooming, Jovi enjoys spending time with her loving and supportive husband, their Irish Wolfhounds and Welsh Terriers. She is quite the fitness fanatic as well, and also loves riding her Clydesdale.
Jovi competed for Team Canada at the World Grooming Competition in Belgium in 2022.
Treasurer: Angela Banman
Angela joined the board in November 2018.
She has a Masters Degree in Accounting and runs her own accounting business with a number of grooming salons as clients.
She became involved in Groom Team Canada through her clients and attended the World Team Grooming Championship in Kortrijk, Belgium on October 1, 2017 to cheer on our team. She is dedicated to making Groom Team Canada a thriving organization that promotes and supports groomers all across Canada.
Director: Nadia Bongelli
Nadia is the head groomer at Doggieland North Toronto, with 8 years of professional grooming experience under her belt.
Nadia began competing off and on between the end of 2012 and 2014, until she began to seriously compete in 2015. Since then she has been nominated for Barkleigh Honors “Up and Coming Groomer of the Year” in 2015 and 2016, which she won in 2016. She was Intergroom’s “Rising Star of the Year” in 2016 and soon after began competing in Canada and the USA at the open level. Since then she is the 2017 and 2018 “Canadian Groomer of the Year” by popular vote as well as Intergrooms “International Groomer of the Year” for 2017 and 2018.
Nadia found her passion for educating and speaking in 2017 and has since attended many events as a speaker and instructor and in hands on workshops in Canada and in the United States. Nadia competed for Team Canada at the World Grooming Competition in Belgium in 2022.
Director: Marcia Strong
Marcia Strong, an award-winning certified master groomer and has been a respected Professional Pet Groomer since 2009. With a dedication to detail and a competitive drive, Marcia embarked on her grooming journey 15 years ago, honing her skills under the mentorship of two renowned groomers. Transitioning from salon work to competitive grooming in 2010, Marcia's talent shone through as she clinched multiple awards and titles across various Poodle and Mixed breed classes. Her grooming prowess extends beyond competitions as she has even groomed dogs featured in international magazines and various media productions. In 2015, Marcia achieved the esteemed title of Certified Master Groomer through the Canadian Professional Pet Stylists (CPPS), marking a culmination of years of dedication. Today, she serves as a senior certifier for the board, sharing her expertise with aspiring groomers. While Marcia is renowned for her professional accomplishments, she's also made waves in the realm of social media. Her TikTok channel, "I Like Dog More Than You," has repeatedly gone viral, earning her three Barkleigh Honor Awards and sponsorship deals with several brands. Beyond her grooming and instructional endeavors, Marcia is an enthusiastic competitor at the open level. Keep an eye on the ring for her and her Kerry Blue, Ayla, and Mini Poodle, Possum. In recent years, Marcia has transitioned to working from home after making the decision to sell her storefront locations. With a small team, she operates a salon in a serene, intimate setting, offering one-on-one grooming experiences that prioritize the comfort and safety of both dogs and groomers alike.
Secretary: Ashley Nugent