In June 2021 we announced our TEAM GJWB Ambassador team!! But do you know who they are?! 

Depending on your learning preference - we have larger bios on our Instagram page (if you scroll down), YouTube channel with video visuals and a more exclusive interview/chat with them, and now we are offering a brief synopsis of each of them below so that you can follow their journeys as well. So let’s dive in!

Each were selected by both myself & Kristina because they have/are currently helping move the needle for women’s boxing. We figured why not bring a community like this together to help move the needle faster & worldwide! 

(In no particular order):

Melanie Whitmore: Amatuer boxer and coach, she’s been in the boxing world for just over 15 years now & joined the sport through coach Kristina. With her boxing journey she lost 100lbs, but GAINED so much more - self confidence, healthier lifestyle, and met her current partner. With the life lessons she’s learned, she’s passing this on to her daughter, friends and clients and is most certainly not only a GJWB OG, but an inspiration to us and all! 

Yvette Raposo: Canada’s first boxing female ring announcer, keynote speaker, former amateur boxer and current coach, Find Your Fighter Within workshop host, and the list goes on! Yvette is not new to the boxing world. She has worn many hats in the sport but her mission is to bring boxing to the boardroom, schools, and to the general public. She believes the lessons and wisdom we find in boxing can provide considerate advantages in all areas of people’s lives. 

Bettina Dahl: Former Danish national team boxer, founder of Ladies United Boxing Club, and current boxing coach. Bettina’s wealth of knowledge from her time in the sport is now being carried over to the next generation. In addition, she is on the female development board for Denmark and is also helping to create more opportunities for female boxers. 

Lee Smith: In Ontario, she is known as the boxing matchmaker extraordinaire. She is also a boxing coach and Boxing Ontario official. When she is not officiating/judging weekly cards, she is helping athletes in the gym work on their craft and provide guidance both personally and professionally. Lee is known as a motherly figure to some - in the ring it is her job to protect the athletes and make sure they are safe -  but with her strong heart she also does the same outside of the ropes. 

Luiz Faye: From the UK - Luiz is the founder of Kronik Warrior: England’s first boxing affiliated adaptive boxing academy. Offering both virtually and in-studio training Luiz and her team are proving how not only beneficial a sport boxing is, but also how inclusive the sport can be and breaking down the barriers that have been faced previously. She was also part of the board that developed the first ever adaptive boxing wheelchair in the UK designed by RMA Sport & the Great Britain Disability Boxing. 

Ellen Connor: Ellen started West Coast Wonder Women+ started 5 years ago and has since become an international all female boxing card (of which there are only 5 and WCWW+ is one of them). This all female card spans over the course of a long weekend and is for not only all ages, weight classes, and experience BUT it is a celebration of women’s boxing. Ellen’s vision was more than just a boxing fight, but it is to bring these fighters together for an experience of a lifetime. She is also one of the coaches of Sooke Boxing Club (local/head club for WCWW+). 

Kandi Wyatt: Boxing out of Calgary, Alberta Canada she is a professional boxer and WBA Intercontinental Welterweight Champion. In addition to her professional career, Kandi had an extensive amateur career, some highlights including 10x Alberta provincial champ, 6x Canadian national champion, and 4x Gold Ringside World Championship. When she isn’t training herself, she runs a local cafe, and also coaches boxing classes at the Calgary Boxing Club. 

Carolyn Redmond: Professional boxer originally from the east coast of Canada, but currently residing in Ontario. Fighting in the super welterweight division Carolyn says she feels best when she is in the ring. Boxing has helped with her stress relief, create healthy habits, and build her confidence. As this has been such a positive outlet for herself, she wants to be a role model for other women and have them also reap the benefits of boxing.

Charlie Cavanagh: She is a Team Canada Boxer and 2024 Olympic hopeful. Charlie’s amateur boxing career is long and growing including Women’s World medalist, Continental medalist, and Pan American Games medalist. Similarity to most of the TEAM GJWB’s mission - encourage girls to try “unconventional sports' 'i.e. boxing that has been male dominated for s many years. Charlie has gained the common benefits of boxing: self confidence, discipline, and handling a loss, BUT she has also been able to travel the world, meet other girls in the sport, and be a mentor for other young girls looking to follow a similar path.  

Deedra Chestnut: 4x Canadian national champion and the first female boxer to represent Sierra Leone on the international stage. Similarly to most of us, boxing has taught her many life lessons and skills she applies in her everyday life and wants to see more people boxing to also reap these benefits. She’s been involved with some of the growth in the sport already and wants to see more of this in the future. 

Corey Erdman: Over 15 years as a boxing commentator, writer, and producer on boxing broadcasts for ESPN, ESPN+, NBC, CBS, CBS Sports, BoxNation, Sky Sports and more. In addition to the above, Corey is also an advocate for women’s boxing. He’s witnessed the change and evolution of women’s boxing and although he can’t tackle this by himself he uses his platforms and amplifies the stories of female fighters and advocates for inclusion of the sport in influential spaces. In order for change to occur, we need more men like Corey to help be allies! 

Holly Lawson: As both a professional boxer and celebrity trainer - she practices what she preaches. Training out of WildCard Boxing Club in Hollywood, CA, she is surrounded by the best of the best in the sport. Both a game changer inside and outside of the ropes, Holly wants to help other women find their superpowers. I want to see the sport of boxing existing as a truly equitable place, where women are paid according to their skills in the same way men are, where 3 minute rounds are the norm, and where promoters will be incentivized to promote their female fighters in the same way they do men. ⁠

GJWB and our ambassadors share our mission: to unite women through the sport of boxing. Our TEAM GJWB is used to support one another and help spread the strength and empowerment that boxing provides. We are so lucky to have a great group of people to support our mission and reminding the world: #girlsjustwannabox.