Ilona got her start in the hair and beauty industry by sheer fluke. She was attending art school when a friend asked her to do hair and makeup for a photo shoot. Ilona said “yes!” Because in her eyes, it was just another medium that she could express herself though. Little did she know, that would be the launch of a fulfilling career. 20 years later, Ilona owns and operates a successful hair salon in Canada’s capital city, Ottawa, where education and mentorship is a top priority.

Ilona has accumulated awards for her creative work, notably her gold medal for Trendvision where she went on to compete on the world stage in Berlin representing Canada. She’s done hair with various teams at NYFW, and loves editorial work where she has total creative freedom. In addition to her creative accomplishments, Ilona was also a finalist in the under 40 entrepreneur category in the Women’s Business Awards.

Ilona sees great importance in connecting with other beauty professionals because when ideas and perspectives are shared amongst peers, it elevates and inspires us all.