Inspiring Women 'The Experience'

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She is a corporate leader, visionary, and philanthropist, who believes that living a life of passion is our highest calling. As Joey explains, “To be truly successful today in any walk of life, you need passion. I define passion as an act whereby one person opens his or her heart to truly experience things to their fullest.”

Born “Joelle Berdugo” and known to most as simply “Joey,” she is the President of Diesel Canada. She is also the founder and driving force behind the ONEXONE Star-Fundraising Gala, an event created to raise funds for underprivileged children both locally and around the world.

Joey spent her formative years living in countries as varied as Morocco, France and Switzerland, before settling in Montreal with her parents. No stranger to hard work, she spent her days working full-time for marketing and promotional companies while studying commerce full-time at night, at Concordia University.

Her determination paid off: In 1984, Joey entered the world of fashion, working for Sergio Valente, one of the founding brands of the denim craze in the early 1980’s. By 1987, Joey and her future husband, Louis (“Lou”) Adler, had secured the brand Diesel. Joey has now been with Diesel for twenty years and is “incredibly proud” to have been associated with the brand and its founder Renzo Rosso, as he grew the label from a small company in the hills of Northern Italy, to one of the most sought-after brands in the world today.

Joey’s success is due in no small part to her philosophy that decisions should first be made with the brand in mind, rather than monetary interests. This life philosophy has also been reflected in her most significant relationships. Whether talking business or personal interests, Joey believes that integrity and honesty are integral components of success.

In 2003, Joey’s friend, husband and long-time business partner, Louis Adler, succumbed to cancer. During the difficult period leading up to his death, Joey undertook the task of caring for Lou while keeping an eye on her ever-evolving business. A committed philanthropist, Lou had touched the lives of countless people; while many would not have recovered from such a devastating loss, Joey chose to honour her husband’s life by beginning a new chapter in her own.

In 2004, Joey began the Lou Adler Foundation, initially created to raise funds for cancer-related charities. However, propelled by her trademark courage and determination, Joey was able to take the project to new heights, creating ONEXONE in 2005.

ONEXONE is a non-profit foundation committed to making a difference in children’s lives in Canada, the United States and around the world. Its mission is to alleviate child suffering through programs intended to improve their lives by focusing on water, health, education & self–esteem.

ONEXONE is an organization that partners with talented and dedicated NGO’s to implement specific programs as well as creating its own visionary programs. Our First Nations Breakfast program in Canada feeds 1,700 children daily and works to improve the lives of First Nations children by ensuring access and availability to healthy foods in the school setting.

Along with Ambassador Matt Damon and Wyclef Jean, celebrity visitors have included Bono, Brad Pitt, John Legend, Duchess Sarah Ferguson, Richard Gere, Elle MacPherson and Penelope Cruz.

In the three and a half years since ONEXONE’s inception, the foundation has grossed close to 10 Million in support of children around the world living in need. Joey is also responsible for creating the Adler/Sheiner patient support program at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal to assist families coping with serious illness, and has been instrumental in Lou’s House, a recently built cancer support home in Montreal.

What began as a way to honour her husband and heal from personal loss, has blossomed into a newfound passion and life mission. Last year, Joey was profiled in Fashion magazine and she was recently featured in Yu magazine, Canadian Health and Lifestyle magazine and the Power Within series. She was also honoured in May at Denim & Diamonds, for her work with “Hope & Cope,” a psycho-social program for cancer patients. An emerging area of interest for Joey is the environment, and she hopes to work on this issue in the near future, as it directly relates to poverty around the globe. She will no doubt embrace this new endeavour with the same passion and dedication that she brings to every area of her life.