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CUSF Women’s Program

The CUSF Women’s Program was created to foster women’s participation in the shooting community by providing education and engagement opportunities for women of all experience levels. Our overriding goal is to develop a shooting community that is inclusive and representative of our society, of which women play a major role. 

The CUSF Women’s Program will achieve its goals by: 

  • Connecting women from coast-to-coast via social media in community engagement events with online speakers of diverse shooting backgrounds.
  • The “SHE SHOOTS” podcast, which focuses on empowering women within the shooting community and is available for listening below.
  • Our Instagram page “CUSF Women” (@cusfwomen), which highlights women’s contributions to the shooting sports and provides updates on our upcoming events.
  • Once COVID restrictions are relaxed we will return to hosting in-person shooting events in association with the shooting clubs at CUSF affiliated Canadian universities. 

The CUSF Women’s Program is a creation of CUSF, Lady Guns, and the Mapleseed Project. 

Our Partners

Proud supporters of CUSF Women! Check out all of their regular content!

LadyGuns

Ladyguns is a community for women by women with a focus on empowering and connecting a network of like-minded ladies in shooting sports and outdoor activities across Canada.

She Shoots Podcast

Check out the latest episode of the She Shoots Podcasts on the CUSF YouTube page! Packed with special guests!

Project Mapleseed

Project Mapleseed is an apolitical rifle marksmanship training program that focuses on teaching traditional rifle marksmanship from standing, sitting/kneeling, and prone positions in a one day shooting clinic termed a “Mapleseed“.

CUSF Women @ IG

Check out our Instagram page where we share regular updates with our community.

CUSF Women Leadership Team

Director, CUSF Women's Program

Regina Ordonez

Regina was first introduced to the world of firearms by her stepdad through hunting. She
remembers always being excited to help and learn how to harvest the different animals. Regina now has her hunting license and is hoping to one day, soon, go out and hunt herself.

Regina was first introduced to the world of firearms by her stepdad through hunting. She
remembers always being excited to help and learn how to harvest the different animals. Regina now has her hunting license and is hoping to one day, soon, go out and hunt herself.
Regina became more involved in the firearms community when she moved to Calgary to study at the University of Calgary. There she joined the University of Calgary Firearms Association (“UCFA”), where she quickly became an executive and was eventually elected as President. Her favorite moments from her time working with the UCFA involved assisting other organizations through the club and the people that she met because of it.
Regina is now the director of the CUSF Women’s Program, where she gets to work with the lovely ladies from the Women’s Program committee, meet new people, learn, brainstorm, and expand our community of strong, talented, intelligent women.
Committee Member, CUSF Women's Program

Kelly Melanson

Kelly Melanson grew up in a family of competitive shooters and hunters; however, she never
participated herself. She obtained her PAL/RPAL later in life and caught the shooting bug after attending a marksmanship clinic in the United States. She was the first Canadian lady to qualify as Rifleman and then became an instructor in several states. Along with a few other Canadians, she then decided to bring the program to Canada. She is a Director and Senior Instructor for Project Mapleseed, and has travelled across the country several times over, instructing thousands of people in the basics of marksmanship and helping to spread the Mapleseed mission across Canada.

Kelly Melanson grew up in a family of competitive shooters and hunters; however, she never participated herself. She obtained her PAL/RPAL later in life and caught the shooting bug after attending a marksmanship clinic in the United States. She was the first Canadian lady to qualify as Rifleman and then became an instructor in several states. Along with a few other Canadians, she then decided to bring the program to Canada. She is a Director and Senior Instructor for Project Mapleseed, and has travelled across the country several times over, instructing thousands of people in the basics of marksmanship and helping to spread the Mapleseed mission across Canada.

Kelly is the VP of Women’s Programs for the CCFR, she organizes and promotes ladies days
across the country for the CCFR. She is also a CCFR RSO (Range Safety Officer) trainer.
Kelly is one of the co-hosts on the weekly Slam Fire Radio podcast, where she brings the female perspective into discussions. She is Black Badge certified and participates in various shooting disciplines, but particularly enjoys skeet, PRS and IPSC. She recently obtained her hunting licence and has successfully ethically harvested sustainable sources of food.

Committee Member, CUSF Women's Program

Kacie Gavinchuk

Kacie started shooting in 2011 when she exploded her first clay target and has been hooked ever since. She started competing in sporting clays competitions throughout Canada and the US and loved introducing others to the sport so much that she took her level 1 NSCA instructor course in 2013, becoming one of the first female instructors in Canada (the other was Denean).

Kacie started shooting in 2011 when she exploded her first clay target and has been hooked ever since. She started competing in sporting clays competitions throughout Canada and the US and loved introducing others to the sport so much that she took her level 1 NSCA instructor course in 2013, becoming one of the first female instructors in Canada (the other was Denean).

Kacie is a mentor and advocate for women in shooting sports and co-founded a group called LadyGuns which is a community for shooting, hunting and outdoor enthusiasts to meet like minded women and share their love and knowledge in a safe and supportive environment.

Kacie participated as a committee member for the launch of the Women's Program for the Canadian University Shooting Federation and currently sits on the board of directors for the Kamloops Shotgun Sports Association as their Communications Officer and Secretary. She also volunteers to instruct and mentor whenever I can.

Above all, Kacie is committed to getting as many women and youth into the shooting sports and to being a strong voice for the industry as a whole.

Committee Member, CUSF Women's Program

Denean Tomlin

Denean is a level 1 NSCA shooting instructor, sponsored shooter, brand ambassador, gun dog trainer, hunter and mentor. She is a huge advocate for women and youth in shooting sports and she has been interviewed by local media and produced and published related articles.

Denean is a level 1 NSCA shooting instructor, sponsored shooter, brand ambassador, gun dog trainer, hunter and mentor.

She is a huge advocate for women and youth in shooting sports and she has been interviewed by local media and produced and published related articles.

If there is a field to plate opportunity, Denean can be found in the kitchen making wild game taste delicious.

She has a son, a bird dog and a pick up truck full of gear, that are always on the road seeking outdoor adventure with friends and family.
Using the LadyGun moniker, Denean has travelled the US and UK, participating at shooting, hunting and industry events.