Meet our Speakers

DEEPAK CHOPRA MD, FACP, FRCP founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He is also an Honorary Fellow in Medicine at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. He is the author of over 90 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. For the last thirty years, Chopra has been at the forefront of the meditation revolution and his 94th book, Quantum Body - The New Science of Living a Longer, Healthier, More Vital Life co-authored with physicist Jack Tuszynski, Ph.D., and endocrinologist Brian Fertig, M.D. was published in December, 2023.. TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as “one of their top 100 most influential people.”

LOCATION: Toronto

Seven World Championships; Six Olympic appearances; Five Olympic medals; Four Olympic Gold medals – Hayley Wickenheiser is a titan of sport and a leader both on and off the ice. 

A first-ballot Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, Hayley’s hockey IQ is highly respected in both the male and female game. She has played in, or coached at, four NHL development camps – the Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers and the Toronto Maple Leafs – having accepted a permanent full-time role of AGM of Player Development for the Leafs in 2020. 

Alongside her career in the NHL, Hayley is currently a doctor in the Toronto-area – a pursuit she had dreamt of her whole life and began in 2017 following her retirement from her 23 years on the National Women’s Team. 

She is a member of the Order of Canada, a retired member of the IOC Athlete’s Commission, Member of Canada’s Sport Hall of Fame, Founder of The Canadian Tire Wickenheiser World Female Hockey Festival and most importantly, a mom to her grown son Noah. 

LOCATION: Toronto

Rayhan's inspiring story is one of resilience in the face of adversity and constant change. He was diagnosed with an ultra-rare muscle condition in his early twenties that has gradually stripped him of his physical abilities, but he has continued to thrive in his personal and professional life. Rayhan is currently Vice President and Head of FP&A at Cineplex Entertainment, has traveled the world with his wife and children, pursued his passion for film, and advocates for disability rights and inclusion through multiple board positions. 

With over 25+ years of global leadership experience in technology, government, nonprofits, community-based organizations, and academia, Bhimani stands out as a builder, problem solver and connector. She adeptly synergizes the varied objectives and needs for technology companies to build inclusive and responsible tech/products/services that speak to diverse markets, users and consumers. She has a track record of empowering leaders and organizations to be innovative, resilient and legible to an increasingly dynamic world.

As Alphabet's first Chief Strategist and Director on Inclusive Technology, Business, and Leaders since 2017, Salima empowered 11 startup moonshot companies (Waymo, Wing, X, Sidewalk Labs, Intrinsic, Isomorphic, GV, etc) to shape sustainable businesses for Alphabet while improving the world. A trusted partner to tech CEOs and their emerging businesses of various scale, maturity and market fit, in fields like AI, venture, robotics, self-driving tech and biotech she enabled untapped, billion dollar people, product and business opportunities into the success of every moonshot. She built the foundational strategies, infrastructure and operations, while influencing an ecosystem of leaders and functions. 

Having worked with 1,000+ executives and key stakeholders, Salima pioneered innovative business and organizational change. She’s expanded the impact that technology, non-profit, government, education/academic and international sectors have in under considered and underinvested areas, increasing the potential of multimillion dollar outcomes. This included increasing effectiveness of resources allocated to high profile projects. Before joining Google in 2017, she was CEO and founder of a global consulting firm. From 2008-2015, Salima has held positions with the Canadian Federal government, City of Toronto, Harvard University and the University of Toronto. Within those organizations, she held roles such as director of programs and projects, consultant, global researcher, professor, and international project designer. 

She is a sought-after speaker and consultant who has spoken and led alongside global dignitaries. She has served on several non-profit boards and advised the United Nations on inclusive innovation and technology.

LOCATION: Toronto

Zabeen is a strategic advisor to both the private and public sectors, a thought leader in Future of Work, leadership, culture, purpose, skills-based economy, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her senior leadership and board experience enables her to bring a practical perspective to her advisory work and as a speaker, writer, and media commentator.  Now in her Purposeful Third Act, she is creating impact by activating her purpose: "to unlock the potential of people and build inclusive prosperity" and her mission is to scale this concept.  

Zabeen had a distinguished career at RBC (Royal Bank of Canada) where, before her retirement, she was Chief Human Resources Officer for 10 years, overseeing 80,000 employees across 40 countries.  She was a member of RBC's Group Executive Committee, which set the bank's strategic direction, and also held responsibility for brand, communications, and corporate citizenship.

Currently as Executive Advisor Future of Work at Deloitte, Zabeen advises clients on people and culture issues key to their transformation agendas and long-term success and leads Deloitte’s CHRO30 Forum, which convenes CHROs from leading private and public sector organizations.  She is Senior Advisor to Knockri, an AI-enabled recruitment and staffing assessment tool that mitigates bias. 

She serves as Special Advisor to the Clerk of the Privy Council, Co-Chair of the City of Toronto's Economic Development Advisory Panel, and Executive-in-Residence at Simon Fraser University Beedie School of Business.  Active in the not-for-profit sector, Zabeen serves on the Board of the Public Policy Forum, and the Board of Governors for JA (Junior Achievement) Worldwide. 

Zabeen has received numerous recognitions, including the Canadian HR Awards Ivey Business School Lifetime Achievement in HR Leadership, Governor General's Meritorious Service Medal for Diversity and Inclusion, SFU Outstanding Alumni Award, Catalyst Canada Honour for championing women and minorities in business, Top 25 Women of Influence, and three-time WXN Top 100 Most Powerful Women awardee and a Hall of Fame inductee.  Zabeen has an MBA from Simon Fraser University.

LOCATION: Toronto

Mike co-founded Wealthsimple, Canada’s leading financial services innovator, in 2014 and the company today serves more than three million Canadians. He has been named Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young, one of Toronto’s 50 most influential people by Toronto Life and one of Canada’s “Top 40 Under 40.” He sits on the board of Intact Financial and the Wealthsimple Foundation, an initiative that helps children from modest-income families save for post-secondary education.

Mike holds an undergraduate degree in Business from the University of Western Ontario, and a graduate degree in Management from Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University.

Tammy is the Director of HR for IBM Canada where she leads all aspects of the people and culture strategy impacting team members across the country. She is a member of the IBM Canada Executive Leadership team and works closely with IBM leaders both in Canada and globally to ensure the company’s people strategy in market is deeply grounded and aligned to business priorities. This includes championing digital transformation within IBM including the organization’s focus on leveraging automation and AI capabilities to improve HR processes, applications and technologies.

A committed advocate for people and driving change for the better, Tammy brings over 20 years of experience to her leadership role across talent and performance management, employee relations, conflict resolution, HR technology & transformation, diversity & inclusion, compensation, and complex employee relations. Prior to joining IBM, Tammy held roles in HR Technology consulting with PwC Consulting (acquired by IBM), and with one of Canada’s largest retailers.

Tammy is a Board Member for Women in Communication and Technology (WCT) and member of the Conference Board of Canada and a graduate of York University and Humber College.

Jodi is an experienced, visionary CEO leader and a transformative global brand builder. She is a growth strategist and a passionate connector of people.   

Jodi was the founder and CEO of #movethedial, which focused on the growth and equitable participation of all women in tech. Leveraging Jodi’s vision, wealth of experience, pioneering spirit and passion, the movement impacted over 60,000 people at events throughout Canada, the US, the UK and Israel. Jodi also previously led growth at Vetster, a telemedicine platform, and was the CEO at Peerscale, a technology membership association.   

Jodi is passionate about the intersection of equity, innovation, and the future of work.  Featured in Forbes Women, Jodi was recognized as an Adweek Brandstar in Toronto in 2018, One of Canada’s 25 Women of Influence in 2018, and one of WXN’s Canada’s 100 most powerful women in 2017 and 2019.   

Jodi holds an HBA from Ivey Business School at Western University and an LLB from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University. Jodi also authored Go Out of Your Way, a book about the power of people, relationships and building genuine connections, endorsed by Sheryl Sandberg. 

David Lloyd has a passion for transforming data into action to drive quantifiable value for customers. Prior to joining Dayforce, David served as the CEO of companies that successfully leveraged data science and intelligence to create amazing customer experiences, while simultaneously building award-winning cultures and SaaS platforms loved by customers. His motto: Never stop learning. 

Lital's journey to becoming a global innovation powerhouse began on the technological frontlines of Europe, where she built software products from the ground up. As her influence
grew, so did her scope, soon leading strategic sales for Fortune 100 giants across three continents. Her exciting journey has led her to live in ten different countries and to start four
companies, including UNFOLD, a haven for innovation, and The Academy of Tomorrow,
shaping the leaders of tomorrow.

Imagine a unique INNOVATION FRAMEWORK grounded in solid evidence. That's what Lital and her team at UNFOLD have developed, guiding organizations to  transform and grow their businesses. The result? Faster growth, higher profits, and a business model that's ready for the future and focused on improving their customers' lives. Then there's The Academy of Tomorrow, Lital's revolutionary approach to learning. With the future in sight, she's equipping leaders with the mindsets and skillsets to navigate and succeed in the world of tomorrow.

Her inspiring story, extensive experience, and the success stories of those impacted by her work underline her authority in connecting technology (disruptive technologies and system thinking) with humanity to create impact on a global scale. She's not just a guide; she's a game-changer—your game-changer. Let her ignite your transformation journey, and start seeing the change in your business and in your life today.

In her current role, AnnMarie leads Walmart Canada's human resources with over 100,000 associates supporting more than 400 stores, distribution centres and fleet hubs nationwide and a growing e-commerce business.

AnnMarie joined Walmart Canada in 2015 and has been instrumental in charting the retailer’s path forward on strategic initiatives driving the talent agenda, organizational design and future ways of working with her ability to translate strategy into action and collaborate across the organization.

AnnMarie is known as a developer of talent, motivating others to strive to their full potential, capitalizing on their unique capabilities and demonstrating how their actions translate to our ‘bigger picture’.

AnnMarie’s strengths will position Walmart Canada well in the next phase of its transformational journey, ensuring it continues to be associate-centred.

Prior to joining Walmart, AnnMarie held several senior leadership roles in both human resources and communications leading major corporate and global initiatives, including mergers and acquisitions around the world, driving the talent agenda forward.

Claudette McGowan is a global information technology leader with more than 20 years of success leading digital transformations and implementing cybersecurity platforms and solutions. She has worked in the technology industry for several organizations such as Deloitte, Metropolitan Police Services, North York General Hospital, Bank of Montreal, and TD Bank.

At BMO, Claudette served as the Chief Information Officer, Enterprise Technology Employee Experience, and at TD she was the Global Executive Officer for Protect Fusion & Cyber Experience.

Claudette is currently the Chief Executive Officer for Protexxa, a Canadian-based cybersecurity software and services company.

Claudette is an active member of the Canadian innovation ecosystem. She is Vice-Chair of MaRS Discovery District, and Board Chair of the Coalition of Innovation Leaders Against Racism (CILAR), a group of senior business leaders committed to creating platforms that break down systemic barriers within the innovation economy. McGowan recently co-led the launch of Phoenix Fire & The Firehood, a multi-million-dollar women-focused angel fund and network for women in technology.

Her commitment to community is evidenced by her multiple board seats for leading organizations such as Air Canada, SickKids Hospital Foundation, Black North, CILAR, Elevate Technology Festival, and University of New Brunswick Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity.

Claudette holds a BA from Lakehead University, MBA from Athabasca University, three Hon Doctor of Laws degrees from Carleton University, McMaster University and University of Waterloo. Claudette is currently in the Computer Science PhD program at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Diana McLachlan is Vice-President of People Operations at Wealthsimple, a leading financial technology company, trusted by more than 3 million Canadians today. Under her leadership, the human resources team develops and executes strategies to drive employee and operational excellence for more than 1,000 hybrid employees coast to coast.

Diana has deep experience leading teams that move business objectives forward. At Wealthsimple and prior, she has mobilized projects and people across crisis and reputation management, community and government engagement, media relations and business operations. Her career includes building and leading teams for some of Canada’s most respected communications firms including Teneo Strategy and NATIONAL Public Relations. Diana believes empowered employees build impactful companies and has
served as counsel and advisor to leaders at Deloitte, Accenture, provincial and federal government, and others.

Diana holds an MA in Global Communications Management (Distinction) from Cardiff University, UK, and is Dalhousie University alumni.

Whether championing young people, newcomers, or women, Farah Mohamed has had a singular mission: to put practical solutions to inequity in front of decision-makers and galvanize them to action.

A refugee from Uganda, Farah came to Canada as a child. Her journey inspired her to launch a thirty-year career working with politicians, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists to give back to Canada. She served as a senior advisor to Canadian politicians, founded G(irls)20 (now FORA), and became CEO of the Malala Fund. Today she serves as CEO of The King’s Trust Canada, a national charity, founded by His Majesty King Charles III, that helps young people facing barriers increase their employability.

Farah is a board member of RefugePoint, Apolitical, and The Harbourfront Centre. She is a recipient of The Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, The Order of Merit of Canada and has been recognized as one of BBC's Top 100 Women.

Jennifer Moss is an award-winning writer, international speaker, and workplace culture strategist with clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies. Her most recent book, The Burnout Epidemic, was named 10 Best New Management Books for 2022 by Thinkers50 and shortlisted for the 2021 Outstanding Works of Literature Award. Jennifer’s next book, Why Are We Here?: Creating a Work Culture Everyone Wants, will be published in January 2025. Jennifer is a nationally syndicated radio columnist and freelance journalist.  

She writes for Harvard Business Review and her work has appeared in CNN, TIME, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. 

Takara covers technology and business for a variety of national and international publications. You can catch Takara on CBC where she breaks down the biggest tech and business stories as a national technology columnist for CBC (Canada's public broadcaster) and technology contributor for BBC World News. Takara recently received her SANS cybersecurity certification and completed a summer farming program at Sundance Farms.

Kathleen (Katie) Taylor (JD/MBA/BA - CM) is Chair of Element Fleet Management and Altas Partners and is the Chancellor of York University. She is also the former Chair of RBC and the former President and CEO of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

Katie is the Vice Chair of The Adecco Group in Zurich and a director of Air Canada and Mattamy Asset Management. She also chairs the Advisory Board of the The Cabot Collection.

A champion of women and children, Katie is Chair of the Board of the Hospital for Sick Children and the Past Chair and a member of the board of the SickKids Foundation. She is also a Founding Visionary of The Prosperity Project, a national not-for-profit devoted to the advancement of women in leadership and the economy. She has served as the Co-Chair of the Advocacy Committee on National Childcare and currently serves as Co-Chair of TPP’s Annual Diversity Report Card.

Katie is a member of the C.D. Howe Institute’s National Council, Co-Chair of their Human Capital Policy Council and a member of the Task Force on the Digital Economy. She is also serves on the Dean’s Global Advisory Council of the Schulich School of Business and is the current Chair of the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference.

Katie earned an MBA from the Schulich School of Business, a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours With Distinction) from the University of Toronto. She has been a member of the Order of Canada since 2016.

Salim is a Partner with Radical Ventures where he leads the firm’s Velocity Team.  Radical Ventures invests in people shaping the future of how we live, work, and play by partnering with founders who understand the transformational power of AI.

Salim brings over 25 years of experience in the technology sector as an entrepreneur, venture investor, corporate innovator and innovation ecosystem builder. Prior to Radical Ventures, Salim served as President, Venture Services for Toronto-based MaRS Discovery District, one of the world’s largest urban innovation centres. Salim has held leadership roles with Indigo Books & Music, CX Digital and was a Partner with early-stage VC firm Brightspark Ventures. Salim was also a Co-founder of San Francisco-based MobShop Inc, a pioneering e-commerce venture funded by GE Capital, Visa International, Mayfield Fund and Marc Andreessen.

Salim is a graduate of the Ivey Business School at Western University.

Laura boasts more than two decades of experience providing strategic advice and legal representation to organizations on a full range of labour, employment law and human rights matters. She has specific expertise in conducting investigations and organizational reviews related to equity diversity inclusion and systemic discrimination issues.

As a speaker, Laura frequently chairs, educates and keynotes at legal, association and business conferences, and conducts customized in house corporate training to help organizations identify and address legal risks, implement equity, diversity and inclusion strategies, restore culture and optimize people management strategies.

As a recognized thought leader, Laura has been featured in various publications including Canadian Lawyer, Lawyers Weekly, Law Times, HR Professional Magazine, Canadian HR Reporter, Canadian Employment Law Today and Canadian Labour Law Today. In addition, she has appeared in various national broadcast and print media including CTV News, Global News, BNN, CBC Radio, the Globe and Mail, National Post, Canadian Business Magazine and Chatelaine.

In addition to her work, Laura is a member of various professional organizations and community service associations. She has been appointed as an advisor on the University of Western Ontario’s newly formed Equity Council and to the Adidas United Against Racism Accountability Council. Laura also has many years of service on various Boards of Directors, including most recently for Canadian Society of Association Executives and is the Chair of the 360Kids Board of Directors.

Red Sky Performance is a leading company of Indigenous performance in Canada and worldwide.

Since its creation in 2000, Red Sky’s vision is to lead in the creation, elevation, and evolution of Indigenous performance and to make a significant contribution to the vibrancy of Canada and the world.

Red Sky has delivered close to 4,000 performances in 22 countries on four continents, including two Cultural Olympiads (Beijing and Vancouver), World Expo in Shanghai, and the Venice Biennale. 

At the same time, Red Sky remains deeply rooted and regularly performs in urban, rural, and reserve communities across Turtle Island (Canada and the USA).

Wali Shah is a poet and motivational speaker. He’s delivered TED talks, narrated voice overs for commercials, and spoken at hundreds of schools and colleges across North America. As an award-winning artist, Wali has inspired thousands to follow him on social media, where he uses his platform for social change.

Wali’s journey as an artist began in his hometown, as he was named the City of Mississauga’s official poet. Since then, Wali has toured coast to coast, he’s worked with Fortune 500 companies such as Microsoft, and made mama proud by graduating from the University of Toronto.

He’s performed alongside President Barack Obama, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and he's even freestyled with hip hop artist, Kendrick Lamar.

Peter Carr is a continuing lecturer in the Department of Management Sciences and has been consulting on the topic of digital transformation for 18 years. He is an expert on the use of technology in business and society. His key areas of focus for research and teaching include: technology innovation and entrepreneurship, the strategic management of technology, project management, the use of social media to improve business performance, technology in developing countries, the social impact of information technology, and online learning. 

Carr works on the use of technology in developing countries. Most recently this work has included the creation of the Technology Enabled Education Resource Library, with Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi. Prior to that, he contributed to over 20 projects with NetHope and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. He was the Technical Editor of the book “PMP Professional Study Guide, 3rd edition” by Joseph Phillips (McGraw Hill, 2009). He has taught Project Management and Operations Management courses internationally and has been featured in case studies by Microsoft and BlackBerry. He has created two project management based online simulations. He recently completed contributions to a report on digital transformation in the manufacturing sector in Canada. 

Carr holds a PhD in lean transformation of traditional manufacturing organizations from Cranfield University in the United Kingdom. He also has strong ties to industry. Prior to joining the University of Waterloo, he was executive director at the Centre for Innovative Management at Athabasca University. 

Ruben is an accomplished workplace lawyer with 30 years of experience in the human resources field.

His legal work is management focused, representing employers on all workplace legal issues including employment litigation, labour law, occupational health and safety, and human rights. Ruben has successfully positioned himself as a senior advisor to his clients in all aspects of workplace law. He and his team are fortunate enough to have some long-term relationships with several national employers.

He has spent his entire career based in the west end of the GTA, primarily practicing in Mississsauga. In June of 2020, he launched his own firm: Goulart Workplace Lawyers. The firm quickly became fully immersed in helping employers navigate the challenges of the pandemic. He started with 3 lawyers, and the practice has now at 8 lawyers and growing. The practice is located at the Oakville/Mississauga border. 

With over 17 years of experience in Financial Services, Andrea is a proven Innovation, Data and Technology leader. She is currently Assistant Vice President, Innovation and Digital Enablement at Farm Mutual Re, where she leads digital teams focused on using technology and data to solve challenging problems.   

Prior to Farm Mutual Re, Andrea was Director, Innovation, leading Scotiabank’s innovation hub in Waterloo, Ontario. She also served as Chief of Staff to Scotiabank’s Executive Vice President of Retail Product and spent eight years in Institutional Equity Research holding progressively senior roles at Canaccord Genuity, BMO Nesbitt Burns, and TD Securities. 

Andrea has served on the Board of The New Quarterly, has volunteered with Enactus Canada and Ladies Learning Code, and is an active member of the local theatre community. Outside of work, she is also a Barre Instructor at GoodLife Fitness. She is a graduate of the University of Waterloo, with a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature. 

Andrea resides in Kitchener-Waterloo with her husband. 

With over 15 years of experience as a transformative coach and group facilitator, Nova Nicole helps senior leaders from diverse industries succeed on their terms. With data and levity, Nova designs and delivers personal development workshops and coaching sessions for global leads across various disciplines, covering energy management, conflict resolution, feedback, resilience, and stress management topics.

Lisa Taylor is an author, entrepreneur, consultant, futurist, and community leader focused on making sense of the changing world of work. She is the President of Challenge Factory, a research agency, consultancy, and certified B Corporation that works with purpose-driven organizations. Lisa has published 5 employer-focused books including The Talent Revolution: Longevity and the Future of Work. She is one of WXN's 2022 Top 100 Most Powerful Canadian Women, and an associate fellow for the National Institute on Ageing

As the Director of People & Culture for Billyard Insurance Group, Neil Culp spearheads HR strategic planning, overseeing organizational design projects and implementation of systems and practices that enhance the company’s performance and culture. Strategic initiatives include driving efforts to attract, develop, and retain top talent, ensuring alignment with the company's overarching goals and values.   

Holding an Honours BA in Psychology, Masters of Business Administration (MBA) and Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) designation, Neil has worked in progressively more senior HR and operational roles within multiple industries, including commercial real estate, gaming, municipal government, post-secondary education, and insurance.  

Throughout Neil’s career, he has held roles accountable for Labour/Employee Relations, Talent Acquisition, Compensation, Organizational Development, HR Systems and HR Analytics and always looks for ways to apply powerful thinking to complex problems, as well as developing solutions that result in significant, measurable improvements.  To that end, Neil has led several organizational transformation projects and developed several HR analytics reporting programs/tools over his career.

Fahd is a startup workplace expert who teaches managers how to lead multi-generational teams. He specializes in transformative leadership and team dynamics training for high-growth startups. 

Through his thirteen years of experience building successful teams, he’s identified the tried and true ingredient that sets high performing teams apart from competitors — they had leaders who prioritized team performance over individual success. 

 He calls them Unicorn Leaders. 

Fahd has spoken to +65K people across North America on leadership and been named Rising Star Speaker and Most Entertaining Speaker by the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers. Now, he offers startup founder leadership coaching, offsite team-building retreats, and inspires audiences to become Unicorn Leaders through his corporate keynotes. 

Charles Hofley is a senior labour and employment lawyer in Hicks Morley’s Ottawa office who maintains a fully bilingual practice. He has more than 30 years of experience advising employers on a broad range of employment and labour matters including terminations, collective agreement negotiation and administration, human rights and social service matters.

Charles is an experienced negotiator and regularly appears before boards of arbitration, administrative tribunals and all levels of court. He is a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars on current issues in labour and employment law. Charles promptly delivers practical solutions tailored to each client’s individual circumstances and he works closely with them to provide guidance on emerging issues. His dedication to his practice has resulted in Charles having retained many of his clients since the late 1980s. In this time he has developed a profound understanding of his clients and the ever-changing legislation that affects their businesses.

Sheila James is the inaugural Director of the Office of I-IDEAS- Indigeneity, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access and Social justice. She brings over twenty years of experience as an equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) leader and specialist in federal and municipal governments. 

She is Executive Director of the sole proprietorship DEVI (Diverse, Equitable, Vital, and Innovative) Consultation and Strategies, providing EDI advice to cultural agencies across Canada. Sheila holds a Master of Fine Arts from University of British Columbia and an LLM from Osgoode Law School, York University. 

Prior to joining CHEO, Sheila served as the Senior Strategic Advisor, at the Canada Council for the Arts where she led the Equity Office for ten years. She initiated ground-breaking policies and managed million-dollar targeted funding programs that greatly contributed to the diversification of Canada’s cultural landscape. More recently she worked at the City of Ottawa leading organizational-wide equity initiatives including data driven strategic hiring processes towards achieving the City’s workforce demographic targets. 

She has presented extensively on equitable practices and diverse participation in government, unions, universities, and not-for-profit sectors. 

Sheila brings a feminist, queer and racialized perspective to her work as she strives to influence and motivate cross-sectoral teams to collaborate, excel and achieve equity and diversity goals towards greater social justice. Sheila is an award-winning author and videographer whose work focuses on stories from marginalized perspectives. Her novel Outcaste was published in 2024 by Goose Lane Editions. 

Nigel McKechnie is a labour and employment lawyer practising out of Hicks Morley’s Ottawa office. He is experienced in providing advice and litigating matters before the courts and administrative tribunals.

Nigel has appeared as lead counsel before the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the Canadian Industrial Relations Board, the Federal Court, the Ontario Superior Court and, most recently, the Court of Appeal for Ontario.

Nigel is a responsive and strong advocate for clients.

 Outside of the office, Nigel stays busy with his wife and children. He enjoys audiobooks, history, music and road trips. Nigel regularly speaks at legal community conferences.

Paul Horton is an HR Executive with absolutely no relation to Tim Horton. He does have a love of coffee and a passion for finding new and better ways to help people be their best at work and to achieve success in their career and in life outside of work.

Paul dabbled in website design and moonlighted as a professional wedding photographer - but at his core, Paul is an HR Guy with 25 years of HR experience across a range of industries, including Deloitte, JDS Uniphase, Brookfield (BGIS) and JP Morgan Chase.

A local Ottawa product, Paul attended Carleton University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce and met his wife, Jodi. Today they are the proud parents of 4 teenage daughters and a micro golden doodle. Once an aspiring professional athlete and now a beer league hockey player, Paul is a hopeless Beatlemaniac and a Habs fan in good times and bad.

Paul is currently the Chief Human Resources Officer at Recollective, an Ottawa-based developer of the leading qualitative market research and online communities platform.

Karen Craggs-Milne is a distinguished authority and go-to expert for organizations who are serious about getting diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) work right.

She brings over 25 years of global experience working on DEI issues both as a seasoned Executive and a trusted Industry Expert. Karen has advised 150+ corporations, governments, NGOS and post secondary institutions on how to bring Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), Decolonization, Indigenization and Reconciliation (DIR), Environment, Social and Governance (ESG), Social Impact and Social Purpose to life - all with thoughtful intentionality and meaningful impact.

Karen’s pioneering work has had a profound global impact earning her numerous accolades including Top 25 Canadian HR Innovator (2022), Top 100 Canadian professional (2020) and Obama White House Recognized Gender Equality Changemaker (2016).

Karen’s fiery passion, her commitment and deep expertise in this work will leave you moved, inspired and ready to take meaningful action.

Jodie Desrochers is a Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) and a registered HR Consultant with the Human Resources Professional Association. Jodie is the founder of HR Werx and her mission is to provide Northern Ontario businesses with on-demand HR services customized to meet their individual needs. By having an Honours Bachelor of Arts, a post-graduate certification in Human Resources Management, along with a CHRL designation, Jodie’s educational background is an asset when it came to founding her own business in 2018.  

As an independent HR Consultant, Jodie supports her clients with the constantly changing employment legislation by helping to review/develop employee policies and procedures, as well as being available for in-person consultations to assist with complex employment matters. Her expertise in employment law and HR best practices also allows her to offer customized training programs, organizational (re)structuring, compliance audits, and much more.  Along with her educational experience, her professional experience includes over 15 years in HR Management in industries such as construction, railway, mining, transportation, healthcare, child protection and hospitality with exposure to both federally and provincially regulated industries. 

Jordan Lester is a partner at Cheadles LLP in Thunder Bay.  His practice focuses on labour and employment law, where he mainly acts for institutional and corporate clients. 

Jordan has successfully represented clients before the Ontario Court of Appeal, Divisional Court, Superior Court of Justice, Federal Court of Canada, Ontario Human Rights Tribunal, and Ontario Labour Relations Board, in addition to many labour arbitrations. His cases have been reported by a variety of publications including the Ontario Reports, Canadian Human Rights Reports, the Canadian Labour Law Cases. 

Jordan is no stranger to the HRPA.  He is a frequent presenter at the HRPA’s Northern Ontario chapter conferences, and has also presented at the HRPA’s national conference on several occasions. 

In his high school yearbook, Jordan was voted “Most Likely to Host a Gameshow”.  Cause or No Cause is a combination of his professional expertise and a yearbook prophecy. 

Lisa Wilson, a seasoned Leadership Vision Coach, Human Resources Cultural Consultant, and Mediator, draws from her extensive background as a former Human Resources Leader at corporations like Magna International. Leveraging over 20 years of experience, Lisa has transitioned her expertise to empower leaders in small to medium-sized companies. As a co-author of three best-selling books and the solo author of the best-selling book "Leading with Ease," she shares insights on creating exceptional workplace cultures. Armed with a Bachelor of Business Administration and certification as a Human Resources Leader, Lisa's credentials also include expertise in Advanced Dispute Resolution. Through her signature program, "Leading With Ease," Lisa combines teaching and coaching to lay a strong leadership foundation. Her passion for guiding leaders extends beyond the workplace, as evidenced by her impactful volunteer activities. A dynamic speaker, Lisa's engaging approach centers on the belief that effective leadership begins with self-leadership. Her mission is to support leaders in unlocking their full potential, enabling them to propel their teams to extraordinary heights. With a wealth of leadership experience and a commitment to excellence, Lisa invites audiences to discover the transformative power of "Leading With Ease." 

Trina has managed to carve out niche markets where her background in human resources and safety, has helped drive significant growth as a human capital strategist and safety leader in Canada and globally. She is recognized for her leadership in consulting and dedication to improving human capital planning, skills development, and promoting gender diversity.

With her leadership, intrapreneurial spirit, and an innovative vision that others can get behind, Trina founded NORCAT Advisory in 2019, which now includes a diverse team of consultants.

Poised to become the first woman president for the Northeastern Ontario Construction Association in its 75-year history, Trina strives to enhance industry standards. Her commitment to advocacy and action is reflected in her board and committee involvement: NOCA H&S Committee Chair, NOCA Women in Construction Committee volunteer, alternate member on the Construction Legislative Review Committee, HRPA board director. Trina's leadership led to her being awarded the Council of Ontario Construction Associations President's Award in 2022, recognizing her standout contributions as Co-Chair of the WSIB-OH&S Committee.

In recognition of her commitment to safety and advocacy for women, Trina was named among Canada's Top Women in Safety in 2022, received OHS Canada's Community Leader Award (Silver) in 2023, and was honored by Consulting Magazine as a top woman in consulting for her excellence in leadership.